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
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2012
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTH YEAR, ISSUE 38
WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM
FOOTBALL
DUHS preps Blue Devils buckle in Blacksburg for effects of health reform by Zac Elder THE CHRONICLE
BLACKSBURG, Va.—Prior to Duke’s 4120 loss to Virginia Tech, head coach David Cutcliffe had taken the Blue Devils into unchartered waters. For the first time in his tenure as head coach, the Blue Devils received votes in Game the AP Top 25 Poll after trumping VirAnalysis ginia 42-17. Duke’s 5-1 record going DUKE 20 into last weekend VTECH 41 equaled the team’s best start since the 1994 season—the last time the Blue Devils received a bowl bid. Duke’s 2-0 ACC record also marked its best start in conference play since 1994. Virginia Tech also entered last weekend’s matchup in an unusual situation at 3-3 on the season. Since the Hokies joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004, head coach Frank Beamer’s squad has lost four games in a season only once. With games against Florida State, Miami and Clemson still on the schedule, Saturday’s matchup was a must win in order for Virginia Tech to avoid its first bowl-less since since 1992. For the Blue Devils to stay in the game and compete against Virginia Tech, they needed a hot start to silence the home crowd and gain confidence against a team that traditionally dominates Duke. The Hokies had won their last 11 matchups against the
by Danielle Muoio THE CHRONICLE
The Duke University Health System is changing the way it conducts business since the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act in June. On October 1, two major aspects of the ACA were put into motion. One penalizes hospitals if a patient is readmitted within four weeks for reasons that should have been treated on the previous visit. The other, known as Value Based Purchasing, reimburses hospitals based on the quality of their care. The provisions of the Act have forced DUHS to look at ways to reduce patient readmissions. “I don’t want to be penalized for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the ability to improve our process for patients,” said Dr. William Fulkerson, vice president for DUHS. “It takes work, but at the end of the day I’m completely confident that we will perform well.” Value Based Purchasing aims to reward hospitals for providing high-quality care. The federal government withholds 1 percent of payments for hospitals that deliver acute care—short-term treatment for illness, medical conditions or recovery from surgery. This money enters a pool that the Centers
KEVIN SHAMIEH/THE CHRONICLE
Duke quarterback Sean Renfree spent a lot of the time on the ground Saturday, with the Hokies generating five sacks.
SEE HEALTH ON PAGE 5
SEE FB ANALYSIS ON PAGE 14
White House wives take on the Triangle area Obama emphasizes the importance of voting in NC
Biden stresses women’s rights campaigning in Cary
by Gloria Lloyd
by Georgia Parke
THE CHRONICLE
THE CHRONICLE
Two days before the start of early voting, first lady Michelle Obama returned to North Carolina Tuesday to make the case that America can only move forward if her husband is re-elected. Just weeks after a similar campaign appearance at North Carolina Central University in Durham, Obama drew a crowd of more than 5,000 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Carmichael Arena, where she emphasized issues important to young voters—Pell grants, student loans, jobs, education—and said the future of all of these is on the line in the 21 days between now and the Nov. 6 election. In her speech, Obama numbered the beneficiaries of her husband’s presidency in the millions—he has created millions of
Women’s rights will be a major factor in this year’s presidential election, second lady Jill Biden said at the first stop of her North Carolina campaign tour. President Barack Obama’s health care reform—on top of additional successes of his administration—will be a deciding factor for female voters in the upcoming election, Biden said, speaking to a crowd of more than 200 people at the Obama for America office in Cary Saturday. Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, continued her daylong visit to North Carolina with rallies in Greensboro and Charlotte. “This election is about people’s lives, especially women’s,” Biden said. “I see a lot of women in this crowd. [Obama and Joe Biden] are fighting for the
SEE OBAMA ON PAGE 6
SOPHIA PALENBERG/THE CHRONICLE
First lady Michelle Obama visited the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tuesday to speak about issues pertinent to college-age voters.
rights of women every day.” Additionally, Biden emphasized some of the Obama campaign’s hallmark policies, such as reforming student loans and working towards universal health care. She also spoke about some of Obama’s past achievements in office, including 31 consecutive months of job growth and ending the Iraq War. Jill Biden The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, one of the first pieces of legislation that Obama signed while in office, is an example of his dedication towards women, Biden noted. The legislation protects SEE BIDEN ON PAGE 4
ONTHERECORD
Duke basketball trains at Fort Bragg, page 7
“One thing I’ve learned from my parents is that a life is not defined by accomplishments....” —Joseph Kennedy in “Blue Devil legacy.” See column page 19
Professor explains climate change with a simple model, Page 2