January 28, 2011 issue

Page 1

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

FRIday, JANUARY 28, 2011

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH YEAR, Issue 85

www.dukechronicle.com

Alum Seitz 84 DUKE nominated to head OLC

FDA auditing BC 68 health system, admin says

by Maggie Spini

by Tullia Rushton

The pairing of several Democrats and Republicans at Tuesday’s State of the Union address provided a visual representation of President Barack Obama’s high hopes for bipartisanship. Some critics may doubt the substance behind Tuesday’s gesture. But for one Duke graduate, legislators’ future ability to compromise holds special significance. Obama nominated alumna Virginia Seitz, Trinity ’78, to head the OfVirginia Seitz fice of Legal Counsel Jan. 5, but her confirmation lies in the hands of the Senate—and will serve as a test for the viability of a less partisan government. If Seitz is confirmed as the assistant attorney general for the OLC, she will be its first Senate-confirmed head since Jack Goldsmith, who left the office in 2003. After failing to gain Senate confirmation, Obama’s original nominee for the position, Dawn Johnsen, withdrew in April 2010. “Very candidly, the problem was that Dawn was looked upon by the Republicans as being too liberal,” said Scott Silliman, executive director of the School of Law’s Center on Law, Ethics and National Security. “The Republican members of the Judiciary Committee were going to block her.” The OLC, which provides legal advice to the president and to all other executive

6-1 in the ACC) used a 32-16 run spanning both halves to put away the Eagles, earning a 84-68 victory and protecting their home floor for the 31st consecutive game—the longest active streak in the country. “We won a really good game tonight,”

Officials from the Food and Drug Administration are currently at Duke, auditing data from clinical trials that test genomics technologies, according to a report from The Cancer Letter. Doug Stokke, assistant vice president of communications for Duke University Health System, confirmed that an FDA audit team is on campus but declined to discuss details surrounding the audit. Christopher Kelly, a press officer for the FDA, declined to comment due to FDA policies concerning current investigations. According to several documents obtained by The Cancer Letter, certain clinical trials commenced without receiving proper clearance from the FDA. These documents also seem to suggest that Joseph Nevins, Barbara Levine Professor of Breast Cancer Genomics, was associated with several trials that were not approved by the FDA, The Cancer Letter reported. The Cancer Letter reported that in a Dec. 20 presentation before the Institute of Medicine, Dr. Robert Becker, chief medical officer at the FDA’s Office of In Vitro Diagnostic Device Evaluation and Safety, implied that technology in the three clinical trials related to the research of Nevins and recently discredited cancer researcher Dr. Anil Potti was not tested under an Investigational Device Exemption. He noted that an IDE would have been required, given the nature

See m. basketball on page 6

See fda on page 4

THE CHRONICLE

See seitz on page 12

THE CHRONICLE

Chris dall/The Chronicle

Senior Nolan Smith scored a game-high 28 points on 10-for-20 shooting from the field against Boston College. The Blue Devils defeated the Eagles 84-68 Thursday night in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

BOSTON MASSACRE by Sabreena Merchant THE CHRONICLE

Home court had not been kind to the nation’s top teams this week. But against a pesky Boston College squad determined to earn its first-ever win in Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke did what Kansas, Pittsburgh and Syracuse couldn’t. The Blue Devils (19-1,

duke university union

New Joe College Day chair hopes to increase attendance by Amanda Young THE CHRONICLE

Duke University Union members elected junior Kawon Lee as the Joe College Day committee chair Tuesday, with the goal of improving and attracting more students to the event. Lee, who served on DUU’s Joe College Day and Marketing committees for two years, said she wants to restructure the event and bring in more local vendors, adding that she thinks this will increase student attendance. The last Joe College Day was held on Oct. 2 and lasted from 2 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. This year, the committee plans to hold the event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the first Friday of classes in August. “It should be a welcome back concert, where everyone can gather and get pumped up for the upcoming year,” Lee said. “It would be great if we could incorporate local bands as well so that it has more of a Durham personality

Food trucks feed hungry K-ville tenters, Page 3

to it. More student groups would be great as well.” According to Lee, the budget for the event is undecided, but the committee hopes to try to bring in more mainstream artists. From the 1950s to 1970s, Joe College Day flourished as an annual Spring festival, with floats, boxed lunches and musical acts. Then in 2007, after 30 years of absence, Joe College Day returned with a successful debut. However, attendance has steadily declined in the past few years, something that DUU hopes to change. Sophomore Nathan Nye, the outgoing Joe College Day committee chair, said Joe College Day did not attract as many students this year as DUU had hoped. “This year we saw that due to midterms and other events, we were losing the crowd we could’ve had,” Nye See joe college on page 12

Surveys bring changes to intro biology classes, Page 3

ted knudsen/Chronicle file photo

Cute is What We Aim For performs at Joe College Day Oct. 2. Duke University Union hopes to revive the event’s declining attendance.

ONTHERECORD

“There is nothing unique in dreaming. It’s the fulfillment of dreams that’s sometimes beyond one’s control.”

­—Professor Charles Thompson on the DREAM Act. See column page 11


2 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 the chronicle

worldandnation onschedule...

The Nanny State: Should the Government Tell You What To Eat? Refectory Cafe Divinity School, 23-2p.m. The discussion is on food policy.

on the

An Inner View of Interviews: Internship Edition Sociology-Psychology 130, 12-1:30p.m. The program will provide insight into how companies recruit.

5128

SATURDAY:

8929

Bang On A Can All-Stars & special guest Glenn Kotche Reynolds Theater, 8-10p.m. This contemporary music ensemble will perform their compositions. $5 tickets for students.

web

“It’s a sound from nightmares. I will be haunted for life. It goes something like this: “UuuuwwwwwAAAAHHHHhhhwwwuuuuuuuuAAAHHHHHHHhhhhwwwwuu…” I have now been classically conditioned to snap out of my sleeping bag once I hear the terribly distinctive call of the sirens.” — From The Chronicle News Blog bigblog.dukechronicle.com

Rama Lakshmi/The Washington Post

Shankaranarayanan Akkithiripadu, a 77-year-old devout practioner of Hindu rituals, teaches four men how to perform athiratram, one of the world’s oldest and longest religious fire ritual. As India modernizes, some of the new money has been channeled into reviving old traditions that were dying out in modern times. A newfound pride in their culture has spurred Indians to rekindle their past.

TODAY:

No one wants advice - only corroboration. — John Steinbeck

TODAY IN HISTORY

1986” U.S. shuttle Challenger explodes after lift off.

Looking for a deal on Housing? Check out

www.chroniclehousing.com Click on Duke Discounts

For deals for students, faculty and staff

Obama administration to Moscow police look for edit terror alert system airport bombing suspect WASHINGTON — The Obama administration announced Thursday that it will scrap the color-coded terror threat alert system that was put in place after Sept. 11, 2001, and that became a symbol of the nation’s anxiety after the attacks. In its place, the White House plans to introduce a new two-tiered warning system aimed at providing more specific information about emerging threats and appropriate ways to respond. The change was announced by Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano in a speech at George Washington University. It marks the demise of one of the signature, post-Sept. 11 initiatives of the George W. Bush administration. The soon-to-be abandoned system was often criticized for raising anxiety more than awareness, and became routine fodder for the monologues of latenight television talk show hosts.

off the

wire...

MOSCOW — A Moscow newspaper, quoting police sources, said Thursday that a resident of southern Russia is being sought in connection with the suicide bombing Monday that killed 35 people at Moscow’s busiest airport. The Kommersant newspaper said the man being sought for questioning in the Domodedovo Airport bombing was a Russian from Stavropol who belonged to a radical Islamic group called Nogai Jamaat. The person may have helped to organize the bombing, the newspaper said. Stavropol is a relatively quiet part of the country, but it borders restive Dagestan, a North Caucasus republic where violence is frequent. Just Wednesday night, four people died and six were injured when a car bomb blew up outside a cafe in the Dagestani town of Khasavyurt, the Interfax news service reported Thursday.

Caterpillar net income outdoes estimates


the chronicle

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 | 3

Intro bio courses modified after student feedback by Stephanie Tsimis THE CHRONICLE

already in the process of obtaining the trucks’ parking passes for the Card Gym lot. Wulforst then took charge of the administrative aspects of the venture, enabling the addition of Bulkogi and Parlez-Vous Crepe to the food points system. Reynolds said the addition of the trucks to the food point system was a key factor in the idea’s success. Nolan Brodalski, who manages the OnlyBurger truck, says the company had been eyeing K-ville as a stopping point for a while and “jumped on” the opportunity to set up shop. If the long lines leading up to the truck are any indication of financial success, the new location appears to have been worth the wait. “Has it been worth it? I would say so,” said Brodalski

The biology department has made changes to its two new introductory courses according to feedback provided by students in a survey conducted at the end of last semester. Last Fall, two gateway courses, BIO 101L: “Gateway to Biology: Molecular Biology” and BIO 102L: “Gateway to Biology: Evolution and Genetics,” replaced the three introductory courses: BIO 25L, 116 and 118. After completing surveys midway through the semester to assess lectures, labs and teaching style, students in BIO 101L and 102L were asked to complete another round of surveys at the end of the semester, which were more detailed than those typically given to students in Duke classes. Professors teaching the two courses this semester both noted that a stressful workload was a common complaint from students who took the courses in the Fall. Steve Haase, an associate professor of biology who is teaching BIO 101L this semester, indicated in a Jan. 21 e-mail that the number of graded assignments has been reduced to help alleviate some of that stress. “Surveys suggest that 65 percent of the students found the In Class Quizzes (ICQs) to be very helpful in learning the material, while only 25 percent of the students had the same opinion of the Reading Assessment Tests (RATs),” Haase wrote. “So we have reduced the number of both types of assessments and made the RATs pass/fail.” The types of assignments for students in BIO 102L have changed as well. Mohamed Noor, a biology professor who teaches the course this semester, noted that the course will include three types of assignments:

See k-ville on page 12

See bio on page 4

courtney douglas/The Chronicle

Bulkogi Korean BBQ truck and Parlez-Vous Crepe truck park in the Card Lot at midnight to serve hungry tenters in K-ville.

Food trucks set up shop in K-ville by Matt Barnett THE CHRONICLE

In what is being hailed by some as the greatest addition to K-ville since beer pong, a collaboration between line monitors and Duke Dining has brought food trucks to the parking lot adjacent to Cameron Indoor Stadium. The trucks, which open at approximately 12:00 a.m., operate on a weekly schedule. Bulkogi Korean BBQ caters to tenters Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and OnlyBurger is present Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The Parlez-Vous Crepe truck also operates Wednesdays alongside Bulkogi. The visits from the trucks are a result of a joint effort between Director of Dining Services Jim Wulforst and Head Line Monitor John Reynolds, a senior. When Wulforst first contacted Reynolds about bringing the trucks to K-ville, Reynolds was


4 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 the chronicle

fda from page 1

Inside job

of those clinical trials. The Cancer Letter also noted that four years ago, the FDA did receive a pre-IDE submission for technology similar but not identical to the predictor used in the three

bio from page 3 pre-class quizzes, problem sets and tests. Pre-class quizzes can be taken multiple times, so the assumption is that all students will receive 100 percent if they complete the assignment. Problem sets are designed to give students a chance to understand the material without being time-pressured. “All of the assessments, including the in-class tests, will be open-book and opennotebook, which emphasizes that we’re looking for understanding and assimilating the material and not rote memorization,” Noor wrote in an e-mail Jan. 18. Some students said they were pleased that the classes will focus on promoting understanding rather than memorization of concepts. Jimmy Mu, a sophomore and BIO 101L student, praised the teaching style of the professors, noting that they seem to want “to foster a curiosity about biology” rather than force memorization. Emma Fridel, a freshman also in BIO 101L, recognized the level of interaction and

clinical trials at Duke. According to the FDA’s website, IDEs ultimately permit the use of a particular experimental device for a clinical trials. The website also states that all clinical evaluations of devices, unless specifically exempt, are required to have an approved IDE before the study is initiated. engagement the professors bring to the class. Fridel said students find the “Think, Pair, Share” in-class activity—which consists of discussing biological concepts with a partner during lecture—especially helpful because it requires students to reason through and analyze questions that have no concrete answer. Paul Manos, director of undergraduate studies in biology, stressed that processing the data from the surveys is a time-consuming and ongoing process. Manos added that he is confident the department is moving in the right direction. “A one-semester gleaning of data is probably not enough,” Manos said. “[After a few semesters] we’re going to start seeing that there are good things that have happened and that we’ve already weeded out things that aren’t working that well.” Despite criticism by students, the professors teaching BIO 101L and BIO 102L said they believe the courses were a success last semester, though they noted that there is always room for improvement. Noor noted that it is challenging to teach a completely new class but added that the quality of the course will continue to improve semester by semester.

ted knudsen/The Chronicle

Students looking for employment speak with recruiters and alumni from various companies at the Career Center’s Career & Summer Opportunities Fair in the Bryan Center Thursday.

caroline rodriguez/Chronicle file photo

“Summer Session allows students to completely immerse themselves in just one or two courses, enhancing both the learning process and relationships with professors.” (student, summer '09)

Great Courses. Great Instructors. Great Price! Registration begins February 21!

Term 1: May 18-June 30 Term 2: July 5-August 14 Check out the projected course offerings at

summersession.duke.edu summer@duke.edu / 684-2621

After the biology department received comments that the new introductory biology courses carried too strenuous a workload, it implemented several changes to the class for the Spring semester.

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For more information, contact Rose Baxter (rbaxter@wustl.edu) | eece.wustl.edu


Sports

>> INSIDE

The Chronicle

SWIMMING

FRIDAY

January 28, 2011

Duke Women’s Tennis takes on Brown Sunday as part of the ITA Kick-off Weekend. Duke plays its last home match of the year, the Blue/White meet, Saturday at 11 a.m.

www.dukechroniclesports.com

men’s basketball

wrestling

Curry’s breakout performance Comeback revitalizes Blue Devil offense bid falls short Trailing N.C. State 27-0 Thursday night, the Blue Devils could have capitulated in the face of a nearly insurmountable lead. But Duke continued to battle despite the vast scoring disparity and won four of the remaining five matches, ultimately dropping a respectable 30-15 decision to the Wolfpack in Raleigh. The Blue Devils (1-3-1, 0-2 in the ACC) won consecutive bouts at 165, 174, 184 and 197 pounds, highlighted by redshirt freshman Brett Klopp’s 15th pin of the season against Nijel Jones DUKE 15 in only one minute and two seconds. NC ST 30 But N.C. State (8-5, 1-1) dominated the early stages of the competition, aided by 12 free points courtesy of two Duke forfeits at 125 and 133 pounds. The Wolfpack then proceeded to rack up 15 more points after topranked Darrion Caldwell defeated senior A.J. Guardado by fall at 149 pounds, and Matthew Nereim followed with a pin of freshman Ryan Harding at 157 pounds. Senior Willy Mello turned the tide against Colin Genthert by taking a 6-3 lead with one minute remaining in the third period. He picked up two more points with a takedown and held on for the 8-6 win, recording his first ACC victory. After Klopp’s pin cut the N.C. State lead to 27-9, redshirt sophomore Diego Bencomo pulled out a hard-fought 4-1 decision over Quinton Godley, earning all of his points in the final period and adding one more to his tally via riding time. Freshman Brian Self rounded out Duke’s scoring with a 3-1 decision against KaRonne Jones at 197 pounds. Nevertheless, the early deficit proved too great to overcome, and Duke was still left chasing its first conference victory of the season. The Blue Devils will have an opportunity to put the loss behind them with a strong showing this weekend at the Appalachian State Open in Boone, N.C. --from staff reports

by Stuart Price THE CHRONICLE

Look out Ryan Kelly. Seth Curry is vying for your spot as the third option in Duke’s offense. After shooting a dismal 2-for-14 from 3-point range over the last four games, Curry emerged from his shooting slump in a big way Thursday night. The redshirt sophomore guard finished Game the game with his Duke career-high 20 draining 5-for-7 3-pointers. Analysis points, While Curry’s offensive performance was impressive, his defensive effort early set the tone against Boston College. Three minutes and 45 seconds into the first half, Curry poked the ball loose from the Eagles’ ball handler, dove to the floor and acrobatically found a streaking Ryan Kelly for an authoritative jam. The Cameron Crazies erupted and Duke extended its early lead to 9-3. “We didn’t want to let them get comfortable,” Curry said. “They have an offense where they like to get in a rhythm and make passes. As soon as they crossed half court we wanted to pick them up and try to get in the passing lanes.” After recent games, Krzyzewski has applauded Curry’s improved defensive play. With the absence of freshman Kyrie Irving, the redshirt sophomore has had to step up his on-ball defensive duties. Unfortunately, his defensive focus seemed to detract from his prodigious shooting ability. But not tonight. “Even though he hasn’t shot the ball well until tonight in the ACC, his play has gotten better,” Krzyzewski said. “He’s moved his feet better. He’s guarded the ball and brought the ball up. We’ve seen him grow and the thing you expect from him is to shoot, but he wasn’t doing that. [But tonight] Seth had a terrific game.” Curry’s offensive performance got the attention of not only Krzyzewski, but Boston College head coach Steve Donahue as well. In the waning minutes of the first half, Curry drew a foul against Eagles’ star Reggie Jackson as See analysis on page 6

CHRIS DALL/The Chronicle

Redshirt sophomore Seth Curry scored his career-high in a Duke uniform against Boston College, racking up 20 points on 6-for-9 shooting.

men’s tennis

Duke freshmen face first test by Maureen Dolan THE CHRONICLE

With warm-up wins against Hawai’i, Elon and N.C. Central behind them, the No. 14 Blue Devils finally get to take on the top guns. They host the ITA Kick-Off Weekend at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center and begin their No. 24 Michigan tournament with a match against No. 24 Michigan Friday morning vs. at 10 a.m. No. 14 This is an important tournaDuke ment for the team. Winning its two matches this weekend will alFRIDAY, 10 a.m. Sheffield Indoor low Duke to move to the Sweet 16 round in Seattle, Wash. Feb. 18-21. “This tournament is definitely going to be a challenge,” head coach Ramsey Smith said. “There are 15 regions in the country. We happen to be in the toughest. All four teams are in the top 25. But that’s good—we get to play teams who are solid from top to bottom.” The Blue Devils (3-0) have won their last three matches in dominating fashion, without dropping a single set. Crucial to the team’s success is the No. 12 doubles team

in the nation, composed of senior Reid Carleton and sophomore Henrique Cunha. The real threat that Duke exhibits, though, is the strength through the middle and lower parts of its lineup. “Reid and [Cunha] will win their fair share of matches,” Smith said. “They get a lot of attention for how talented they are. But the rest of the team is critical. They are the key to win for the whole team.” Freshmen Chris Mengel and Fred Saba are playing in the three and four singles spots, respectively, behind Cunha and Carleton. They will look to make their mark while playing against some of the first real competition they’ve seen in their collegiate careers. “It’s awesome to be playing so high in the lineup, but it just means that we have to play well because our competition is better,” Mengel said. “We can’t look at it like we’re freshmen, just that we’ll help our team as much as possible.” Mengel and Saba will have their work cut out for them during their matches against Michigan, as will the other members of the Blue Devil squad. The Wolverines (1-1) are looking for retribution after watching See m. tennis on page 8

CHELSEA PIERONI/ChroniclE FILE PHOTO

Redshirt sophomore Diego Bencomo picked up one of Duke’s four match victories Thursday night, defeating his opponent 4-1.


6 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 the chronicle

analysis from page 5 he attempted a 3-point shot from the right wing, sending Donahue into a conniption as he slammed his clipboard on Coach K Court. After a media timeout, Curry smoothly sank his three free throws, further adding to the coach’s fury. But Curry’s most important contribution came at the 14-minute mark in the second half. Moments after senior Nolan Smith used a crafty behind-the-back move to find Mason Plumlee for a thunderous jam, Curry received a long outlet pass from Plumlee, set his feet and drained a deep 3-pointer from the right wing. The long bomb pushed Duke’s lead to 13, and the Blue Devils never looked back. “Seth was hot,” Krzyzewski said. “The three he hit in transition off an outlet pass.... [He] caught it and just fired it. Both teams were tired at that point and it gave us a really big lift.” Curry’s renewed offensive prowess, however, did not come without hard work over the past week. Realizing that it cannot afford to rely solely on senior captains Kyle

No. 3 Duke 84, Boston College 68 Boston College (14-7) No. 3 Duke (19-1)

32 36 68 41 43 84

B.C. min fg 3-pt ft r a Raji 31 7-12 2-4 2-4 3 1 Trapani 35 6-13 2-4 0-0 11 3 Southern 22 3-7 0-0 0-1 7 1 Paris 33 4-12 3-7 0-0 7 3 Elmore 32 4-5 0-1 2-2 2 2 Jackson 32 3-11 0-4 1-2 1 6 Moton 11 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 Rubin 3 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 Dunn 1 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 TEAM 2 Totals 200 28-61 7-20 5-9 33 16 Blocks — 0 FG % — 1st Half: 43.3, 2nd Half: 48.4, Game: 45.9

to 3 3 1 2 0 3 0 0 1

s 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0

13

3 68

DUKE MIN FG 3-PT FT R A Ma. Plumlee 23 3-4 0-0 2-6 12 1 Singler 39 5-14 2-7 2-2 6 3 Kelly 30 6-9 2-4 0-0 4 1 Smith 39 10-20 1-3 7-7 3 8 Curry 33 6-9 5-7 3-4 2 3 Thornton 9 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 Hairston 3 0-2 0-0 0-0 1 0 Dawkins 10 0-1 0-1 0-0 2 0 Mi. Plumlee 14 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 TEAM 4 Totals 200 30-60 10-22 14-19 35 16 Blocks — Ma. Plumlee (1), Kelly (4), Dawkins (1) FG % — 1st Half: 51.6, 2nd Half: 48.3, Game: 50.0

TO 0 1 1 1 2 1 0 0 1

S 1 1 0 1 3 0 0 0 4

7

pts 18 14 6 11 10 7 0 0 2

PTS 8 14 14 28 20 0 0 0 0

10 84

Singler and Nolan Smith, Duke has looked to find ways to improve the production of its role players. “In previous games we were not really ready to shoot,” Curry said. “We really worked on being ready and moving without the ball. I was able to get off my shot quicker because of our [preparation].” With tonight’s breakthrough performance, fans should look for Curry to have an increased role in the Blue Devils’ offense henceforth. Although Kelly had his third straight double-digit scoring game, Curry could have an even bigger role going forward as fellow guard Andre Dawkins’s performance has dropped off significantly over the past two games. Averaging 10.9 points per game and 25.1 minutes per game coming into last night, Dawkins played only 10 minutes against the Eagles, contributing no points on an 0-for1 shooting night. Whether or not Dawkins steps up his play, Curry remains determined to shoulder a greater load of the Duke offense. “We’ve got to have pride coming into the game,” Curry said. “At times we try to put it all on Nolan and Kyle. But we’re not going to be a great team if we don’t have five guys who can put points on the board. We really have to work on getting involved and being ready to shoot.”

Follow the live blog Sunday as Duke takes on St. John’s! Go to sports.chronicleblogs.com for up-to-theminute posts detailing the sights, sounds and latest developments in the game.

LARSA AL-OMAISHI/The Chronicle

Sophomore Ryan Kelly tied a season high with four blocks Thursday night to go along with 14 points.

m. basketball from page 1 head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “They’re very good. They’re experienced, run a very well-conceived offense. One of the keys to the game was how well our big guys played.” The Blue Devils’ frontcourt continued its recent stretch of strong play, particularly on the defensive end. Against an unconventional offense that relies on a lot of ball movement and spreading the floor, Duke’s big men were tasked with guarding the Eagles (14-7, 4-3) on the perimeter and defending the high pick-and-roll. But instead of being flustered by Boston College’s unique spacing, the Plumlees and Ryan Kelly were able to take full advantage of their athleticism rather than being bullied in the low post. The trio still protected the paint effectively, combining for five blocks. “I thought our big guys really moved their feet well,” Krzyzewski said. “Their defense and how they handled [Boston College’s offense] was key.” The solid defense from the big men, combined with heavy ball pressure from Duke’s guards, allowed the team to actively get in passing lanes and frustrate the flow of the Eagles’ offense. The Blue Devils forced 13 turnovers— and converted those takeaways into 16 fast-break points, equal to the team’s margin of victory. Miles Plumlee was particularly effective at denying entry passes, coming up with a game-high four steals. “They beat us on a few backdoors because of that,” Curry said of the trapping defense, “But I think it paid off in the long run.” Boston College guard Corey Raji was the prime beneficiary of those backdoor cuts, repeatedly finding space against the Blue Devils to the tune of 18 points, including 12 in the first half before Duke broke the game open. But his scoring could not overcome a surprisingly subpar performance from Reggie Jackson, the Eagles’ leading scorer. Jackson, who entered the game as the second-highest scorer in the conference behind Nolan Smith, was held to two points in the first 30 minutes. The Blue Devils threw a variety of defenders at the senior guard, frustrating him into a number of bad shots. “We had a good team focus on [Jackson],” Smith said. “We were switching things, guard to guard, so Seth was on him a lot, I was on him, Tyler and everybody just had a great focus on top of him.” While Boston College struggled to score, Duke had no such difficulty putting points on the board. Smith easily maintained his lead atop the ACC scoring list, netting 28 points on 10-of-20 shooting. He managed to get everyone else involved by repeatedly driving into the lane and finding open shooters. After shooting 30.4 percent from long range in the last five games, the Blue Devils connected on 10-of-22 3-pointers. “I thought we had more kicks tonight,” Krzyzewski said. “Our feet were set a little bit more than they have been in the last few games.” Curry led the charge from beyond the arc, sinking five threes en route to 20 points, his highest total of the season. Kelly hit five consecutive shots to bring his streak of makes to 18 before finally missing. He finished with 14 points, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range. The sophomores will be called upon to replicate their fine shooting form when Duke hits the road to play St. John’s at Madison Square Garden in New York City Sunday.

KEY NUMBERS

10

ALL HANDS ON DECK The Blue Devils racked up 10 steals against the Eagles and scored 14 points off turnovers. Mason Plumlee and his brother Miles had five swipes of their own.

7

FROM HERO TO ZERO Junior guard Reggie Jackson was ineffective against the Blue Devils, scoring only seven points on 3-for-11 shooting. His scoring output Thursday was his lowest of the season.

5-7 CURRY HEATS UP Seth Curry accounted for half of Duke’s 10 3-pointers, shooting a blistering 5-for-7 from deep. The redshirt sophomore made more 3’s Thursday than he had in his past seven games.

0

PUT ME IN COACH

Duke’s bench players were held scoreless in limited playing time. The quartet saw the court for a combined 36 minutes.


the chronicle

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 | 7

women’s tennis

track & field

Duke hopes practice Blue Devils look to build pays off this weekend on strong season opener by Patricia Lee

by Sarah Elsakr

THE CHRONICLE

After two blowout victories against Hawai’i and William & Mary to start the season, No. 7 Duke is ready to face its hardest opponents of the year so far in the 2011 ITA Kick-Off Weekend. The Blue Devils (2-0) have dropped only one singles set in their two matchBrown es and are looking to continue the vs. momentum against No. 7 Brown at the ShefDuke field Indoor Tennis Center Sunday at SUNDAY, 10 a.m. 10 a.m. Sheffield Indoor “This weekend will be by far the toughest match we’ve had so far, so we have to expect the fight,” head coach Jamie Ashworth said. “We’re the favorite, we’re hosting and we’re one of the top 16 teams in the country, but we have to show that and prove that this weekend.” To prepare for this weekend’s back-toback matches, the team is working on staying intense throughout the match. Another area of emphasis during practice has been the importance of winning the doubles point to set the tone of the match. “For doubles, we’re working on taking control of the net and trying a couple of different pairings to see who’s compatible,” senior Reka Zsilinszka said. “When you get See w. tennis on page 8

THE CHRONICLE

THANh-HA NGuYEN/Chronicle File Photo

Senior Ellah Nze leads the Blue Devils into qualifying for the ITA Team Indoor Nationals Sunday.

The Blue Devils got off to an incredibly successful start last weekend, winning multiple events and setting both school and collegiate records in the process. And this weekend, Duke track and field fans’ attention will be split Kent Tayloracross two very UNC Run for different venues. the Kids Sophomore SATURDAY Curtis Beach will Chapel Hill, N.C. face off against some of the world’s best in the Millrose Multi Challenge Friday night at Madison Square Garden. Olympic gold medalist Bryan Clay and current indoor heptathlon world record-holder Ashton Eaton are some of the elite athletes competing at the Millrose Games, which will be televised live on ESPN2 from 8 to 10 p.m. Despite the importance and pressure of his upcoming competition, Beach said he will maintain his calm focus with the help of associate head coach Shawn Wilbourn, who will be accompanying him to New York. Beach also mentioned his hope to return from New York in time to watch his teammates compete at the Kent Taylor-UNC Run for the Kids Invitational Saturday in Chapel Hill. The highlight of the meet will be the

field events, as senior Amy Fryt, junior Michael Barbas, sophomore Michelle Anumba and many others attempt to keep up the stellar performance they displayed last weekend at the Hokie Invitational in Blacksburg, Va. “We’re very happy with how we opened up the season,” director of track and field Norm Ogilvie said. “It was the best season opener we’ve ever had. We got it done on both the men’s and the women’s sides. It gives us a lot of confidence.” As a result of its showing at the Hokie Invitational, the men’s team catapulted to a No. 6 ranking in the Southeast region, its highest yet according to Ogilvie. Although the Blue Devils have made strides in both team ranking and confidence, Duke won’t have its full roster of runners present in Chapel Hill. Most distance runners will spend the weekend training for the Armory Collegiate meet in New York Feb. 4-5, leaving only a handful to compete. On the men’s side, about two-thirds of the runners will not be participating. The nine men remaining in the distance events will be evenly split into the 800 meter, the mile and the 3 kilometer races. “This meet will be a season opener for a couple of people,” Ogilvie said. “For others it’s another chance to fine tune before New York, and for the rest it’s still another chance to prove themselves.”

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8 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 the chronicle

m. tennis from page 5

w. tennis from page 7

their comeback efforts fail against No. 5 Texas last Sunday. “Michigan is a very similar team,” Smith said. “They have good one and two players with youth filling out the middle and bottom of the team. They also have a highly ranked doubles team.” Duke does have home-court advantage, however. The Blue Devils ended last season ranked in the top 15, giving them the ability to host this weekend’s regional tournament. As a result, the teams can play on an indoor court, a major improvement for Duke from its first round last year, when it was exposed to the elements while playing outdoors in Alabama. “It’s definitely an advantage to host the tournament here,” Saba said. “We’ll have a few Duke fans in the audience to cheer us on. It’s always nice to play on courts that we’ve been practicing on for a while.” The Blue Devils will either face No. 21 Pepperdine or No. 25 Virginia Tech Saturday. Both the Waves and the Hokies will prove to be tough contenders as well, but Smith is confident in his team’s abilities. “Our hope is to win two matches and make it to the Sweet 16 in Seattle,” Smith said. “We know we’re good enough, so this tournament is the gateway to get us there.”

that initial momentum, especially if it’s a really convincing win, it really demoralizes the opponent and gives us confidence.” And Duke will have confidence going into Sunday’s match against the unranked Bears (0-1), especially since the Blue Devils are hosting their region’s qualifying rounds of the ITA Team Indoor Nationals. In total, there are 60 teams competing for 15 spots in the tournament’s final rounds at the University of Virginia. “I think we have a pretty good chance of qualifying, and we just need to keep working on things we’ve been doing in practice,” senior Ellah Nze said. “We obviously need to qualify here to get to the actual tournament, but we’ve been doing a lot of doubles drills and working on different plays just to make sure we’re comfortable with each other.” Following the match against Brown, Duke will face either Tulsa or Texas A&M Monday, and the team that wins both its matches advances to the final rounds Feb. 18-21. “This is definitely a time of the year where we want to be playing well when we’re playing the best teams, and there’s no tomorrow without today, so if we don’t take care of what we need to this weekend, we’ll lose that opportunity,” Ashworth said. “We’ve had a good week of practice.... Hopefully we’ll take care of what we need to on day one and see where we stand after that.”

AMY YAO/Chronicle FILE PHOTO

Freshman Fred Saba will face some of the toughest competition of his collegiate career this weekend.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 | 9

Diversions Shoe Chris Cassatt and Gary Brookins

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Doonesbury Garry Trudeau

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The Independent Daily at Duke University

The Chronicle

10 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011

Keep fraternities on campus In 2003 Duke’s Eta Prime University chapter, no doubt chapter of Kappa Sigma fra- making it difficult for the ternity became unrecognized fraternity to fulfill its stated nationally due to incidents of aims of “serving college and misconduct. The chapter sub- community” while operating sequently lost its membership from outside of it. in the InterfraThe fact that ternity Council only seniors editorial and with that, can live off campus recognition. campus also limits the potenLast Fall Kappa Sigma’s tial impact of the fraternity national organization grant- and its ability to reach other ed a provisional charter to students. Off-campus fraternithe group, which is no longer ties are less likely to foster the on campus and remains un- camaraderie among classes affiliated with the University. that is unique to living in an It is certainly perplexing on-campus section. that Kappa Sigma fraternity’s We support the administranational organization would tion’s decision to discourage restore ties to the chapter, students from joining unreceven provisionally, when the ognized fraternities. Only University is not willing to groups that are willing to subdo the same. The off-campus mit themselves to the oversight fraternity will apparently of their peers should be able operate as a Durham, N.C. to reap the benefits of being chapter rather than a Duke recognized by the University.

onlinecomment

I think it’s time that we promote Duke as a place for serious academics, instead of a party school with great basketball. The Nobel laureates of tomorrow won’t be tempted by frats and sororities.

—“TrueBlue” commenting on the story “Duke Tours to play up academics.” See more at www.dukechronicle.com.

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Despite administrative warnings, off-campus fraternities occupy a part of Duke’s social scene, and for the security of its students the administration should continue to make students—particularly freshmen—aware of the risks of affiliating with unrecognized groups. Fraternities themselves should want to remain a part of the campus community. The advantages to remaining a part of the Interfraternity Council include housing, programming, the ability to use on-campus facilities and overall legitimacy as an organization. The University does, however, need to continue to monitor the activities of off-campus fraternities because their actions do reflect and have reflected on the University. The behavior of unrecognized, off-campus fra-

ternities has received negative attention nationally, as seen in the media fascination with last semester’s offensive party invitation e-mails. It will be interesting to see how fraternities respond to the transition from the quad model to the house model in the coming years. If the house model truly makes housing more equitable for independents and selective living groups, fraternities might have a reason to complain or threaten to relocate off-campus. Administrators should realize the importance of keeping fraternities as recognized campus organizations under the purview of IFC. The perils of an alternative arrangement can be seen at Princeton University, where about 10 fraternities operate without the school’s official

recognition. After a recent series of stories published in The Daily Princetonian exposed brutal hazing rituals last Spring, Princeton President Shirley Tilghman told the Princeton Alumni Weekly that she was considering whether to continue the school’s existing policies or attempt to ban students from participating in greek organizations altogether. While Kappa Sigma’s ability to obtain a charter, even as an unrecognized group is surprising in many ways, we are confident that it will not become a model for other fraternities to follow. Fraternities deserve the benefit of University recognition, and their members should work to ingratiate themselves with the broader campus community rather than withdraw from it.

Higher education debate misguided

he American system of higher education, it ing alone,” he said. “Do we really think that there is seems, is in danger of under-serving its re- going to be a lot of subject-specific learning when spective student bodies, or so the litany of students are giving so little effort?” charges leveled against it would have There are a number of problems you believe. In recent months, a numwith this interpretation of the situber of findings have been cast against ation, the least of which is Arum’s the general performance of college assertion that raw effort and hours students in America, including the logged equate to scholastic perforequally unsettling notions that stumance. More importantly, though, dents spend 75 percent of their time does it really come as any surprise sleeping and socializing and that the that one third of students don’t average time spent studying has destudy all that much? chris bassil creased from 40 hours a week in 1961 In a nation where college is often to 27 hours a week in 2003. pursued more as an acquiescence to just a minute Just over a week ago, the Unisocietal norms and family expectaversity of Chicago Press released tions than as a gateway to increase of “Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College intellect, an overburdening of the education system Campuses,” a scathing indictment of the American is inevitable. According to the Alliance for Excelinstitution of higher education co-written by New lent Education and the U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisYork University professor of sociology Richard Arum tics, 71 percent of all students in America graduate and University of Virginia assistant professor of soci- from high school on time and, of those who graduology Josipa Roksa. The book reports on a study of ate, another 70 percent go on to enroll in colleges over 2,000 students at 24 unnamed four-year colleg- and universities. This swelling of the national stues. The group is said to be “geographically and insti- dent body, cited by some as a long-term effect of the tutionally representative of the full range of Ameri- 1944 GI Bill which provided college education for can higher education.” The students were evaluated World War II veterans, is largely inextricable from three times over the course of their schooling solely the relatively recent democratization of higher edubased their performance on the Collegiate Learning cation. This is, specifically, the notion that a college Assessment test, which is a popular examination de- education should be made available to any student signed to test reading and writing skills. with passable grades and the inclination to attain a In short, the study found that 36% of partici- degree. And, although that’s certainly an admirable pants “saw no statistically significant gain sin their ideology, it’s also probably the reason for which the CLA scores” over the course of their four years in United States falls behind, both relative to its nacollege, and that students spent, on average, fewer tional competitors and the expectations of its own than 13 hours per week on their studies, which citizens, in studies of college education. amounts to, in a generous estimate, a puzzling two None of this is meant to place a value judgment hours a day. As alarming as these metrics might on the soaring accessibility to university education be, they aren’t reason enough to head for the hills in America, as it means very little when taken on its quite yet, and they have already come under heavy own. Elite institutions that place a heavy premium fire from critics. Director of the National Survey of on intellectualism will continue to serve as harbors Student Engagement Alexander McCormick told for those interested in the insulation of academia, The Chronicle of Higher Education that “if you did while the growing crowd of more generalized instia similar study and administered subject-area GRE tutions will present themselves to the masses. The tests to students in their freshman and senior years, evolution of American higher education, therefore, I expect that we would see a lot better results.” does not necessitate the state of emergency mentalThere are a multitude of theories as to why stud- ity that runs rampant in today’s media: It requires ies of the American higher education system rou- instead only that we take numbers and studies with tinely return such poor results—research priorities a grain of salt and recognize that the methods of for professors, apathetic student bodies, subpar evaluation at the center of these studies may in fact high school education—but Arum’s response to be more flawed than the subjects themselves. McCormick’s charge unknowingly stumbles to the bottom of it. “Thirty-five percent of students report Chris Bassil is a Trinity junior. His column runs every that they spend five or fewer hours per week study- Friday.


the chronicle

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011 | 11

commentaries

lettertotheeditor Chick-fil-A must go Over the years, Duke has had a number of situations where it put pressure on companies that have ties to the University. I can recall a time when Students Against Sweatshops had demonstrations out in front of the chapel. Now, the Duke University Stores is pretty particular about where the garments they sell are made and the conditions of the workers who make them (OK, maybe not the Nike ones, but you get my point). I’d like to offer a new call. A call for light to be shone on Chick-fil-A. A longtime partner of Duke with a campus location and a partnership with Duke Athletics, Chick-fil-A is openly against gay marriage and same sex unions. The WinShape Foundation, started by the founder and chairman of Chick-fil-A, even holds conferences for those who oppose gay marriage. Some will argue that a company should be able to use its profits however it pleases and that we shouldn’t tell them what to do. I agree completely. Instead, I’m telling all of you how Chickfil-A uses its money, and you can decide for yourself if that is compatible with the kinds of values

you’d like to financially support by purchasing its products. Others will argue that it is OK for Chick-fil-A to abide by its founders’ Christian beliefs. I agree completely. I’m not making the case that Chickfil-A should be open on Sundays. Just like the famous B&H Photo in New York City, owned by an orthodox Jewish family, the observation of the sabbath is totally fine. B&H, however, doesn’t funnel large sums of money into other groups like Focus on The Family, which supports giving homosexuals ‘reparative therapy.’ At a place like Duke, where we have a history of activism and a culture that strives to accept others and be agents of change, Chick-fil-A is no longer in keeping with the institution and the values of the people here. In short, this is where its lack of corporate social responsibility deservedly should come back to haunt them. NB: The staff working at Chick-fil-A should stay. I love those folks. Jeremy Block, Ph.D., M.P.P.

Dream time in Gilbert-Addoms

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was pulled over by a Virginia state trooper on In- extra money to go somewhere else, while Bud, the janiterstate 81 for going too slowly. I was on my way to tor I replaced, had held the job his entire working life. begin my freshman year at Ferrum And Jeff, the young man who took over College, driving an old Econoline van when I left, was glad to find any job. So, that wouldn’t do more than 45 miles per I saw first-hand how my story connecthour going up a hill. But I got off with a ed to and differed from those of other warning that day and a story to tell. That workers—both those born here and less than auspicious beginning of my collater to newcomers to the U.S. who do lege life and the whole year that followed farm work and janitorial jobs today. came flooding back in my memory when What if I had come to the U.S. as a I started my second “freshman year” in child with parents who had taken a job the professor GA this Fall. as a janitor or a worker on a farm, and Ferrum College was built as a Methodthen had been pulled over for driving next door ist mission school for Appalachian chilcharles thompson too slowly, college-bound or not? What dren in the Virginia mountains where if I had no legal documents to my name? my father’s family lived. My grandmother What if I’d finished high school in this had driven her family’s Model-T Ford to school there country, earned my way into college by working hard, to be the first in her family to receive a high school di- but had no paperwork to say I am a citizen? Likely I’d ploma. My father had earned an associate degree there. have had to continue working as a janitor or perhaps And there I was, heading slowly (literally) to become a farmworker with no ticket out—if I was lucky. The the first in our family to earn a four-year degree. unluckiest, of course, are deported. Though I later learned that Ferrum was where many Sometimes I am tempted to think, what a world first-generation college students find their start, most away I am from the young man I was driving that old of the nurturing I was to receive that year was from my van to college. But not today, as I look out of our bedgrandparents. I became a day student and lived with room in GA and see painted on the graffiti bridge the them on their mountain farm located three miles from words “Support the D.R.E.A.M. Act” put there by Duke the college. I helped Grandpa build fences, give cattle Students for Humane Borders. The act, if passed, will injections, load steers for the market, pick beans, dig provide immigrant children access to higher education potatoes, saw firewood and dozens of other chores. even if their parents came without papers. Though I I also took a job as a janitor at the local elementary am living among so many promising young people with school that year, earning money to pay most of my ex- great futures ahead of them, I know every parent, docupenses, even saving a little on the side. mented or not, has dreams for their children. There Grandpa woke me at 5 a.m. every day. I got to the is nothing unique in dreaming. It’s the fulfillment of school early, fired up the boiler, unlocked and readied dreams that’s sometimes beyond one’s control. the building and headed to my classes. I returned every Inspired by that painted slogan, I dream of an unafternoon to clean the cafeteria and classrooms. I stud- known freshman on a road somewhere in an old veied at night. hicle. She has skirted attempts to stop her and has Thinking back, I realize that my passion for worker made it past barriers to arrive at GA. She gazes out her rights, my interest in rural politics and culture and my window, and she marvels at the opportunities and chaladvocacy with farmworkers and new immigrants all be- lenges before her. She has no idea how many people gan to germinate that year. I also began to understand have worked to make her entrance possible, but she that my college privilege, leading circuitously to my cur- knows there must be scores of them. She gazes at the rent work at Duke, came not just from my hard work as bridge. The DREAM words are invisible now, but besome might say, but also from a series of breaks—from neath dozens of layers of paint an old message sings of the mission school located three miles from my fam- her arrival. ily’s farm to the federal grants I received. Perhaps the biggest break of all is that I could show my I.D. without Charles Thompson is the education and curriculum direcfear to a state trooper—one of the thousands of little tor for the Center of Documentary Studies and faculty member perks life has given me because of the place and skin I in residence at Gilbert-Addoms Dormitory. This is the third in was born into. a weekly column from faculty members in residence on East I knew my short stint as a janitor was a way to make Campus.

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I

Get it?

t’s not really a joke, but do you? Do you get it? If you don’t, you’re not the only one, but there are some good, hard-working and super-smart (and middlesmart) people from across all sectors of our economy and our University that are trying to figure “it” out—if they don’t already think they know. The “it” I’m talking about, of course, is what “green devil” loves to talk about: all this liz bloomhardt “green,” “sustainable,” “cargreen devil bon neutral” stuff, of course. I sat down with one such “it” getter, senior Jared Dunnmon, on Monday. Dunnmon was recently awarded a Rhodes Scholarship giving him instant credibility forever, but I’d seen him before around the halls of Hudson talking about his research on the feasibility of aeroelastic energy harvesting (read: alternative energy, wind). I figured with this new honor he must definitely have it figured out (or at the very least be able to articulate “it”). Dunnmon is an energy guy. After starting his Duke career in a biomedical engineering research lab at the Medical Center, Dunnmon told me, he started to understand how much energy goes into making a research institution run. He started to wonder where all that energy came from. His questions inspired a stint of economics research with Richard Newell, the Gendell Associate Professor of Energy and Environmental Economics at the Nicholas School of the Environment, who has since taken a leave of absence to serve under President Barack Obama as the administrator of the U.S. Energy Information Agency. As Dunnmon described it, “Obama jacked my research advisor.” But Dunnmon was moving on. Economics led to engineering and exploration of the technological underpinnings of harvesting wind energy. Then Dunnmon’s engineering advisor, assistant professor Jon Protz, helped bring him to a better understanding of the role policy plays in setting the direction for innovation. Dunnmon has identified a trifecta of drivers (policy, economics, engineering) that will enable him to address the energy challenges of a growing and increasingly demanding population. Therein lies the crux—that beyond Duke, beyond even the country, the population of the world is exploding from over six billion to a projected nine billion people by 2050. All those people, in addition to the existing ones (you and me), are going to want stuff, be it electricity to power our iPads, homes to live in, food and transportation or more iPads. Making all that stuff that people want and need will require more basic stuff like chemicals, raw materials and energy. It’s starting to sound like Dunnmon is getting into a good business, working on a problem that’s not going to go away. Certainly there’s money to be made from expanding markets and improving efficiency, both of which the sustainability movement are clued into. But not everything is power bills and greenbacks. Most people need a more holistic understanding before they’re ready to embrace the concept. In my interviews, I talked to students who were passionate about food, or recycling or another particular environmental issue. Dunnmon put it this way: “I’ve spent a lot of time in the American backcountry, and you see a lot of the things that you realize you’re destroying. That’s something that’s really real for me. There are other things that resonate with other people. And there are some people that it doesn’t resonate with at all. “There are water issues, air issues and energy issues. Parts are more immediate to certain people. But those are all clearly social issues. In the last 100 years, we’ve made insane technological advances, but we’re reaching a point where we understand that the earth is not a limitless resource, and you have to start taking into account that you have a responsibility to future generations to allow them the same opportunities that you have in the present.” Speaking of the future, Dunnmon is just returned from the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. By his assessment, the technology is there. Regulations, powered by political will, and the ability to implement the right economic drivers need to catch up. But what surprised him most was the financial sector’s level of engagement and its interest in driving change and investing in innovation. The take away: We all can’t, and don’t, want to be Dunnmons, but we all do have a role to play. It’s just a matter of whether or not we get it. Liz Bloomhardt is a fourth-year graduate student in mechanical engineering. Her column runs every other Friday.


12 | FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011

the chronicle

joe college from page 1

k-ville from page 3

said. “Our daytime program went really well, but once the sun went down and there were other things going on, we saw a decline in attendance. Hopefully with the restructuring we won’t run into conflicts with nighttime events and also won’t run into issues with midterm exams and having people worry about studying.” Freshman Forrest Etter, member of the Speakers and Stage committee, said he would have gone if the event was earlier in the day and school year. “I was busy studying and doing lots of work, and then I had a social event to attend during the night,” Etter said. “Also, if it had been better publicized, I would have gone.” Lee said that next Fall, the Joe College Day committee plans to increase publicity for the event to attract more students. “Last year, marketing was a bit of a problem because we were rushed towards the end thinking about marketing strategies,” Lee said. “We want to do a lot more print advertising and make the event more visible.”

in an Tuesday e-mail. “I wouldn’t say I or anyone really enjoys working at midnight in near-freezing temperatures, but we keep coming back, so that has to say something.” Christine So, who works in the Bulkogi truck owned by her parents, said that since adding the new location, working in K-ville has been entertaining. So, who was not previously familiar with K-ville, was surprised to find several “students already intoxicated” purchasing food. “I asked, ‘Are you allowed to be drinking in this event?’ and they answered, ‘It’s the only way to handle the coldness at night,’” So said. “I thought that was kind of funny.” Jody Argote, owner of the Parlez-Vous Crepe truck, said the new venture has been profitable for the business. “We’ve only been in K-ville for one Wednesday so far,” Argote said. “I would consider it successful. We

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sold about 120 crepes in three hours.” Freshman Jacob Schwab found waiting in line for OnlyBurger with other tenters to be a unifying experience. “It was a good burger. I don’t know if it was because of my current state or because it was a good burger,” Schwab said. “It was fun, though—everyone’s in line waiting for food.” Tyler Bray, a sophomore, said that the addition of the trucks has only minimally altered the social atmosphere of K-ville from last year. “A lot of people congregate around the food trucks rather than playing beer pong like they did last year,” Bray said. Reynolds predicts that the trucks will, like tenting, become a K-ville tradition. “The food truck vendors in K-ville are off to a great start,” Reynolds said. “I think this system will continue to serve Kville for years to come.”

seitz from page 1 branch agencies, entered the national spotlight during President George W. Bush’s administration for drafting a set of controversial legal opinions. Using an expansive interpretation of presidential power, the so-called “Torture Memos” nullified laws prohibiting torture and domestic surveillance during the War on Terror. Obama denounced the memos in 2009. Despite the ample bad press the memos gave the OLC, Silliman said he believes the office is back to its rightful place of giving authoritative legal guidance to the executive branch. Difficult though the assistant attorney general job may be, Seitz’s many academic accomplishments indicate that she is well qualified for the position. Seitz left Duke with copious achievements in hand— graduating summa cum laude with distinction in history, an induction into Phi Beta Kappa and the opportunity to continue her education at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. Seven years later, she was valedictorian of her class at the University of Buffalo Law School. Her credentials as a lawyer are no less illustrious. “Virginia has an exceptional background in the law,” Peter Keisler, a partner at the Washington, D.C. branch of Sidley Austin LLP where Seitz works, wrote in an e-mail. “She clerked on the Supreme Court, and then she went on to build a highly successful law practice.” Seitz has also represented a wide range of clients, including the Major League Baseball Players Association, retired military officers, major corporations, state governments and American Indian tribes, Keisler added. Perhaps Seitz’s most famous contribution, however, was her authorship of an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case Grutter v. Bollinger. Seitz represented a group of retired military officers, arguing that service academies would have more difficulty building a diverse officer corps if affirmative action at government universities were unconstitutional. “It’s rare to find something new to say on either side about an issue that had been as exhaustively discussed over as many years as affirmative action had been. But the brief Virginia filed stood out among the throng and said something new,” Keisler wrote. Seitz has also been a leader for women on an issue that hits close to home. By having a successful part-time career, Seitz has shown that it is possible to balance a family and professional aspirations. “She’s generally in the office by 6:00 or 6:30 each weekday morning, and most days leaves by early afternoon. And she accomplishes more on a part-time schedule than most of us do on a full-time schedule,” Keisler wrote. Although Seitz was nominated earlier this month, her confirmation process has not begun. The chairman of a committee in the Senate controls when her nomination comes before the Senate, so it is difficult to guess when Seitz’s hearings may take place. The process can sometimes be short—a matter of weeks, even—but often spans a longer period, Silliman said. Some conservatives have cited Seitz’s lack of national security experience as a potential problem that could bar her confirmation. Silliman, however, does not think that will be a problem. “She is very well-versed in constitutional law, and I think that’s significant,” Silliman said. “National security law depends an awful lot on constitutional law for its answers.” If Seitz is selected for the position, Silliman noted that other OLC attorneys would specialize in national security issues, adding that the office recieves many questions unrelated to national security law. Time will tell if the OLC will receive its first Senateconfirmed leader since the Bush-era Goldsmith. But those closest to Seitz do not think the White House could come up with a better nominee. “What you want most of all in this job is someone of great legal experience and legal judgment, someone of complete and absolute integrity and someone of a judicious and nonpartisan temperament. That’s Virginia Seitz,” Keisler wrote.


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