November 11, 2013

University

University

changes in reassignment coverage

Have you considered transferring from pratt to trinity?

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The Chronicle 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

xxxxxday, monDAY, november mmmm xx, 11,2013 2013

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ONE ONE HUNDRED HUNDRED AND AND EIGHTH ninthYEAR, YEAR,Issue Issuexxx 48

whose state?

Edwards plays unlikely hero as Duke clinches winning season

by Danielle Lazarus The Chronicle

DeVon Edwards was supposed to be a basketball player.

As a senior on Alcovy High School’s varsity team, Edwards was ranked as the 12th-best player in Georgia. He only chose to pursue football further because of his height—Edwards himself is not hesitant to admit that he can only reach 5-foot-9 while wearing shoes.

Yet it was basketball that led him to the Duke football team. Edwards went largely unrecruited in high school, but head coach David Cutcliffe knew there was something special about the cornerback. It was confirmed when Cutcliffe first saw Edwards on the basketball court.

“I went down and watched him play basketball, and that’s when I knew,” Cutcliffe said. “I put a lot of stock in that, and when I saw him on the court... he had a mentality about him and I loved it.”

But nobody foresaw Edwards’ explosive performance in Duke’s 38-20 victory against N.C. State. With 3:45 remaining in See EDWARDS, in Sportwrap page 7

With Miami looming, Blue Devils face questions at quarterback

by Daniel Carp The Chronicle

As Duke marched into victory formation to seal its seventh win of the year and secure a winning season for the first time since 1994, its starting quarterback stood watching from the sidelines.

Completing 10 of his first 11 passes— including a 75-yard bomb to Jamison Crowder—redshirt junior Anthony Boone appeared to have shaken off his 7-for-25,

four-interception performance against Virginia Tech in which he failed to complete a pass in the second half. But Boone’s decision-making faltered once again Saturday against N.C. State, completing just two of his final 12 passes and throwing two of his three interceptions in that span.

“Just a few mental errors here and there—that’s all that you can say,” Boone said. “You can’t ride the emotion of the game. You just have to try and stay even and fight for 60 minutes.”

Lost in the Blue Devils’ 38-20 victory against N.C. State at Wallace Wade Stadium See QUARTERBACKS, in Sportwrap page 6

Duke health plan covers sex change surgery for employees

by Yiyun Zhu The ChroniCle

Beginning in 2014, the employee health plan will offer coverage for gender reassignment surgery, up to a maximum of $50,000.

The administration announced the change to faculty and employees last month. Duke added gender reassignment surgery coverage to the student health plan in April, following a resolution passed unanimously by Duke Student Government urging the administration to make the change for students and employees.

Vice President of Administration Kyle Cavanaugh noted that the administration goes through an annual process of assessing health benefits, ensuring they are compliant with the Affordable Care Act and are nationally competitive compared to other institutions.

“We go through analysis on how to work plans compared to peers we compete with,” he said. “We find that we are in a very positive position in 2014 in that we are going to offer a comprehensive and affordable health care plan for faculty and families.”

Currently 20 colleges and universities in the United States cover gender reassignment surgeries for employees, including harvard University, the Massachusetts institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale University. “it’s a huge step forward,” said senior Jacob Tobia, DSG vice president of eq-

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2 | MonDAY, noveMber 11, 2013

uity outreach and communications chair of campus lGBTQ group Blue Devils United. “The University added this benefit so that transgender employees can have access to the health care that they need.” he added that the American Psychiatric Association, the American Medical Association and the World Professional Association for Transgender health all declared in 2006 that unlike any cosmetic procedure or plastic surgery, gender reassignment surgery is medically necessary for the health of transgender people. “[The coverage] would make Duke more competitive when recruiting faculty and staff,” said Sara-Jane raines, cochair of the Duke lGBT Task Force.

She noted that the task force has been working on health benefits for transgender individuals with the administration, doing research and making policy recommendations for the past few years. “[The new change] goes along with Duke’s commitment to diversity,” she noted.

Tobia said that the coverage shows current transgender employees that the University values them as members of the community. The change will not make it immediately easier to be a transgender staff member, but it is part of the process by which the University takes a stand on the issue, he noted. “i have met transgender employees at See REASSiGnmEnT page 12

Remembering Those Who Served On this Veterans Day, we thank the Duke alumni and the millions of other men and women who served in the military, and especially those who died

Getting their dance on

eriC lin/The ChroniCle

Student groups performed at Diya’s annual production, Awaaz, showcasing both dance and music as part of a celebration of South Asian culture and heritage.

Support Project Share Help Provide Holiday Gifts to Durham Families 

Make a donation towards the purchase of gifts 

Adopt a family

while serving their country.

After the tragic and unexpected death of their mother, these 4 children are now cared for by their grandmother. She works very hard to stretch her very limited income to provide the basics for her extended family. Your support will make a difference to this family during the holidays. SYC/CHRISTMAS# 594

Today we reflect on the sacrifices they

This grandmother lovingly cares for her developmentally delayed grandson. With her small fixed income, though, she is unable to provide him with a gift this holiday. A Project Share sponsorship will change that. SYC/CHRISTMAS # 132

and their families have made, and we express our profound gratitude.

This mother of three growing boys makes just enough to cover the monthly bills.

She would be most grateful for your assistance to provide some holiday cheer this year with gifts of clothes, coats and remote control cars. SYC/CHRISTMAS # 229 A house fire has displaced this family of 5. Your donations of household items, clothes, books, and toys will bring some joy to their temporary home. SYC/ CHRISTMAS # 589

For sponsor these or similar families please call 919-684-4377 or visit: http://tinyurl.com/projectshareduke

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MonDAY, noveMber 11, 2013 | 3

What have you missed this week?

ViCTor Ye/The ChroniCle

Nathan Araya, director of the documentary “Sincerely Ethiopia,” led a Q&A following the screening of this work Saturday night.

Khloe KiM/The ChroniCle

Duke football took on North Carolina State Saturday and sent them packing after a 38-20 win.

eliZa BraY/The ChroniCle

Jewish Student Union hosted a “speed dating” event at the Freeman Center Thursday night.

aManDa BrUMWell/The ChroniCle

Student dancers perform at Page auditorium during the annual Awaaz showcase.

The 2013 Robert R. Wilson Lecture

oR WhisTLebLoWeRs? LeakeRs National security Reporting in the Digital age Barton Gellman,

Gen. Michael V. Hayden, former

Pulitzer-prize winning journalist who broke stories of NSA datamining in the Edward Snowden case

director of the CIA (2005-2009) and of the NSA (1999-2005)

Monday, Nov. 11, 6 p.m.

Fleishman Commons, sanford building Sponsored by: Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security DeWitt Wallace Center for Media & Democracy Duke Program in American Grand Strategy The Triangle Institute for Security Studies Alexander Hamilton Society

Moderator: Professor David H. Schanzer

4 | MonDAY, november 11, 2013

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news analysis

Admins, students weigh in on Pratt transfer rates

by Rebecca Chen The Chronicle

Sophomore Yossra Hamid began her Duke career in the Pratt School of Engineering. But during the first semester of her freshman year, she found herself worrying about a lack of flexibility in her course schedule.

“When I was looking on the websites and seeing pretty much 90 percent of the classes I would be taking, no matter what field of engineering I chose, already planned out for me…at that moment I was like, ‘This is not what I want,’” Hamid said.

After her first semester, Hamid transferred to the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, where she now plans to major in computer science.

About 20 to 30 percent of Pratt students switch into Trinity every year. The transfer rate is higher among female students, with 30 to 40 percent making the switch.

There are a number of reasons commonly cited for the transfer. Some students choose to switch out of Pratt because they want more flexibility, and others because they find another major that they simply like more, said Linda Franzoni, Pratt associate dean for undergraduate education.

For some students, the transfer is a matter of realizing that they just do not really like engineering, said Lupita McMillian, Pratt assistant dean for undergraduate affairs.

Franzoni offered a hypothesis for the greater amount of female students transferring.

“There’s probably a perception if

you’re female and you’re good at math and science, your chances of getting into Duke are better if you apply to engineering,” Franzoni said. “There may be more females in high school that are on the fence, they don’t really know what engineering is, but they knew this was a strategy for applying.”

She said the department is talking to female students in an attempt to figure out the high transfer rates. No student to date has ever said she was uncomfortable as a female engineer, Franzoni noted.

“We are troubled by the differential between genders transferring,” she wrote in an email Friday. “And we need

to delve into the reasons first before we try to ‘fix’ the problem.”

Michael Gustafson, associate professor of the practice of electrical and computer engineering, said that the 70 to 80 percent Pratt retention rate does not concern him too much because there are some students switching out who never wanted to be engineers to begin with or who changed their minds over the summer before freshman year.

“For [the] others, it’s important to do as much as possible to figure out why,” Gustafson said. “And to make sure that we’re putting information out there and teaching our classes in such a way that students are making that decision with

The Chronicle file photo

On average, 20 to 30 percent of Pratt students switch into Trinity every year. The rate is higher among female students.

the best possible information they have.”

With all of the opportunities Duke offers, some students will naturally want to change their majors, Gustafson said.

“If you leave engineering, you’re changing schools,” Gustafson noted. “I would be interested to know how many students came in thinking they were going to be in natural sciences and ended up in humanities, or in the social sciences and ended up in natural sciences, because divisonally within Trinity that would be similar to looking at a shift in schools.”

Hamid said one of the reasons for her transfer was that she found Pratt to be very restrictive in terms of allowing her to become fluent in Spanish and study abroad, both of which she knew she wanted out of her college experience.

“They only give you a couple of humanities classes to take,” Hamid said. “I figured this was the one time in my life where I could just take a random class on philosophy or environmental studies just because I’m interested in it, so I wanted to take advantage of it.”

Junior Stefan Gorham, on the other hand, chose to switch out of Pratt as a biomedical engineer. Gorham said he was originally interested in genetically engineering cells and tissues that could be used in research settings but decided the major was not for him after taking the introductory engineering course in the first semester of his freshman year.

“Every time if there was a test, and I was studying for it and going over the material, I was just like, ‘This is not me.

See Pratt page 12

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MonDAY, noveMber 11, 2013 | 5

& Q A

Reelected Mayor Bell discusses future plans

The ChroniCle file phoTo

Bill Bell discusses the challenges he has faced and foresees as he enters his seventh term as mayor of Durham.

Mayor Bill Bell was reelected Tuesday for his seventh consecutive two-year term as mayor of Durham. The Chronicle’s Sasha Zients spoke with Bell about his experiences so far and his plans for the future.

The Chronicle: Did you always think you would serve so many terms as mayor of Durham?

Bill Bell: First of all, i’m very pleased to be re-elected. it’s always a good experience to win something you enter in. But no, i did not expect when i was first elected that i would be in office as long as i have been. i feel very motivated to serve because i enjoy local government and the challenges of being a part of the leadership team in the city where i live. i enjoy planning projects and being there to hopefully see them come to fruition. During my time as mayor, i’ve been able to do that with a number of projects.

TC: What are some challenges that you have faced in the past and that you expect to face in the future?

BB: one challenge is not being able to be as responsive to the requests from individuals and community groups— Duke being one example—as they would like. Managing my time has been very important to me as an elected official. i’ve learned to both manage my time and to set priorities.

TC: What have been some of your priorities as mayor?

BB: Working with the City Council, i’ve really focused on the revitalization of industry and neighborhoods. it’s been really important to develop from the bottom up, rather than from the top down and to have the support of the community. it can be tough—you have personalities, homeowners and business owners, who can be difficult to deal with. But we’ve been pretty successful, specifically in the neighborhoods of northeast Central Durham, Southwest Central Durham, Walton and the Southside/rolling hills area.

TC: Do you have anything to say about the recent budget cuts in Durham public schools and throughout the state?

BB: education is very important in Durham and everywhere, as a matter of fact. in terms of responsibility, it isn’t the City Council’s job to determine the budgets and salaries of Durham public schools. But i have always been supportive of education and i have a personal interest in it. in 1992, i led the effort to merge the city public schools with the county public schools, which was a challenging time in our county and for me as mayor. Ultimately, it was successful. i don’t think anyone would want to go back to the way it was before the school systems were merged. But this is all to say that schools are a very important part of our community. We have a leadership council that meets monthly with the school board to talk about issues that pertain to education.

TC: What are your goals looking to the future?

BB: With the City Council, i have developed a strategic plan, which is a vision for Durham’s short term and the long term. So i’m trying to follow this plan as best i can. it includes diversifying the economy, ensuring a safe community and thriving neighborhoods that are livable. We also want to be good stewards of the city’s physical assets.

TC: how would you say the Duke-Durham partnership is going?

BB: The partnership is great. As an elected official, i have been fortunate to work with four presidents at Duke— Terry Sanford, Keith Brodie, nan Keohane and now Dick Brodhead. Duke has been really committed to improving its relationship with Durham and it’s working really well.

We might not be where we are today as a city if it weren’t for contributions Duke has made.

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6 | MonDAY, november 11, 2013

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The Chronicle

Students join Durham residents Marketing efforts in full in support of education in N.C. swing for Duke Kunshan Uni

by Emma Baccellieri The Chronicle

Sasha zients/The Chronicle

Community members showed their support for public education in light of recent NC legislation.

by Sasha Zients The Chronicle

Teachers, families and officials stood up for public education in Durham and throughout North Carolina on Friday.

The “I Love Public School Pep Rally” took place on the CCB Plaza downtown. The events on the plaza—filled with people wearing red and bearing signs—included speeches, spoken word poetry and other performances by local teachers, students and elected officials.

The rally was part of the North Carolina Association of Educators’ ongoing response to the North Carolina General Assembly’s recent education legislation.

Students from Duke’s chapter of Students for Education Reform attended the rally and showed their support.

“We’re here to say, ‘Hey, we’re committed to education and we have a voice,’” said Andrea Underwood, president of Durham Association of Educators, the organization that coordinated the rally.

Duke students attending the rally said that they felt inspired to raise awareness about the state of public education— specifically budget cuts, the elimination of teacher tenure and lowered teacher salaries.

“In order to advocate for reform, we need to know people within the system,” said junior Shannon Potter, president of SER. Potter noted that because she grew up in Pinehurst, NC she had knowledge of North Carolina’s public school system before starting Duke’s chapter of the club last spring.

“The public school system really worked for me,” Potter said. “But I’ve noticed here in Durham that so many people did not have what I got out of my public school education, which I think is unfair.”

Potter said that she and the club at large were against the legislation passed this summer and that the rally was an important step in opposing it.

Senior Taariq Watson—another member of the club who grew up in North Carolina—hopes to teach in the North Carolina public school system after graduating.

“I was very against what was passed this summer and the changes in policy might affect my job,” Watson said. “I joined this group because I met people like me who think our education system See rally page 12

Administrators have hit the ground running with marketing and recruitment efforts for Duke Kunshan University.

Since being approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education in mid-September, DKU has built a presence on social media and has begun holding information sessions in an effort to recruit students from across the globe for the Fall 2014 semester.

“It’s always better to have longer to recruit, and I’m sure we’ll be fully appreciative next year when we have a full year to do the recruiting,” said Nora Bynum, vice provost for DKU and China initiatives. “But we were well-organized and ready to go as soon as we got the establishment approval.”

Recruitment is currently ongoing for two graduate programs—a masters of management studies through the Fuqua School of Business and a masters

of science in global health through the Duke Global Health Institute—and for an undergraduate global learning semester program.

Bynum noted that the marketing and recruitment plans directed at Chinese students and at international students are distinct.

The depth of the liberal arts curriculum is being showcased to Chinese students, while the opportunity for immersion in Chinese culture is being promoted internationally, said Wyatt Bruton, DKU international undergraduate recruiting coordinator. He added that the strength of the program’s global roots—a student body from around the world—is being emphasized both internationally and in China.

“In China…liberal arts are not something that’s offered at most institutions,” Bruton said. “This is something that’s very, very unique—for Chinese See DKU page 9

Izzi clark/The Chronicle

Duke stores have begun selling DKU merchandise in order to promote the program in preparation for next Fall.

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MonDAY, november 11, 2013 | 7

Heroes from across the spectrum gather for NC Comicon

by Shanen Ganapathee The Chronicle

Costumes ranged from baby Batman to middle-aged Superman, and the venue featured an abundance of wigs, covering all the colors of the rainbow.

A crowd of costumed individuals and comic fans congregated at the Durham Convention Center over the weekend for the annual North Carolina Comicon.

Following the theme of most superhero stories, not everything was as it seemed. For one, the brave and powerful Supergirl turned out to be a toddler donning a red cape and blue tights.

The superhero’s father, Durham resident Ed Cooper, said Supergirl’s biggest concern at the moment was not saving the world, but instead saving her pacifier.

“She wants [her pacifier] but it fell and got dirty,” Cooper said, pointing to the sobbing toddler.

Originally, Cooper planned to attend unaccompanied, but when his babysitter cancelled, he decided to take advantage of the situation and entered the daddydaughter novice contest.

“I killed two birds with one stone,” Cooper said. “I brought her and competed.”

Not all novice costume preparations were so last minute, as exemplified by Jordan Carden, a Greenville resident.

Carden attended her first Comicon this year and designed a costume consisting of a pyramid-shaped silver helmet and a 5-foot long sword. Despite being a newcomer, her handmade costume attracted a curious crowd, eager to get a look.

“It’s over 60 hours of work,” Carden said. “Everything is made out of wood.

Shanen Ganapathee/The Chronicle

Comic fans from across the state gathered at Durham Convention Center for NC Comicon this weekend.

Shanen Ganapathee/The Chronicle

Many visitors attending the comic convention dressed up in costumes and competed for titles.

The sword is 20 pounds and my helmet is 10 pounds. So it’s very, very hard to carry around.”

Katie Lovo, another Comicon attendee, hopes to expand her costume abilities past the realm of conventions and even into a career. Although this was her first time at a comic convention, Lovo was one of the most popular among the crowd. She dressed up as Arcade Sona from League of Legends and her multicolored costume included a wide horizontal board with keys she could manipulate to modify lighting and sound. “[My boyfriend and I] had to learn C++ programming for it because there is a automated breadboard that controls all the sound and lighting,” Lovo said.

“I’m trying to do [cosplaying] professionally...but I am still what would be considered a novice.”

Carden and 16-year-old Diana Midkiff won bragging rights as the best handcrafted costumes in the costume competition. Midkiff’s costume was composed of green face paint, a pointy plaster nose and sharp claws—all of which contributed to an unconventional witch look.

Midkiff represented her character not only through her appearance, but also in her mannerisms. As she walked, she extended her claws to bypassers and hissed in a halting speech.

For some, however, the preparation was less intense. Durham high schoolers Sara Evans and Tovah Williamson dressed as Luigi and Link, respectively.

They came to the event as a pair and noted that they had only had two days notice.

See comicon page 12

NEW ROMANCE STUDIES COURSES ~ SPRING 2014 French 365

Paris: Capital of the 19th Century Prof. Bell

TTH 10:05-11:20

In the nineteenth century, Paris was recognized as a center of science, culture, and social thought, emblematic of the role the city was to play in new market economies where urban centers became the source of new ideas. This course will attempt to define what was special about Paris: how it was represented during the period, how it was transformed, and gained leadership in artistic and literary creation. Much of the course will be project based, with students contributing to curated, online presentations focusing on different aspects of Parisian life from urban architecture to public health, from new literary movements to new artistic movements, from fashion to food. Taught in French. ALP CCI FL CZ

French 417S

Francophone Women: Fiction, Drama, Essay, and Film Prof. Moss

MW 3:05-4:20

This course will study the status of women in North Africa, West Africa, the French Caribbean, and French Canada as depicted in writing, on stage, and on the screen. It will explore the historical, religious, and socio-economic obstacles that women encounter in their quest for subjectivity, agency, and self-fulfillment in the context of former French colonies.

Special attention will be given to how women learn to speak and represent themselves in writing. AAAS 410S.01/AMES 202S.01/ICS 430S.01/HIST 387S.01 CCI FL ALP

Profs. Perocco

TTH 11:45-1:00

This course will focus on Machiavelli on the 500th anniversary of the writing of The Prince, one of the mostwidely read and discussed political and cultural works of 16th Century Europe. Unlike Da Vinci with his vision of the “ideal man,” Machiavelli saw man in all his defects, and endeavored to understand how to control him. The Prince is an instructional manual on the art of governing—whether the prince must conquer a new kingdom or simply maintain an inherited territory. Because his advice was ignored by politicians of his time, Machiavelli proceeded to write a comedy in which he employed the same strategies—this time to conquer women rather than states. This comedy, The Mandrake, is regarded now as the masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance stage. ALP CZ CCI FL

Racine: His World and his Critics

Staging Venice

TTH 3:05-4:20 The Italian theater of the Early Modern period is the foundation of much European drama and we will examine the masterpieces of the genre through three centuries as they relate to Venice. We will concentrate on plays and novellas turned into plays in which Venice is put at the center, starting with Romeo and Juliet, which began its life as an Italian “novella” before being adapted by Shakespeare. We will then move to the drama of Ruzante, to the plays of Isabella Andreini (the best acclaimed Renaissance actress) and of her son, Giambattista, and include the later Venetian comedies of Goldoni and Gozzi. Medren 590S CCI CZ

Prof. Perocco

W 4:40-7:10

We will situate Racine and his works in his time, studying influences on his writing, and the theories of theater that set the context for his production. The aim of the seminar will be to closely examine one classical author’s œuvre, and thereby to gain both insights into his particular genius and a perspectival understanding of the seventeenth century. This investigation will be accompanied by a selective study of the wealth of commentary the Racine corpus has inspired, which should introduce the student to diverse approaches to literary criticism. The course will be conducted in French, but graduate students from other fields may read Racine in English translation and meet separately in a discussion group in addition to attending the seminar and participating where possible. MEDREN 590S.01 CCI FL ALP

Brazil in Critical Theory Prof. Furtado

T 8:30-11:00

This course examines some of the most paradigmatic texts of the Brazilian intellectual tradition spanning from the late 19th Century to the present. Although our authors form an eclectic group that includes literary figures, historians, anthropologists, sociologists, and cultural theorists, their texts dialogue by dealing with Brazil and Brazilian-ness as critical and theoretical problems.

LATAMER 590S.04/LIT 590S.02/ICS 590S.01 ALP CCI R

Romance Studies 202

Imagining Europe

TTH 11:45-1:00

Investigation of defining models of European culture and the fiction which has shaped them, from early modern epic and romance through contemporary essays, framed within the literary traditions of France, Portugal, Italy and Spain.

Issues include multilingualism, cultural and political relations within and without Europe, development of financial systems. Major authors will include Marco Polo, Khatibi, Chrétien de Troyes, Montesquieu, Balzac, Némirovsky, Semprún, Saramago. LIT 274.01 CCI ALP CZ Romance Studies 220

Trauma and Mental Health, Haiti

Modernidades Brasileiras Prof. Furtado

Portuguese 590S

Prof. Solterer

Italian 590S

Portuguese 490S

French 590S

Prof. Longino

Italian 335

Machiavelli: From Political Theory to Theatrical Farce

TTH 3:05-4:20

What does it mean to be “modern”? The modern makes a special claim to contemporaneity—which may lead us to wonder about the temporality of what is contemporaneous but not considered “modern.” Brazil’s complex relationship with the modern is illustrated by the fact that it used to be considered the “third world” and is now called a “developing” country, terms that are suggestive of displacement and belatedness rather than full participation in the present.

This course reflects on Brazil’s relationship to the modern and to modernity by examining a variety of cultural texts, paying particular attention to modernismo of the 1920s and tropicalia of the 1960s and 70s, movements that attempted to radically reimagine global modernity and Brazil’s place within it. One of our main questions will be: to whom does the present belong? Conducted in Portuguese. ALP CCI

Prof. Jenson

3:05-4:20

Haiti as a case study in global mental health approaches to traumatic stress. Explores the genesis of the diagnostic rubric of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its relationship to local cultural contexts. Assesses critical and globalized approaches to adversity and shock reactions, with an emphasis on pioneering multi-site critical methodologies. Explores how global mental health practices have been analyzed and applied to Haiti

by Haitian and non-Haitian practitioners. Fiction and prose by Edwidge Danticat will serve to bring historical and contemporary risks, ramifications, and co-morbidities of traumatic stress in Haiti into focus. C-L: GLHTH 323.01 CCI ALP CZ

Romance Studies 590S

Knowing (What) to Do: Knowledge in and out of the University

Profs. Gabara and Mignolo M 1:25-3:55

This seminar emerged out of our discussions with students about what they are doing, reading, and thinking, and what they hope to do with a degree in the Humanities. The question of knowing (what) to do, we realized, is intimately linked with two others: with whom and what for? In other words: who is building, providing, and using knowledge? And what might that knowledge do in and beyond the university? By studying texts, art, media, and activism from outside Europe and the United States—particularly from Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe—this seminar will be asking these questions from beginning to end, and through a vigorous collaborative process, seek to shake us—students and professors alike—out of the limiting habits that over and over cut entrenched paths through the terrain of knowledge. CCI Spanish 590S.01

Decolonizing Research.

Methodologies/Epistemologies/ Pedagogies in Decolonial Perspective Prof. Walsh

W 4:40-7:10

Research generally remains a colonial endeavor aimed at defining and authorizing “legitimate” knowledge. This seminar will explore the intertwine of method, methodology, epistemology, and pedagogy and consider perspectives and practices that open, reveal, and enable decolonial horizons. Its interest is, on the one hand, with knowledges and methodological postures and propositions –particularly feminist, indigenous, African-descendant, activist, and of the Global South—that transgress, interrupt, and transcend Western rationality and its epistemological limits marked by race, gender, heteronormativity, and disciplinarity, and by corporal, territorial, and spiritual negations. And, on the other hand, it affords a space of critical reflection, discussion, and debate regarding students’ own research interests and endeavors in the humanities and social sciences. ALP FL

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8 | MonDAY, november 11, 2013

Philippines counting dead as UN rushes aid after typhoon

by Cecilia Yap and Simeon Bennett Bloomberg news

MANILA — Super Typhoon Haiyan left as many as 10,000 people dead in the Philippines after storm surges flooded islands and gale-force winds knocked down buildings and destroyed an airport before moving toward Vietnam.

The United Nations said it is stepping up critical relief operations in the Philippines as a result of the “devastating” impact of Haiyan since it made landfall on Nov. 8. Much of the destruction was concentrated in and around Tacloban City, the capital of Leyte province. The difficulty in reaching the hardest-hit areas means the number of dead has yet to be confirmed, said the Red Cross in Geneva, which cited Philippine authorities as saying the toll may reach 10,000.

“Access remains a key challenge as some areas are still cut off from relief operations,” the UN office in Manila said Saturday in an e-mailed statement.

“Unknown numbers of survivors do not have basic necessities such as food, water and medicines and remain inaccessible for relief operations, as roads, airports and bridges were destroyed or covered in wreckage.”

President Benigno Aquino traveled to Tacloban to view the aftermath of the year’s most powerful cyclone. Television images from the city showed bodies on the streets and floating in the sea, homes reduced to rubble, structures with their roofs ripped off and roads blocked by felled trees.

While the official death toll posted by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council was 229 as of 7 p.m. Saturday in Manila, the number

was expected to rise as the government received reports from provinces still out of reach, Major Rey Balido, spokesman of the disaster-monitoring agency, said in a text message. Almost 9.5 million Filipinos, or about 9 percent of the population, were affected by Haiyan, the agency said.

“We can just for the moment relay that according to the national authorities the dead could reach 10,000,” David Pierre Maquet, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said by phone from Geneva. “It could be close to the reality, but the trouble is in some western highlands there is no access so nobody can confirm these estimates.”

Three hundred fatalities were confirmed on Samar island and 2,000 others were missing, the Associated Press cited Leo Dacaynos of Samar province’s disaster office as saying. The Red Cross, as well as providing medicine and food, is operating a tracing service in Tacloban to help people look for missing relatives.

“It is most important now to look after the survivors. We don’t want to expose them to the elements, get sick and add to the casualties,” Aquino said in a briefing in Manila Nov. 9. “It will be a second tragedy if we fail.”

Almost 20,000 homes were damaged and four airports remain shut, the disaster agency said. Tacloban’s airport was destroyed and only the runway remains, John Andrews of the state aviation authority said Nov. 9. About 300 soldiers along with armored vehicles were deployed to stop looters, Aquino told reporters at the airport, according to a transcript released by his office.

The typhoon changed course by late afternoon Saturday, headed toward Quang Ninh province in north Vietnam, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said. It was expected to make landfall as early as 2 a.m. local time.

Almost 603,000 people were evacuated from provinces extending from Nghe An in northern Vietnam to Phu Yen in the southern central region as of 5 a.m. local time. While the government said that planned evacuations covered 13 provinces affecting almost 860,000 residents, the forecasting center’s head, Bui Minh Tang, said on an evening television broadcast that residents in central Vietnam were no longer in the direct path of the typhoon.

The storm may weaken to a tropical depression and change course toward the north and northeast, according to an update on the weather forecasting center’s website. Airlines resumed flights to and from Danang after the typhoon changed direction, VnExpress reported. Neither Vietnam nor the Philippines issued any announcements that financial-market operations will be affected Sunday.

The Philippines bore the brunt of the typhoon’s power. Aquino said Nov. 9 the government is prepared to use 23 billion pesos ($533 million) from various agen-

cies and his discretionary fund for relief and rebuilding of disaster-ravaged towns and provinces.

The Philippines was the nation most affected by natural disasters in 2012, with more than 2,000 deaths, according to the Brussels-based Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters.

Typhoon Haiyan’s total economic impact may reach $14 billion, about $2 billion of which will be insured, according to a report by Jonathan Adams, a senior analyst at Bloomberg Industries, citing Kinetic Analysis Corp.

High winds swept away about half of the Philippines’ sugar cane-growing areas and a third of its rice-producing land, according to Commodity Weather Group LLC in Bethesda, Maryland.

The UN World Food Programme said Nov. 9 it’s ramping up operations in the country after surveying the damage in Leyte and Samar provinces. WFP, the largest humanitarian organization in the world, estimates 2.5 million people will require emergency assistance and has mobilized an initial $2 million for its response. An appeal for further aid through its website will be made as needs become clearer, the agency said.

“This is destruction on a massive scale,” Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, head of the UN Disaster Assessment Coordination Team, said in a statement.

REFECTORY If you ever thought that

special to the Chronicle

Typhoon Haiyan was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded and has caused devastation across the Philippines.

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Dku

www.dukechronicle.com

from page 6

students to get to leave their campus for a semester, be in an environment with faculty from Duke and China and still be at home and surrounded by students from around the world.”

The undergraduate program aims to recruit 100 students, 50 from China and 50 from other countries, Bruton said.

Of the 50 international students, DKU hopes to have 25 American students—approximately half of whom will hopefully be from Duke, said Jennifer Boroski, the project manager for the Office of Duke Kunshan University and China Initiatives at Duke University. She added that there will ideally be five to 10 students from Wuhan University, DKU’s Chinese partner school.

Information sessions have been held at a number of Chinese campuses, including Wuhan University, Fudan University and Nanjing University, Bynum noted.

The first Durham information session for the undergraduate program was held last week. Twelve students attended, munching on dumplings and rangoons as administrators and faculty discussed the academic and extracurricular opportunities in the program.

Bruton said he was pleased with the turn-out. There will also be a number of additional outreach events in the Spring leading up to the March 1 application deadline, he noted.

International recruitment efforts will be focused on schools with which Duke has previously established relationships, he added.

“We’re working our strategy of reaching out to a number of partner institutions in the United States and abroad who have relationships with Duke University or who have kakuro_398D.txt sent students on our

programs in the past at Duke,” Bruton said.

In addition to physical information sessions, the undergraduate program is advertising via social media. DKU had 136 likes on Facebook, 158 Twitter followers and 45 Instagram followers at the time of publication.

“We’re slowly building momentum and gaining a following and following our partner institutions that we’ll be partnering with throughout the United States and abroad,” Bruton said.

DKU also maintains a presence on Weibo, a Chinese social media service.

While some material shared via social media is location-specific, much material is shared both within China and internationally, Bynum noted.

“It’s tailored to the audience—just as we would across channels here,” Bynum said. “But when it comes to content about the academic programs or faculty members we might want to feature or information about DKU itself and the content, we feel that that’s a broad general interest that we should be sharing in all of those places,” Bynum said.

The two graduate programs are coordinating their own marketing efforts, supported by DKU and the Duke Office of Global Strategy and Programs, Bynum said.

Tuition has not yet been set for the programs, but enough information is available for the recruitment process, she noted. The tuition for international students will be set at international levels and the tuition for Chinese students will be discounted with scholarships to be determined by a pricing board.

“I think that there has been enough to make people feel pretty comfortable to know what ballpark it will be in,” Bynum said.

For the global health program, social

media has been particularly important, said Geelea Seaford, associate director for communications at the Global Health Institute.

“With limited resources and no single staff person dedicated to program marketing, social media is a cost effective tool for conducting an international marketing campaign,” Seaford wrote in an email Friday.

The program aims to enroll 25 students, she added.

Representatives from the Fuqua School of Business declined to comment.

The deadline for the first round of applications to the MMS program was November 5, and there will be three further rounds. The MMS program website lists DKU information sessions to be held in the United States, China, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, South Korea and Japan in the coming months.

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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

“

Picking a provost This June, Peter Lange, Duke’s tenth and longest-serving provost, will step down from his position. It is difficult to overstate Lange’s impact on the University. Current seniors can attest to considerable changes over the last four years: curricular initiatives like Duke Immerse and Bass Connections, the launch of Duke Forward and the marked acceleration of Duke Kunshan University and online education. Longtime faculty can testify even more powerfully. Lange has helped transform Duke over the past 15 years, helping establish interdisciplinary institutes, such as the Duke Global Health Institute; launch DukeEngage; build campus infrastructure and bolster financial aid. Perhaps most importantly, nearly two-thirds of current faculty and all deans were appointed under Lange. Lange has made a mark on the University where it matters most: its people.

Now, George Truskey, the R. Eugene and Susie E. Goodson professor of biomedical engineering and senior associate dean for research in the Pratt School, is chairing a search committee for the new provost.

Truskey hopes the committee will have narrowed its pool to three candidates, whom it will then recommend to President Brodhead, by this spring.

As Duke changes at near breakneck speed, the

Some type of integrated, “core” humanities program, whether closely modeled on Yale’s or not, would add a valuable intellectual component to the undergraduate experience.

—“Michael Bailey” commenting on the editorial “Take a page from Yale”

Letters PoLicy The Chronicle welcomes submissions in the form of letters to the editor or guest columns. Submissions must include the author’s name, signature, department or class, and for purposes of identification, phone number and local address.

Letters should not exceed 325 words; contact the editorial department for information regarding guest columns.

The Chronicle will not publish anonymous or form letters or letters that are promotional in nature. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length, clarity and style and the right to withhold letters based on the discretion of the editorial page editor.

”

Direct submissions to: E-mail: chronicleletters@duke.edu Editorial Page Department The Chronicle Box 90858, Durham, NC 27708 Phone: (919) 684-2663 Fax: (919) 684-4696

The Chronicle

Inc. 1993

Danielle Muoio, Editor Sophia DuranD, Managing Editor raiSa chowDhury, News Editor Daniel carp, Sports Editor Sophia palenberg, Photography Editor Scott briggS, Editorial Page Editor caSey williaMS, Editorial Board Chair jiM poSen, Director of Online Development kelly Scurry, Managing editor for online chriSSy beck, General Manager eMMa baccellieri, University Editor elizabeth DjiniS, Local & National Editor anthony hagouel, Health & Science Editor julia May, News Photography Editor kelSey hopkinS, Design Editor lauren feilich, Recess Editor eliza bray, Recess Photography Editor MouSa alShanteer, Editorial Page Managing Editor aShley Mooney, Towerview Editor jennie Xu, Towerview Photography Editor kriStie kiM, Social Media Editor lauren carroll, Senior Editor anDrew luo, News Blog Editor Matt barnett, Multimedia Editor rebecca DickenSon, Advertising Director Mary weaver, Operations Manager Megan Mcginity, Digital Sales Manager

provost search process should serve as a muchneeded opportunity for reflection. Nothing less than Duke’s future is at stake. As we saw with Lange, a single individual can march an institution in dramatically new directions. While some of these directions are widely praised—the Financial Aid

Editorial Initiative, in which Lange played a key role, was a great success—others remain controversial. Internal discussion about the promises and pitfalls of global expansion and online education have occasionally turned sour. Communication breakdowns between faculty and administration, such as in the faculty’s rejection of for-credit 2U courses last spring, prove not everyone is on board with Duke’s metamorphosis.

To advance ambitiously but sensibly, we propose a few questions for the Duke community to consider as the University prepares to select a new provost.

What is Duke now? The rapid proliferation of new programs—it seems a new one is born each week— is dizzying. We urge the provost search committee to examine Lange’s programmatic contributions critically. Which have been good investments?

Interdisciplinary institutes come to mind. Which could be improved? DukeEngage’s admirable but imperfect attempt to promote “knowledge in the service of society” might qualify. Which projects have been failures? We hope the committee will conduct an honest appraisal of Duke’s current academic state.

What could Duke become? Moving towards certain institutional priorities can mean distancing ourselves from others. Lange, a social scientist, is familiar with the concept of an opportunity cost.

Could an excessive global orientation distract us from learning at home? Could online courses erode precious classrooms relationships? Could a focus on interdisciplinary problem solving sacrifice deep, meditative learning? We do not know the answers, only that the questions beg asking.

What should Duke become? Self-authorship is a tricky thing for a large and complex institution.

What role should faculty and students play in setting Duke’s course? We hope that the provost search committee favors candidates with powerful but plastic visions for Duke’s future. Lange, a proven visionary, has sculpted Duke into an impressive institution. But we should also shape ourselves. That self-determination starts with thoughtfully picking a new provost.

confessions of a cultural Mormon

onlinecomment

Est. 1905

The Chronicle

www.dukechronicle.com commentary

10 | MonDAY, noveMber november 11, 2013

carleigh StiehM, University Editor georgia parke, Local & National Editor tony Shan, Health & Science Editor eric lin, Sports Photography Editor rita lo, Design Editor jaMie keSSler, Recess Managing Editor thanh-ha nguyen, Online Photo Editor Matt pun, Sports Managing Editor caitlin MoyleS, Towerview Editor Dillon patel, Towerview Creative Director julian Spector, Special Projects Editor chelSea pieroni, Multimedia Editor glenn rivkeeS, Director of Online Operations yeShwanth kanDiMalla, Recruitment Chair julia May, Recruitment Chair barbara Starbuck, Creative Director

the chronicle is published by the Duke Student publishing company, inc., a non-profit corporation independent of Duke university. the opinions expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of Duke university, its students, faculty, staff, administration or trustees. unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board. columns, letters and cartoons represent the views of the authors. to reach the editorial office at 301 flowers building, call 684-2663 or fax 684-4696. to reach the business office at 2022 campus Drive call 684-3811. to reach the advertising office at 2022 campus Drive call 684-3811

T

he state of Colorado can be divided into three geographic regions of roughly equal area. The eastern third is mainly plains and looks like Kansas. The middle third is nothing but tall mountains and looks like Colorado. And the western third is full of high mountain desert plateaus and looks like Utah. Your friends from Colo-

Ellie Schaack BRAVE NEW WORLD rado probably come from towns on the border of the central mountains and eastern fields, where civilization starts at the edge of the Rockies and spills down into the plains.

I, however, hail from a town in the other third— the Utah third. Grand Junction is culturally different from the rest of Colorado. Liberal potheads are a thing of legend there—after the 2000 election, my father looked up voting data for our precinct and found that there were exactly two votes for Al Gore.

One was his. The other was my mother’s.

Colorado is known for skiing and pot. My hometown’s a bit different—it’s known for methamphetamine and Mormons. “Breaking Bad” and “Big Love” make me homesick.

But as the naïve goody-goody that I pretend I no longer am, I was significantly better acquainted with the Mormons than the meth.

Nearly all of my friends were LDS, and the only way to have sleepovers on Saturday was to accompany them to church on Sunday. The only way not to miss out on fun weeknight activities with the group was to go with them to Young Women. The only way not to be friendless for a lonely week during the summer was to go to Girl’s Camp, which is Mormon sleep-away camp up in the mountains. I’ve acted out scenes from the Book of Mormon between the Nephites and the Lamanites; I’ve sung “I know a Mormon boy; he is my pride and joy.” I know what it means to CTR (choose the right) and Return with Honor.

You know how some people say they’re cultural Jews—like you can be a Jewish atheist?

Well I’m a cultural Mormon.

The religion is known for its regressive social views and general lack of tolerance, and in my opinion these are horrifyingly valid complaints. It’s also known for its doctrines erring on the side of ridiculous, and in my opinion that’s also true. But it is also known, strangely, for its kindness.

Since I have arrived at Duke and talked about my Mormon heritage with people, I often bond with others who have had experiences with Mormons. People will say: “They’re the best

people.” “They’re so happy.” “They’re so nice.”

And that was certainly my experience. I never knew people who would give so endlessly of themselves without expecting a thing in return.

They worked hard but collaboratively, helping people at every turn, and they had loads of fun that lacked many of the life-destroying-capabilities of more indulgent entertainment.

I’ve always wanted to know what it was about them that made them so special. My mother, despite being well acquainted with the more negative aspects of the religion, was drawn to it.

“By their fruits you shall know them,” she said. Was there something in their scripture that made them have such solid values? Was their happiness and kindness divinely ordained? I knew that thought to be ridiculous even as a child. I was confused.

I only found wisdom a few weeks ago while reading a study motivated by the common assertion that religious people are healthier. The study sought to test the claim’s validity (it’s at least slightly true) and then find the real source of the difference. Is praying cathartic? Is the Bible full of wisdom enough to better physical health? Is their God bestowing favor upon them?

It turns out there’s a very specific answer to this question. None of the above reasons were found to have any measurable effect (though the third is admittedly difficult to test). Instead, the study found that the simple act of going to church was responsible for the observed health benefits. A weekly session in which people can gather and spend time with each other, sharing in gratitude for what is good and hope for remedies to fix that which is not, renewing commitments to strive for better—that was the source of the benefit.

Reading that study, I couldn’t help but think: Well that explains it then! Take it from a cultural Mormon: Mormons do church a lot.

And, crazily, the study found that I, believing none of the doctrine, got the same benefits as my friends who did.

Our generation goes to church less and less.

This column is definitely not a plea to go to church more—I recognize that Mormonism made me happier, yet that isn’t reason enough for me to overlook the implausibility of the doctrine or the harm that it has caused.

Rather, I believe it’s time that our generation starts looking for a new way to create this type of community. I don’t know how this can happen— we already have a hard time getting people to church with the threat of eternal damnation looming over their heads. But it’s at least time to acknowledge it as a worthy goal.

Ellie Schaack is a Trinity junior. Her column runs every other Monday.

The Chronicle

www.dukechronicle.com commentary

i came to Duke with an empty wallet

I

n my four years at Duke, I have tried to write this article many times. But I was afraid. I was afraid to reveal an integral part of myself. I’m poor.

Why is it not OK for me to talk about such an important part of my identity on Duke’s campus?

Why is the word “poor” associated with words like lazy, unmotivated and uneducated? I am none of those things.

When was the first time I felt uncomfortable at Duke because of money? My second day of o-week. My FAC group wanted to meet at Mad Hatter’s Bakery; I

KellyNoel Waldorf guEst cOLumN went with them and said that I had already eaten on campus because I didn’t have cash to spend. Since then, I have continued to notice the presence of overt and subtle class issues and classism on campus.

I couldn’t find a place for my “poor identity.” While writing my resume, I put McDonald’s under work experience. A friend leaned over and said, “Do you think it’s a good idea to put that on your resume?”

In their eyes, it was better to list no work experience than to list this “lowly” position. I did not understand these mentalities and perceptions of my peers. Yet no one was talking about this discrepancy, this apparent class stratification that I was seeing all around me.

People associate many things with their identity: I’m a woman, I’m queer, I’m a poet. One of the most defining aspects of my identity is being poor.

The amount of money (or lack thereof) in my bank account defines almost every decision I make, in a way that being a woman or being queer never has and never will. Not that these are not important as well, just that in my personal experience, they have been less defining. Money influenced the way I grew up and my family dynamics. It continues to influence the schools I choose to go to, the food I eat, the items I buy and the things I say and do.

I live in a reality where: Sometimes I lie that I am busy when actually I just don’t have the money to eat out.

I don’t get to see my dad anymore because he moved several states away to try and find a better job to make ends meet.

I avoid going to Student Health because Duke insurance won’t do much if there is actually anything wrong with me.

Coming out as queer took a weekend and a few phone calls, but coming out as poor is still a daily challenge.

Getting my wisdom teeth removed at $400 per tooth is more of a funny joke than a possible reality.

I have been nearly 100 percent economically independent from my family since I left for college.

Textbook costs are impossible. Praise Perkins Library where all the books are free.

My mother has called me crying, telling me she doesn’t have the gas money to pick me up for

Thanksgiving.

My humorously cynical, self-deprecating jokes about being homeless after graduation are mostly funny but also kind of a little bit true.

I am scared that the more I increase my “social mobility,” the further I will separate myself from my family.

Finances are always in the back (if not the forefront) of my mind, and I am always counting and re-counting to determine how I can manage my budget to pay for bills and living expenses.

This article is not meant to be a complaint about my life. This is not a sob story. There are good and bad things in my life, and we all face challenges. But it should be OK for me to talk about this aspect of my identity. Why has our culture made me so afraid or ashamed or embarrassed that I felt like I couldn’t tell my best friends “Hey, I just can’t afford to go out tonight”? I have always been afraid to discuss this with people, because they always seem to react with judgment or pity, and I want absolutely nothing to do with either of those. Sharing these realities could open a door to support, encouragement or simply openness.

Because I also live in a reality where: I am proud of a job well done.

I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I get each paycheck.

I feel a bond of solidarity with those who are well acquainted with the food group “ramen.”

I would never trade my happy family memories for a stable bank account.

I would never trade my perspective or work ethic or appreciation of life for money.

Most times it certainly would be nice to have more financial stability, but I love the person I have become for the background I have had.

It is time to start acknowledging class at Duke.

Duke is great because of its amazing financial aid packages. My ability to go here is truly incredible.

Duke is not great because so many of the students fundamentally do not understand the necessity for a discussion of class identity and classism. Duke needs to look past its blind spot and start discussing class stratification on campus to create a more welcoming environment for poor students.

If you have ever felt like this important piece of your identity was not welcome at Duke, know that you are not the only one. I want you to know that “poor” is not a dirty word. It is OK to talk about your experiences and your identity in relation to socioeconomic status. It is OK to tell the truth and be yourself. Stop worrying whether it will make other people feel uncomfortable. People can learn a lot about themselves from the things that make them uncomfortable. I want to say to you that no matter what socioeconomic status you come from, your experiences are worthy.

And because no one in four years has said it yet to me: It’s okay to be poor and go to Duke.

KellyNoel Waldorf is a Trinity senior.

Letter to the Editor Response to “Framing follies” Duke Service-Learning and the leadership of LEAPS, the student group that created the promotional advertisement referenced in the Nov. 7 editorial “Framing follies,” agree wholeheartedly with the author that “framing non-traditional college activities … and schoolwork as mutually exclusive” is problematic and that “learning in a traditional classroom setting is crucial … to applying that knowledge outside of the classroom.” Indeed, combining traditional classroom learning with community-based experiences through critical reflection

is the very foundation of service-learning—a program that promotes the interdisciplinary education prescribed in the article. We apologize for the way the advertisement mentioned in the editorial may have been interpreted as “denigrating to traditional forms of inquiry.” We also wish to note that, although there is one service-learning course at Duke focused on social entrepreneurship, servicelearning should not be conflated with “startups,” which are the primary focus of the editorial.

Kristin Wright Assistant director of the Service-Learning Program

Visit www.dukechronicle.com/section/opinion/ for more Opinion content!

MonDAY, november noveMber 11, 2013 | 11

Let’s go hug black babies Welcome back, Dukies. As a lot of you know, Duke’s largest racial controversy of the year (or at least, so far) occurred last week. You may have noticed that I did not take advantage of writing about the racial conflagration. In the aftermath of an Asia Prime-esque explosion of civil rights and self-importance, I let Duke down. Yes, it’s true: I failed to write about applying for Duke Engage programs. Rather than let the opportunity to discuss the largest racial controversy since segregation itself walk out on me, I’ll write about it for you now. As I watched fellow students feverishly bust out applications about “how good/interesting of a person they are” and cram their entire life experience into a few paragraphs, I couldn’t

Monday Monday mEAN BOy help but think about the benefits of Duke’s global community engagement craze. It now seems to be an essential part of the Duke experience to go somewhere else to “help” other people. Privileged students choose to travel to undeveloped nations and lend their undergraduate expertise to the poor, unfortunate souls who reside there. While you’re there, be sure to email your besties at home with your iPhone bragging about how you’ve “found yourself” by learning about a country’s culture, prancing around in some kente cloth and doing “like so much awesome work.”

Going along with the helping abroad craze, I’ve even helped a broad or two in my time at Duke. Besides the contentment of knowing I personally probably saved an entire village, here are my favorite aspects of DukeEngage and how it spends its $30 million endowment.

1.

You came to Duke for an education, but you need to spend your summers in the third world in order to really get the well-rounded experience.

Thanks for coming to Duke. Now that you’ve completed half of your undergraduate degree, you are ready to be shipped to another country to make a lasting change. No, sadly you cannot just drive to Durham, pay $60,000 and expect to receive a wholesome education. Rather, Duke has to ship you off to another country in order for you to have a holistic college experience. You honestly thought you could just stay at Duke for four years and come out with a full education? If you haven’t gone to Africa and hugged a black baby, you haven’t made the most of Duke’s resources. Shame on those who spend their time wallowing around campus or at summer jobs … you just so aren’t … Duke.

2.

Fixing an undeveloped country is a “learning experience” for kids.

Duke houses some of the most intelligent and influential professors in the world. Rather than use them, let’s send college students with little to no real world experience to help underdeveloped countries. Pay no attention to the governments or other experts who have already been trying to solve problems like poverty and disease in those countries for decades. You, as smart as you are, can totally get funding to go over there and save the world in two months!

“Sorry to hear about your country’s crippled economy and lack of government. We can send some college kids over to do their best! We could send other, more experienced people, but think about all the experience they’ll get!”

The true key to effective change is longevity. Rather than establishing a stable organization overseas that can plan five years down the road and bring in people who are committed to the organization for long-term service work, we believe sending a swarm of bright-eyed, bushy-tailed undergrads with temporary projects every summer is much more effective.

3.

Duke spends millions to get students involved.

Save yourself the swipe of Daddy’s credit card, pack your Louis Vuitton heels and use Duke funding to fly to Africa! Forget the fact that millions of dollars are being spent to transport and house students in these foreign countries. Don’t even think about how many malaria nets (around $10 a piece) or hepatitis B vaccines ($3 per dose) could have been distributed with your Duke Engage budget. Rather, think about how effective it is to use around $2,000 to fly a student halfway around the world for two months of hugs and sightseeing. Witnessing DukeEngagers every summer, I feel a huge sense of satisfaction surrounding the entire program.

The formula for change is simple, really. “Go to a third-world country, do a small project, hug some third-world kids, take lots of pictures for your Facebook profile and come back a changed person with global awareness and valuable experience.” Now that you’ve gone and helped a poor village, you have a new line to write on your resume. Congrats! Job recruiters think you are a good person. Enjoy your new six-figure job and a closet full of Armani suits. I understand that students carry out their projects and do make some changes in the countries they are working in.

But rather than send service workers with long-term plans to help these undeveloped nations, it’s much better to send college undergrads at a less than stellar price. It would be a total waste to use the money setting up schools or putting permanent doctors in those regions. Instead, try throwing millions at undergraduate students who travel to “fix” complex global issues that have lasted for decades. As a bonus, you’ve got a killer photo of your favorite kid who is still living in extreme discomfort due to intestinal worms on his mud floor! That counts for something, right?

Mean Boy once hugged three starving Vietnamese children while wearing a kimono in Cambodia.

REASSIGNMENT

The Chronicle

www.dukechronicle.com

12 | MonDAY, noveMber 11, 2013

RALLY

from page 2

Duke who are going through these procedures at the current moment,” he said. “The ability to ensure that they have all the options available to them that they need for their health says a great deal about how our community cares for them.”

The change will have virtually no impact on the cost of the plan, Cavanaugh added.

Tobia hopes the decision to cover gender reassignment surgeries for employees will be the start of greater changes. “i hope that the north Carolina General Assembly takes note of our decision and that on a state level people can learn something from it,” he said. “other corporations that haven’t done the same need to think strategically about potentially where their priorities lie.”

@dukechronicle

from page 6

is messed up.”

Underwood said that the DAe had been planning the rally since September and that it was one of many efforts by teachers in Durham and across the state to spread the word about their cause. She noted the ‘Wear red for ed’ campaign that has been ongoing since the beginning of the school year.

“We’ve been in a battle with the legislature because of budget cuts, but today we’re here to celebrate public schools in Durham and throughout the state,” Underwood said.

Bryan Proffitt, a history teacher at hillside high School, emceed the rally.

“We have poverty, racism and violence coming into public schools,” he said. “But we believe that it is society that is failing people, not public schools.” nCAe Vice President Mark Jewell also spoke at the rally.

Jewell said that the north Carolina General Assem-

The NAE Grand Challenge Scholars Seminar Series presents

Miguel Nicolelis, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Neurobiology and Biomedical Engineering at Duke University Monday, November 11, 2013 at 6:30 PM Fitzpatrick Schiciano Auditorium, Side A

The Walk Again Project An international research project founded by Dr. Nicolelis will demonstrate the first braincontrolled exoskeleton when a paralyzed teenager delivers the opening kickoff of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil The entire Duke Community is invited: faculty, undergraduates, graduate students, and staff

Shelter

Making Ourselves at home in a Changing World

bly wanted to roll back 50 years of progress in the public education system. he noted that the average teacher’s salary in north Carolina is now ranked 50th in the United States. “north Carolina’s greatest civil right is our public schools,” he said. “We have always been underfunded, but now we are being defunded, which is immoral.”

Students from the Durham public school system performed and spoke at the event. Various students and faculty from hillside performed spoken word poetry. Student speakers included hillside student Kayla Tate—who spoke about the value of her public school education—and rosa ramirez, a student at Durham School of the Arts. ramirez asked the crowd a series of questions about the recent legislation, which she said threatens the state of her school and other local public schools. “i hope i won’t be asking these questions in four years when i graduate,” ramirez said.

The crowd also heard from holly Jordan, an english teacher at hillside high who got arrested over the summer during a “Moral Monday” rally against the General Assembly.

Jordan said that public school teachers love their students and love what they do despite being “underpaid and overworked.” “every child deserves a free and equal education,” Jordan said. “i have met students who have circumstances in their lives that make it difficult for them, but i have never met a student who didn’t want to learn.”

Towards the end of the rally, north Carolina house representative Paul luebke—who represents Durham County in the General Assembly—addressed the crowd. “i’ve fought for everything you’ve mentioned tonight,” luebke said. “But i need your support, just like you need mine.”

The rally concluded with the people in the crowd— many of whom remained despite cold weather—singing and dancing along to “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge.

COMICON

“We rushed a little bit,” evans said. “homework can wait. We weren’t going to do it anyway.”

But the costumes were not the only aspect of Comicon—the event also made room for charity. The nomadic hearts, a booth dedicated to selling comic books, annually donates half its sale to a charity of its choice. “everybody has been super receptive,”charity founder Joe Todd said. “We are going to make a lot of kids smile this Christmas.”

Comicon itself is experiencing a growth in popularity, noted Stacey Jones Bayne, an experienced Comicon attendee. “i’ve been to nC Comicon since it started, way back when it was just a couple of empty stores,” she said, displaying her fake, yellow teeth. “This year they’ve increased the space and have allowed for more people, more vendors and more artists.”

Bayne noted that the convention has also joined up with the Carolina Theater for a film festival this weekend featuring 11 superhero movies from the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Jeremy Tarney, chief operations officer of Ultimate Comics and an organizer of nC Comicon, said the films were intended to attract a more diverse crowd to the weekend’s events.

“We just want to include as many different people as we can, as many different fandoms,” Tarney said. “We wanted to add something that convention-goers could not get anywhere else.”

PRATT

A multidisciplinary exploration about how shelter and home shape human identity and human flourishing.

Mondays, 6:15–8:45 pm, 139 Soc Sci Bldg hosted by College of Arts & Sciences Hosted bytrinity Trinity College of Arts & Sciences and the of economics and theDepartment Department of Economics Curriculum Codes: SS, CI Curriculum Codes: SS, CI

UniverSity CoUrSe Arts&Sci 390 | CulAnth 290 | econ 390 | environ 390 | PubPol 290 | Sociol 390

from page 7

from page 4

i don’t like it,’” Gorham said. “i’m not a hands-on, engineering type of person—i’m definitely more of a biology person.”

Conversely, around 20 to 30 students also switch into Pratt from Trinity every year. Sophomore Zach Ford, who formerly planned to major in math and physics, said he realized that his previous majors were too theoretical for his taste, and he wanted to apply his knowledge more as an engineer. he also liked the more structured schedule Pratt offered. “i went on the website and the schedule was laid out for me,” Ford said. “i liked it because i know i have to be taking this class and i’m on the right track for graduation.”