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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, FRIDAY, JANUARY mmmm10, xx, 2014 2013
www.dukechronicle.com
ONE ONE HUNDRED HUNDRED AND AND EIGHTH ninthYEAR, YEAR,Issue Issuexxx 65
Policy changes Flu claims 21 lives in North Carolina reduce public counsel by Jen Chen
The Chronicle
A new policy in North Carolina keeps some defendants out of jail at the expense of their right to public counsel. Under the Appropriations Act of 2013, a number of Class 1 and 2 misdemeanors were reclassified into the less serious Class 3—a change that is expected to reduce state expenses. The bill also states that unless more than three prior convictions have been made, a defendant of a Class 3 misdemeanor can only be charged with a fine for misdemeanors committed on or after Dec. 1, 2013. Response from the legal community has noted that increased leniency in punishments means defendants with financial hardship can no longer receive legal counsel appointed by the state when faced with a Class 3 misdemeanor charge. “The constitution mandates that the state provide legal counsel to defendants who may potentially receive prison sentence who cannot otherwise afford it,” said James Coleman, John S. Bradway professor of law and co-director of Wrongful Convictions Clinic. “Now that these defendants cannot go to jail, they also lose this See policy page 6
Graphic by rita lo/the chronicle
by Kirby Wilson The Chronicle
Durham county health officials are urging the public to practice clean living habits in anticipation of a busy flu season. The flu has claimed 21 lives in North Carolina so far this season, with the first confirmed cases early last December. The victims include a disproportionately large number of adults ages 25-
45. Health officials are attributing the trend to the prevalence of the H1N1 strain of the disease, which affects a younger portion of the population than other strains. “There were 59 flu deaths [in 2013],” said Kirsti Clifford, press assistant at the North Carolina department of health and human services. “Flu season varies from year to year. It peaks in February or January, and we are on an upward
trend right now.” Dr. Cameron Wolfe, an infectious disease specialist at Duke Hospital, wrote in an email Thursday that the strain affects a younger segment of the population because the human body has not developed a strong immunity to it. “Even people who have no obvious See flu page 12
Arts and Sciences proposal could alter Duke grad requirement by Emma Baccellieri The Chronicle
If passed, a new proposal will increase the amount of Duke courses students must take to graduate. The proposal, which was presented to the Arts and Sciences Council at their Thursday meeting, would require students to take 24 Duke courses in order
to graduate. Under the current policy, 17 of a student’s 34 credits must be taught by Duke faculty—the other 17 may come from transfer courses, study abroad courses, Advanced Placement credit or interinstitutional credit. The proposal aims to increase the number of required Duke courses, as well as to create a policy regarding online courses
for credit. “It’s not how many non-Duke courses should students be allowed to take, but really, how many Duke courses constitute a Duke degree? ” said Suzanne Shanahan, chair of the Curriculum Committee and acting director of the Kenan Institute for Ethics. “What we want to do is set a floor, not a ceiling.”
Courses taught by Duke professors not only include courses taught on the Durham campus, but also courses taken at the Marine Lab in Beaufort, courses taken as part of a “Duke-In” study abroad program and courses taken at Duke Kunshan University or at any future See Arts and sciences page 6
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Durham/ University Medical Center 2102 W. Main Street, Durham, NC 27705 www.durhamuniversitymedicalcenter.hgi.com See Barber, page 4