January 27, 2020

The Chronicle

See Inside Odom sparks Blue Devils Page 6

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

MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 DUKECHRONICLE.COM

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEENTH YEAR, ISSUE 36

GET TO KNOW THE YOUNG TRUSTEE FINALISTS

Leah Abrams

Maryam Asenuga

Ibrahim Butt

Tim Skapek

By Leah Boyd

By Lara Hansen

By Chris Kuo

By Ben Leonard

Staff Reporter

Staff Reporter

Staff Reporter

Features Editor

Young Trustee finalist Leah Abrams, a senior, plans to use her nuanced understanding of the issues at Duke and Durham to be a voice for equity.

She is double majoring in public policy and history with a documentary studies certificate.

In addition, she just finished her undergraduate thesis, a study on the potential effects of automatic expungement of nonviolent charges on criminal records on racial discrimination in North Carolina’s hiring practices.

As Young Trustee, Abrams would work to be “as responsive as possible” to issues brought to the Board’s attention, holding a “long-term vision” for the advancement of Duke and the

Young Trustee finalist Maryam Asenuga, a senior, is committed to social justice and to building a more inclusive Duke.

An advocate for gender and racial justice, Asenuga helped to organize the University’s first pride invitational weekend for LGBTQ+ students and allies during last year’s Blue Devil Days. Her advocacy has also led to the opening of the first center for indigenous and native students on campus.

Asenuga’s dedication to social justice issues has been informed by her past. Her mother fled from Nigeria to New York a month before she was born. In Rhode Island, Asenuga’s mother raised her and

Young Trustee finalist Ibrahim Butt, a senior, seeks to empower marginalized voices, a mission that he has sustained from his high school involvement in the United Kingdom to his years at Duke.

If elected, Butt would work to “ensure that any decision [the Board of Trustees] make, they think about the human cost of their actions,” he said.

Butt’s background as a low-income, firstgeneration student has galvanized and guided his campus involvement.

“If you want to know who I am at Duke, you really have to know who I was before I came to Duke,” he said.

Young Trustee finalist Tim Skapek, a senior, hopes to bring the lessons he has learned as a walk-on football kicker to the Board of Trustees.

When he decided to walk on as a first-year, he wasn’t sure how long he would stay on the team. He hardly ever saw the field, never attempting a field goal. But Skapek said he has learned that leadership is about being a team player—a role he’s taken in founding a startup and running Dukes and Duchesses.

Skapek said he would bring those skills to the boardroom as a Young Trustee.

“A good teammate can lead and can follow, and most importantly can know when to do both,”

See ABRAMS on Page 2

See ASENUGA on Page 3

See BUTT on Page 2

See SKAPEK on Page 12

Duke’s Michael Munger to run for NC House Duke patient tests negative for coronavirus, DKU shuts its doors

By Leah Boyd

Staff Reporter

Chronicle File Photo | News Photography Editor Michael Munger is running as a Libertarian for the 34th District in the North Carolina House of Representatives.

After an unsuccessful gubernatorial run in 2008, Duke professor Michael Munger is diving back into politics.

Munger, who is listed as a Libertarian candidate running for the North Carolina House of Representatives, also ran for governor as a Libertarian in 2008. At Duke, he is the director of undergraduate studies and professor of political science, and he directs the philosophy, politics and economics certificate program.

He received 2.85% of the vote during his 2008 race, totaling 121,585 votes. During the campaign, he became the first thirdparty gubernatorial candidate in the state to appear on a televised debate.

His district’s lines were recently changed, with redistricting procedures moving him from N.C. House District 40 to 34.

This new district includes a large part of Raleigh and North Carolina State University.

A Raleigh native, Munger feels “much more qualified to represent” his new district. He told The Chronicle that this change was what encouraged him to start his new campaign.

“It has a fair number of college students and people that work at the college,” he said. “It’s a bigger cross-section and a more urban place.”

By Nathan Luzum Managing Editor

An individual admitted to Duke Hospital on Friday showing symptoms of respiratory illness tested negative for coronavirus, according to a Saturday night news release.

“We are pleased that test results were negative and that the patient remains in good health,” State Epidemiologist Zack Moore said in the release. “We are working with [the Centers for Disease Control] and local partners to be sure we are prepared to detect and respond to any possible cases that might occur in North Carolina in the future.”

The individual arrived at Raleigh-Durham International Airport Jan. 23 after having passed through Wuhan, China. Others who were at the airport were not considered to be at risk for coronavirus infection because the person was wearing a mask.

Thus far, three people in the United States—one each from

See MUNGER on Page 4

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2 | MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020

BUTT FROM PAGE 1 He grew up in Blackburn—which he described as “a small town in northern England that no one has ever heard about”—as the child of immigrant parents in an immigrant community grappling with economic inequality and stagnation.

When Butt first arrived at Duke as a lowincome, first-generation student, few resources existed to support students like him, he said, which meant that he often felt out of place in a “very elitist institution.”

But he wasted no time in harnessing this unease and channeling it into an effort to empower students at Duke from underprivileged backgrounds. Butt helped spearhead Duke Low-Income, First-generation Engagement, an organization that advocates for low-income and first-generation students. As co-president of Duke LIFE, he has focused on “uplifting marginalized voices,” a vision he said he would continue to carry forward if elected to the Board of Trustees.

Last year, Butt helped organize the inaugural Duke LIFE conference to empower students from across the southern United States.

He said he had decided to take on leadership of Duke LIFE after the Board of Trustees had attempted to reduce student health care, which would have disproportionately hurt lowincome students. “[The decisions] the Board of Trustees make regarding financial aid impact me directly,” Butt said. “They impact my family, they impact my friends and they impact my very existence at this University. So I understand how important the Board is and that’s why I want to be a member of it—to ensure that the conversations we’re having and the decisions we’re making are equitable and accessible for all students.”

On campus, he also serves as an executive member of the student-led Center for Race Relations.

“Duke, for me, is not just about being a student,” Butt said. “It’s about being a leader, trying to be a changemaker and really trying to make my education a force for good. And I’ve really tried to do that in the communities and experiences I’ve been invested in.”

Butt works as an advocate for the Community Empowerment Fund, an organization that aims to expand economic opportunities for individuals in Durham. Through involvement in the CEF, he has supported over fifty individuals in their search for employment, housing and healthcare.

“Duke becomes a better university if Durham becomes a more equitable and forward thinking city,” he said.

Given his personal identity and experience working with marginalized groups, Butt believes he would bring a unique perspective and a commitment to advocacy to the Board of Trustees. He aims to act as a fiduciary of the University by promoting internal and external development, a vision that parallels the two-pronged nature of his service: further investment in students and greater engagement with Durham.

Butt emphasized that his involvement at Duke has not just been about “big leadership roles” but also about “building community on a day to day basis.” He served as House Council President of his first-year residence hall and as sophomore class president.

Senior Erin McDermott’s friendship with Butt began two years before arriving at Duke through their shared involvement in the Sutton Trust U.S. Programme, a program run by the Fulbright Commission to enable lowincome students to access higher education in the U.S. “He cares about pushing what makes Duke a community, what makes Duke a home, pushing it forward,” McDermott said. “He’s the kind of person that, whenever anyone would need him to be there or would need help, he will drop everything and be that person.”

McDermott described how Butt was instrumental in supporting her during a difficult first year, when she contemplated transferring out of Duke.

“When I needed someone to be there and to convince me that Duke was worth staying, it was him,” she said.

Abdullah Antepli, associate professor of the practice of interfaith relations in the Divinity School, described Butt as a responsible and ethical ambassador, who understands how to advocate for specific communities while also transcending personal convictions to “represent a broad spectrum of people.”

“That’s what you want,” Antepli said. “You send these Young Trustees to be the representative face and voice of the student body.”

Antepli believes that, as a Young Trustee, Butt would effectively balance the need for compromise with the drive for change, resisting the temptation to be a “doormat” for the Board’s decisions while remaining flexible in his pursuit of the “greater good of society.”

“He has this burning fire in him,” Antepli said. “He understands the world through the lens of social justice... that’s the goodness of this man who is keenly aware of his privileges, and he is so committed to turn his privileges into some sort of service, some sort of commitment.”

ABRAMS FROM PAGE 1 Durham community.

“I think the Board of Trustees is going to have to think about how we address the realities of climate change, how we address the realities of displacement and gentrification in Durham,” Abrams said.

On campus, Abrams is the opinion editor for The Chronicle, also running her own

opinion column, “cut the bull.” According to Abrams, this experience has helped her understand “the anxieties and tensions of this University and all of its stakeholders in a really, really distinct way.”

The position also enabled her to become a broad thinker, having gained a deep understanding of issues at Duke. Editing and reading columns has allowed her to understand the various points of view on these issues.

“I’m excited to have the really amazing opportunity to take that knowledge to the [Board of Trustees], where I think it can be put to really good use,” Abrams said.

A native of the Triangle area, Abrams said she is “deeply personally invested” in the region and policies that may impact it.

“I think just recognizing the extreme inequality that exists in our community and how unjust that is, and seeing it on the personal level is really, really difficult. Once you see it from my perspective, you feel compelled to act,” Abrams said.

Abrams wrote for INDY Week during the Spring 2019 semester, focusing her pieces on homelessness, housing and politics.

She is also the president of Duke Democrats and has worked with activist group People’s State of the University.

Abrams said that her activism within these organizations and her thesis topic were inspired by her work with the Community Empowerment Fund, a nonprofit providing financial services to support individuals transitioning out of poverty.

Outside of Duke, Abrams has served as a CEF liaison to the Durham County Rape Crisis Center. She volunteered at Legal Aid of Durham, translating documents into Spanish for domestic violence clients.

Much of her early activism was influenced by the Moral Monday movement See ABRAMS on Page 3

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ABRAMS FROM PAGE 2 in North Carolina, a series of protests in response to a Republican supermajority in the state and various laws passed by the General Assembly.

“I kind of learned about ways that you could activate and mobilize large groups of people in order to send a message and to try to resist some of the changes that were happening,” Abrams explained.

After graduation, Abrams will work at West Wing Writers, a speechwriting firm.

She expressed that it can be easy to feel “very removed from being on campus” in the Young Trustee position. In order to stay on top of the dialogue and conversations at Duke, Abrams plans to maintain strong relationships with the incoming Duke Student Government president and new opinion editor of The Chronicle.

Senior Quinci King is a good friend of Abrams, and he worked with her on a DSG project that helped Durham youth gain access to professional opportunities. He lauded her abilities to listen and call attention to the injustices suffered by others.

“Her interest in social welfare and truly helping people and deeply caring for them has never wavered,” King wrote in a message.

For three semesters, Abrams was a teaching assistant for Public Policy 155, the introductory course to the major. Nick Carnes, Creed C. Black associate professor, taught the Fall 2019 class. When selecting a TA, he wanted someone who was intelligent, a diligent worker and a good role model for the students. Carnes said that Abrams possesses all of these qualities.

He said he respects how Abrams deeply admires Duke but also refuses to shy away from the issues that need to be addressed.

He described Abrams as an “incredibly optimistic, positive and upbeat person” and “a

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great example of what a student can be.” He said that he can always turn to her whenever he wants to learn about an issue on campus because of her deep understanding of the University and its students’ perspectives.

ASENUGA FROM PAGE 1 her older sister completely on her own.

Growing up, she watched her mother weather racism, sexism and xenophobia on a regular basis.

“She would always tell me that whatever challenge you face or whatever success you have, it has to be motivation to serve other communities and other people,” Asenuga said.

Her mother’s words have defined Asenuga’s experience not just on campus but also in the community.

Asenuga volunteers in Durham, providing mentorship for refugee children and their parents and helping them with schoolwork. In particular, she remembered tutoring 8-year-old Caroline and 10-yearold Angela from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As an Arabic minor, Asenuga was able to easily communicate with the girls, developing a deep understanding of their traumatic experiences and current struggles as refugees in the United States.

Three days a week, before and after class, Asenuga serves hundreds of homeless Durham residents at a food kitchen operated by the Urban Ministries of Durham. Asenuga said that talking with Durham residents in need and understanding their lives has opened her eyes in many ways.

“Right outside Duke, there’s all this poverty,” she said. “Duke can definitely do better in its relationship with Durham.”

Asenuga noted that she strives to become a voice for people without one. The aspiring lawyer, who speaks four languages, has been around the globe. Having studied in Morocco, Chile, Nepal and Jordan during her four years at Duke, Asenuga finds her inspiration in traveling. Working with indigenous communities abroad has led her to adopt a more critical lens when describing Duke’s relationship with indigenous and native students.

“Not only is there a lack of acknowledgment, there’s a lack of support for indigenous and native students,” she said.

As director of racial and multicultural outreach for Duke Student Government, she created an on-campus center dedicated to recognizing Duke’s native and indigenous students. The center celebrates native cultures and features artworks by Durham’s local indigenous artists.

Moreover, Asenuga also works to make life easier for international students at Duke who, like her, come from an immigrant background.

“There’s a huge lack of institutional support for international students at Duke,” she said.

Asenuga has worked with career and visa services on several occasions and is actively seeking to improve the situation by figuring out ways to get more support for international students.

Although Asenuga has an “unwavering gratefulness” for Duke, she is certain the University can do better in terms of combating hate and bias incidents, accessibility for disabled students, handling sexual assault and improving Counseling and Psychological Services.

“The way that we handle these issues can really make or break Duke,” she said. “I have a perspective to not only address these issues but to also put in perspectives from other students on campus.”

MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | 3

She also recognized that, if elected, she would become the first black female undergraduate Young Trustee in Duke’s history.

“Although black students on campus are a small minority, we are a strong minority,” Asenuga said.

Tim Tyson, a senior research scholar at the Center for Documentary Studies, met Asenuga for the first time when interviewing her for the Duke Engage South Africa program.

“I was struck by her unassuming clarity, matter of fact intelligence and sly sense of humor,” he wrote in an email.

Asenuga interned at a gender justice nonprofit organization in South Africa during the summer after her sophomore year. She and other interns worked together on the case of a 12-year-old rape survivor.

As the court continued to delay trial dates, she and her team organized a march to push the court to stop delaying dates and rule in favor of their client.

“Maryam’s calm, dignified bearing and careful deployment of evidence persuaded a resistant South African judge to reconsider the case of a juvenile rape victim with whom the court had been callous,” Tyson wrote.

Senior Jake Hoberg, former executive vice president of DSG, stressed Asenuga’s unceasing efforts toward diversity and inclusion. Hoberg and Asenuga have been friends since orientation week and have served together in DSG. He praised her ability to recognize Duke when it makes progress, but also criticize the University when it doesn’t measure up to its own standards.

“Her mother has instilled in her a sense of responsibility to fight to help others and that is what makes her so excited and passionate to run for the position,” Hoberg wrote in an email.

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4 | MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020

MUNGER FROM PAGE 1 Munger acknowledged that a role serving in the N.C. House is “something that [he] could actually manage well while also being a Duke professor.”

The first issue on which Munger is centering his campaign is school choice for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

“A lot of school choice programs have only kind of served the wealthy,” Munger said. “I think that having charter schools that have more resources or a voucher program for the poorest 40% of North Carolina citizens would help that a bit.”

Additionally, he wants to focus on “dismantling and reforming” the Alcoholic Beverage Control System because he believes North Carolina has “one of the most restrictive stateoperated liquor operations in the United States.”

“Many of [the commissioners] have 20 people who work for them, so we’ve got this enormous bureaucracy with hundreds and hundreds of people when there already is a set of grocery stores or could-be private liquor stores that would operate alongside,” Munger said.

However, Munger commended his opponents, Ultimately, he hopes to combine these two ideas.

His goal is to impose a tax on the privately provided alcohol Democratic candidate Grier Martin and Republican system that would keep alcohol prices similar to their previous candidate Ronald Smith.

“I think we’re all three well qualified,” he said. “I do think level. He would then use the alcohol tax revenue to fund his goal we have some disagreements about the way to accomplish of better school choice for the poor. things, but all three of us want what “We would get millions and millions we think is good for the district.” just from dismantling the inefficient state We would get millions and His role as a political science professor, bureaucracy,” he said. millions just from dismantling he explained, helped him to learn a lot Munger said his previous experiences about campaigns. Nevertheless, there would be advantageous to his the inefficient state are still some campaign aspects to which campaign. While he served as director bureaucracy Munger must adjust. of the master of public administration “In talking to voters, you have program at the University of North michael munger Carolina at Chapel Hill, he helped PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND to formulate things in a way that LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE FOR NC HOUSE is simple and attractive,” he said. educate city and county managers who “Professors are used to making these now serve around the state.

Munger added that his interest now lies in serving as a long arguments.”

As a public speaker and communicator, Munger explained liaison between the General Assembly and state and local that being held to a higher standard by voters—instead of government officials.

“Those connections are not something that either of my students—will help him in the long run.

At Duke, Munger has the support of his colleagues and opponents have,” Munger said. students.

“He’s way, way overqualified compared to all the other state representatives,” Professor of Political Science Michael Gillespie said.

Gillespie lauded Munger’s ability to understand how both government and economics work, finding these disciplines “not terribly well understood” by others holding government positions.

“He is what I would call a social democratic Libertarian,” Gillespie explained. “He thinks that what should be done well by the economy should be done by the economy, and what the economy can’t do, the government has to do.”

However, Gillespie added that Munger may have trouble collecting votes under a Libertarian label.

“The fact that he’s not a Republican or Democrat is an immediate mark against him in terms of voting,” Gillespie said. “Voters tend to think of themselves as either Republicans or Democrats, or some people would describe themselves as Independents, but we know that most Independents are either Democratic leaners or Republican leaners.”

Despite this setback, Gillespie firmly believes that “a legislature made of Mungers” would be “1,000% better” than how it is today.

Junior Gaurav Sharma took the PPE certificate gateway course with Munger and commended him for being a Libertarian “through and through” and someone who “cares deeply about civil and economic rights for citizens.”

“Dr. Munger is a great public choice academic whom I respect highly and who I know will work to keep government in check and efficiently serving its role,” Sharma wrote in a message to The Chronicle.

Know someone committed to service?

Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award Nominations due March 2, 2020

This prestigious award is presented to 1) one graduating senior and 2) one member of the faculty, staff, or graduate student body of Duke University or Duke Health for their outstanding commitment to service.

Nominees should perpetuate the excellence of character and humanitarian service of Algernon Sydney Sullivan by recognizing and honoring such qualities in others such as:

§ Recognition of Selflessness § Generosity of Service § Nobility of Character § Person of Integrity § Depth of Spirituality

VIRUS FROM PAGE 1 Illinois, Washington and California—have tested positive for the virus after visiting Wuhan. More than 2,000 cases have been diagnosed in China, leading to at least 56 deaths as of Sunday morning.

Amidst the growing fear in China, Duke Kunshan University announced that classes would be suspended until Feb. 17. DKU students must either leave soon or remain on campus for the next several weeks, according to a news release. Campus access is restricted to essential personnel until Feb. 15.

“Postponing the opening of school was a decision not taken lightly or made precipitously,” the release stated. “The highest priority was the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff. It was also a decision highly consistent with what many other schools and universities in China are doing.”

DKU has also made efforts to bolster hygiene and sanitation on campus, introducing additional hand sanitizer stations, distributing masks and creating more stringent protocols for dining and custodial workers.

As of Jan. 25, no coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Kunshan.

Although coronavirus has been featured prominently in the news, it’s still most likely that respiratory illness in North Carolina will be caused by the flu or a common cold.

Nominate someone now by visiting duke.is/m4ybvn or Chronicle File Photo

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MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | 5

sportswrap january 27, 2020

HENRY HAGGART/THE CHRONICLE

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ODOM’S HOUSE FOOTBALL: RELEASES 2020 SCHEDULE • MEN’S TENNIS: DUKE DOMINATES CAMPBELL

6 | MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 2020

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Duke defends home court thanks to suffocating press

By Spencer Levy Sports Features Editor

The Blue Devils continued their winning ways at home as they picked up their ninth victory inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.

After a back-and-forth game of runs, Duke prevailed against Georgia Tech 58-46 Sunday afternoon. The Blue Devils’ offensive outburst in the second and third quarters were led by graduate student Haley Gorecki and senior Leaonna Odom. The pair finished with 18 and 16 46 points, respectively, GT DUKE 58 and proved to be a difficult defensive assignment for Georgia Tech. “[It was] a hard-fought game…. [I’m] thrilled about the rebounding edge at the end,” head coach Joanne P. McCallie said.

“I thought that [Odom’s] leadership with Haley was outstanding.”

Winners of four of their last five contests entering the matinee ACC matchup, the Blue Devils (11-9, 5-4 in the ACC) looked to jump out to an early advantage, and they did just that. Graduate student Kyra Lambert knocked down a triple on the team’s first possession.

After Duke took a 7-2 lead less than four minutes into the first quarter, Georgia Tech

(14-6, 5-4) stormed back with a 7-0 run of their own to take a two-point lead.

That lead increased to seven before sophomore Miela Goodchild nailed a 3-pointer with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. On the next possession, the Australia native sunk another long-range shot to bring Duke within one.

“That’s what Miela does,” Gorecki said. “She knocks down threes when she gets the ball, so we wanted to keep on feeding her.”

Lambert then turned that deficit into a 17-16 lead after she stole Georgia Tech’s inbound pass and scored a fast-break layup.

Duke also began to play an aggressive threequarter court press, which not only slowed down the Yellow Jackets, but also led to a few turnovers. Georgia Tech finished the first half with 13 giveaways.

“Our press is really good. When a team is not really prepared for it, we’ll throw out random presses,” Odom said. “It just works in our favor.

We get steals and that leads to offense and less time really playing defense.”

The Yellow Jackets went on a 7-0 run to kick off the second half, which brought them within five. A 3-pointer from Georgia Tech’s Francesca Pan once again cut the deficit. The Yellow Jackets eventually took their first lead since the first half.

“We were a little flat and just not as

Henry Haggart | Assistant Sports Photography Editor

Leaonna Odom’s 16 points powered the Blue Devils to a crucial ACC victory Sunday. intense,” McCallie said regarding the opening minutes of the second half. “The team regrouped…. Recognizing that we’ve just got to play our game.”

Odom scored a layup in transition to

put her in double figures before Lambert converted a difficult layup to put the Blue Devils ahead 39-37. After a basket from the See HOME COURT on Page 9

MEN’S TENNIS

Freshman-powered Blue Devils cruise past Campbell Assistant Blue Zone Editor

set between them.

Rubell, however, was faced with a greater

Anchored by one of the top recruiting classes in the nation, the Blue Devils entered this season loaded with expectations, despite having notched only one top-30 finish since 2016.

So far, the team is fulfilling those expectations.

Duke dominated yet again Friday evening at Sheffield Stadium, cruising past Campbell for its first 7-0 win of the season. Combine that with a 4-1 season-opening victory at Hawaii and three consecutive 6-1 home wins, and the Blue Devils are 5-0 for the first time since 2015. That year, they went all the way to the Round of 16 and finished No. 10 in the final ITA rankings.

“I thought it was a good match,” head coach Ramsey Smith said. “Campbell pushed us in doubles CAMP 0 in some spots and 7 also in singles and DUKE actually that was good for us—to face some adversity and have to push through some tight spots at the end of sets… Obviously, anytime you get a 7-0 win is great, but it was closer than the score.”

It was the freshmen who led the way Friday, with Smith opting to go with four newcomers—Samuel Rubell, Garrett Johns, Andrew Zhang and Michael Heller—in his singles lineup. Johns, Zhang and Heller were met with three Fighting Camels freshmen on the other side of the net, rolling past their opposition and dropping only a single

Samuel Rubell toppled Campbell senior Ondrej Labik Friday.

By Evan Kolin

Mary Helen Wood | Photography Editor

challenge, matching up against senior Ondrej Labik.

Jackson Muraika | Associate Photo Editor

Andrew Zhang was one of the Blue Devil newcomers that starred against the Camels.

There is no doubt that Duke (5-0) is one of the most talented teams in the ACC. One of the major concerns, though, is whether the Blue Devils’ lack of experience this year will come to haunt them. Friday night, Rubell helped in putting that theory to bed.

The Miami Beach, Fla. native—who was the team’s highest-slated freshman against Campbell at No. 3 singles—cruised past his elder, taking the first set 6-1 before eking out a 7-5 second-set win.

Though four freshmen took control of Courts 3 through 7 against the Fighting Camels (0-1), don’t expect that to be the case every time out for Duke. Smith has seemed to experiment with different lineups for nearly every match this season, taking advantage of the vast depth his team has.

“I have a lot of confidence in a lot more than six guys,” Smith said. “And we can only play six guys at once in singles. One of the goals early on in the year is to try to get a lot of different guys opportunities. Obviously we’re building towards ACC season, ACC tournament, NCAA tournament and it’s just really close in the midbottom of the lineup in particular.

“They’re pushing each other in practice and they know it’s competitive for these spots and I like that. It’s different than it’s been the last couple years where we’ve been a lot thinner.”

Rubell also noted the effect this team’s depth has had on competitiveness within practice, something that can help ensure the Blue Devils—despite being so young—reach their maximum potential.

See M. TENNIS on Page 8

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MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | 7

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Puzzle pieces fit for Duke against Georgia Tech

By Em Adler Staff Writer

How does a Duke team getting blown out by contenders and choking away close games completely turn around its season?

In the words of Georgia Tech coach Nell Fortner, “It’s all about your players—all you have to do is look at [this] game and look at those players at Duke.”

As much was clear to the Yellow Jackets, as they lost 58-46 to the Blue Devils Sunday afternoon. Five Duke players scored at least six points, four shot at least 50 percent from the field, six notched a steal, and eight grabbed a board. It was a team effort in every sense.

The consistency of bench minutes has seemed to be key. Duke spent most of the first semester playing the hot hand with its bench minutes, which prevented its talent from getting into a rhythm and left less talented players playing significant time even as they regressed.

Now, sharpshooting guard Miela Goodchild has settled into her role, in which she can go all-out while still finding consistency in her game, while guard Mikayla Boykin is able to showcase her immense talent against other teams’ second units. This also means that resurgent guard Kyra Lambert’s shooting struggles and sophomore forward Onome AkinbodeJames’ relatively slow development are less

Henry Haggart | Assistant Sports Photography Editor

Graduate student Haley Gorecki led her team in points with 18 against the Yellow Jackets, as the Blue Devils notched their ninth home win of the season Sunday afternoon. pronounced, as they can get rest without the Blue Devils having to worry about the quality of their replacements.

The proof is in the pudding. Wins over a decent Virginia Tech team, a Syracuse group that played some great games to begin the

season and Georgia Tech which stood third in the ACC, all point to a Duke team coming into its own at just the right time.

“I think we’re a very good fourth-quarter team. I think that’s been proven, we’ve just been trying to extend that to all quarters and

keep that intensity up,” head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “I think every game breaks differently, but also there’s a mindset of things that we want to do together that is very clear, there’s some lessons learned.”

The most radical thing about these Blue Devils might be the optimism they’re now inspiring. Odom’s recent dominance has helped assuage concerns over Duke’s highend production. All four of its ACC losses have been by two or fewer possessions, and it has four wins or close losses against teams currently projected to play in March.

In fact, an RPI-based bracketology has the Blue Devils firmly in the driver’s seat for a tournament seed.

The fate of this Duke team is likely to be decided in the coming weeks, as its next three games are against teams with March Madness hopes. Two games remain against both North Carolina State and North Carolina, each of which was in ESPN’s last projected bracket.

Those, plus Florida State and their rematch with Virginia Tech, will prove whether or not this is a mirage.

What may bring down this Duke team is its impressive ability to make the easy stuff incredibly difficult. Slow offensive possessions that force heaves at the end of shot clocks and valuable baskets allowed by their defensive zone still haunt the Blue Devils, even if those situations have been less See PUZZLE on Page 9

BASEBALL

Highlights from Duke’s preseason media day

By Evan Kolin Assistant Blue Zone Editor

my whole life. I love hitting, I love pitching. I love doing both.”

Glen Morgenstern Assistant Blue Zone Editor

Duke baseball has returned to the national scene over the last two seasons, but an opponent has stopped the Blue Devils one game short of the College World Series both years. Invigorated by the recent success but fueled by shortcomings, head coach Chris Pollard and No. 15 Duke offered their thoughts on the upcoming season this afternoon: Pollard on postseason runs of last two seasons: “It’s a constant fire that burns, having gone through it in Lubbock and then getting so close again in 2019. Probably not a day goes by that I don’t think about it on some level. It is tremendous motivation because as much as it’s been been great for this program to experience the success that it has...it has also been really hard when you get that close two years in a row, not to be able to take that last step. That’s something that keeps these guys hungry every day.”

P/1B Matt Mervis on being a two-way player: “Honestly, whatever the coaches tell me.

I’m going to do what I can to help the team, whether that’s first base, DH or pitching, wherever it may be. I love it. It’s what I’ve done

Pollard on All-American teammates Bryce Jarvis and Thomas Girard: “I think the thing that’s neat about having two preseason All-Americans [is] they’re roommates, they’re in the same major and I don’t know how many programs in the country have two roommates that are preseason AllAmericans. Those two guys spend more time studying and in the lab than any other two preseason All-Americans in the country. I will definitely vouch for that. All those two do when they’re not on the field is study in that engineering lab.”

rest and relax. I think going to summer ball probably would have been detrimental to my health and well-being.”

Pollard on the recent Houston Astros signstealing scandal: “I had a chance to talk with Craig Counsell, the Milwaukee Brewers manager, in our weight room on Tuesday night. He was here for the

Duke-Miami basketball game. I said to him, ‘Have you ever had or seen or experienced a weirder day in our sport than last Thursday?’

It’s just an incredibly strange day, the way it all unfolded. I have a lot of thoughts on it. I have a lot of thoughts on the trickle-down effect and how that may play itself out at the college level and I’m probably best served to keep those thoughts to myself.”

Matt Mervis on freshman pitcher Henry Williams: “[He has] a lot of polish. He’s a very advanced pitcher for freshman, probably the most advanced I’ve seen in my four years of seeing freshman classes. Good mound presence, good fastball, good stuff, but his mental game is strong.”

Shortstop Ethan Murray on recovering from injury: “After I got hurt, I came back to do summer school here. I got shut down from doing summer ball, so I came back to class here and got to meet all the freshmen and work out in the weight room and hang out with our new guys, so that was fun. It was just a chance to

Mary Helen Wood | Photography Editor

Matt Mervis has high hopes for his new teammate, freshman Henry Williams, who might take the mound as a pitcher this season.

The Chronicle

dukechronicle.com

8 | MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 2020

FOOTBALL

Blue Devils release 2020 schedule

By Derek Saul

The full schedule:

Sports Editor

Duke may be dancing in September, but cloudy days await for the Blue Devils.

The team announced its schedule for the 2020 campaign Wednesday morning, highlighted by an uninspiring opening stretch and a grueling ACC slate.

The Blue Devils will kick off the season with three consecutive home contests, all against opponents that Duke should trounce. The Blue Devils’ Sept. 5 opponent, Middle Tennessee State, and Sept. 17 opponent, Charlotte, both finished 100th or worse in ESPN’s Football Power Index in 2019, while their Sept. 12 opponent, Elon, is not an FBS team.

After an easy three weeks, reality will set in quickly for Duke, which will face a brutal schedule from that point forward. The Blue Devils will kick off ACC play when they travel to Pittsburgh Sept. 26. October will be a particularly challenging month for the team, hosting North Carolina for a Victory Bell matchup Oct. 17 and heading to South Bend, Ind., to play Notre Dame for an Oct. 31 matchup that should certain spook Duke and its fans.

The Blue Devils will be looking to get back on track in 2020, as 2019 was the first time they didn’t make a bowl since 2016.

Sept. 5 vs. Middle Tennessee State Sept. 12 vs. Elon Sept. 17 vs. Charlotte Sept. 26 at Pittsburgh Oct. 3 vs. Wake Forest

Oct. 10 at North Carolina State Oct. 17 vs. North Carolina Oct. 31 at Notre Dame Nov. 7 at Georgia Tech Nov. 13 vs. Virginia Nov. 21 vs. Virginia Tech Nov. 28 at Miami

Bre Bradham | Associate Photography Editor

Duke coach David Cutcliffe has a realtively easy out of conference schedule before diving into a grueling ACC slate for the upcoming 2020 season.

M. TENNIS FROM PAGE 6 “It can be used as a good thing,” Rubell said of almost nobody having a secure spot in the lineup. “I think it can make guys just work harder, just that much harder and that much more focused. And I think overall ultimately that’s what will make us better.”

No matter what happens around the middle parts of the lineup, Duke would be nothing without its glue at the top—senior Nick Stachowiak.

The Cary, N.C., native fell behind early at No. 1 singles Friday, falling 6-1 in the first set to Campbell senior Raphael Calzi. But Stachowiak fought his way back, gritting out two straight 6-3 wins to clinch the Blue Devils’ undefeated evening. “[Stachowiak] has gotten really gritty and resilient and he’s just fighting every single point,” Smith said. “He has so much pride for the program, having grown up right down the road. This is his senior year and he wants to leave no stone unturned.”

Duke is rolling right now, with the program looking like it could return to the era of 2010-2015 when Smith led the Blue Devils to six consecutive top-15 finishes.

The team will get its first true test of the season, however, when No. 12 Illinois comes to Durham next Friday at 6 p.m.

“Beat Illinois, that’s all we’re thinking about,” Smith said in regard to his team’s goals for the rest of the year. “We’ll see where things go but we’re not too worried about down the road. We’re just worried about improving each day and I think we’ve done a good job so far.”

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PUZZLE FROM PAGE 7 frequent in recent weeks.

“Let’s be honest, we had 22 turnovers,” McCallie said candidly. “The game breaks very differently if that turnover margin is down to 12. Because our shooting percentage at one point was 64 percent, and then there were turnovers. And I think offensively we did some very smart things.

We just want the ball more. We want the ball in our hands more.”

In truth, the Blue Devils who now look promising aren’t much different than those who got blown out by Northwestern, South Carolina and FGCU. The obvious issues are still there. But they’ve smoothed out many rough edges of their games and sit only a winning streak away from a return to national contention.

“Different games break different ways.

Different defenses work better in certain games. Different groups of people work better,” said McCallie. “It’s just like a puzzle, just trying to find the absolute best in what we’re trying to do.”

Henry Haggart | Assistant Sports Photography Editor

Leonna Odom has found her groove in Duke’s offense in recent games, which has helped the Blue Devils win four of their last five matchups.

MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | 9

HOME COURT FROM PAGE 6 Yellow Jackets, Gorecki drained a corner triple in front of her bench and scored a fast-break layup off a steal and assist from freshman Azana Baines.

With a 48-42 advantage heading into the final 10 minutes of regulation, Odom quickly converted an and-one. After Duke took a 53-

42 lead, it was held scoreless until Gorecki drained a free throw to make it an eight-point game with two minutes left.

Boykin then stole the ball and took it all the way for an easy layup as Duke regained a doubledigit advantage for good. The Blue Devils held the Yellow Jackets to only four points in the final period to seal the home victory.

The Blue Devils will continue their three-game homestand with No. 8 North Carolina State next Sunday.

Henry Haggart | Assistant Sports Photography Editor

Miela Goodchild is always a threat from downtown, and showed why against Georgia Tech, knocking down three triples in Duke’s win.

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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

The Chronicle

“

Home is where the...

A

lthough conversations about housing reform on campus seem to have faded since 2018, the trials and tribulations of on-campus living have remained. From the plan to build apartments for graduate students off of Towerview, to the opossum and flea infestation in

community editorial board Few, the potential split of Avalon House and the price increase for rooms in 300 Swift, there have been no shortage of housing-related news stories this academic year. The most recent of these—the possible changes to Avalon House and rate increases at Swift—also speak directly to concerns raised by the lapsed group Duke Students for Housing Reform (DS4HR) about the nature and structure of residential life at Duke—concerns which, like last semester’s flea problem, are slow to be resolved.

Pending approval by the Board of Trustees, the pricing for a shared bedroom in Swift will no longer be equivalent to a double room on West, but rather a West Campus single. Ostensibly this change recognizes the comparatively luxurious amenities available to Swift residents. Living rooms, full kitchens, personal bathrooms, free in-unit laundry,

hot take of the week “Oh, Peaches. I hate that cat.”

”

—Jake Satisky, Editor-in-Chief on January 26, 2020

LETTERS POLICY

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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JAKE SATISKY, Editor DEREK SAUL, Sports Editor STEFANIE POUSOULIDES, News Editor NATHAN LUZUM, KATHRYN SILBERSTEIN, Managing Editors SHANNON FANG, Senior Editor MICHAEL MODEL, Digital Strategy Director MARY HELEN WOOD, CHARLES YORK, Photography Editor LEAH ABRAMS, Editorial Page Editor NINA WILDER, Recess Editor CHRISSY BECK, General Manager CONNER MCLEOD, Sports Managing Editor CARTER FORINASH, University News Editor MATTHEW GRIFFIN, University News Editor PRIYA PARKASH, University News Editor MONA TONG, Local & National News Editor ROSE WONG, Local & National News Editor MARIA MORRISON, Health & Science News Editor EMILY QIN, News Photography Editor ERIC WEI, Sports Photography Editor MICHELLE TAI , Features Photography Editor AARON ZHAO, Features Photography Editor MIHIR BELLAMKONDA, Editorial Page Managing Editor MAX LABATON, Editorial Page Managing Editor SELENA QIAN, Graphics Editor BRE BRADHAM, Video Editor

balconies, and more all make living in the apartment building quite a bit nicer than sharing a room with an opossum or a bathroom with 20 hygiene-challenged peers. Still, with the recent completion of the Hollows and two new dorms still in the planning phase, this shift in pricing raises questions about the future cost of oncampus living. This change, for example, could signal the beginnings of a socioeconomically stratified housing system not dissimilar from the years when, as a result of lower costs, less wealthy students frequently opted to live on Central Campus. Duke’s current commitment to cover any increased housing costs for students receiving financial aid alleviates some of these concerns, but this assumes consistency and transparency from an office that has a spotty record in both areas.

At the very least, even the suggestion that another form of stratification be added to the residential experience at Duke should not be taken lightly. This comes in the midst of a housing structure dominated by selective living groups where, as the potential split of Avalon shows, independent houses are consistently devalued and dismissed. An open forum recently discussed the challenges sophomores experience at Duke, pointing out that one major issue is the lack of cohesion and community on West Campus compared to East Campus. Though this acknowledgement was somewhat buried among the many other topics covered in the forum, it is nonetheless critical.

What makes the first year residential experience so different from West Campus? Perhaps East Campus is more “cohesive” because students are, for the most part, randomly distributed. Perhaps it’s a shared sense of newness and unfamiliarity which results in stratification organically and inevitably as first years settle into the routine of campus life. Variations of these speculations have been floated repeatedly in one way or another over the years, but little in the way of useful solutions has resulted. A more productive tact may be to challenge the very idea that

BEN LEONARD, Towerview Editor CARTER FORINASH, Towerview Managing Editor WILL ATKINSON, Recess Managing Editor MIRANDA GERSHONI, Recess Managing Editor JAEWON MOON, Editorial Board Chair OLIVIA SIMPSON, Editorial Board Chair BRE BRADHAM, Investigations Editor BEN LEONARD, Investigations Editor SHAGUN VASHISTH, Investigations Editor BRE BRADHAM, Recruitment Chair SHAGUN VASHISTH, Recruitment Chair JOHN MARKIS, Senior News Reporter ASHWIN KULSHRESTHA, Senior News Reporter TREY FOWLER, Advertising Director JULIE MOORE, Creative Director

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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cohesion is the difference between East and West.

What does it mean to say that East Campus is a “cohesive” place? That first years cannot choose their roommates and are subject to a dining plan that incentivizes them to eat together? The latter is arguably also true for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, but mandating random rooming assignments on West is not only unlikely, it does nothing to address the core complaint about housing beyond first year: a lack of community.

The difference between East and West, as rush columns remind us, does not lie in forcing students from different backgrounds together, but rather in the emphasis on organic, student driven community building. Transferring that emphasis to West is not an easy goal, as anyone affiliated with House or Class Councils can tell you, but it is not impossible.

Unfortunately, Duke often and actively works against this aim, prioritizing the distribution of selective housing or fundraising over sustaining community.

The proliferation of Living/Learning Communities as well, without any fundamental changes to the structure of residential life, exacerbates the problem, fragmenting dorm communities further.

DS4HR may have faded, but the reality of residential life they sought to challenge remains.

As it stands, the University has abdicated almost all responsibility for community-building to students, as though independent houses and selective living groups are equally equipped with the resources to rise to the occasion. Imagine a world in which the administration dared to put their thumb on the scale, where they stood for a better residential experience for all, even if that meant standing against the vast alumni networks of selective groups. What opportunities might be possible? How might we facilitate a greater sense of belonging for all students? We should ask ourselves these questions more often.

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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.

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dukechronicle.com commentary

10 | MONDAY, FEBRUARY JANUARY 27,27, 2020 2020

SHOW UP, GET LOUD, GO DUKE!

A

s one of the alumni who started the craze of camping out for games (it started in 1979, not 1984 as others have suggested), I am appalled at the empty seats in the student section

letters after our two-game losing streak. Today I received an email that tickets are available for the Pittsburgh game, anticipating the student section will again have empty seats. What is going on? Are you all only interested in Duke basketball if we are undefeated? This is a great team who are busting their butts on defense and getting better every week. Shame on you. Show up. Get loud.

Let’s Go Duke!

David Sotolongo graduated with the Class of 1982.

K-VILLE, STEP UP YOUR GAME!

T

wo years ago, I took my wife to the Clemson vs. Duke game in Cameron and was surprised to find that I was able to buy a ticket behind the benches in what used to be student-only seating. My first response was to be disgusted with my alma mater, assuming they had kicked students out of these seats so they could sell them. I then found out that the most likely truth was that the students simply weren’t filling these seats, even for conference home games. Last night I witnessed with embarrassment a “TV-side” student section that was empty from the baseline extended! For a home conference game vs. Miami (who has beat us five times in recent years) on ESPN. Unbelievable. A full, loud, and appropriately rowdy student section has been a key ingredient to success for the past forty years.

Don’t take victory for granted. Y’all need to step up your game.

Tom Large graduated with the Class of 1997.

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dukechronicle.com commentary

We don’t need rush.

We need therapy.

I Lily Levin

n the spirit of Monday Monday’s most recent column about rush, which reported that the CAPS system crashed due to first-years attempting to schedule appointments with a psychologist, I’ve realized a fundamental truth: we, Duke

students, do not need rush; we, Duke students, need therapy.

You’re probably thinking: Okay, what does this self-righteous first-year know about the population of Duke as a whole? How can she speak for what we need?

Well, you’re valid in questioning me. But I’ve compiled a few key arguments and expert witnesses to underscore the validity of my message. I’ve listed them below: You have to pay $50 to participate in Panhel rush, which is already a financial barrier.

Plus that’s like, what, 25% of the cost of a therapy session, even if you have insurance?

Duke is rich; they can afford the remaining 75%. It would be time well spent. And okay, SLG rush is free, but who freely decides to join a group of sweaty rushees in clustering around an emotionally-drained upperclassmen to discuss one’s favorite superpower?

A therapist wouldn’t only ask your favorite superpower; they’d ask why you chose that option, and consequently why you are the way you are. Isn’t that all we want—someone to someone to ask why?

Rush would be pointless if mandatory therapy was instituted. A therapist is financially and legally bound to you. Kind of like a Big, but better.

“I wish someone would ask me about my problems,” Harry Weldermeyer Truman 17th wrote in an email titled “feelings” at 4:05 am. “My brothers just don’t feel like my brothers anymore. I’ve lost... my sense of self, my purpose, my entire family.” Attached was an image of a half-empty label of Aristocrat Vodka. Long story short, a therapist will listen. Even when you’re sober.

You won’t be hungover in class after a session of therapy. No vomit in your 8:30 am.

Just...word vomit. And it’ll feel good. (Who knew?)

“During rush, I’ll get, like, so many appointment requests that I’ll just throw them all together. Suddenly, I’ll have twenty or thirty girls sitting on my couch, clustered together, bonding over the shared emotional devastation. I don’t have to do anything.

They become... sisters. Maybe this process is good for something,” a local therapist from the area, who wishes to remain unnamed, wrote.

The SLG “de-stress” events are stressful. Therapy is not.

Therapists don’t invite you and your friends to lunches and dinners to “get to know you” before they start seeing you, just to make sure you’re, ya know, going to be a dedicated member of their patient community.

Panhel rush breeds conformity to a certain racialized beauty standard: white, blonde, skinny, rich. Therapists, however, do not care about conformity. Even if you dyed your hair pink, even if you haven’t taken a shower in four days due to intense mental exhaustion, even if you elaborately faked your own disappearance to get out of that Calc midterm—they’ll listen. Do whatever you need to cope :).

No more stressful who-will-you-ask date-functions. You’ll have an excuse to say no: “Sorry, I’m seeing someone.”

Therapists do not thank you for your interest in their work and then proceed to “not invite you” to their next appointment. They would never say, “Rejected patient, I sincerely want to carry on a friendship, even through the awkward moments in passing at the grocery store, when you’re aware I know so much about you, including your favorite superpower.” That would be sooo invalidating. Right?

A therapist does not decide whether or not to keep seeing you based upon superficial qualities. A therapist wants to know their patient. What does that mean, exactly? Well, it means more than a five-to-seven-minute conversation in a fluorescent-lit room. (A ten minute session is long enough, though. These poor therapists have too many Dukies to see.)

“Ugh, okay. So, like, I know rush is awful and it destroys people. It destroyed me.

But the goal is to minimize impact. The real ethical question is: do we hurt 100 people a moderate amount, say a 5 on the scale out of 10; or do we hurt 10 people a large amount, say a 10 on the scale out of 10?” a dual-SLG-sorority president, who is also in an altruism club on campus, wrote. Therapy also minimizes harm, but hopefully on a less-than-five-out-of-10 scale.

“Ok, we all know that Greek life has its roots in racism, sexism, classism, and heteronormativity. That’s exactly why it’s on campus. Please don’t put that on record,” former Vice Provost Elmo said in a press release before his retirement. (He must have not realized he was writing a press release. A therapist could help him with this massive inability to grasp reality.)

Also, perhaps with therapy, our US News and World Reports Ranking would even increase due to better mental health outcomes. That’s the end goal, right?

Finally, being the outwardly self-righteous first-year I am, I want to be clear that I rushed SLGs, and I also rushed sororities for two rounds. Many of my close friends have found meaning, friendships, happiness, and fulfillment in both Greek Life and Selective Living Groups. But the rush process is grueling, draining, and plays into some of the pledge class’ deepest, most long-held insecurities—mine included.

None of this isolated privileged bullsh*t of rush truly matters—it is a microcosm of a microcosm of the microcosm of life—but we’re not hypocritical in admitting that a lot of it matters now. We are worried as heck about losing ourselves, about losing our friends, about losing our identity. We are afraid that we aren’t good enough. We are terrified of what others think. I sure am.

But these three weeks of freshman-year spring are only a snapshot of our lives; a blurry photograph taken in passing; a hastily-developed print. What we must understand is that a particular combination of Greek letters does not make us any better, more attractive, more valued than anyone else. Being dropped from our top SLG does not make us any less of a person. The immense, intangible, larger-than-life scope of our being cannot be defined by an arbitrary process. We were lovable, worthy, and important before we rushed; we will always be lovable and worthy and important because these qualities are inherent in who we are.

So yeah... let’s abolish the rush process for therapy.

Lily Levin is a Trinity first year. Her column, “overcaffeinated convictions,” runs on alternate Mondays.

MONDAY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY JANUARY 27, 2020 | 11

Introducing PASH: Let’s talk about ‘it’

M

y sex ed was bad.

OK, it could have been worse.

It wasn’t completely abstinencebased, and I learned the names of some STIs. But my few-weeks-long course on sexual health in high school was really lacking in substance.

position to do so. Our experiences on this campus lend themselves to different perspectives than you’ll get from Student Health, DuWell, and CAPS, and we think there’s tremendous value in using our voices in conversations around our wellness.

With PASH, we’re trying to break down those barriers around sex, making healthy conversations around sex and relationships an accessible and normal aspect of our lives. And this semester, we hope to do so publicly in this column. tyler kopp

president of PASH

If I had to guess, I’d say yours probably was too.

Even in many of the more comprehensive sexual health curricula I’ve seen, the focus is often on prevention practices. “Don’t want an STI or pregnancy? Use a condom.” Talking about prevention, depending on the framework of the approach, can be healthy and informative, but it really only scratches the surface of sexual wellness. Even really sex positive teachers sometimes avoid opening meaningful conversations on consent, on pleasure, on relationships, instead opting for the seemingly positive but extremely vague “if you’re gonna have sex, be responsible” or “be safe.”

But what does it mean to be “responsible” or “safe” in our sexual, romantic and platonic endeavors if we’ve never had a space for real and vulnerable conversations about these things? Is it just about using contraceptives to prevent pregnancies and STIs? For some people, sure.

For many of us, there’s a lot more to it.

We are Peer Advocacy for Sexual Health (PASH). In this column, we intend to make space for the conversations around sex, relationships and wellness that many of us have been missing.

You might be thinking that at Duke, these conversations already happen plenty enough.

That we’re all competent in the “facts” about our sexual health. That I’m exaggerating when I say many of us have never had a space to talk openly about their sexual health. I think making those assumptions is what often keeps us silent on these topics. Even if Duke is an open-minded space, many of us arrive here with deeply negative socializations around sex. I grew up in a religious, conservative environment, and like many of you, I have been socialized to see sex as something “dirty” or “sinful,” and, at best, off limits for discussion. Unlearning this socialization of sex is not easy, and doing it in the dark is probably impossible.

With PASH, we’re trying to break down those barriers around sex, making healthy conversations around sex and relationships an accessible and normal aspect of our lives. And this semester, we hope to do so publicly in this column.

PASH is an organization made up exclusively of Duke students. In many ways, we’re just like you—we walk this campus, we mine through its relationship and hookup culture, we have lots of questions about sexual health and relationships, and we don’t have all the answers to those questions. In fact, nobody has all the answers. As PASH members, we’re determined to work through those questions together, to learn from each other in open-minded dialogue and challenge the notion that sex ought not be a discussion. And as students, we’re in a unique

Just as PASH is a community of students, so is this column. Throughout the semester, each piece will be a product of collaboration between members of PASH. Some of us will get real about personal experiences. Some will have more to say than others on certain topics.

Beyond the creativity that can come through this collaboration, we think it will show how there are often not absolute truths to sexual wellness. For example, my boundaries when experimenting with kinks with my partner may differ a ton from those of my peers. We want to acknowledge and validate experiences that differ from our own, because, at the end of the day, we’re in this together.

For years now, PASH has received anonymous questions from Duke undergraduates, and we’ve done our best to answer them on our blog. We’re bringing that format to this column.

Do you have questions that you’d prefer to ask anonymously? If so, fill out this form with as many questions as you’d like. In the case that it’s inspiring, here are some questions we’ve gotten in the past, interspersed with some of my own: · What are the boundaries when you want to try something new with your sexual partner but they are hesitant? · Where can I buy vegan condoms? And strawberry flavored lube? · What kinds of lube are compatible with sex toys of different materials? · I hate confrontation—does that make ghosting OK? As some of these questions reflect, while PASH has a lot of conversations focused on sex, we’re much more than your high school sex education refresher course. Yes, we talk about consent- and pleasure-based sex. We also talk about relationships—after all, from a longterm partner to a spur-of-the-moment hookup, we have a relationship with each of our sexual and romantic partners. In each column, we’re going to build up communities that have been excluded and stigmatized from mainstream conversation around sex. As PASH members, we are inclusive of people of all genders and sexualities. We do not shame people with kinks.

We believe that everyone deserves access to respect, recognition, and pleasure.

We won’t be able to tear down every barrier around sexual health conversations in this column, and that’s OK. We are going to try our best, and we’re glad y’all are here to join us.

PASH is a student-run organization providing resources for sexual health and relationshipbuilding. Their column, “let’s talk about ‘it,’” runs on alternate Monday. To ask them a question about sex or relationships, submit to this online form.

SKAPEK

start looking at how we can get to those spots,” Skapek said.

From his two years on the Young Trustee Nominating Committee, serving as chair Skapek said. “That’s an example of something that I think I have a much better gauge on from as a sophomore and a voting member my experience being on a team where I’m not the as a junior, Skapek said he has a strong most talented or the best.” understanding of what the Young Trustee Duke head coach David Cutcliffe has always position demands.

Skapek explained that he has the ability said that the best compliment one can receive to think about the University’s broad is being a good teammate, Skapek said, and he has taken that wisdom to heart. needs, in addition to the awareness of When former Duke quarterback and nowwhen he should contribute and when he New York Giants starter Daniel Jones broke his should seek out others’ wisdom to further his understanding. collarbone in 2018, Skapek’s teammates Clark The main issue that Duke is currently Bulleit and Kevin Gehsmann, Pratt ‘19, helped create and 3D-print a custom fitted brace. facing, Skapek noted, is how to approach Jones recovered in just three weeks. rapid growth in Durham and the Triangle This fall, Skapek, an engineer, partnered area at large. It will be important for Duke to engage with the growth without displacing with Bulleit and Gehsmann to co-found already existing communities, he said.

Protect3d, a company that designs padding to protect against injuries. Protect3d has made “As a community member, Duke has an more than 100 devices and has partnered with obligation to contribute and be a part of that seven teams. The three were named finalists for in the right way,” Skapek said.

As for on-campus issues, he called Duke’s an NFL innovation competition for their work current housing situation “not horrible,” in athlete safety and performance.

He added that this experience would help but one that could improve in terms of him as a Young Trustee, a role that calls for continuity of experience. one to act as a fiduciary of the University.

Rebecca Simmons, associate professor of “Managing a company from the ground the practice in the department of mechanical engineering and materials science, has up has been incredibly insightful in terms of how to make decisions not just for myself, but known Skapek since his first year, serving what’s best for all of us as an entity and all of as his mentor and teacher in several classes. the people that have supported us along the Simmons said that Skapek is always smiling way,” Skapek said. and has the tools to make “great societal contributions.”

While balancing 40-plus hours a week of practice and football-related work, Skapek co“Tim pushes through challenges and setfounded the company and remained involved backs, he has diverse experiences, he gives on campus in several other ways. space to others to let them be the best they Throughout his career, he has served in a can be but also pushes them when they need it or the project needs it,” Simmons wrote number of tour guide roles. He has been an ambassador for Duke’s development office in an email to The Chronicle. “He sees and and serves as the president of Dukes and looks for opportunity, he is willing to take Duchesses, an organization of students who risks on crazy ideas, and he is willing to put give tours and assist with special events and in the time and effort to see projects and tasks through.” ceremonies.

Skapek has given tours to a wide variety Senior Sabrina Qi worked with Skapek of people, from elementary school students as engineering interns this summer at to potential administrators and faculty. A Pathspot, a startup. Qi said Skapek is among “problem solver” and “engineer at heart,” he the most hardworking people she has met also has shaken up Dukes and Duchesses’ and is passionate and open to new ideas, also recruitment process to increase diversity. touting his leadership skills.

“I’ve always been the type of thinker who “In team settings, I think he provides a wants to look at a situation critically, figure lot of Sales motivation for team members and has The New York Times Syndication Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, York, N.Y. 10018skills,” Qi wrote in an email great leadership out what are the problems here, what could be New For Information Call:to 1-800-972-3550 changed or done better and thenFor immediately The Chronicle.

Release Friday, January 24, 2020

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FROM PAGE 1

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The Chronicle

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