HOW THE AMENDMENT WON See The Chronicle’s full-page Amendment One analysis, pages 8 and 9 T H E I N D E P E N D E N T D A I LY AT D U K E U N I V E R S I T Y
The Chronicle
THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2012
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTH YEAR, SUMMER ISSUE 1
WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Brodhead reappointed
Optimism takes the stage at commencement by Nicole Kyle THE CHRONICLE
The Class of 2012 was presented with sentiments of peace, optimism and reflection during its commencement ceremony Sunday. Commencement speaker Fareed Zakaria, a noted author, journalist and host of CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS,” encouraged the graduates to seize the varied opportunities provided by an increasingly global and profoundly peaceful world climate. In his remarks, Zakaria, who also received an honorary degree, contextualized the current world state with historical and contemporary references. “We are living in an astonishingly peaceful time, and this peace has allowed for the formation of a single global economy,” he said. “You are living in a world where people have the opportunity to make something of themselves.” Although violence seems constant across media and popular culture, Zakaria highlighted the current state of global peace. Noting the lack of military competition among major world powers, Zakaria juxtaposed today’s broad political stability with World War II and the decades of nuclear threats during the Cold War to emphasize the opportunity
by Yeshwanth Kandimalla THE CHRONICLE
The Board of Trustees appointed President Richard Brodhead to a new five-year term and approved several major building projects and programs at its weekend meeting, the last of the academic year. The Trustees voted unanimously to reappoint Brodhead for his third term following a four-month review process, said Board Chair Richard Wagoner, former CEO of General Motors and Trinity ’75. Brodhead’s strong leadership in key areas—including the $300 million Financial Aid Initiative, DukeEngage and Duke Kunshan University—proved to the Board that he would positively impact the direction of the University in the coming years. “Looking at next year, it would become ever clearer how valuable it is to cement the top leadership position,” Wagoner said, noting that many of the projects started under Brodhead’s term require leadership continuity. The Trustees also approved the University operating budget for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, totaling $2.1 billion. The budget, MELISSA YEO/THE CHRONICLE
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Graduates of the Class of 2012 attend the commencement ceremony in Wallace Wade Stadium Sunday.
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Merit scholars yield on the rise McClain to lead by Kristie Kim THE CHRONICLE
Yields for the University’s merit scholarship programs continued to see an upward trend for the Class of 2016, with an 18.5 percent overall increase in the number of firstyear students who will enter Duke as recipients of one of the seven merit scholarships. Six of the seven merit scholarships met their expected yield, with three merit scholarships—the Benjamin N. Duke and Reginaldo Howard Scholarships and University Scholars—exceeding the increase in incoming freshmen expected yield, said Melissa with merit scholarships since Malouf, director of the Office last year of Undergraduate Scholars and Fellows. The B.N. enrolled 14 incoming students— four more than the target yield, the Reginaldo Howard Scholarship enrolled seven students—two more than its target and University Scholars out of seven that exceeded program enrolled 10 students, their yield including one international
BYTHENUMBERS
18.5 percent 3programs
Graduate School
student—two more than its target. The remaining four programs achieved their target yield. The Angier B. Duke Memoiral scholarship will enroll 15, the Alumni Endowed Scholars will enroll one, the Trinity Scholarships will enroll four and the Robertson Scholars Program—which has students at both Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—will enroll 13 Duke freshmen this Fall. The Robertson Scholars Program experienced its highest yield for the Class of 2016 with 16 American students accepting to enroll at either Duke or UNC out of 20 offers and nine acceptances from international students out of 14 offers, said Woody Coley, executive director of the Robertson Scholars Program. This year, the program made offers to less than 2 percent of its applicants, making it more selective than competing institutions like Harvard, Yale and Princeton Universities, which had Class of 2016 acceptance rates of 5.9 percent, 6.8 percent and 7.86 percent, respectively. Coley attributed the increased yield to the caliber of current scholar classes and an improved ability of the selection committee and admissions officers to identify potential leaders. “In an increasingly competitive world for students
Paula McClain, former chair of Duke’s Academic Council and political science professor, views the Graduate School as central to the University’s mission and reputation, and, as dean, she wants to raise its profile within the University. The University announced last week that McClain’s position as dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education will be effective July 1. McClain was selected for the position based on committee recommendations to Provost Peter Lange and President Richard Brodhead. She will be the first black dean of a Duke school. “[McClain] has a lot of experience,” Lange said. “She knows Duke very well, and she has a lot of respect from all of her Paula McClain colleagues. She has [already] been deeply involved in graduate education.” The committee, chaired by physics professor Calvin
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SEE MCCLAIN ON PAGE 4
by Maggie Spini THE CHRONICLE