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, SEPTEMBER 21, 2010
ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH YEAR, Issue 19
www.dukechronicle.com
Hispanics Record pledge remains unsettled work to build $72M Nicholas family gift largely outstanding after Dec. 2008 deadline a community by Taylor Doherty THE CHRONICLE
by Alejandro Bolívar THE CHRONICLE
As Durham County’s Hispanic population grows, it faces both new challenges and opportunities. The county was an estimated 2.2 percent Hispanic or Latino in 2009, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, compared to an estimated 7.7 percent of the total population of North Carolina. But in the difficult economic climate, Latinos face significant problems, Colleen Blue, program director at El Centro Hispano, wrote in an e-mail. “Latinos are being hit hardest in terms of unemployment, home foreclosure and lack of health insurance,” Blue said. “We are also facing some of the most urgent public policy issues directly impacting the greater Latino community; not just in North Carolina, but across the United States.” Based in Durham, ECH is a grassroots community organization that has served more than 11,000 people and has more than 600 dues-paying members. The organization seeks to provide information about issues affecting Latino families, Blue said. In addition to providing language lessons and tutoring, ECH helped to open
Much of the $72 million donation that former Duke President Nan Keohane called “a fitting capstone” to the Campaign for Duke has not been paid. William Schlesinger, former dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment, said the school had not received any of its $70 million portion of the donation when he left the University June 1, 2007. The pledge
was made by Peter and Ginny Nicholas in December 2003, when the pair were cochairs of the Campaign for Duke and Peter was chair of the Board of Trustees. Top administrators, including Provost Peter Lange and Nicholas School Dean Bill Chameides, declined to comment on the donation. Keohane, who stepped down as president in 2004, also declined to comment. “I went along with being quiet for quite a while, but over the years I’ve de-
cided that I don’t care—you know, it peeves me, for instance, that Wikipedia, under Peter Nicholas, describes how he See nicholas on page 6
See latinos on page 5
chronicle graphic by melissa yeo
Retirees find opportunities through Duke institute by Raj De
THE CHRONICLE
CAroline rodriguez/The Chronicle
Garry Crites, program director for continued education, said the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute gives retirees a chance to learn new things.
After a career’s work is done, the learning continues for Bull City retirees. At the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Duke, students—who are mostly local retirees—are taking advantage of the program’s full array of educational experiences. Opportunities range from classes like “Exploring Cinema” and “Chinese Brush Painting” to social activities, such as ballroom dancing and poetry reading. The courses are not for Duke credit but are linked to Duke facilities, such as the libraries and dining halls. Currently, OLLI is centered in The Bishop’s House on East Campus and has over 1,500 members. “I like that there is such a good assortment of classes to choose from,” said Jon Edland, on OLLI student and retiree of four years. “For my career, I was involved with business, but it is such a great feeling to take classes in everything but business. I’m just having fun.” CNN Money recently ranked Durham no. 1 in its “Top 25 Places to Retire,” praising OLLI at Duke and calling the University’s lifelong-learning program “stellar.” The piece cited Durham’s dual artistic and athletic flairs and called the city a “Mecca” of retirement; one
ONTHERECORD
“The vast majority of the proposed solutions, though, rely too heavily on capital construction.”
—Senior Gregory Morrison in “Toward transformation.” See column page 11
could stroll through grassy golf courses by day and frequent the Nasher Museum of Art or Durham Performing Arts Center by night. Garry Crites, program director for continued education, said much of the program’s success depends on peer instruction. Although some instructors also teach undergraduates at the University, volunteers—who are often also members of OLLI—can teach as well. It fosters a cooperative and versatile learning experience in which, for example, former doctors can now teach history, he added. “I have friends here who retired who have been busier in retirement than they were when they were working,” Judy Stafford, a statistical programmer for the Duke Clinical Research Institute who teaches folk dance at OLLI, wrote in an e-mail. Faye Gregory, facilitator for OLLI’s Single Women’s Social Group, noted that the program provides retirees with a “warm and friendly place” to make friends. A retiree herself, she has seen her group’s membership approximately double in the last four years, with 55 members currently involved, she said. When asked about any weaknesses of the programs,
NEH Chairman Jim Leach speaks at the Nasher, Page 3
See osher on page 4
Meet your new Class of 2014 DSG senators, Page 4