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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
MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019 DUKECHRONICLE.COM
ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH YEAR, ISSUE 35
Women’s March Grad program director steps down after comes to Raleigh warning students not to speak Chinese By Xinchen Li, Nathan Luzum, Kenrick Cai, Bre Bradham
By Nico Portuondo Contributing Reporter
RALEIGH—Hundreds of people marched to Halifax Mall as part of the Raleigh Women’s March Saturday afternoon to protest a range of issues concerning the current divisive political and social climate. The march started at 1 p.m. with protesters circling the North Carolina State Legislative Building and chanting political calls to action such as “This is what democracy looks like” and “Love, not hate, makes America great.” Protesters marched for an hour until they arrived at Halifax Mall, where they listened to speeches and musical performances put on by the event organizers, Women Mobilize NC. “This is more than about women’s rights. It’s about LGBTQ rights, Black Lives Matter, DACA. We won’t be quiet and we won’t back down,” said Supriya Caton, a student at North Carolina State University from Fuquay-Varina, N.C. Under the umbrella of intersectional feminism, the Women’s March on Raleigh protested issues such See MARCH on Page 4
Two fraternities suspended, new member activity stopped at third By Ben Leonard Managing Editor
Duke’s chapters of Delta Tau Delta and Pi Kappa Phi fraternities have been suspended, and all new member activities at Sigma Phi Epsilon have been suspended pending a hazing investigation. Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs, wrote to The Chronicle in an email that allegations against the fraternities have prompted an investigation. “Duke University has no tolerance for hazing,” Moneta wrote. “As soon as the university was made aware of these allegations we launched an investigation.” Duke is working with the three fraternities’ national offices and Duke University Police Department in the process of the investigation, Moneta wrote. “Hazing is a violation of university policy and state law, and we take any allegations of potential harm to students very seriously,” Moneta wrote. Delta Tau Delta president Matthew Gallardo wrote that the fraternity is aware of the allegations and that it is working on the situation with its central office. Matthew Conley, president of Duke’s Interfraternity Council, wrote in an email that The Chronicle should reach out to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. “At this point in time, I don’t have any further information to contribute,” Conley wrote. The Chronicle has reached out to the presidents of the other two fraternities and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, but they did not respond to requests for comment. Saturday afternoon, Moneta added in an email that he could not comment yet about the specifics of the allegations against the fraternities.
The Chronicle
The director of graduate studies for a School of Medicine program has stepped down and the dean of the medical school has asked the Office of Institutional Equity to conduct a thorough review of the program in response to emails that surfaced Saturday. Screenshots of the emails sent by Megan Neely, director of graduate studies for the Master of Biostatistics program, were posted online Saturday afternoon. Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, confirmed that the screenshots were accurate to The Chronicle Saturday night. The screenshots showed Neely asking students to use English after two unnamed colleagues approached her about students speaking Chinese in lounge or study Sujal Manohar | Photography Editor areas. The two colleagues were trying to identify the The director of graduate studies for the department of biostatistics, housed in Hock Plaza, stepped down.
See STEPS DOWN on Page 4
Similar email sent in 2018 Neely says she ‘deeply
regrets’ hurt email caused
By Kenrick Cai Investigations Editor
A director of graduate studies stepped down after sending an email Friday warning students not to speak Chinese. She also sent an email less than one year earlier telling students to speak English. In the Feb. 28, 2018 email, Megan Neely, director of graduate studies for the Master of Biostatistics program, wrote that “many faculty” had noticed international students not speaking English in the department’s break room. Although most faculty members were not named, the email—with the subject line “To Speak English or To Not Speak English”—refers to a “recent report” by Department Chair Elizabeth DeLong, which was the catalyst for Neely’s email. “Bottom line: Continuing this practice may make it harder for you and future international students to get research opportunities while in the program,” Neely wrote in the email. Mary Klotman, dean of the School of Medicine, confirmed to The Chronicle Sunday that the February email would be included in the Office of Institutional Equity review of the program that was announced after the Friday email came to light. “I don’t know details around the early 2018 email at this time, but it will be part of the review,” Klotman wrote in an email to The Chronicle. The Chronicle reached out to DeLong—who is listed on Duke’s website as having assumed the department chair position in 2007—Saturday evening about the 2018 email. DeLong did not directly address any of the questions sent to her, but shared a statement about recent developments. “I welcome the review by the Office of Institutional Equity and the opportunity to strengthen our program Special to the Chronicle and support our students,” Megan Neely remains as an associate
By Xinchen Li Local and National News Editor
Nathan Luzum Senior Editor
After stepping down from her role as director of graduate studies, Megan Neely expressed “deep regret” for hurt caused by her email that told students not to speak Chinese. Neely, who was the director of graduate studies for the Master of Biostatistics program until she stepped down Saturday, sent an email Friday to first- and secondyear masters students encouraging them not to speak Chinese. Neely also sent an email in February 2018 telling biostatistics students to speak English. The apology email—sent from Department Chair Elizabeth DeLong’s email account but signed by both DeLong and Neely—acknowledged that the Friday email “was not appropriate.” “Although it was not meant to be hurtful, it came out that way and was clearly in error,” DeLong wrote. DeLong also included a statement from Neely in the email. “I deeply regret the hurt my email has caused,” Neely wrote in the email from DeLong. “It was not my intention. Moving forward, it is my sincerest wish that every student in the Master of Biostatistics is successful in all of their endeavors.” The controversy erupted after screenshots were posted online of the Friday email in which Neely told students that two faculty members had approached her about students speaking Chinese “very loudly” in lounge and study areas. “They were disappointed that these students were not taking the opportunity to improve their English and were being so impolite as to have a conversation that not everyone on the floor could understand,” Neely wrote in the Friday email. Mary Klotman, dean of the School of Medicine, also reached out to the students Saturday afternoon and See NEELY on Page 4
See 2018 on Page 4 professor.
K-Ville sees new security measures
Men’s tennis falls to Tar Heels
Letter: Welcome the international students
After last year’s walk up line devolved into a drunken mob, new security measures come to K-Ville. PAGE 2
Duke’s men’s tennis team takes down Middle Tennessee State, but falls to no. 6 North Carolina. PAGE 8
Seaver Wang writes that Duke should welcome its international students rather than shame them. PAGE 11
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