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
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH YEAR, Issue 52
www.dukechronicle.com
ED apps hit 84 DUKE FIND 48 record high Size fuels Blue Devil rout of Oilers for 2009 Smith suspended Number of applicants jump 33% to 2040
for first two games by Andy Moore The chronicle
With about nine minutes to go in Tuesday’s game against Findlay, freshman Mason Plumlee stood with the ball in Oiler territory and casually tossed it toward Nolan Smith. Showing quick reflexes, Findlay’s Nick Coon snatched the lazy pass out of the air and went up for what appeared to be an easy layup. No one was near the 6-foot-3 guard. As the ball left Coon’s hands, Plumlee leaped at him, knocking the ball into press row with a thunderous block that blew the roof of Cameron Indoor Stadium. That one play didn’t really matter in the overall context of the game. But it did show how the Blue Devils had played all night—there was nothing pretty about it. But it got the job done. “The team could have played better,” Kyle Singler said. “Findlay was a pretty good team, but for me, we could have been better.” Duke overcame a slow start to score 48 second-half points in an 84-48 dismantling of the reigning Division II champions. But
by Emmeline Zhao The chronicle
A record number of high school students have applied early decision to Duke’s Class of 2014. The number of applicants increased 33 percent, from 1,535 last November to 2,040 this year—an unexpected increase, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Christoph Guttentag said. “I think if anybody had said this Fall, ‘You’ll see a 33 percent increase in applications, and you’ll break your previous record by 350, I think nobody would have thought that was a reasonable prediction,” he said. The previous record was set in 2001 with 1,589 early decision applicants. Of this year’s applicants, 1,703 applied to the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and 337 to the Pratt School of Engineering, proportions similar to last year’s 1,288 and 247 applications, respectively. Despite the current economic climate, the same proportion—51 percent—of addison corriher/The Chronicle
See findlay on page 11
Junior Nolan Smith played only in the second half of Duke’s easy victory over Findlay Tuesday night.
See early decision on page 5
DUPD officials Incumbents sweep city election investigating officer’s history by Julius Jones The chronicle
by Matthew Chase The chronicle
The Duke University Police Department has started its internal investigation of officer Webster Simmons’ actions at Duke. Simmons was arrested and charged with first degree rape and sodomy in Dothan, Ala. Oct. 26, and is currently being held in the Houston County jail. Simmons, 37, is a DUPD patrol officer and was suspended with pay last week. DUPD Chief John Dailey said Duke is investigating whether Simmons violated any University or DUPD policies. Dailey could not comment on the details of the ongoing investigation, but said he hopes it is completed as soon as possible. Because the investigation is ongoing and because Simmons is innocent until See simmons on page 6
Durham residents gave City Hall a seal of approval by re-electing all four incumbents in Tuesday’s general election. Mayor Bill Bell was re-elected to his fifth two-year term with more than 77 percent of the vote over his challenger, Republican Steven Williams. City Council members Cora Durham Cole-McFadden, Howard Clement election ’09 and Mike Woodard all received more than 70 percent of the ballots cast in their respective races. Durham City Council members serve four-year terms. The incumbents, who together ran a joint re-election campaign, celebrated their victories alongside approximately 200 supporters and family members at the Blue Coffee Cafe in downtown Durham. “This is a clear message to me that the voters of Durham are pleased with the leadership they have and the direction of the city,” said newly re-elected Council member Mike Woodard. Woodard defeated challenger Allan Polak with 86 percent of the vote, earning more votes than any other incumbent on the ballot Tuesday.
ONTHERECORD
“I thank you for the opportunity to have served our students... and I celebrate what we have been able to accomplish.”
—DPS Superintendent Carl Harris on joining the Dept. of Education. See story page 3
Bell said this election cycle was less contentious than in years past, noting that all of the challengers in the election had no experience in elected office. Supporters at the celebration said the challengers vying to unseat the City Council members did not do a good job of getting their message out to voters. “The people who were running against [the incumbents] didn’t have the name recognition,” said Susan Austin, a Durham resident and a campaign volunteer for McFadden. “Durham has been making a lot of progress under this council so I’m glad to see to see that there will be continuity.” Although few political observers thought any of the sitting elected officials were in serious danger of losing last night, some considered 75-year-old City Council veteran Howard Clement’s age a political liability. “I think the voters spoke to that, in very clear tones, that age was not an issue,” Clement said. “I can’t control my age, but I can control the kinds of experiences I have earned and I have full control over my experiences.” Clement, as the longest-serving City Council member, serving 26 years, made experience the central issue of his campaign against Libertarian Matt Drew.
Women’s Soccer: Last Hurrah? Blue Devils face No. 6 Florida State in ACC tourney quarterfinals, PAGE 10
See election on page 5
Check out The Chronicle’s ACC preview, on newsstands tomorrow