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
THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2010
Senior dies suddenly Wednesday
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH YEAR, Issue 138
www.dukechronicle.com
Heads of state
Officials investigating cause of Dwight’s death from Staff Reports THE CHRONICLE
The Duke community was notified of senior Billy Dwight’s death in an e-mail Wednesday night. The circumstances surrounding his death have not been made public, though it did not occur in Durham County and foul play is unlikely, Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta wrote in the e-mail, sent at 10:12 p.m. An investigation regarding the death is being conducted by local authorities, Moneta said in an interview Wednesday night. “We are deeply saddened by this loss and offer our deepest condolences to Billy’s friends and family,” he said. Moneta said the incident does not indicate a threat to the Duke community. He was notified of Dwight’s death at approximately 5 p.m. Wednesday. Dwight, 23 and a native of Kernersville, N.C., studied psychology and conducted an independent research project on “Measurement of Stress Reactivity in Different Virtual Environments.” He was See dwight on page 6
indu ramesh/The Chronicle
Junior Nolan Smith (center) and Coach Mike Krzyzewski (right) receive congratulations from Gov. Bev Perdue (left) during the team’s visit to her mansion Wednesday.
duke student government
DCR charter still holds, Senate rules by Matthew Chase THE CHRONICLE
In a heated and at times disorganized session, the Duke Student Government Senate decided not to take direct action against the
Duke College Republicans, which has come under fire since the impeachment of former club chair Justin Robinette, a junior. At their final meeting of the academic year Wednesday night, senators passed the annu-
al budget for 2010-2011 and considered an amendment to suspend the College Republicans’ charter, rights and privileges because See dsg on page 5
Casimir brings Haiti to Duke RGA revision Conference will explore country’s history and reconstruction draws mixed responses by Ryan Brown THE CHRONICLE
Say “Haiti” on campus these days, and you are sounding a series of buzzwords: earthquake, poverty, corruption, tragedy. But long before the Caribbean nation was a headline splashed across international newspapers, it was something else for Jean Casimir—home. And in his four months at Duke, the Mellon Visiting Professor at the Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies has sought to provide the University with an understanding of his country that goes deeper than a natural disaster. Jean Casimir “So many countries accuse Haiti of failing, when really the world has failed Haiti,” he said. “It’s fundamental that we get people to talk about this place, and ask questions without just assuming they know the answers.” When it comes to sharing Haiti with the world, Casimir has a lifetime of experience. An acclaimed expert of social change and development at the University of Haiti,
his academic career has taken him from the Caribbean to the Congo to Columbia University. His work has been published in four languages. His globetrotting, accoladestacked resume does not end there: Casimir is also the former Haitian ambassador to the United States under President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. While he may be used to fielding demands from the world’s most seasoned diplomats, this semester Casimir faced a far different crowd: Duke students. He teaches two courses on Haitian society at the University, which has been an experience that brought him face-to-face with how American students perceived his country—if they knew about it at all. “To be honest, at the beginning of the semester most of my [undergraduate] students had no idea about Haiti,” he said. “Or if they knew the Haiti of today, they did not know where it had come from.” But for Casimir, that lack of understanding is hardly new. Having spent much of his adult life in voluntary exile to avoid the grip of the brutal father-son Duvalier regime in Haiti, he developed a deep understanding
Leaders of selective living groups are expressing mixed reactions to the new Collaborative Housing Process and the announcement that the housing shuffle will not continue in the future. news CHP is a revised version of the analysis Residential Group Assessment process and includes a new rubric and the formation of the Addition and Removal Committee, which has the power to place low-scoring living groups on probation. The process was ratified by Campus Council last Thursday and is a response to the administration’s decision to stop the
See casimir on page 6
See chp on page 4
Men’s Tennis: Sibling Rivalry Duke hopes for long ACC tourney run, Page 7
Duke junior Reid Carleton could face his brother, Wake Forest freshman Tripper Carleton, this coming weekend PAGE 7
by Nicole Kyle THE CHRONICLE
ONTHERECORD
“If we can give the story justice in how we present it, we’re doing the right thing.”
—Grant Hill, regarding longtime track coach Al Buehler. See Recess page 3