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, NOVEMBER 9, 2010
ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH YEAR, Issue 52
www.dukechronicle.com
Tailgate canceled after incident with minor
potti investigation
Suspended cancer trials terminated by Julia Love THE CHRONICLE
This incident was the “predominant deciding factor” for the decision to end Tailgate, Moneta said. The Tailgate that was originally scheduled for Nov. 13 has been suspended, and Tailgates in upcoming years will likely be very different, he added. “Tailgate has become an embarrassment—it has no connection
The University voluntarily canceled three clinical trials that drew from the research of Dr. Anil Potti, a cancer researcher whose research is currently under investigation. The trials had previously been suspended. Duke researchers stopped admitting new patients to the two studies on lung cancer and one study on breast cancer July 18. The principal Anil Potti investigators made the decision to permanently end the trials following the Oct. 22 retraction of a key paper published by Potti and his mentor Dr. Joseph Nevins, said Dr. Michael Cuffe, vice president for medical affairs. Clinical oncologists and principal investigators are in the process of contacting about 100 patients who were enrolled in the three trials, Cuffe added. “That request to retract represents a retraction of some of the foundational
See tailgate on page 4
See potti on page 5
chase olivieri/Chronicle file photo
After a minor was found unconscious near the end of the Nov. 6 Tailgate, administrators announced that the event in its current state has been canceled. by Matthew Chase THE CHRONICLE
Tailgate as students currently know it has been canceled, Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta confirmed Monday. A minor, who was the guest of a student, was found unconscious in a Porta Potty at the end of the Nov. 6 Tailgate, said Chief John Dailey of the Duke Uni-
versity Police Department. A security officer found the teenager after most students had left Tailgate, and Emergency Medical Services was called to transport the teenager to the Duke Emergency Department, Dailey added. Moneta confirmed that to the best of his knowledge the teenager is OK, adding that the minor was the sibling of a Duke student.
Irons’ court date Arts Festival ends two-week run postponed to Jan. by Melissa Dalis THE CHRONICLE
Former Trinity sophomore Eric Irons will face rape allegations in district court Jan. 27—more than two months after his original scheduled date. His court date was recently changed from Nov. 9 on the North Carolina Court System’s website. Irons was arrested Sept. 8 on charges of second-degree rape and first-degree kidnapping of a female student by the Duke University Police Department. In an October interview, Irons’ attorney Bill Thomas said his client plans to face the allegations in court. “Eric Irons is an innocent man,” Thomas said in October. “We have located witnesses and have evidence that the allegations made against him are entirely false. I have every confidence that, once all of the facts are known, that Eric Irons will be completely exonerated of any wrongdoing whatsoever.” Irons, a 19-year-old from Hong Kong, was charged
With performances everywhere from the Bryan Center to the C1, the Duke Arts Festival made its mark this year. The two-week festival that concluded Sunday featured music, student dance performances, poetry readings, visual art displays and theatrical performances. Previously a weekend-long event, this year’s celebration was extended to enable students to work more closely with the arts departments and plan spontaneous performances throughout campus, said Scott Lindroth, vice provost for the arts. One such event was Defining Motion’s performance in the Marketplace. Lindroth said the idea behind holding these events in high traffic areas was to bring performances to the students rather than expecting that all students would attend the events. “It makes you think a little differently about what’s taking place at Duke as we see students practicing music, dancing and art,” Lindroth said. “I think that’s a great thing to be able to show the community.” As opposed to last year, the festival also coincided with student theater productions. Hoof ‘n’Horn’s “Into the Woods’” was sold out every night, and the Department of Theater
See irons on page 5
See arts on page 4
from Staff Reports THE CHRONICLE
W. Soccer selected to 8th straight NCAA tournament, Page 7
eliza bray/The Chronicle
The Duke Arts Festival ended Sunday after two weeks of dance performances, poetry readings, visual art displays and theatrical performances.
ONTHERECORD
“Duke students should expect more of themselves and more from each other.”
—Senior Eliza French in “Breaking the cycle.” See column page 11
DUSDAC looks to improve campus sustainability, Page 3