Apr. 27, 2011 issue

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

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH YEAR, Issue 143

www.dukechronicle.com

OIT upgrade causes errors with WebMail

THE STAGE IS SET

by Yeshwanth Kandimalla THE CHRONICLE

Chronicle Graphic by AdDison Corriher

This year’s Last Day of Classes lineup features pop artist Dev, club act Hyper Crush, rapper Ludacris and R&B singer Rudy Currence.

by Chinny Sharma THE CHRONICLE

Duke won’t let anything rain on its parade on the Last Day of Classes.

The LDOC committee worked with University administrators to prepare for possible rain. In the case of inclement weather, the concert will be divided into two separate shows—one featuring Ludacris and Rudy Currence and the other featuring Dev and Hyper Crush—held in

Page Auditorium, the LDOC committee wrote in an April 25 email to the student body. Students can only attend one of the two shows due to limited seating in Page Auditorium.

Continuing the policy instated last year, Duke will close off its campus to those not affiliated with the University. Students will be required to carry their DukeCards with them at all times and wear their wristbands in order to attend the events, said LDOC

Committee co-Chair Lindsay Tomson, a junior. She added that the Duke University Police Department will assist in enforcing these policies and promoting safety.

DUPD Chief John Dailey wrote in an email that security officers will check DukeCards on buses and in the entrances of certain West Campus buildings. All roads to West Campus will be blocked to those without IDs. Students should report

Recent technical difficulties have prevented the forwarding of Duke WebMail messages to third-party accounts used by members of the University community, including Gmail and Yahoo.

The Office of Information Technology implemented a scheduled system upgrade at 6 a.m. Monday that resulted in the problems, said Steve O’Donnell, senior communications strategist at OIT. A number of Internet service providers blacklisted mail from Duke, blocking large numbers of Duke emails that typically forward automatically to the accounts.

As of yesterday, OIT was gradually forwarding emails from Duke accounts to other providers and attempting to minimize transfer delays, O’Donnell said.

“We’re talking about hours here, not days,” he said in an interview yesterday afternoon.

OIT reported the issue through its alert system, which members of the community can subscribe to through email or RSS, O’Donnell said. The department’s Twitter, @DukeOIT, also provided updates.

“There are still messages in queue,

See ldoc on page 9

Former DUPD officer faces May 9 court date from Staff Reports THE CHRONICLE

Former Duke University Police Department officer Webster Simmons will go to court next month on two felonious charges of rape and sodomy.

Simmons, who is no longer a University employee, was arrested and charged with rape and sodomy in Dothan, Ala. Oct. 26, 2009 after he allegedly assaulted a 34-yearold woman after leaving a nightclub with her.

Webster Simmons His court date is scheduled for May 9, according to the clerk of Circuit Court in Houston County, Ala. As of December 2009, Simmons was no longer listed as an employee, DUPD Chief John Dailey said in an interview.

Simmons will be represented by two court-appointed attorneys, Valerie Judah and Billy Joe Sheffield, according to the clerk of court office.

If convicted, Simmons faces a sentence

Duke researchers find 700 new barrier islands, Page 4

of at least 10 years for each of his two charges, which are both listed as Class A felonies in Alabama.

Shortly after Simmons’ arrest, the University launched an internal investigation of Simmons. Standard University investigations examine whether employees violate any Duke or departmental policies. Due to personnel privacy regulations, Dailey was unable to comment on whether Simmons was found in violation of any policies. “[The investigation] was prompt and concluded shortly after we were aware of the charges,” he said.

The University is allowed to release employees if they are charged with crimes, Dailey said. It remains unclear exactly why Simmons is no longer an employee.

Following his arrest, Simmons was suspended with pay from DUPD Oct. 27, 2009 and was subsequently put on unpaid leave Nov. 4, 2009. The University launched a routine investigation into the former officer’s conduct at Duke following his arrest. At the time, Dailey said there was no indication that Simmons had violated any

University policies.

Simmons allegedly assaulted a 34-yearold woman between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Oct. 24, 2009, Houston County Sheriff Andy Hughes said shortly after Simmons’ arrest.

Hughes said Simmons knew the woman and purchased her a drink before leaving the club, adding that she might have been drugged. The woman woke up during the alleged attack handcuffed and gagged.

Alabama police obtained a warrant to search Simmons’ car, where they discovered two pairs of handcuffs, a whip, a ball gag, rope and a power device with a nail attached, Hughes said. Simmons’ DUPD-issued gun was also discovered in the car, Capt. Antonio Gonzalez of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office said shortly after Simmons’ arrest.

Simmons was held in the Houston County jail on $120,000 bond following his arrest. He is no longer in jail.

Simmons joined the University police department in December 2008 after working as a field operations officer with the Raleigh Police Department from June 15, 1998 until resigning Oct. 31, 2007.

See OIT on page 15

Chronicle Graphic By Courtney Douglas

Students found their Duke WebMail failing to forward messages to their Gmail and Yahoo accounts

ONTHERECORD

Blue Devils travel to Davidson to face Wildcats, Page 11

“You can’t really explain the longevity and the power of college sports... by the amount that it contributes to the academic aims.”

­—Professor Charles Clotfelter on college athletic programs. See story page 3

2 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 the chronicle

worldandnation onschedule...

Primetime at Duke Reynolds Theater, 12-1p.m.

President Richard Brodhead will answer your questions and discuss several topics, including campus development and finances.

on the

K-Ville Barbecue K-Ville, 4:30-6p.m.

Come join your classmates and enjoy a delicious meal in K-Ville.

This event will feature Eddy B and Tim Gunter.

8669

THURSDAY:

8252

LDOC Concert Main Quad, 6-10p.m.

The LDOC finale features a lineup of Rudy Currence, Dev, Hyper Crush and Ludacris.

web

“For years now, coaching changes have provided the necessary drama for college basketball fans recovering from the letdown of the end of the NCAA Tournament.

This year has proven no different in the ACC. There will be three new coaches joining the ranks of Mike Krzyzewski this fall—Brian Gregory at Georgia Tech, Jim Larranaga at Miami and Mark Gottfried at N.C. State..”

— From The Blue Zone sports.chronicleblogs.com

Nikki Kahn/The washington post

India’s tiger population has seen a slow and steady increase since the government began investing large sums of money to protect it. One hundred years ago, there were about 100,000 tigers around the world; now, there are only about 3,500 left. About a third of them reside in India. A yearlong, 2 million dollar sampling exercise with 880 hidden cameras has concluded India’s resident tiger population is 1,706.

“

TODAY:

Knowledge is power.

— Francis Bacon

TODAY IN HISTORY

”

1956: Rocky Marciano retires undefeated from boxing

New study shows Asians and Syrian anti-government Latinos least likely to vote protestors surrounded WASHINGTON, D.C. — A record 14.7 million Latino voters sat out the 2010 midterm elections, according to a new report by the Pew Hispanic Center that shows the nation’s fastest growing minorities are largely failing to exercise their right to vote.

Along with Asian voters, who appear similarly disengaged, the absence of so many Latino voters at the polls means the political influence of these minority groups will lag behind their demographic strength by years, if not decades.

About 31 percent of eligible Latino and Asian voters cast ballots in the 2010 congressional elections, compared with 49 percent of eligible white voters and 44 percent of eligible blacks, according to the new Pew report on minority voting that was released Tuesday. Asians comprise a much smaller portion of the electorate than Latinos, although both groups are exploding in size.

off the

wire...

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Syrian troops sustained their bloody crackdown against anti-government protesters in the southern town of Daraa for a second day Tuesday, drawing harsh condemnations but no specific plans for action against Damascus from U.S. and European leaders.

Reports from Daraa were sketchy because telephone lines were cut, the town was surrounded and the nearby border with Jordan was closed, but residents contacted by human rights groups indicated that government opponents were holding out in a mosque in the center of the town against an onslaught by government soldiers using tanks and armored personnel carriers.

According to Damascus-based human rights researcher Wissam Tarif, protesters were gathered in the al-Omari mosque in the heart of the old city and had turned it into a makeshift hospital for the wounded.

Air traffic controllers having a tough month

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 | 3

Q&A with Charles Clotfelter A book published this week by a Duke professor explores the relationship between high-profile athletics and higher education.

In “Big-Time Sports in American Universities,” Charles Clotfelter, Z. Smith Reynolds professor of public policy and a professor of economics and law, writes about both the obvious and intangible costs and benefits associated with major programs. The Chronicle’s Taylor Doherty spoke to Clotfelter about his book’s findings and about what national trends reveal about Duke’s own athletics department.

The Chronicle: This book focuses more on higher education’s relation-

Tyler Seuc/The Chronicle

Professor Charles Clotfelter’s new book explores big athletics programs in American universities.

ship with sports than on the actual play on the field or court. Could you tell me about your approach to this book? How did it come together?

Charles Clotfelter: It sort of began dawning on me that of all the topics that scholars of higher education deal with... they hardly ever look at big-time athletics as a serious topic of study for universities in a way that they would interdisciplinary research, admissions, the best techniques for teaching, the use of libraries [or] the use of new technology.... The scholars that look at these kinds of things, for some reason, have chosen just to ignore the reality of big-time sports.

I said, wait a minute, this is a big deal. It’s not something that should just be ignored.... If you think about the power that a big-time sports operation has over the university it’s in, it’s enormous. You can’t schedule a meeting that conflicts with the basketball game or football game because nobody would come....

Another thing I looked at was mission statements. Almost every university worth its salt has a published mission statement. It came to be the rage in the 80s and the 90s. Duke has one—in fact I helped [former President] Nan Keohane when I was in the second floor of the Allen Building during that time. We were drafting it, and like any committee thing it’s a work of many hands, but it expresses what the University’s mission is. Well, I noticed that the Duke mission statement doesn’t mention the first thing about sports. Isn’t that interest-

DUU to take over LDOC committee

ing? Then I thought, let’s look at some others.... I took 58 universities that are in the five biggest conferences—that’s the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and the Pacific 10 back in those days—and then I added Notre Dame. Out of all of those universities, 52 of them have published mission statements. So I asked the question how many of them mention sports, athletics, anything like that? The answer is five.

TC: What were the surprising findings when putting your book together?

What does this book add to the conversation concerning the relationship between higher education and sports?

CC: I’ve uncovered data of a lot of different sorts that no one has uncovered until now.... One of the things I looked at—I think I have the first measure of the effect of the NCAA basketball tournament on the University. I looked at articles viewed through JSTOR—I had day-to-day data for 78 different libraries over a three-month period in the three different years. I looked at who were the guests in presidents’ VIP boxes at football games—only [at] public universities. I looked at expenditures and sources of revenue. One of the surprises was that the biggest sources of revenue for the most successful big-time college programs is not television; it’s not even ticket sales—it’s contributions.

TC: So approaching this as an economist, are there cases in which a school’s athletics program might lose money on paper but offer intangible benefits that

With recent changes to student organizations and increasing musician fees, the LDOC committee will now fall under the purview of Duke University Union and lose its independence.

Beginning next year, the Last Day of Classes celebration will be organized by a new committee in DUU. The current LDOC committee—consisting mainly of student representatives from DUU and Campus Council—has been independent since its inception.

But due to financial stress and the recent disbanding of Campus Council, this year’s committee decided that it makes sense to merge with DUU, said senior Will Benesh, co-chair of the LDOC committee.

“There wasn’t much of a discussion,” Benesh said. “It was the only real option.”

LDOC receives $100,000 every year from student activities fees—however, these funds are insufficient as musicians’ fees continue to increase, Benesh said. In order to compensate for additional costs in recent years, the LDOC committee has solicited between $15,000 and $25,000 extra funds from both DUU and Campus Council, said junior Rachel Sussman, incoming DUU president and current member of the LDOC committee.

See clotfelter on page 7

See committee on page 6

by Lauren Carroll THE CHRONICLE

4 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 the chronicle

Duke Student Government

Senate confirms new cabinet and exec. board

by Julian Spector THE CHRONICLE

Special to The Chronicle

Narrow, sandy barrier islands are crucial in protecting mainland coasts from erosion. Duke researchers report that the earth has a total of 2,149 barrier islands, nearly 700 more than previously thought.

Researchers identify new barrier islands

by Matt Barnett THE CHRONICLE

Duke researchers have located nearly 700 previously undiscovered barrier islands across the world.

According to a new study conducted by researchers at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Meredith College in Raleigh, the earth has a total of 2,149 barrier islands—657 more than previously recorded.

“The importance of recognizing these islands as barrier islands is we immediately know something about how they work— about how they can migrate and how they can repair themselves after storms so we know how we can live with these islands in a time of rising sea level,” said study co-

author Orrin Pilkey, James B. Duke professor emeritus of geology at the Nicholas School.

Barrier islands, defined as elongated bodies of sand parallel to many shorelines, play a key role in the environment, researchers said. The islands protect mainland coasts from erosion and storm damage and are indicators of how the environment is reacting to changes in sea levels.

Researchers attributed the increase in barrier island discoveries to the study’s more inclusive definition of barrier islands.

The report also identified new diversity in the location and composition of barrier islands—information that will be useful as See islands on page 15

Duke Student Government confirmed its incoming executive board and presidential cabinet at its last meeting of the year Tuesday.

In a session that lasted more than three hours, President-elect Pete Schork, a junior, introduced his new vision for a dual cabinet—an internal cabinet to deal with DSG administrative affairs and an external cabinet to handle relations with the student body and Duke community.

“I think one of the benefits of this new cabinet is that we’ve really brought some different voices to the table who haven’t usually been involved in DSG,” Schork said in an interview. “I’m very optimistic about the kind of impact they can have in our community.”

After a year of events that prompted evaluation of Duke’s campus culture, the Senate confirmed Schork’s cabinet unanimously. The cabinet includes several new positions aimed at reaching out to formerly underrepresented members of the student body.

Schork announced that sophomore Chris Brown, the current vice president for athletics and campus services, will serve as external chief of staff, overseeing and coordinating the efforts of several new community and advocacy leaders. Junior Alex Alston will serve as director of campus dialogue,

charged with community building and promoting student understanding of cultural issues; junior Ubong Akpaninyie, current vice president for Durham and regional affairs, will serve as director of multicultural outreach and affairs; junior Shane Hunt will serve as director of religious outreach and affairs; freshman Jacob Tobia will serve as director of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer affairs See DSG on page 13

Tracy Huang/The Chronicle

Duke Student Government President Mike Lefevre address the Senate Tuesday evening.

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6 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 the chronicle

committee from page 3

Bands to see bands

melissa Yeo/The Chronicle

In preparation for the LDOC concert, students pick up wristbands and T-shirts in front of the clocktower.

Keep it secret, keep it safe

courtney douglas/The Chronicle

Tuesday night a group of robed men appeared to be hosting an initiation ceremony on Chapel Quadrangle.

By becoming part of DUU, LDOC will have consistent financial support from the organization, in addition to the funding that comes from student activities fees, she added. Sussman believes there is no reason for the LDOC committee to remain independent because Campus Council no longer exists and many of the LDOC committee’s current members are heavily involved with DUU. Sussman added that she hopes, however, the committee will continue to draw members from across the student body—not just those involved with DUU. “DUU is in full support of [the change],” she said. “We are the programming body on campus, so why not have the largest day of programming under our direction?”

She noted that, like all other DUU committees, the LDOC committee will remain autonomous but will benefit from the umbrella organization’s financial stability, variety of programming and added leadership from its executive board.

Although the committee will maintain its current internal structure, next year’s LDOC co-chairs—junior Nate French and freshman Jacob Robinson—anticipate that DUU will increase cost efficiency and the quality of performers.

“DUU is good at planning—having their available resources will smooth the process,” French said. “But it’s going to be the same event it’s always been with a little more organization and foundation.”

Robinson said he hopes to collaborate with other DUU committees that already specialize in organizing campus concerts—such as Joe College Day, Major Attractions and Campus Concert Series committees—in order to bring the best artists to Duke.

“We want students to graduate having had a well-rounded and fun experience with a variety of artists on campus,” he said.

French said the added efficiency and input from other student programmers will help maintain LDOC’s unique ability to bring the entire student body together.

“This is a shared, bonding experience that can unify the student body in a way no other event can,” he said.

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Make it your homepage.

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ClotFelter from page 3 justify the costs?

CC: That’s the message of economics: Don’t just confine yourself to the things that are easily measured or the things that happen to be traditionally included.

The kind of statistics that we hear about, all of these teams losing money, what they’re referring to is the revenues and expenditures of the department. But we traditionally put in the athletic department all these sports that we want to have but we know they’re not going to make money. We put them in there, but there’s no special reason why you’d want to have them in— we just do it traditionally. Other things are excluded.

Many universities would not put in the revenue side the additional sales of apparel that are trademarked, but you might say that is really due to the athletic department, so why not give them the credit? There are a lot of more or less arbitrary accounting decisions that determine whether or not you’re going to make money or lose money. But there are also some costs that are

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 | 7

not included as well.

My orientation in writing the book was cost versus benefits, but at the end of the day, I can’t tell you that the benefits are greater than the costs because some of them are just downright intangible. But it still makes a certain amount of sense to go on and do the exercise.

It forces you to consider what are the benefits, and what are the costs of doing this sort of thing.

TC: In recent years, Duke has made a renewed effort to improve the quality of the football program. When you look at the college landscape in general, what is the feasibility of a school like Duke having a top football team and a top basketball team?

CC: I’ll step back from Duke a little bit again. When I look at how much emphasis is placed on big-time sports— and I define that as football at the top level and basketball at the top level—[the fact is] that once a university has one of these programs, they almost never get rid of it, [and so] I conclude that the benefits must be greater than the costs. Because these are smart universities, they’re not doing these things because they’re not thinking....

Given that, there must be sufficient reason to keep

doing this, and it must not be a close decision because they don’t drop it for a while and start again. And what I conclude is that you can’t really explain the longevity and the power of college sports simply by the amount that it contributes to the academic aims. What you have to do is to say what this university is really about is not just teaching, research and service. It’s about a fourth thing, and that is competition in these sports, and this is so important for its own sake that its worth it to the trustees to get it going.

Having said that, how do you explain how we do at football [at Duke]? I think most universities’ trustees say we want to be competitive. At Texas, competitive means we want to win most often. At least you don’t want to just be an embarrassment, [and] I think this is where the urge to do football is kicking in at Duke. You know, we have an urge to be more competitive. We don’t like having lost to Carolina in football for the last I-don’t-know-how-many years, you know, 20 straight years or something. It’s just not good. Do I think it’s a good idea? I don’t have a judgement about this. But can I explain why it’s happening? Yes, because the Trustees don’t want to keep getting beat by Carolina.

8 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 the chronicle

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LDOC from page 1 suspicious behavior to officers standing by and look out for one another, he said.

Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta said these measures were put into place and will continue to be used this year because of the dangerous binge drinking and property destruction in previous years.

“I have about 10 years of experience, and I remember how LDOC used to be a blowout,” Moneta said. “It was an event for alcohol, not friends and music.”

The LDOC Administrative Advisory Committee collaborated with student leaders to establish rules that would prevent unruly and unsafe behavior at the event.

According to the LDOC website, beverage containers must be under 24 ounces and glass containers are not permitted. Students can carry a maximum of six 12-ounce cans at any given time and alcoholic drinks other than beer are not permitted. Drinking games will also not be tolerated.

“We acknowledge that students drink, but we worked to make this an event for every Duke student including those who don’t engage in drinking,” Moneta said. “[These policies] have recalibrated the event, and while there are bound to be pockets of problems in celebrations like this one, they are no longer the core issues.”

Another tactic the University has taken to discourage excessive alcohol consumption is the implementation of daytime events, Tomson explained.

“The idea is to have something for the people who don’t drink to do and also to keep the ones who are drinking busy in activities so that they don’t drink too much, too fast, or be bored enough to do something stupid or dangerous,” she said. “We are really pushing for this by entering those who have six stamps on their passports from separate

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 | 9

LDOC activities in a raffle for an iPad.” She said this year’s schedule is based on the successful events of last year’s celebration—the barbeque, sing-along and the Chapel climb. Some new additions to this year’s events will be Bocce ball on the quad, yoga and massages, karaoke, chariot races, inflatable jousting and tie-dye activities.

The concert is one of the most highly anticipated aspects of LDOC, Tomson said.

After taking student opinion into account, the committee decided to present one big headliner and a few smaller opening acts.

“The student body overwhelmingly asked for a big name hip-hop or rap artist and when picking one, we based our decision on a four-year cycle,” Tomson said.

“We wanted to give the seniors... something they haven’t seen in their time at Duke.”

Given Duke’s rich history of campus celebrations such as Krzyzewskiville and Tailgate, the University has a lot of experience creating these kinds of policy changes to reflect new circumstances, as well as organizational changes to fix past mistakes.

“There was never a question of whether we [would] have an end-of-the-year event because students definitely deserve to celebrate, and Duke in particular is a school known for its campus-wide throwdowns,” Moneta said.

“With our Cameron Crazies and Tailgaters, we are all about fostering community, and we have learned how to do it right.”

Moneta said he believes that it is this atmosphere of congeniality that sets LDOC apart from Tailgate. LDOC caters toward the student body to give them an environment to make memories, say their goodbyes and end the year feeling like a “real part of Duke,” he said.

Junior Alex Keller has experienced multiple LDOCs and firmly believes they are an integral part of the school’s tradition.

“It’s an opportunity to celebrate the survival of a year of tough classes, enjoy the

Spring sun if the weather’s nice, and spend time with friends to relax a bit before buckling down for finals,” Keller said. “It’s defi-

nitely the best party of the year, and as long as everyone celebrates reasonably responsibly, should be a good time had by all.”

michael Naclerio/Chronicle file photo

Relive LDOC 2010 with The Chronicle’s time lapse view of the entire day: http://bit.ly/dUbg9U

10 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 the chronicle

Sports

>> ONLINE

The Chronicle

baseball

WEDNESDAY April 27, 2011

While The Chronicle will not publish during the reading period, our blog The Blue Zone will be there for any news that happens during the break!

www.dukechroniclesports.com

Youngest team in country goes through growing pains

by Danny Nolan THE CHRONICLE

laura keeley/The Chronicle

Angelo LaBruna [TOP] leads all ACC shortstops with a .989 fielding percentage, while Dillon Haviland has started six games this year.

This season, the Duke baseball team has an abundance of youth that has contributed consistently.

Not only are the Blue Devils (20-23) the least experienced bunch in the ACC, but Duke also is the youngest squad in all of Division I ball. Of the 27-man roster, 15 players are freshmen, including seven of the nine probable starters for the team’s upcoming contest against Southern ConferDavidson ence contender Davidson (16-22).

The young guns have made a vs. lot of noise at nearly every position Duke thus far. Third baseman Jordan Betts recorded a hit in 14 straight games early in the season, which WEDNESDAY, 7 p.m.

Davidson, N.C. led the ACC at the time. Angelo LaBruna leads all ACC shortstops with a .989 fielding percentage. Chris Marconcini has been nominated for a position on the freshman All-American team, thanks to his uncanny ability to hit in the clutch.

With men in scoring position, Marconcini is batting .442 and has 16 two-out RBIs to lead the team.

Freshman Dillon Haviland will make his seventh start of the season Wednesday against the Wildcats, a team that the Blue Devils already defeated earlier this season.

In his 12 total innings of work against non-conference opponents, Haviland has a 0.75 ERA and has held batters to a pedestrian .190 batting average so far.

According to Haviland, the freshmen on the team, including Haviland himself, have embraced their roles as starters.

“I think [we’ve] helped tremendously,” Haviland said.

“From the beginning of the year we knew we were going to be young and it was going to be a challenge. We’ve had our ups and downs, we’re still fighting through them, but in the long run it’s going to really help us having so many guys contribute this year and for years to come.”

Haviland received surgery at the beginning of the season, hindering his path to the starting rotation on the team, but head coach Sean McNally couldn’t keep him out for long. Haviland made his first pitching appearance in relief against Clemson Mar. 18.

“It was probably one of the most nerve-racking things I’ve ever gone through,” Haviland said. “I’ve pitched so many games in travel and in high school playoffs, but knowing that it’s your first pitch… has your adrenaline rushing like crazy. I still have that rush, but [the pitching staff] all knows we can compete on this level.”

The added experience will be important in the nearfuture, especially against a tricky Davidson squad on the road. The Wildcats boast one of the top Southern Conference pitching staffs with a 3.99 team ERA, something that could cause some concern for a struggling Duke offense. The Blue Devils have lost seven straight games and nine of their last 10 overall.

With the postseason fast approaching, the tension is starting to build.

“There’s always excitement,” Haviland said. “I love competing, I love pitching, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.

With 13 games left we need to win every game possible, so anything we could do to get a win will carry momentum into ACC play.”

track & field

Duke preps for Penn Relays Lund, McDermott lead highly ranked four-mile relay team

by Andrew Beaton THE CHRONICLE

Amid one of its best seasons in recent memory, the track and field program isn’t worried about setting high expectations.

With the Penn Relays beginning tomorrow, the enthusiasm within the program is conspicuous—especially in regard to the fourPenn mile relay that features a number of Relays Duke’s top runners.

“Our goal is a little bit more THURSDAY-SATURDAY straight-forward....

We want to break Franklin Field the Duke school record, which goes Philadelphia, Pa. back to 1972,” director of track and field Norm Ogilvie said. “Last year we missed that record by three-tenths of a second, and that’s kind of motivated us all year.”

Bob Wheeler, a former three-time All-American and 1972 Olympic participant, anchored the group that currently holds the school record.

The four-mile relay is labeled as one of the “Championship of America” events that signal the best teams from across the nation. The Blue Devils’ men’s squad is seeded third for the event, the highest seeding Duke received in any of the relays for the three-day competition. This is the highest it has ever been seeded going into the marquee event.

Three of the four Blue Devils who nearly broke that record last year are returning to finally achieve it this year, including senior Josh Lund, who will run the lead-

off leg, and senior Ryan McDermott, who won his third consecutive steeplechase at the ACC Championships this past weekend. “[McDermott’s] time is ranked number four in the country right now,” Ogilvie said. “He’s a special athlete, no question about it. He’s worked very hard, he’s progressed a lot over his time here at Duke, but he’s been a great leader for our team too and he never backs down from a challenge.”

Beyond that main event, the women Blue Devils also have a decent opportunity to compete in the distance medley “Championship of America” event in which they are seeded seventh. Anchoring that crew for Duke is senior Kate Van Buskirk, who won an ACC championship in the 1500-m this weekend. Another event Ogilvie highlighted is the women’s 4x800 relay in which they are also seeded seventh, but face stiff competition.

In addition to the collegiate track and field events, the event is exciting because high school athletes have their own contests and will be exposed to Duke track and field. Ogilvie said the Penn Relays serves both as a recruiting tool and an opportunity for coaches to watch recruits perform in a high-profile event. The relays draw large crowds and attention that included having international icon Usain Bolt run last year.

“Over the course of three days, we’ll compete in front of probably about 130,000 [people],” Ogilvie said. “So, it’s an exciting time—a lot of times, track athletes are kind of laboring in obscurity, but we feel like we’re center stage.”

dan scheirer II/The Chronicle

Senior Kate Van Buskirk, who won an ACC championship last week, will anchor Duke’s distance medley team this week in Philadelphia.

12 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 | 13

DSG from page 4

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and policy; and junior Kim Solow will serve as director of arts advancement. The new director of women’s affairs and policy has yet to be named.

“I think that both groups will be a great nexus for dialogue for their respective functions,” Schork said.

The Senate also confirmed freshmen Audrey AduAppiah and Daniel Strunk to the DSG judiciary committee. A third nominee, junior Pierce Pandolph, was determined to be an unconstitutional appointment, however, as he is unable to serve the full two-year term—a stipulation of the DSG Judiciary Bylaw.

“I felt that the applicants we put forward were the very best for the position,” senior Greg Halperin, an academic affairs senator, said in an interview. “It’s unfortunate that I didn’t know about this clause that says you have to serve for two years, and therefore one of our candidates was ineligible, but I do feel that—had he been eligible—he would have done a fantastic job.”

Halperin, who was selected as chair of the judiciary selection committee two weeks ago, noted that the incident indeed revealed a gap in the bylaws.

“There is no procedure for filling vacant seats,” he said. “That’s something that I’m confident that Pete and the Senate will consider next year and resolve because that’s obviously a major loophole in the bylaws.”

In other business: The Senate passed a bill to donate $500 in aid to Shaw University after severe weather damaged its student center.

The Senate also approved a measure to establish action-based focus groups, which will parallel the cabinet’s new direction of community engagement. The specialized focus groups will deal with women’s life, LGBTQ life, multicultural life, civic engagement and greek life.

Senior Ben Bergmann, a senator for athletics and campus services, proposed an amendment to add a group for independents. The amendment passed.

14 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011

the chronicle

the chronicle

islands from page 4 sea levels continue to rise.

“At the public policy level, the interest in what will happen to barrier islands is directly tied to what will happen due to global warming,” said co-author Matthew Stutz, assistant professor of geosciences at Meredith College. “It’s pretty important that we know more about the differences and uniqueness [of barrier islands] since they are the first line of defense against sea level.”

Stutz received a doctorate in earth and ocean sciences from Duke in 2004.

Initially, data collection for the study consisted of analyzing charts, maps and aerial photos, Pilkey said, adding that he undertook the global survey of barrier islands 15 years ago, before satellite imagery was widely available. Technological advancement contributed significantly to the authors’ success in discovering new islands.

“The maps didn’t always tell the whole story. We went to the Library of Congress collection and to the collection of the New York Geographical Society, but questions remained,” he said. “Google Earth solved the problem—[it] has opened a whole new world for those who study the surface of the earth.”

The 657 islands were detected with the help of advanced satellite imaging. Barrier islands have now been documented on every continent except Antarctica.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 | 15

“This provides proof that barrier islands exist in every climate and in every tide-wave combination,” Pilkey said in a Duke News release April 20. “We found that everywhere there is a flat piece of land next to the coast, a reasonable supply of sand, enough waves to move sand or sediment about and a recent sea-level rise that caused a crooked shoreline, barrier islands exist.”

Tim Lucas, national media relations and marketing specialist at the Nicholas School, noted that the researchers used publicly available maps and satellite images to conduct the bulk of the investigation.

“What’s really remarkable about [the study] is that they used materials available to everybody,” he said. “They systematically went through and have totally redefined our knowledge of where barrier islands can exist and what conditions they need.”

Pilkey recognized that many islands his team surveyed had been “discovered” before.

“The local folks who lived on or near these islands of course knew they existed,” Pilkey said. “But no one related them to the barrier island land form.”

OIT from page 1 and we will keep this alert posted until we can confirm that all forwarding messages are going to the outside mail systems without delay,” read a notice posted at 2:49 p.m. yesterday that remained posted late yesterday evening.

Freshman Jack Clark said he first noticed the problem yesterday when there was a significant time difference between the arrival of email to WebMail and to his Yahoo account.

“It’s probably a temporary problem,” he said.

“I just check my Duke account a little more often now.”

Lindsey Berlin, a junior, said all her emails arrived in her Gmail account within 24 hours. She said she will continue to use a third-party email account in place of Duke’s system despite the problems.

“I’m still not going to use Webmail,” she said. “I haven’t been on it since I came to Duke.”

Classifieds

16 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011

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For high school licensure, contact Dr. Susan Wynn at 660-2403 or swynn@duke.edu.

THE CHRONICLE BUSINESS OFFICE is looking for student to work approximately 6-8 hrs per week for the summer and continue next year as well. Can come in a few hours per week immediately for training. Various office duties including data entry, deposits, filing and customer service. Please contact Mary Weaver for appointment: mweaver@duke.edu, 684-0384.

Valet Drivers needed for upscale restaurants, malls and hotels. Great job for students!Including tips make $8$13/hour. Candidates must have customer service experience,be able to drive manual transmission and have clean NC driver license. Apply online at www. royalparkinginc.com.

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Participants are needed for studies of visual and hearing function using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 | 17

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The Independent Daily at Duke University

The Chronicle

18 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011

The Real College Students of Duke University Tuesday, amid a cacopho- err... I mean... allowing us ny of rancorous dissent and to once again focus our efexcited applause, President forts on making this campus Richard Brodhead signed the best place for students.” a contract with MTV for a Brodhead added that new reality show, “The Real “though it is controversial, College Stuwe are in the dents of Duke forefront of editorial University.” this innovaAfter receiving searing tion. Many of this country’s criticism from faculty, stu- elite institutions will be foldents and alumni alike, lowing suit in the coming Brodhead spoke out about years. You’ll see.” his reasoning for instigatWhile innovation may ing such a project: “With a not be the best word to dedeficit not yet managed by scribe such a drastic new faculty attrition and bud- plan, the Editorial Board get cuts, we had to search recognizes the project’s pofor new, innovative ways to tential. make up our debts. MTV is With the show set to bewilling to pay us thousands gin taping on LDOC, and of dollars per episode, al- encouragement from Brodlowing us to divert more head’s now public twitter money from the Durham account (“Dickbro—Stucampus to the Kunshan... dents, work less hard, play

“

onlinecomment

Tough luck. They had the home field advantage. Rest up for the NCAAs!

”

—“Column.Junkie” commenting on the story “Tar Heels use 8-1 rally to take victory.”

See more at www.dukechronicle.com.

Letters Policy The Chronicle welcomes submissions in the form of letters to the editor or guest columns. Submissions must include the author’s name, signature, department or class, and for purposes of identification, phone number and local address.

Letters should not exceed 325 words; contact the editorial department for information regarding guest columns.

The Chronicle will not publish anonymous or form letters or letters that are promotional in nature. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length, clarity and style and the right to withhold letters based on the discretion of the editorial page editor.

Est. 1905

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commentaries

Direct submissions to:

E-mail: chronicleletters@duke.edu Editorial Page Department The Chronicle Box 90858, Durham, NC 27708 Phone: (919) 684-2663 Fax: (919) 684-4696

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Inc. 1993

Lindsey Rupp, Editor Toni Wei, Managing Editor Taylor Doherty, News Editor Andy Moore, Sports Editor Courtney Douglas, Photography Editor eliza french, Editorial Page Editor Will Robinson, Editorial Board Chair Christina Peña, Managing Editor for Online jonathan angier, General Manager DEAN CHEN, Director of Online Operations Matthew Chase, University Editor Samantha Brooks, Local & National Editor Sonia Havele, Health & Science Editor Melissa Yeo, News Photography Editor Kevin Lincoln, Recess Editor Lisa du, Recess Managing Editor Charlie Lee, Editorial Page Managing Editor SAnette Tanaka, Wire Editor kevin lincoln, Towerview Editor Chase Olivieri, Towerview Photography Editor zachary tracer, Special Projects Editor alex beutel, Director of Online Development Jinny Cho, Senior Editor DAn Ahrens, Recruitment Chair Mary weaver, Operations Manager Barbara starbuck, Production Manager

Jeff Scholl, Sports Managing Editor Joanna Lichter, University Editor Ciaran O’Connor, Local & National Editor Tullia Rushton, Health & Science Editor Margie Truwit, Sports Photography Editor Michael Naclerio, Multimedia Editor Nathan Glencer, Recess Photography Editor Drew sternesky, Editorial Page Managing Editor carter Suryadevara, Design Editor Lawson kurtz, Towerview Editor Maya Robinson, Towerview Creative Director hon lung chu, Special Projects Editor for Online cheney tsai, Director of Online Design Julia Love, Senior Editor Jessica Lichter, Recruitment Chair CHRISSY BECK, Advertising/Marketing Director REBECCA DICKENSON, Chapel Hill Ad Sales Manager

The Chronicle is published by the Duke Student Publishing Company, Inc., a non-profit corporation independent of Duke University. The opinions expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of Duke University, its students, faculty, staff, administration or trustees. Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board. Columns, letters and cartoons represent the views of the authors.

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I

harder”), the campus is ripe for the Duke experience so many of us have sought.

“This is why I came to Duke,” spouted Sammy D as he drunkenly staggered to claim his LDOC bracelet, MTV video cameras in tow.

While receiving his bracelet, Sammy D’s longtime girlfriend appeared and threw a beer can in his face (the new equivalent of throwing wine), yelling, “How dare you sleep with my best friend without inviting me! You know the rules of our relationship! We’re SO on a break!”

Karen Owen, the show’s executive producer, was on hand to explain the project in further detail.

“We felt the media circus around Duke has been

one of sex and scandal, not representing the real experience of students here,” Owen said. “This is a way for us to set the story straight in the public eye.”

We believe greater things will be in store for us as well.

To boost ratings, we recommend that the West Union Building be renovated to become Shooters III, giving students quick, easy access to quick, easy classmates.

And if the rumblings are true, Pratt may undergo a complete makeover. We recommend it become the Pratt School of Fashion and Design, bringing a much needed influx of potential models and sassy students to an already overhyped campus. If this were to happen, the drama would be fiercer

than a sorority common room minutes after the end of a frat party.

The incoming Cast of 2015 should look to enrich the show further. The admissions office should ensure that students from overrepresented areas such as New Jersey and Long Island make up an even greater percentage of new students.

Yet not every student is on board.

“Uh uh,” said sophomore Shannon Lieby. “I do not trust Brodhead. I mean, who does he think he is?

God? No. That was completely uncalled for, given what he did.”

In case you couldn’t tell, this editorial is a joke. Have a great LDOC!

Never less than your best

t’s daunting to try to improve something I didn’t break the news that Tailgate was bethat has been around for 106 years. ing canceled, investigate Anil Potti’s research, An institution older than Duke itself has question lawyers about felonious charges a hell of a lot of inertia to overcome, tradition to against students, record Duke’s games against learn, history to carry on. Sitting Carolina or interview Karen in the editor’s chair in the corOwen. These events shaped much ner office was a place I dreamed of my life and waking hours these I would one day be, and when I last nine months. Though I had finally clambered into that seat, only a finger in many of these fiI felt too small for it. Last sumnal products, the editor is responmer, as I waited in desperation to sible for all content in the paper. grow into the giant shoes of my How could I ever let my guard predecessors, I looked up at the down, be anything less than my lindsey rupp bulletin board to the right of my best and be responsible for this desk. There, someone had taped storied organization? editor’s column a phrase cut from the pages of a In the end, all I can do is magazine—clearly not a product promise you that every day, every of the office, whose daily miracle does not ap- issue, I tried. And as my year draws to a close, I pear on glossy pages. Those five words, haphaz- have wondered what I have really done for this ardly cut and painstakingly pasted, have bored behemoth institution, for the pounds of pages into me like the eyes of those editors who have The Chronicle has produced. A friend asked gone before me: never less than your best. me last weekend, “Did you leave it better than I moved into that corner office and tried to you found it?” And I flashed back to that dollmake myself at home among the history: hang- sized, rising junior playing dress up in the ediing paintings, adding a blanket, installing a four- tor’s office. Did I? cup coffee maker among the bound volumes, You’ll have to be the judge of that. ink-stained upholstery and aging desk. But that For all the questions and doubts and cripphrase reminded me that I was only a visitor. pling symptoms of impending Chronicle morMy eyes sought it out the nights I sat up late, tality I have waded through as I prepare to feel trying to make sure the stories we wrote that the weight of this institution lift from my shoulserved the readers’ right to know, but would ders and settle onto another’s, I have a journalnot make me popular, were as close to jour- ist’s certainty that one thing is true. This instinalistic perfection as possible. It was my battle tution has left me better. I wish I could hold on cry when I put the advice of my staff and the forever, but I know I can’t. There are no senDuke Student Publishing Company Board into timental remarks or crushing fears left for me practice to face ethical dilemmas, cruel mes- to describe that 105 editors have not detailed sage boards, ridiculous storylines and even re- more beautifully before me. So I will rest comnowned journalists who seemed too big for me fortably in knowing that I was lucky enough to to handle. And as I packed up my bag at 2 and touch The Chronicle, and I, at least, will for3 and 4 a.m. every night, it reminded me that, ever be changed. at least for that night, I wasn’t just pretending But more importantly, I hope The Chronito be the leader of an institution I believe in cle left you better than it found you. I hope you more than myself. asked more questions, sought honest answers These thin, inked pages you’ve held in your and critically evaluated the Duke community. hands—or scrolled through online—every day I hope you read our coverage with a skeptical have been the work of many people, all striv- eye. I hope you talked about an article with a ing to be never less than their best. We have friend, wrote a letter to the editor or commenttried to bring you an entire volume of issues ed online. I hope that long after you leave the that probe for the truth, ask uncomfortable Duke community, you keep reading. questions and shed light on the realest parts I promise that every day I brought you a of this university community. And although I Chronicle that was never less than my best. have had the distinct pleasure of being the face of The Chronicle when it received praise and Lindsey Rupp is a Trinity junior and editor-incriticism and the voice of The Chronicle when chief of The Chronicle. Like her predecessors, she it faced outcry and questions, I have only been aches with the knowledge that she will never be either a small part of its success this year. again.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 | 19

commentaries

lettertotheeditor Duke Kunshan University: Time for Trustees and faculty to reflect Since the April 7 Chronicle editorial encouraging the administration to “get faculty on board with Kunshan” (and Professor Pfau’s response to it the next day), countless conversations and email exchanges have demonstrated for us several things: • Support among faculty and alumni for Duke Kunshan University is tepid at best, and in large portions of our University, non-existent.

• The administration has failed to articulate in a coherent and compelling way the substantive educational and research mission served by operating a bricks-and-mortar campus well outside Shanghai.

• The administration has revealed no concrete plans how to deploy a sufficient number of Duke’s core faculty for the new programs at Kunshan, but without whom Kunshan cannot provide a Duke-quality education and research operation.

• The administration still has to provide a financial plan to make DKU a sustainable, let alone meaningful, undertaking during a time of fiscal duress here at Duke.

While the administration has intermittently consulted with the Academic Council and a few other committees, our follow-up conversations with members on these deliberative bodies reveal that many of the hard questions put to the administration have gone mostly unanswered. To have allocated“the better part of an hour” to discussing DKU with the executive committee of the Academic Council—to quote a charmingly naïve phrase from an email that President Brodhead recently sent to Prof. Pfau—hardly seems adequate for a venture that, even by the administration’s breezy accounting, will at least divert $37 million in net subsidies from Duke’s U.S. operations to China over the coming six years. Moreover, with any venture of such complexity, initial cost projections will invariably double (at least) in the course of their implementation.

The University committed significant amounts of resources before offering a detailed plan for the intellectual mission and practical operation of DKU, thus putting the proverbial cart before the horse. We, therefore, demand a thorough faculty review of all operational teaching and research programs planned for Kunshan—and a concurrent moratorium on contractual commitments for the DKU campus until the Academic

A

Council, the Board of Trustees and Duke’s senior management have agreed on the operational outlines of these plans. Among the many unresolved issues demanding a robust and sustained critical review by a body representative of the faculty (and genuinely responsive to its concerns) are these: • Is the magnitude and quality of the DKU undertaking sustainable, particularly in regard to committing Duke faculty to conduct teaching and research on a new campus 7,500 miles away?

• What is the educational content of teaching and research at DKU, how does it benefit Duke, and what justifies the heavy fixed costs of a new campus? Before any further investment in bricks-and-mortar construction is made, faculty must be given the opportunity of a thorough review and final approval of the educational mission of DKU. • Being keen to secure Duke’s know-how, our Chinese partners seek above all to secure the strong and sustained involvement of regular and senior faculty. How is this to work?

Are there enough Duke faculty willing to get involved? What are the costs of incentivizing and deploying faculty for this purpose? Are our senior administrators prepared to manage this effort in a foreign environment?

• What about the deficit certain to result if current (likely inflated) tuition revenue projections need to be revised due to lower-thanexpected interest by English-fluent Chinese students whom we expect to pay for University education in their home country, without the benefit of overseas cultural immersion? What about the costs associated with incentivizing regular faculty to participate on a regular basis in University activities halfway around the globe from their families and students?

For the complete editorial and details regarding a moratorium on the entire DKU initiative, go to https://sites.google.com/site/ dukekunshaneditorial. For the sake of Duke’s continuing academic integrity, reputation and financial health, faculty and alumni are encouraged to weigh in on this matter now.

Thomas Pfau Professor of German and Eads Family Professor of English Herbert Kitschelt George V. Allen Professor of International Relations in the Department of Political Science and Professor of Germanic Languages and Literature

M

Leaps of faith

ost people who know me at During those six hours of darkness The Chronicle also know that in the office, I saw the most efficient, I am part of an unofficial fan motivated and driven team dedicatclub for Sean Moroney, ing themselves to one managing editor of V. common goal and dohon lung chu 103. Although my laying whatever it took senior column out skills were arguably to reach that goal. Albetter than Sean’s when though the evidence I joined, Sean had dozens of skills that in this case was obvious from the mob were infinitely more useful. One of his of bleary-eyed people carrying iMacs most memorable quotes for me went across the main quad to the Link, I something like, “You have so many think the same passion and drive can choices in life that the best you can do is also be seen from the best reporters pick one and make sure you can defend in this office on a daily basis. it.” As I begin to choose what to write in I tell these two stories as a shamethis column, that quote comes to mind. less plug for The Chronicle. But I also For me, what’s captivating about tell them because I think they embody Sean, and other countless great staff- the best characteristics of any orgaers of The Chronicle, is their openness nization: passion and mentorship, to mentorship. I first walked up to 301 which both make The Chronicle a Flowers wanting to be a layout designer, great sandbox for a third item—takbut then, under the encouragement of ing risks. All great achievements ever Sean, started writing stories. recorded in history involved huge My first article was on OSAF Crash risks with insurmountable odds. In Courses. I now know that it was just most cases, it was the determination a routine story about a routine pro- of a group of passionate people that gram, but like most freshmen, I treat- overcame these odds, something that ed it as the most important story in I’ve seen more than a few times durthe world. And when it finally came ing my four years at The Chronicle. in, it was a disaster.

These two stories are imperfect And then, I witnessed the magic of in that they do not and cannot posmentorship. Even though it was such sibly represent all the good stories a routine story, the managing news ed- I have to tell about The Chronicle. itor walked with me to OSAF and sat But like Sean said, the choices have down with me as I conducted my in- to be made, and the rest is history. terview with the program coordinator. If there’s any advice in this column, The news editor herself helped me it is the same eternal wisdom passed gather quotes from administrators. down by the managing editors of The After a lengthy copy editing session, I Chronicle: Try new things (with the felt like I was the same unskilled, naive layout design). freshman, but something inside told But I recently heard a better way to me that I should go back, that I would say it from a former Chronicle editor: learn something new. I took a leap of “Leap, and the net will appear.” faith and kept writing.

Someone at The Chronicle has Fast forward two years: It’s 10 p.m. caught me. Every time. in the middle of production, and the power goes out for six hours in 301 Hon Lung Chu is a Pratt senior. He is Flowers, forcing us to relocate to the special projects editor for online, former mangroup study rooms of the Link. We aging editor and former design editor of The brought along half a dozen iMacs Chronicle. Like his Trinity counterparts, he and a 50-pound Dell server that held would like to thank the masthead of V.103 to the majority of the content that this V.106 for four un-four-gettable years, especialorganization has produced in the last ly Will, Emmeline, Charlie, Naclerio, Gabe four years. And it was probably not and Naureen, for being inspiration pillars backed up. But I digress. and putting up with his idiosyncrasies.

Take time to think

common complaint among undergraduates is that you’re willing to spark them yourself.

Duke is not a place that fosters intellectual converSo as I prepare to graduate, my parting advice is this. sations.

Don’t be afraid to be the person who turns an informal These are not the kinds of faculty-led conversations that chat into a deep and probing exchange. I certainly wish I happen in a classroom setting, but the sort that students had done this more often at Duke. Because if you’re too drive themselves. I picture a bunch of stutimid to go out on an intellectual limb every dents sitting under a tree at some idyllic spot once in awhile, you won’t learn much from will robinson on the quad discussing philosophy because your four years in college. senior column they have nothing better to do.

I’ve found learning from others’ experiFrom my college admissions tours I reences to be one of the most enriching unmember this image being one of the main selling points dertakings life has to offer. And it is an experience that of liberal arts colleges. Students at these small, isolated becomes even more meaningful at a school where you can schools are more likely to engage in spontaneous intellec- easily end up with a roommate who went to high school tual conversations or activities together because they do in Qatar or a girlfriend who was raised in two different not encounter the distractions that a high-profile research African countries. university provides. These distracting forces may include The supposed distractions of Duke life can be turned an urban campus, Division I athletics, greek life, a medical into areas of enrichment as well. If you take enough time center, professional schools, graduate students, media sex out of your day to think—not about what internship you scandals, etc. want or what grades you might end up with, but simply Far too often as undergraduates we attribute our prob- to think about everything that is happening around you— lems to Duke, rather than to ourselves. then you can turn anything into a learning experience. InIf you are still having trouble finding interesting and stead of cynically dismissing every non-ideal situation that engaging conversations outside of the classroom at Duke, Duke throws your way, take time to analyze it instead. Try you should probably stop searching for institutional fail- to figure out what it means, why it matters and what you ures and start examining your personal initiative. I’ve dis- can learn from it. cussed this problem with several friends and at the end You won’t find a bigger Duke basketball fan than me. of these meta-discourses we’ve always come to the same But other than the obvious utilitarian benefits, I still don’t conclusion—these types of conversations are out there if fully understand how a $4 million coaching salary fits with

the values of an educational institution. I’m a big fan of embracing globalization, too, but I’m not sure why Duke is in such a rush to construct a campus in Kunshan, China, which will cost about $37 million over the next six years.

Yet these questions are both great prompts for intellectual discussion. The Chronicle is the place where I have learned how to treat them that way, rather than to simply dismiss them out of ill-informed, cynical exasperation.

Journalism, while it may lack in financial compensation, is among the most intellectually gainful pursuits available to Duke students. And the student newspaper is certainly not the only place on campus that offers this kind of intellectual space. It’s a matter of finding your own niche and keeping an open mind.

But, in my highly biased opinion, The Chronicle is the best student organization on campus by a wide margin.

It attracts students who are interested in questioning the world around them and figuring out what it means. At The Chronicle you never have to think twice about what any adults will think because you never answer to anyone but your peers and your readers. You have the editorial and financial independence to define yourself.

This newspaper gave me the space I needed to take my own initiative. It helped me to learn and grow as a journalist, as a student and as a person.

Will Robinson is a Trinity senior. He is the editorial board chair and former editor-in-chief of The Chronicle.

20 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011

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