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, MARCH 15, 2011
ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH YEAR, Issue 112
www.dukechronicle.com
3 students ITOC restricts travel to parts of Japan arrested on drug charges by Matthew Chase THE CHRONICLE
Several undergraduates were arrested in two drug busts that took place last month. Juniors Alejandro Pedroza and Kyle Power were arrested in both Durham and Alamance counties within a span of three days for several drug charges including possession of a total of more than eight pounds of marijuana. Junior David Lai was also arrested in Alamance County on similar charges. The total value of the marijuana could be worth more than $11,000. Pedroza and Power were arrested Feb. 22 and placed in the Durham County Jail. Pedroza was charged with conspiracy to sell or deliver marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and attempted felony possession of marijuana. He was placed under a $6,000 bond. Power was charged with selling or distributing marijuana and conspiracy to sell or deliver marijuana—both felonies—and was placed under a $7,500 bond. Both students were released later that day after posting bail. Pedroza and Power were arrested at the Bryan Center Post Office Feb. 22 at 9:27 a.m. after signing for a package, according to the Duke University Police Department incident report. DUPD found 3.5 pounds of marijuana and several pieces of paraphernalia with
from Staff Reports THE CHRONICLE
The International Travel Oversight Committee voted March 13 to restrict travel to portions of Japan following Friday’s earthquake and tsunami. The decision applies to the northern portions of Honshu—the main island of Japan—as well as the Tohuku region—which includes Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata. The committee will monitor developments in
Japan on an ongoing basis, a Duke news release noted. Undergraduates who wish to travel to those areas of Japan on a Duke-sponsored or funded trip must receive a waiver from the committee. Professional and graduate students are required to register their travel with the University and submit a highrisk travel waiver and release form. The University’s restricted regions list is based on ITOC’s recommendations to the provost and is updated as international conditions warrant,
See marijuana on page 9
the committee’s website notes. Two other countries were added to the restricted regions list in the past six weeks following turmoil in northern Africa. Travel to Egypt was restricted Feb. 1—though the University has since lifted the ban. The decision to restrict travel to Libya, which was made Feb. 22, still applies. Prior to the decision to ban travel to Egypt, the ITOC had not restricted travel to an international destination since adding Bangkok, Thailand to the list May 17, 2010. chronicle graphic by melissa yeo
Central survey suggests overall positive experience by Alejandro Bolívar THE CHRONICLE
sophia palenberg/The Chronicle
The recent Central Campus Satisfaction Survey indicated that most residents have a positive experience but found busing inconsistent.
See results from the Central Campus survey online at dukechronicle.com
Living on Central isn’t as bad as some students may think. For the first time, Campus Council conducted a Central Campus Satisfaction Survey, and generally respondents indicated that their experience living on Central was positive. About 70 percent of respondents agreed or agreed strongly that they would chose to live on Central again if they were to live on campus next year. The survey was formulated by sophomores Ashley Alman, an at-large representative on Campus Council, and Jeremy Ruch, chair of the Council’s public relations committee. “Overall it seems that the residents that responded to the survey had a positive experience, and many seemed pleasantly surprised with the outcome,” Alman wrote in an e-mail Sunday. The survey was e-mailed to more than 1,000 Central residents, out of which 233 responded. The survey asked residents to respond to a series of statements with four ratings: strongly agree, agree, disagree and strongly disagree. Among its statements were “I am happy with the condition of my apartment,” and “I feel safe on Central Campus.” The survey was deliberately conducted around the time
of RoomPix in order to give upperclassmen the opportunity to know what Central Campus is like according to its residents, Alman said. She added that the survey aimed to reverse the skewed perceptions students have of Central. “We wanted to see how people enjoyed their experience and we wanted to share their experience [with]... people living there next year,” Alman said. Ruch said the survey revealed drastically different views held by Central compared with stereotypes held by many non-Central residents. In addition to addressing stereotypes, the survey also assessed the newest installations on Central, including the opening of Mill Village and the Devil’s Bistro in April 2010. Respondents on average agreed that the addition of the Mill Village has improved their living conditions. The two largest complaints respondents listed in the optional comments section of the survey involved the bus routes between West and Central campuses and the lack of lighting. Nearly 71 percent of respondents disagreed or disagreed strongly that bus routs between West and Central are “convenient and consistent.”
ONTHERECORD
“Last year the [Board of County Commissioners] saved more than 200 teaching jobs by increasing property taxes.”
—Durham BOCC Chair Michael Page on the county’s state. See story page 3
See central on page 7
Local Yogurt opens new store in Erwin Terrace, Page 3