December 1, 2009 issue

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

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH YEAR, Issue 68

www.dukechronicle.com

DSG Special session

Outlook darkens for Duke Athletics Senate finalizes YT reform

by Naureen Khan The chronicle

The opulent Schwartz-Butters Athletic Center, home to Coach K’s office and nestled in the heart of Duke’s athletic complex, serves as a testament to the Department of Athletics’ successes in the last 75 years.

First, there’s the building itself, encased in glass and constructed as part of a $75 million construction blitz in the late 1990s.

Athletics in Then, there’s the Sports a recession Hall of Fame housed in Schwartz-Butters’ lobby, Part 1 of 2 celebrating accolades ranging from Danny Farrar’s 1936 NCAA boxing championship to Duke basketball’s national titles in 1991, 1992 and 2001.

But down the athletics department’s administrative hallway, senior officials don’t have time to rest on their laurels. They are confronting perhaps their biggest challenge yet—one that has little to do with the next NCAA title; namely, how to stay afloat in the choppy financial waters that have threatened to knock over athletic programs across the country.

The Executive Budget Committee for Duke Athletics, created by Director of Athletics Kevin White in August 2008, has prepared a five-phase plan to slash costs wher-

New bylaw similar to one vetoed by Nur

by Matthew Chase The chronicle

After almost a month of debate, Duke Student Government senators passed a bylaw Monday night that will allow the student body to elect the Young Trustee.

According to the bill, the Young Trustee Nominating Committee will select three Young Trustee finalists and the student body will then elect a Young Trustee from among the finalists.

“I’m in favor of an election,” said Athletics and Campus Services Senator Ben Bergmann, a junior. “I think many of us feel that that is the most fair.”

The Young Trustee Nominating Committee will be composed of six DSG members elected by the Senate, six non-DSG affiliated at-large members who apply for the positions and six student group presidents selected by a council of student group presidents.

In its regularly scheduled meeting

See athletics on page 8 Michael Naclerio/The Chronicle

See DSG on page 7

Visiting student killed in New York car crash Brazilian native Sartori was ‘passionate about life,’ friends say

by Will Robinson and Lindsey Rupp The chronicle

Luísa Pinho Sartori, a visiting international student from Brazil, died Sunday in a car accident in New York state. She was 20 years old.

A student at Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Sartori was studying at Duke during the Fall semester. Sartori was on her way back to campus from Vermont Sunday when the car she was riding in hit the back of another car in traffic on the New York State Thruway, according to a Duke News release. An investigation into the accident is still pending.

Sartori, a back-seat passenger who was wearing her seat belt, died from her injuries at a nearby hospital about an hour after the 1:30 p.m. collision. Three other people in the car were treated and released. Alcohol was not involved in the accident.

Sartori’s friends, senior Rebeca Benchimol, sophomore Daniel Benzecry and freshman Ana Graneiro wrote in a statement that they “rejoiced” at having Sartori as part of the close Brazilian community at Duke.

“Luisa was honest; she said what she felt and felt what she said” they wrote. “She was passionate about life, and lived it accordingly.”

Few easy wins on Duke’s schedule, Page 9

Sartori was studying biology at Duke, and had hoped to eventually work in the Amazon Rainforest, according to her friends. A volunteer at the Lemur Center, Sartori was also studying zoology and ecology.

Sartori arrived in North Carolina with her parents in mid-August and moved into her Central Campus apartment. She wrote about her experiences at Duke on her personal blog titled “Small things that brighten your day,” which she wrote in Portuguese. In her blog posts she described shopping to furnish her apartment, wanting to collect all 50 state quarters and attending her first Tailgate.

In one post accompanied by a photo of the Convocation ceremony in the Chapel, Sartori described her impressions of Duke.

“They have this sense of unity about their University that we in Brazil just don’t,” she wrote in Portuguese. “That ceremony was for every freshman at Duke—there was no division by major or course of study, you know?... Everyone who came in this year is identified like one entity, the Class of 2013. That creates a really cool atmosphere of integration.”

Sartori’s friends said she will be remembered for her See sartori on page 5

photo courtesy of Ana Graneiro

Visiting international student Luísa Pinho Sartori died in a car accident in New York Sunday afternoon. She was 20 years old.

ONTHERECORD

“The thing is... I want you to get home safe at night.”

—State Rep. Garland Pierce on the new law banning texting and driving.

See story page 3

Later deliveries Up late? Merchants on Points will be too, PAGE 4

2 | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 the chronicle

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Five British sailors aboard yacht detained by Iran

Death sentence thrown out Four police officers killed for Korean War veteran SEATTLE — Four Seattle-area police officers were shot to death Sunday morning in a coffee shop in what officials called a brazen ambush by a lone gunman.

At least one officer apparently fought his way to the shop’s door and returned fire, possibly wounding the shooter, authorities said.

The officers, three men and a woman attached to the Lakewood Police Department, were conducting a routine pre-shift briefing over their laptops at the Forza Coffee Shop in Parkland, Wash., near McChord Air Force Base, about 35 miles south of Seattle.

“It was definitely an ambush, target situation.... It was not a robbery,” said Pierce County sheriff’s Sgt. Ed Troyer, whose department is investigating the killings.

“We have our work cut out for us.”

“

Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be.

— Jack Welch

”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court on Monday threw out a death sentence for a decorated Korean War veteran, ruling for the first time that combat stress must be considered by a jury before it hands down the harshest punishment.

“Our nation has a long tradition of according leniency to veterans in recognition of their service, especially for those who fought on the front lines as (George) Porter did,” the justices said in a unanimous, unsigned opinion. “The relevance of Porter’s extensive combat experience is not only that he served honorably... but also that the jury might find mitigating the intense stress and mental and emotional toll that combat took.”

Porter was convicted in the 1986 shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend and her then-boyfriend in Florida during a drunken rage.

TODAY IN HISTORY 1929: BINGO invented by Edwin S. Lowe

LONDON — Iranian authorities seized five British sailors after their racing yacht may have strayed into Iranian territorial waters, British authorities said Monday.

The group was sailing a 60-foot Volvo racing yacht from Bahrain to Dubai last Wednesday when they were “stopped by Iranian naval vessels,” the British Foreign Office said in a statement.“The yacht was on its way from Bahrain to Dubai and may have strayed inadvertently into Iranian waters. The five crew members are still in Iran.”

Last month, Iran accused three American hikers who were taken into custody in July while trekking on the Iran-Iraq border of espionage. Their families have denied the allegations.

The seizure of the sailors comes against a backdrop of difficult diplomatic relations between U.S. and European

leaders and the Iranians, intensified by a long-standing dispute over Iran’s nuclear program.

David Miliband, the British foreign secretary, said in a statement that the British government contacted Iranian authorities Wednesday night to “both to seek clarification and to try and resolve the matter swiftly” and “remain in close touch.” While the United States no longer maintains a mission in Iran, Britain has an embassy in Tehran.

The sailing team, Team Pindar, confirmed in a statement on Monday that five British crew members aboard the yacht “Kingdom of Bahrain” were en route from Bahrain to Dubai when they were captured on Nov. 25—the day before they were due to take part in the Dubai-Muscat Offshore Sailing Race, a 360-nautical-mile race.

Photo courtesy of university of California San diego

This Wednesday, Jacopo Annese, a researcher at the University of California, San Diego, will cut into the brain of Henry Molaison to produce a physical collection of tissue slices to further studies on human memory. Research on Molaison, who lost his ability to form new memories after part of his brain was removed in an epilepsy surgery, has provided new insights into how human memory works.

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the chronicle

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 | 3

Student loan reform awaits Senate approval

by Ray Koh

The chronicle

photo illustration by libby busdicker/The Chronicle

Sending text messages and e-mails while driving will be prohibited under a new law that takes effect today. With the new law, North Carolina joins 18 other states that have already banned the unsafe practice.

New N.C. law bans texting and driving

by Carmen Augustine The chronicle

Texters young and old will have to restrain their fingers while they drive or face a fine.

A law that prohibits sending text messages or e-mails with a cell phone while driving goes into effect in North Carolina today. Drivers caught violating the ban will receive a $100 fine. Drivers over the age of 18 may still place phone calls and use global positioning systems while at the wheel.

“The thing is... I want you to get home safe at night,” said State Rep. Garland Pierce, D-Scotland, who was one of the primary sponsors of the bill, which was signed by Governor Bev Perdue in June.

Texting while driving is a dangerous pastime that has been increasing in popularity over the past few years, said Jonathan Adkins, communications director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, a nonprofit organization that works with state and territory officials to

address traffic safety issues. Given recent tragedies resulting from texting while operating motor vehicles, states have begun to take action and make texting while driving punishable by law, he noted.

“There are now 19 states that ban texting while driving and most states have passed the laws this year,” Adkins said.

“There’s been a lot of media attention and a lot more visibility toward the issue of distracted driving.”

State Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford said most people agree the new law is necessary, but noted that it may be difficult to enforce.

Harrison said that because drivers over the age of 18 will be permitted to talk on cell phones while driving and use global positioning systems, cameras and music players, it may be difficult to distinguish between texting and legal phone features.

“It’s not going to be an easy law to See texting on page 6

A bill currently on the floor of the U.S. Senate would require that all student loans come directly from the federal government rather than from private lenders.

Duke’s Office of Financial Aid is preparing internal changes to accommodate the impending Pell Grant bill, formally known as The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which would mandate that students take loans directly from the federal government.

Alison Rabil, assistant vice provost and director of Financial Aid, said the Pell Grants bill would create more funding for student loans because it “would get rid of subsidies that go into the middle men [banks].”

Chris Simmons, associate vice president for federal relations, noted that additional funding for grants and loans will be available if the bill passes as is.

“We anticipate that the bill is not going to significantly change from what the House set on,” he said. “There will be additional money, which is great for students.”

However, Rabil said students are unlikely to notice the immediate impact of the reform.

“The direct lending would not affect our students significantly and it might make things a bit easier for them,” Rabil said. “It would affect our internal processing and the loan office internal procedures the most. For the student,

the process to borrow a student loan is the same.”

If the Pell Grant reform passes and all student loans become direct loans in the future, students will face less confusion regarding who to pay for their loans because there will be only one lender—the federal government, Rabil noted.

The Pell Grants bill has passed through the U.S. House of Representatives and is now on the Senate floor, Simmons said. He noted that once President Barack Obama signs the bill, the Department of Education will guide universities to make procedural changes to student loans.

Rabil added that the nature of possible internal changes within the Financial Aid office are not clear right now because the bill has not gone through the Senate yet, but she said she expects the bill to pass and bring changes to financial aid.

From a student perspective, having just one lender instead of multiple will decrease confusion and possible errors, said Halley Hu, a member of the Financial Aid Initiative Student Advisory Council.

“I also thinking freeing up more money by making the process direct is certainly a good initiative,” said Hu, a senior. “Once the bill passes, it will hopefully give students more options in terms of financial aid. At least not limit students’ higher education opportunities.”

4 | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 the chronicle

duke university student dining advisory committee

Dining to scale back MOP, push for extended hours

by Toni Wei

The chronicle

Students ordering from the Merchants on Points program next semester may find a different range of vendors and hours of service.

Director of Dining Services Jim Wulforst elaborated Monday on changes to MOP announced at last week’s Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee meeting.

DUSDAC members announced last week that students will be able to tip two merchants using food points starting next Spring. At the group’s meeting Monday, Wulforst added that he would like to see MOP vendors stay open later.

“It’s only in the last five years with the addition of several new vendors that they allowed vendors to pick their hours,” he said.

“Like, ‘I only want to be in business from six to nine [p.m.].’

Well, so would I.” Wulforst said MOP was originally designed to serve the Duke community after 7 p.m., and dining services encouraged vendors to deliver until 3 a.m.

“My goal would be to try and not compete too much with the on-campus vendors over dinner, but late-night is where we certainly want more options,” he said.

Although the committee will continue to discuss new require-

ments for MOP restaurants’ service hours next semester, Wulforst said MOP vendors should remain open until at least midnight.

DUSDAC will also evaluate MOP vendors and make formal recommendations to Dining on the vendors.

“We’re looking to trim the [MOP] program,” said DUSDAC co-Chair Jason Taylor, a senior.

“Next semester we’ll make a recommendation as to which MOPs we think we should keep.”

Dining will also experiment with electronic tipping for MOP orders. A Spring pilot program will include two vendors, which has not been selected.

Wulforst said delivery people will carry handheld devices that will allow students to select a 5, 10, 15 or 20 percent tip, or no tip at all.

“It will allow you to tip someone who’s bringing you food at one o’clock in the morning, without scrambling for cash,” he said, adding that cash will still be accepted.

The method will also reduce paperwork behind the scenes, Wulforst said. Students will receive an e-mail confirmation afterwards that will list the tip they selected.

Members of the committee brought up the possibility of fraud, but Wulforst said the email confirmation makes it unlikely.

tyler seuc/The Chronicle

At the DUSDAC meeting Monday, Director of Dining Services Jim Wulforst said he will pressure Merchants on Points to push back their delivery hours in order to reduce competition with on-campus vendors during dinner hours and expand late-night options.

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the chronicle

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 | 5

Class advocates new Rand’s departure leaves living option for women ‘big void’ in N.C. Senate

by Christina Peña The chronicle

Many women on campus found a survey in their e-mail inboxes Nov. 15 asking if they would be interested in a new housing option for women at Duke.

As part of their course work this semester, students in PubPol 140 “Women as Leaders” found that there was an imbalance in the social living dynamic at the University. To correct it, they are proposing a new living option for women on Duke’s campus. The class plans to hold a focus group discussion Tuesday at 8 p.m. in the Women’s Center Lounge to discuss the proposal.

Rachel Seidman, associate director of Duke Center for History, Public Policy and Social Change, who taught PubPol 140 this semester, required her students to identify a problem and address it through an overarching class project.

As a result of the class discussion and project aims, a survey was sent Nov. 15 to various women’s group listservs.

Of the 400 women who responded to the e-mail survey, 208 said they would be interested in the option, said junior Laurel Sisler who wrote the blast e-mail. Although the project is still in the beginning stages,

PubPol 140 students feel that the response was great enough to merit pursuing the matter further.

“There is a monopoly of social power [on campus]—it may seem silly—but men, especially fraternities, have the power because they have the space to hold parties and do other things,” Sisler said.

The proposed living group hopes to cater to these concerns, and “provide a living space that will foster women’s agency on campus through mentoring relationships, dialogue and promoting egalitarian campus culture,” according to its mission statement.

Class members would ideally like to acquire space in Few Quadrangle so that the living group could conveniently conduct programming in conjunction with the Women’s Center.

“We want this to be a living space for women but we also understand that these gender issues are relevant to both men and women,” senior JeNaye Johnson said. “We wouldn’t just focus on the women’s side, we also want to hear from the men who maybe aren’t happy with the way things are currently running.”

See housing on page 6

by Tullia Rushton The chronicle

On Nov. 17, the North Carolina Senate Democratic Caucus elected state Sen. Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe, as the new majority leader for the N.C. Senate, replacing state Sen. Tony Rand, D-Cumberland.

Rand recently resigned from the Senate in order to beTony Rand come chairman of the state Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission.

“The Senate is always changing,” Rand said, adding that he believes Nesbitt will be able to do what’s needed as the majority leader.

Recently questions have arisen about Nesbitt’s ability to match the presence that Rand left in the Senate.

“I am confident that I speak

sartori from page 1 energetic and charismatic personality. She enjoyed climbing and the outdoors, they said, and her blog features several pictures from course field trips, the Le-

for the entire Senate when I say that [Tony Rand’s] service and expertise in this institution are unmatched and unlikely to ever be,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight, DBeaufort.

Sen. David Hoyle, D-Gaston, also acknowledged the magnitude of Rand’s decision to leave the Senate.

“It’s obvious it’s a big void to be filled. [Rand] is a proven leader. He is knowledgeable and a master of the game, and politics, to some degree, is a game,” he said. But he added that Nesbitt, who is chairman of both the Judiciary I Committee and the Select Committee on Economic Recovery, has a lot of experience in the Senate as well.

One major difference between Nesbitt and Rand is their understanding of the business aspect of the Senate, Hoyle said. “[Rand] probably leaned more towards the business com-

munity and is more tuned into business than Nesbitt, but Nesbitt has assured the rest of the Senate that he will get close to the business community to keep the Senate’s involvement with the economy,” he said.

Hoyle also said he did not think there would be any major changes in the near future due to the upcoming state elections— which will take place November 2010—and that the goal now is to manage the budget and start preparing for next year’s elections.

“Changes will come after the next election... and that time will go by real quick,” he said. He noted that even though Nesbitt and Basnight should remain as the majority leader and Senate president pro tempore, respectively, there will be plenty of departures, retirements and some heavily contested elections.

“November is going to bring some pretty tough elections,” Hoyle said.

mur Center and campus sites.

Terry Lynch, Residence Life and Housing Services’ assistant dean for staff development and Central Campus, sent an e-mail at about 5 p.m. Monday to Central residents notifying them about the accident and about

opportunities to seek counseling and write condolence notes. Students should contact Counseling and Psychological Services, residential deans, community assistants, graduate residents, Dean of Students staff or Religious Life staff for counseling.

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6 | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 the chronicle

Scientists discover comprehensive HIV antibody The antibody targets the membrane-proximal external region of the virus, the membrane responsible for cell fusion.

By inhibiting the fusion of HIV to host cells, infection can be prevented.

Researchers foresee that this discovery will have significant implications for vaccine design.

“It really suggests that the human body is capable of making these types of antibodies, which are broadly neutralizing,” said Georgia Tomaras, assistant professor in the department of surgery and the senior author of the study.

“So, if we can learn how to make these same types, that would be useful for vaccine design.”

The main obstacle for the development of a vaccine is the time it takes for the body to create this antibody, Tomaras said. Broadly neutralizing antibodies usually develop two years after the onset of the infection.

“Now the challenge for vaccine design is how can we

by Sabrina Rubakovic The chronicle

A vaccine for HIV may be closer in our reach.

Duke researchers recently discovered an antibody in human blood serum that could have a significant impact on the development of a vaccine for the human immunodeficiency virus.

The antibody is uniquely powerful in that it is broadly neutralizing, meaning that it is resistant to numerous strains of the virus.

The study, which was funded by the Center for HIV/ AIDS Vaccine Immunology, the Duke Center for AIDS Research and the National Institutes of Health, appeared in the Journal of Virology earlier this year.

“Most antibodies only block a narrow spectrum of HIVs,” said lead author Xiaoying Shen, postdoctoral associate in the department of surgery.

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“Most antibodies only block a narrow spectrum of HIVs.” — Xiaoying Shen, postdoctoral associate in the surgery department Other breakthrough findings have given researchers a positive outlook on the development of a vaccine.

“When you’re talking about HIV vaccine design, our study and many studies out there are doing similar types of analyses and are really increasing the pace at which we might find another breakthrough for HIV vaccines,” Tomaras said.

Tomaras noted a recent HIV vaccine trial in Thailand demonstrated moderate preventative effects in a pool of more than 16,000 subjects.

housing from page 5 Students working on the project were unsure about the timetable for its implementation.

“If at all possible, we’re doing everything we can to push to have this done for next Fall, but we understand that Room Pix is coming up soon,” Sisler said.

The program hopes to expand on elements of the Baldwin Scholars program, but without the selectivity.

“We want to create a diverse group of women living there. We’re trying to shy away from the selectivity process. We wouldn’t have an application or interview,” Johnson said.

Project participants hope the living option would provide various relevant speakers through a lecture series and involve a monthly discussion topic. They also want to incorporate academics through a house course or another similar structure.

“We’d love for people to read some of the books we’ve read and have the discussions we had,” Sisler said. “We just want to have an environment to foster these informal conversations about these subjects.”

PubPol 140 students have presented the idea to Duke Trustee Kimberly Jenkins, Trinity ’76, Graduate School ’77 and ’80, and they hope to draft a formal proposal to present to Steve Nowicki, dean and vice provost of undergraduate education, using the feedback from Tuesday’s group discussion.

texting from page 3

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elicit an antibody like this but much earlier so that it can come up before the infection, before it’s too late,” Shen said. “We can catch the window of opportunity to overcome the infection before it’s established.”

enforce,” said Capt. Larry Smith of the Durham Police Department. “I think it’s gonna be an adjustment for a little while for the public.”

If there is evidence that an accident was caused by texting, there may be an additional increase in insurance premiums, which could be another incentive to refrain from sending text messages while driving, said North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin.

The infraction will not cause points to be added to a driver’s record, though, and the rate change would be on a case-by-case basis, Goodwin said.

Harrison is optimistic that the law will be an effective deterrent to those who send text messages while driving.

“The important message here is more that it’s a dangerous habit and one shouldn’t do it,” Harrison said.

Harrison and Pierce agree that the law has the potential to reduce dangerous driving due to texting.

Students are also confident that the law will cause drivers to cut back on texting while driving.

“I, for one, would not do it,” said sophomore Dea Park when asked if he would text while driving under the new law.

Many students said they have texted while driving in the past, but said they try not to.

A complete ban on cell phone use while driving may also be implemented in the future, though it would be much harder to sell to the public, Harrison said.

“Any type of distraction while driving is dangerous,” Pierce said.

the chronicle

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 | 7

DSG from page 1 Wednesday night, senators will select the six DSG members of the nominating committee and approve the timeline for the application process.

The passed Young Trustee bylaw is similar to one approved Nov. 11, which was later vetoed by DSG President Awa Nur, a senior.

Even though more than two-thirds of senators ultimately voted for the bylaw, the Senate was relatively split at the beginning of the meeting, when many senators supported the option to allow the Senate and the nominating committee to select the Young Trustee without a student body vote.

“I think a general election is the wrong way to go because if [DSG] can only get 25 percent [of the student body], or whatever the rate was, to vote for us, how can we expect it to be any different for the Young Trustee process?” Academic Affairs Senator Monique Barrios, a sophomore, said. “It’s important that the person who is chosen be chosen based off of their qualifications.”

Executive Vice President Gregory Morrison, a junior, also said he favored the selection process.

“I think that the selection process, as outlined, is a much stronger process than a general election because I believe that the folks who are good at running campaigns are not necessarily the folks who are good, or rather the best, in board rooms,” Morrison said.

Senators added that DSG members represent their constituents, and therefore are qualified to select the Young Trustee. Others, however, said it would be “condescending” to not include the student body, adding that an election would inspire students to learn more about the Young Trustee position.

Senators also considered and rejected five amendments to the Young Trustee bylaw, including a proposal to allow only se-

libby busdicker/The Chronicle

Junior Will Passo, vice president for Durham and regional affairs, solicits input on Young Trustee reforms from other attendees during Duke Student Government’s special session Monday night. The Senate ultimately passed a bylaw which will allow the general student body to elect the Young Trustee. niors to run for the Young Trustee position and an amendment that would allow the DSG Election Commission to set the rules for campaigning, instead of the Young Trustee Nominating Committee.

The Senate also voted down an amendment that would eliminate the nominating committee and instead allow the student

Documentary Theater DOCST 190S.02 and THEATRST 149S.02 Instructor: Mike Wiley M 10:05 - 12:35p, Bridges House 113 This course explores the way humans narrate, document and interpret their lives through storytelling, individual interpretation and drama.

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body to vote on all Young Trustee applicants. Morrison said he approved of the amendment because it would allow the students to have complete control over the Young Trustee process, which is something that senators indicated they wanted.

“They are either competent to have an election or they are not competent to have

an election,” Morrison said. “I think it shows a shocking ideological inconsistency... to argue that you should have the right to make that decision and then to vote against this when this allows you all of the opportunities to be engaged. I think this is by far the best amendment that we have seen all night, and you should vote in favor of it.”

8 | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 the chronicle

Acclaimed novelist seeks to restore India’s self-image

by Rama Lakshmi

The Washington Post

NEW DELHI — In a new book, the award-winning Indian novelist Arundhati Roy takes aim at India’s self-image—and reputation—as the world’s largest and most vibrant democracy. Indian democracy, she asserts, is not only not working, it is “used up” and “hollowed out and emptied of meaning.”

Such candor is guaranteed to upset the politicians, businessmen and ambitious professionals here who see India well on its way to becoming an economic and political powerhouse, commanding global respect. But the petite 48-year-old writer with the thin, childlike voice makes it her business these days to say things that upset people.

“My political writing is about absorbing all the anger at what is going on and giving it an expression,” she said in a recent interview about the book, a collection of essays titled “Field Notes on Democracy: Listening to Grasshoppers.”

It is about “shattering the show window,” she said.

In 1997, Roy won Britain’s most prestigious literary award, the Booker Prize, for her semiautobiographical, politically freighted novel “The God of Small Things.”

Since then, however, Roy—who trained as an architect, has writ-

ten screenplays and acted in arthouse movies—has expressed her passion for political causes largely through nonfiction.

In more than seven books and numerous articles, she has portrayed a darker side of the country, denouncing its big dams, nuclear weapons, Hindu nationalist politics, counterterrorism measures that undermine civil rights and, most recently, the plight of its tribal people.

She accuses the New Delhi government of sacrificing people’s welfare for the benefit of big corporations, driving people out of their homes to make way for factories and humiliating advocates of nonviolent protest.

“Are we going to drop the pretense that we are a democracy and openly accept that people’s rights are not valid anymore?” she said in the interview. “There is a mutual incompatibility between democratic principles and forcibly displacing millions of people for corporate sharks and mining cartels.”

Roy’s critics, among them people who have praised her novel, say her polemics shut out the possibility of a dialogue.

“It is ironic that with her undoubted mastery over the language, she has virtually given up on the attempt to persuade and

athletics from page 1 ever possible. The plan aims to prepare for the worst, in case the smaller measures of early phases fail to do the job.

“We’re pulling weeds in phase two as we speak,” White said. “We’re hoping that the economy will recover, that we’ll find new sources of revenue, but we do have a plan in place should the economy worsen wherein we know exactly what we should do if we find ourselves in a real financial predicament.”

While phase one and phase two involve working to trim fat—things like printing costs, the cable bill, media luncheons and unused phone jacks—from the budget, phase five would evaluate whether the athletics department can sustain all of its 26 teams.

“If you’re talking about cutting sports—which we’re not right now, but just in theory—you’ve got to cut sports that are successful, ones that have scholarships. So you’re going to [have to] cut baseball, soccer and lacrosse,” said Chris Kennedy, senior associate athletics director. “That’s the very last resort.”

Although athletics administrators said the program is still far from considering that option, they acknowledged the severity of the situation.

“I’ve been in athletics for 18 years and I can’t remember a time when we didn’t face some sort of financial challenge—whether we’re trying to raise money to fund scholarships, whether we’re implementing a gender equity plan to comply with Title IX, or we’re trying to raise money for facilities,” said Mitch Moser, associate athletic director for business operations. “But I think this is the biggest financial challenge that I’ve ever seen.”

While the University tries to close its own $125 million deficit, athletics is attempting to balance a $60.3 million budget this fiscal year, Moser said. So far, the department has been able to cut 5 percent in expenses.

In 2008-2009, expenses exceeded revenue by $969,000, Kennedy said. The deficit was covered by the athletics department’s dwindling reserve funding.

Revenues from all sources are currently down 7.5 to 8 percent. In addition, annual giving—which traditionally contributes about a quarter of athletics’ total revenue—is $1 million below where it was last November.

“Everybody uses a different form of financing to support college athletics. Every school does it a little bit differently,” White said. “But the uniform position is the fact that everyone’s kind of hemorrhaging.”

Reigning in “Unrivaled Ambition” Officials in athletics recognized the need to become fis-

Aradhana Seth/The washington post

Award-winning author Arundhati Roy, who wrote in her new book that India’s democracy is “used up” and “hallowed out and emptied of meaning,” is trying restore her nation’s self-image and reputation. engage with those who might have a different perspective. Rather than appealing to the head, she has picked up the hammer,” said Barun Mitra, director of the New Delhi-based Liberty Institute, a pro-free-market think tank. “She

is completely off the mark on Indian democracy. It is the only miracle we can truly be proud of.”

Her essays draw plenty of hate mail, and she has been called an “anti-Hindu” and an “anti-national” who denigrates India with her

cally responsible and revamp the financial model for Athletics long before the crash.

“We were on a collision course financially,” White said. “We’ve endeavored to reshape ourselves and find ways to stretch our resources and be better stewards of our resources.”

“In a way, this is like a small business. But if that’s really the model we’re operating on, we’re doing a really bad job of it. We have 26 sports and only two of them [football and basketball] make money. If our job were to actually turn profit, we’d all have been fired a long time ago.”

— Chris Kennedy, senior associate athletics director The first strategic plan for Athletics, “Unrivaled Ambition,”—approved by the Board of Trustees in May 2008, months before White officially came on board—has a section devoted to overhauling athletics’ finances.

“The current financial reality of the Duke Department of Athletics is quite simple. Our expenses exceed our income, and have for several years,” the document states.

“To cover that difference we have consumed our reserves, which are now depleted…. As a result, the department will run a substantial deficit in [fiscal year] 2008, which needs to be covered from University funds.”

Recognizing that athletics was being stretched thin, the University approved increasing the athletics subsidy from $7.2 million to $15 million in May 2008. The move brought Duke’s institutional support of athletics in line with other universities, including universities like Boston College, Northwestern, Rice and Wake Forest. The Trustees also approved changing the source of the money from the Arts & Sciences budget to the University’s central fund.

Administrators recognized, however, that this solution was a temporary one. Indeed, in response to Duke’s budgetary constraints, the subsidy has been reduced to $14.5 million this year, with further reductions planned for next fiscal year, Moser said.

Depending on the 2011 and 2012 budgets, the athletics subsidy could see another $750,000 cut, Executive Vice President Tallman Trask said

“poisoned pen.” During the deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai last year, an Indian television channel called her “disgusting,” recalling campaigns in which she had questioned the integrity of India’s counterterrorism police.

To alleviate athletics’ financial woes in the long term, the plan proposed creating a $300 million endowment that would permanently sustain the program. It also called for investing more money in the basketball and football programs and improving facilities, in hopes that the moves would yield returns in the long run.

“You’ve got to be able to generate a lot of resources from basketball and football or you’re on a financial crash course,” White said. “As football and basketball goes, everything goes. That’s where most of your philanthropic activity is tied to.”

To that end, “Unrivaled Ambition” presented a bold proposal for a $325 million fundraising campaign that would generate about $150 million for the endowment and $100 million for capital projects.

Then, the recession hit full-force.

“Throw the strategic plan out of the window—it was an expensive plan,” Kennedy said. “A lot of the things we wanted to be doing right now—capital improvement and personnel things—we’re not doing. If someone leaves, we’re not replacing them.”

White too said the strategic plan has to be put on hold.

Proposed renovations to Cameron Indoor Stadium, Jack Coombs Field, Wallace Wade Stadium and the William D. Murray building will have to wait for more prosperous times.

“An enviable position” For now, it’s back to simply trying to make ends meet for the department. Officials said they have prioritized preserving the student-athlete experience while cutting overhead expenses and seeking new sources of revenue.

“In a way, this is like a small business,” Kennedy said.

“But if that’s really the model we’re operating on, we’re doing a really bad job of it. We have 26 sports and only two of them [football and basketball] make money. If our job were to actually turn profit, we’d all have been fired a long time ago.”

It’s a predicament athletic departments nationwide are grappling with. The athletic department at Stanford University—another Division I school that prides itself on superior academics and athletics—is considering cutting one or more of its 35 teams after severe losses to its endowment, formerly worth $500 million. Meanwhile, after several years of reporting losses, the program at the University of New Orleans is thinking about switching from Division I to Division III. Duke Athletics is in comparatively good shape, administrators said.

“We’re in as good of a position as we can be in given the economic conditions,” White said. “Even an enviable position.”

Sports

>> WOMEN’S GOLF

The Chronicle

TUESDAY

December 1, 2009

Duke finished its fall season ranked fifth in the country, the highest ranking of any ACC squad, after winning the NCAA Preview in Wilmington, N.C.

www.dukechroniclesports.com

Gottlieb’s remarks alarmingly out of touch During the halftime show of the Duke-Arizona State game Wednesday, after ESPN analyst Doug Gottlieb called the Blue Devils “alarmingly unathletic” at certain positions, I was perplexed.

I by no means think that Duke is one of the most athletic teams in the country, but is he aware that freshman Mason Plumlee was the runner-up in the McDonald’s AllAmerican dunk contest?

Could Kyle Singler, a preseason All-American, play at his Taylor level without athleticism? And has he taken a close look at junior Nolan Smith’s moves in transition?

Athleticism may very well be a weakness of the Blue Devils, but “alarmingly unathletic”? Really?

This team has six former McDonald’s All-Americans, and Duke’s big men aren’t from the back-to-the-basket mold—some of them can really run the floor and jump. In two games at Madison Square Garden, Miles Plumlee had six blocks, including one after which he had to duck in order to avoid hitting his head on the backboard. Athleticism is not one of Duke’s strengths like fundamental play, 3-point shooting and defense are. But “alarmingly unathletic” misses the point.

At a press conference Monday afternoon, senior Lance Thomas admitted this notion is frustrating, and Plumlee just laughed when he was asked by a reporter how someone so unathletic, like he must be as a Dukie, could even

Doherty

get up out of bed or tie his shoes. The Blue Devils, Smith insisted, are more athletic than they look.

“We definitely catch a lot of people off-guard,” Smith said. “People might look down the court and just assume that we’re not athletic, but when the game starts and we’re running the ball down their throats and getting transition and getting fast-break points... Just because we aren’t doing two-handed windmills like a Stanley Robinson on fast breaks, they say that we’re not athletic.”

In contrast to Gottlieb’s halftime comments, head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s assessment of the Blue Devils’ athleticism is far more in line with reality. After the NIT Season Tip-Off title game against Connecticult Friday, the first question that Krzyzewski was asked concerned Gottlieb’s comments from two days earlier.

“Actually, we’re pretty athletic. We’re just not as athletic as Connecticut,” Krzyzewski said. “Singler is a really good athlete.... Jon is not leaping tall buildings with a single bound but he’s a real good athlete. But I wouldn’t call us, like, this athletic team, but we’re not amazingly non-athletic.”

Krzyzewski even went so far as to take a shot at the former Oklahoma State pointguard-turned-critic. Let’s not forget that the ESPN analyst shot 46 percent from the freethrow line while playing for the Cowboys.

“He should be an expert on alarmingly non-athletic,” Krzyzewski said. “So I’ll have to take a look at that a little bit closer because it comes from an expert who actually knows what it feels like to be alarmingly non-athletic.”

Before Gottlieb made his most recent lawson kurtz/Chronicle file photo

See doherty on page 11

Miles Plumlee’s six blocks in two games in New York are the mark of an athletic post presence, even at Duke.

Baseball

Schedule includes 9 NCAA opponents

michael naclerio/Chronicle file photo

Jeremy Gould, who hit .340 last season, is Duke’s best returning hitter from a team that just missed out on an NCAA tournament invitation.

A summer after barely missing out on an NCAA tournament bid, Duke announced its schedule for the 2010 season, and the slate includes some of the country’s best.

ACC play represents the majority of the Blue Devils’ games, and this year, conference play figures to be even more challenging than usual.

Unlike in previous years, the Blue Devils will play all seven conference teams that qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2009 among their 10 ACC opponents. North Carolina and Virginia both made deep runs in the College World Series and return loads of talent, while Miami, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Boston College and Florida State appeared in the event as well.

Duke opens the season in midFebruary with an interesting set of games against Baylor and Georgia, both NCAA tournament teams,

in Waco, Texas. Scheduling such strong teams right away signals a departure from the program’s approach the last three seasons, when Duke played mostly inferior teams in the leadup to ACC play.

In 2009, the Blue Devils went 35-24 overall and 15-15 in conference play. The ACC record marked a vast improvement over the previous year’s 10-18-1 finish and continued the team’s development under head coach Sean McNally. However, the Blue Devils were not extended an NCAA bid largely because of the squad’s weak nonconference schedule and lack of quality wins, and this year’s calendar gives Duke several opportunities to mount a better case for inclusion in the 64-team field.

Another significant shift for See baseball on page 10

10 | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 the chronicle

making the grade

Football

OFFENSE Rush:

EXAM NO. 12: The Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Overall Grade:

It may have taken 12 games, but in the season finale, Duke’s rushing attack finally gave Blue Devil fans reason to be optimistic.

The team averaged a respectable 3.6 yards per carry, led by freshman Desmond Scott’s 10 carries for 41 yards. Sophomore Jay Hollingsworth even overcame the multitude of injuries that held him back this season to add 19 yards of his own. What’s more, the pair only had a single carry for loss, a clear step forward for the often anemic running game.

Pass:

The passing attack operated like business as usual for Duke— 387 yards and three touchdowns for Thaddeus Lewis and a combined 19 catches for 267 yards and two touchdowns for the “Killer V’s.” But the biggest story might have been the return to form of junior Austin Kelly, who had three catches for 93 yards and a touchdown after amassing only 54 yards in his previous two games. His performance was the biggest spark in another commanding performance by the unit.

X’s & O’s:

In amassing 455 yards, Duke’s offense was once again dominant on paper. But in a game that was established as a shootout early, settling for two field goals, including one from within the red zone, proved to be too much for the Blue Devils to overcome. One mistake by Lewis—his late interception—proved to be the final nail in the Duke’s coffin in this contest.

DEFENSE Rush: Pass: X’s & O’s:

B

Overall Grade:

C

Early in the first half, Duke’s front seven, led by senior Vincent Rey’s 11 tackles, looked as if it would be able to contain Wake Forest’s speedy running backs. But as the game wore on and the Blue Devil defense grew tired, the Demon Deacons’ running game gradually broke through, finishing with 127 yards on the ground. Duke seemed ill-prepared to face running plays out of Wake Forest’s shotgun offense, which led to long runs to the outside throughout the second half.

Duke’s secondary was its biggest defensive weakness for the third straight game, as Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner tore through the unit for 372 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. The big play burned the Blue Devils once again—evidenced by an early 54-yard touchdown pass that tied the game at 14—but what was most jarring was Skinner’s 73 percent completion rate. When your top cornerback and safety combine for 16 tackles but only one pass breakup, there is a serious problem.

The first eight minutes of this contest were a frantic shootout. But while Wake Forest’s defense was able to adjust, Duke’s own unit proved unable to answer in kind. As the game developed and Wake Forest began using its running attack more efficiently to control the ball, Duke defenders seemed conspicuously fatigued, which only exacerbated the team’s inability to stop the long pass.

Highest marks: QB Thaddeus Lewis

Lewis certainly made the most of his final contest in a Blue Devil uniform, and it will show in the record books. With another 300+ yard performance, Lewis became the second ACC quarterback to eclipse 10,000 yards in a career.

Hit the books: CB Leon Wright

Wright’s willingness to concede short completions after being consistently beaten by bigger and faster receivers early in the contest proved costly, despite his impressive breakup in the end zone. — by Scott Rich

baseball from page 9

The Distinguished Speaker Series AT THE FUQUA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Duke is that the program will play 18 of its 31 home games at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Downtown Durham.

The stadium successfully hosted the ACC tournament last year, and the Blue Devils hope to draw fans there and get experience playing in one of the minor leagues’ best parks.

Jack Coombs Field, the on-campus venue for Duke home games, will still host some series, including a marquee set with the Seminoles.

—from staff reports

Stephen Quinn, Chief Marketing Officer • Walmart US

Tuesday, December 1, 2009 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Geneen Auditorium The Fuqua School of Business

RETHINKING THE BOUNDARIES

ian soileau/Chronicle file photo

Jake Lemmerman is one of Duke’s most productive returners, and he and the Blue Devils have lined up a challenging 2010 schedule.

the chronicle

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 | 11

doherty from page 9

boards or taking a close listen on campus, where the idea is often uncomfort-

remarks about Duke, I spoke to former ESPN.com Page 2 contributor Bomani Jones, who was recently on campus for the “Sports, Race and Power Conference”.

Our conversation focused on how the race of athletes affects the coverage they receive from journalists and how race is a factor when both commentators and the general public alike call the Blue Devils unathletic. I strongly agreed with Jones when he said that the fact that Duke’s roster has just three African-American players and this perception of Duke as an “unathletic” team are related.

It’s not something that is often overtly stated, but the perception that Duke needs to recruit big, black players is real—try checking Blue Devil message

“There’s been this perception that Duke’s team is too white, and that’s not what it is. The problem is that the players haven’t been good enough. Contrary to popular belief, that is not the same thing.”

— Bomani Jones ably expressed in jokes. And it’s a view that should disappear.

“There’s been this perception that Duke’s

An

michael naclerio/Chronicle file photo

Junior Kyle Singler might not be the most athletic player in the country, but his unique skill set has made him a preseason All-American.

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ty and Duke University Health System are committed to sustaining learning and work environments free from harassment and prohibited discrimination. Harassment of any kind is unacceptable. Discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, gender or age is prohibited. The Office for Institutional Equity (OIE) administers the Duke Harassment Policy and other policies related to prohibited discrimination. If you have questions or concerns related to harassment or discrimination, you are encouraged to seek prompt assistance from your supervisor, department chair, dean, manager or Duke Human Resources Staff and Labor Relations. You may also contact OIE directly at (919) 684-8222. Additional information, as well as the full text of the harassment policy, may be found at www.duke/edu/web/equity.

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team is too white, and that’s not what it is,” Jones said. “The problem is that the players haven’t been good enough. Contrary to popular belief, that is not the same thing.”

All this isn’t to say that Gottlieb is some sort of undercover racist, and I am aware that as a Jewish athlete, he was the subject of some gruesome and unfair treatment on the part of insulting fans during his own playing days.

But I do think that Gottlieb should address these claims and explain what makes the Blue Devils “alarmingly unathletic”.

For one, “unathletic” isn’t even a real word: Try looking it up in Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary. (“The word you’ve entered isn’t in the dictionary. Click on a spelling suggestion below or try again using the search bar above.”) And for another, an alarming lack of athleticism is just not evident when you look at the Blue Devils play.

nathan pham/The Chronicle

Guard Nolan Smith is Duke’s best transition scorer because of his explosiveness around the basket.

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3G not available in all areas. Coverage is not available in all areas. See coverage map at stores for details. Offer available on select phones. Limited-time offer. Other conditions & restrictions apply. See contract & rate plan brochure for details.

Subscriber must live & have a mailing addr. within AT&T’s owned wireless network coverage area. Up to $36 activ. fee applies. Equipment price & avail may vary by mrk & may not be available from independent retailers. Early Termination Fee: None if cancelled in the first 30 days; but up to $35 restocking fee may apply to equipment returns; thereafter up to $175. Some agents impose add’l fees. Unlimited voice services: Unltd voice svcs are provided solely for live dialog between two individuals. No additional discounts are available with unlimited plan. Offnet Usage: If your mins of use (including unltd svcs) on other carriers’ networks (“offnet usage”) during any two consecutive months exceed your offnet usage allowance, AT&T may at its option terminate your svc, deny your contd use of other carriers’ coverage, or change your plan to one imposing usage charges for offnet usage. Your offnet usage allowance is equal to the lesser of 750 mins or 40% of the Anytime mins incl’d with your plan (data offnet usage allowance is the lesser of 6 MB or 20% of the KB incl’d with your plan). AT&T Promotion Cards: Samsung Solstice prices before AT&T Promotion Card, minimum $20/mo. data plan & with 2-year contract per phone are $99.99 & $49.99, respectively. Allow 60 days for fulfillment. Card may be used only in the U.S. & is valid for 120 days after issuance date but is not redeemable for cash & cannot be used for cash withdrawal at ATMs or automated gasoline pumps. Card request must be postmarked by 1/13/10 & you must be a customer for 30 consecutive days to receive card. Sales tax calculated based on price of unactivated equipment. ©2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. Service provided by AT&T Mobility. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo, and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

the chronicle

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 | 13

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A: Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony Hear the Duke Symphony Orchestra play it December 2, 8 pm, Baldwin Auditorium Free Admission

Answer to puzzle www.sudoku.com

The Independent Daily at Duke University

The Chronicle

14 | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 the chronicle commentaries

“

Changes derail good conversations Fewer conversations are of the changes implemented happening on campus— this Fall have drastically afDuke Conversations, that is. fected the nature of the Duke Last year, the Duke Conver- Conversations program. sations program funded 85 A review of the program’s student-nominated guests to selection process was necescome to campus and speak sary to prevent abuse, and with students several recomover dinner. mendations editorial This year, the that the review number was cut in half to committee implemented are about 40. well founded.

Over the summer, a reIncreasing publicity about view committee overhauled the speakers brought to camthe four-year-old program’s pus was a good move. Students selection process, making could be particularly interthe application more rigor- ested in interacting with a conous and subject to commit- versation guest, but under the tee approval. In addition, the previous setup, they would not program’s budget was cut by know about the guest’s visit un$50,000 to around $100,000. less they were friends with the Some adjustments to the student host. The new system program were appropriate. rectifies this problem.

But the concerns we voiced Duke Conversations also in the beginning of the se- required increased scrutiny mester have held true—most of program participants. Al-

onlinecomment

”

Why are we perfectly capable of creating a dominating basketball team, and yet there is no chance for football?

—“Dukegirl” commenting on the editorial “The coach we’ve been waiting for.”

See more at www.dukechronicle.com.

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.

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I

though friends, parents and recent alumni have the potential to be excellent candidates for a conversation, the program was rightly changed to prioritize bringing guests whose visit would not be possible without University funding. This also helps to curb abuse of the program by students looking to game the system.

Unfortunately, other changes to Duke Conversations have substantially overhauled the program, when only the aforementioned tweaks were necessary. The new application requirements are too extreme, and they compromise the program’s character.

Limiting the number of conversations is a bad idea.

Conversations dropped by around 50 percent this year, though the program’s budget only decreased by 33 percent.

Instead of fewer, more wellknown speakers, Duke Conversations should aim to bring as many speakers as possible during the year. Should there be funding left over in the Spring, the application process should be reopened to bring in additional speakers.

While it is important to emphasize quality applications, rigid deadlines work against the spontaneity and creativity of Duke students. A rolling application process would be more beneficial, allowing classes, student groups and individuals to pursue hosting a conversation at any time of the year, not just before a set deadline in the first semester.

In the past, the Duke Conversations thrived because it was so close to the ground and adaptable to student needs. The new process

makes the program unnecessarily bureaucratic.

Along these lines, the addition of a mandatory “Community Hour” is misguided.

A large public forum negates the whole idea of an intimate conversation, and it is an extra imposition on guests.

Duke Conversations should not be focused on the number of students that attend, but rather on the quality of the experience.

Duke Conversations was created so that students could take advantage of the University’s resources and initiate an informal, stimulating dialogue with interesting individuals from around the country and the world. When it comes to achieving that aim, this year’s changes have taken the program one step forward and two steps back.

A liberating experience

t is that time in the semester.

You know, that time when your body and brain seem to have an allergic reaction to work and productivity. You try to type in the address for the Duke Library system to get started on your big final paper but instead your fingers type in www.youtube. com, and before you know it, you laura keeley have just spent eurotrip the last hour watching clips of the 1987 Crystal Light National [USA] Aerobic Championship (or maybe that’s just me). Instead of memorizing endless chemical reactions, you memorize the number of Facebook tags you have racked up in the past 24 hours due to an overload of picture uploading (also a side effect of the post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas part of the semester).

This year though, even Duke, the institution, has fallen into a late semester anti-productivity coma. From the outside, it looks like the administration is having a tough time getting things done. First, there was the planned merger of the Multicultural Center and the International House that was announced way back Nov. 9 and postponed less than a week later after students effectively demonstrated their outrage (you know you are in trouble when your productivity dives before Thanksgiving). Then there was the whole Residential Group Assessment Committee (RGAC) scoring fiasco that threatened (or threatens?) to completely tear apart the West Campus social scene. This action also was postponed Nov. 19, and with good reason, in my humble opinion—when a RGAC representative admits on the record that, “My scores, I will tell you, are a complete joke,” clearly there is a problem.

But despite these well publicized “failures” on the part of the University to get its work done, there is a silver lining, and it comes in the form of the new pass/fail policy approved Nov. 12.

And, in honor of post-Thanksgiving food and productivity comas, I’m going to slip in one last thing to be thankful for: the opportunity for a liberal arts education.

Our opportunity to take a myriad of classes such as “Chubby History,” “Communication, Improv and Business” and “Volcanology: Geology of Hawaii” (with a mandatory 10-day Hawaii spring break trip), is an option almost all of us take

for granted. I know I did—before this semester, I can’t remember ever giving it much thought.

But once I saw what the alternative looked like— the alternative being the education system in the vast majority of Europe—I realized how lucky we really are.

Take, for example, a class that nearly all of my friends are enrolled in here in Spain. It’s called “Theory of Communication and Theory of Information I.” The course is intended for secondyear university students, so people around 19 and 20 years old. One day this semester, after starting class 20 minutes late due to the professor’s late arrival (as always), they learned about the scientific method. Yes, that same “form a hypothesis, test it, draw conclusions, redo” method that I’m pretty sure we all learned in elementary school.

But since these Spanish students are enrolled in the Humanities school, they have hardly ever been exposed to any science knowledge, including topics as basic as the scientific method.

“Wouldn’t just general curiosity about life have led you to think about how things work around you?” my roommate asked after another pointless class (I’ve seen her notes, though, and they play some mean games of hangman).

I would think so, but maybe if you have always been stuck in such a rigid, narrow-thinking educational structure you would not have said curiosity. Or maybe everyone at my Spanish university is just too concerned with looking like they just stepped off of a runway. I suppose either explanation is possible.

So as you read this sitting in Perkins or another one of Duke’s fine academic establishments, consider yourself lucky instead of thinking about everything else you would rather be doing. And thanks to the new Arts & Sciences satisfactory/ unsatisfactory policy, in future semesters you can indulge even further in learning just for learning’s sake. Take an economics class so you can prevent yourself from becoming a victim of another Wall Street fiasco without having to worry about what it would do to your GPA (because now it will just show up as “satisfactory” on your transcript provided you get at least a C-). Take a science class so no one will ever make fun of you for not knowing what the scientific method is. Take whatever you want, but just take advantage of the liberal arts education you have been gifted.

And after class, watch the 1987 Crystal Light National [USA] Aerobic Championship. Onelegged pushups were all the rage back then.

Laura Keeley is a Trinity junior. Her column runs every other Tuesday.

the chronicle

commentaries

Our rights

A

t Duke, we sometimes find form you that a warrant was issued ourselves so absorbed in Uni- for an indefinite period of time. versity issues that we lose sight Do not think your records are of what happens nationally. This safe either. Through secret court ortime of year in particuders, law enforcement lar, as we recover from can broad gain access American Civil to your records: what Thanksgiving excesses and look toward the Liberties Union books you read, your pending onslaught of medical history, your social justice final exams, presentastudies, your finances, column tions and papers, we everything you buy and forget that our nation your library history. continues to grapple with important The people we trust with our privacy issues. like librarians must disclose or face When we do look at issues bigger imprisonment, and the secret courts than Duke, we tend to focus on the that authorize such actions have lithealth care debate, the economy, ce- tle power to deny applications. Most lebrity gossip and global warming. I importantly, the court orders can be would like to use this column, however, issued without probable cause of a to highlight an issue too infrequently crime. Through national security letdiscussed since the rise of President ters, issued at the discretion of the Obama: your civil liberties.

Justice Department, law enforcement When we return to campus next can gain access to many types of orgasemester, there will likely be some nization membership lists. Here, the significant changes to our rights: most troubling aspect is that these what the government can and can- national security letters are not subnot do to us. On Dec. 31, three im- ject to judicial review. Furthermore, portant provisions of the controver- the act authorizes the government to sial Patriot Act will expire. It will be read your e-mail and Internet history up to Congress to again define what without probable cause. rights you have, have lost and will Although these provisions may regain. One of the most important worry some of you, a group of senalessons we learned since 9/11 is the tors led by Sen. Russ Feingold have need to think things through and introduced the Judicious Use of not commit headlong to action with- Surveillance Tools In Counterterout proper deliberation. However, in rorism Efforts Act of 2009 as part of a world full of problems and a Con- their effort to curtail the attacks on gress concerned with many other Americans’ privacy rights. The law, if pressures and deadlines, will Con- passed, would reform the Patriot Act gress give our rights full attention? and modify other overly broad surI hope so. veillance laws. As the end of the year For those of you unfamiliar with approaches, I urge you all to follow the Patriot Act, Congress passed the this bill closely and let your senators 342-page document just 45 days after know your opinions because the act 9/11’s horrors. Few in Congress read will determine what the government the full Patriot Act; yet, it passed al- can and cannot do to you. most unanimously. The act provides Many of you may fear that such for broad and unchecked surveil- reforms will hurt our national seculance of Americans. The law has in- rity. These reforms, however, are desufficient oversight and paved the signed to support our surveillance suway for one of the greatest abuses perstructure and respect Americans’ of Americans’ trust in their govern- right to privacy. The reauthorization ment of the modern era. of the Patriot Act and the introducThere are many problems with tion of the JUSTICE Act provide the the Patriot Act as it exists today. It perfect opportunity for us and for allows for the government to do Congress to examine our rights over things many of us never believed the last eight years, the abuses renpossible in our democracy. In the dered against innocent Americans current Patriot Act, the government and the need for change. When we can search your home and not tell return next semester, I hope we will you. These are known as “sneak and find significant improvements and peek” searches that can allow inves- renewed protections to our rights. tigators to enter your home or work, seize items and take photos. These Spencer Eldred is a Trinity senior. He searches do require a warrant, but is president of Duke American Civil Libdo not require investigators to in- erties Union.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 | 15

www.dukechronicle.com

Go green, without missing a beat.

Laughing at the table

T

his year, I am thankful for humor. the surprise, sadness and anger it was difIf you’re one of the poor souls ficult to articulate my thoughts. I just said who has read my column before, the first thing I could think of without you may notice that I didn’t include a panicking. quote this week. Well, if you must ask “So... does this mean you’re going bald why (and let’s assume that before I do?” you did), not a single perObviously, not very tactson talked to me at the bus ful. But if you know my mom, stop. Don’t worry, I didn’t you won’t be surprised that take it personally (although she threw her head back in my NetID is kn19 if you feel laughter. Believe it or not, I like sending me a consolacould immediately see and tion ePrint message). More feel the release of stress as than anything, I wonder she smiled and raised her why we’ve been so silent kousha navidar shoulders. Her response lately, and how we can make made me more comfortholy diver this change. able talking about the progCut and dry: I think it’s nosis. because of end-of-semester grade stress So we kept laughing. I joked about her (surprise!). At the beginning of the year running in a 5K the next day. We thought the sun was shining, everyone was bois- up hilariously outrageous reactions the terously carefree and Chapel Drive flags rest of the family might have. It almost read “Welcome Class of 2013!” Now cold brought her to tears, and in the process, rain is drenching our clothes, looming fi- stopped myself from shedding my own. nals have exposed how behind we all are Some of you may find this to be odd and, as if in a mirage, those same flags material for a column, but know that I’m seem to read “Don’t Fail!” as we ride the not writing it for attention or to fill up C-1. space. I love my mom too much for that The result is that almost constantly, (plus, I have an archive of whiny quotes there are only two things on our minds: that I could’ve easily used instead). how the heck we’re going to get through Rather, this experience was the most these final two weeks, and how fast we timely and relevant of many situations can get the hell out. And holy diver, that I’ve seen in which simple jokes make the makes the bus stop depressing. hard times easier. In the most daunting Trust me, I feel you on this one. When moment of my life, it was an ability to the grind starts, my hair poofs out, my squeeze laughter out of the situation that eyes turn red and I start mumbling in- helped us through it. When the going coherently. (No, I’m not high.... I’m gets tough, the tough get laughing. stressed).

Yes, there is a big difference between And then, this Thanksgiving, life re- finding humor in a situation and making minded me of something I’ve known for something less serious than it should be. a long time. My mother and I were eat- The idea isn’t to ignore the issue; it’s to ing dinner my first night back home. She embrace it. had made me rice and fish—my favorite So how does this story relate to the meal—and a tell-tale sign that something bus stop? (How doesn’t it? Duh.) Everywas wrong. As I ate, she said “Kousha, I’m one seems to be going through their going to tell you something that is bad, own difficulties this time of year. The sad and you have to promise me that you’re truth is that now, when we put our heads not going to break down or become de- down and try to work through everything pressed. OK?” alone, is actually when need each other I put down my fork. “OK...” I replied. the most. Even if the situation is not ex“I have breast cancer. It’s unclear how actly life threatening, I’d like to humbly serious it is right now, but I’m getting sur- remind everyone: gery, and I might need chemo.”

Laugh. With each other.

Anyone who’s been in a situation like Without it, the bus stop is silent. And this can relate to the sudden uncertainty if any part of campus should be alive, I’ve that accompanied her words. Between learned it’s the bus stop. For the past 13 weeks you have all privileged me with your stories, and for that I thank you.

So far the experience has been one of a kind, and if there’s anything I can give back, it would be an awareness of the awesomeness that is laughter.

Find something to laugh at. Right now.

Laugh at the EGR 53 midterm you just got back. Laugh at how many pages of writing you have to do tonight. Laugh at the poor puns in this column. Grab dinner with a friend—it only takes an hour (if you have no friends, once again, you have my NetID).

That’s what’s going to keep things bearable, and it’s the easiest way to maintain perspective through our struggles, academic or otherwise. Keep your chin up and your funny bone shaking. Don’t stop laughing.

Kousha Navidar is a Trinity senior. This is his final column of the semester.

16 | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 the chronicle

Duke Performances

in durham, at duke, the modern comes home.

JAZZ Luciana Souza feat. cyro BaptiSta & romero LuBamBo Saturday, January 23, 8 pm, Reynolds Theater migueL zenon Esta PlEna Septet Hector “tito” matoS, Juan guiterrez & oBaniLu aLLende Thursday, February 11, 8 pm, Reynolds Theater feat.

ravi coLtrane Quartet Saturday, February 13, 8 pm, Reynolds Theater DANCE aLonzo King LINES BaLLet feat.

JaSon moran & tHe Bandwagon Friday & Saturday, January 29 & 30, 8 pm, Reynolds Theater SPECIAL PROJECTS dean & Britta - 13 Most BEautiful... songs for andy Warhol’s “scrEEn tEsts” Thursday, February 18, 8 pm, Reynolds Theater KronoS Quartet feat. tHe worLd premiere of a Quartet By maria ScHneider Saturday, April 10, 8 pm, Page Auditorium AMERICANA puncH BrotHerS feat. cHriS tHiLe Friday, February 19, 8 pm, Reynolds Theater LoS LoBoS + Leo KottKe Thursday, March 25, 8 pm, Page Auditorium roSanne caSH + marK o’connor Thursday, April 15, 8 pm, Page Auditorium THEATER SoutH africa’S farBer foundary tHeater company - Molora (adapted from tHe orEstEia triLogy) Friday & Saturday, March 19 & 20, 8 pm, Reynolds Theater CLASSICAL anton Kuerti, piano Friday, January 22, 8 pm, Reynolds Theater orpHeuS cHamBer orcHeStra angeLa Hewitt, piano Saturday, January 30, 8 pm, Page Auditorium witH

peter SerKin, piano Friday, February 5, 8 pm, Reynolds Theater academy of St. martin in tHe fieLdS JuLian racHLin, vioLin Friday, April 16, 8 pm, Page Auditorium witH

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