The Chronicle DSG overhauls fee
proposal before vote Proposed increase now $3O per year due to overwhelming student input i
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Emmeline Zhao and Emma Miller THE CHRONICLE
COURTNEY DOUGLAS/THE CHRONICLE
Students put approximately 360 American flags—one per every eight people who died in the attacks of September 11, 2001—on the Chapel lawn Wednesday night, the eve of the seventh anniversary of the terrorist strikes.
Brodhead to speak in NYC Students share stories to commemorate tragic day aboutsendee, education by
Ally Helmers THE CHRONICLE
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President Richard Brodhead will arrive in New York City today to tout Duke Engage to the likes of Sen. John McCain, Sen. Barack Obama and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. . Brodhead will speak to a crowd of6oo university, political, military and corporate leaders Friday at the ServiceNation Summit—a gathering offamous and not-so-famous individuals promoting community service and education on the nation’s most pressing social issues. The Summit begins with SEE SUMMIT ON PAGE
Kristen Davis
THE CHRONICLE
Seven years ago today, the impact in New York City, Washington and Shanksville, Pa. reverberated throughout the nation and pierced the hearts and minds ofAmericans. Last night, more than 20 members ofDuke College Republicans and the Duke Conservative Union stuck approximately 360 flags on the Chapel lawn—one for every eight people lost in the attacks. The students present at the memorial wedged the flags in the ground, took a step back and reclaimed the emotions that had captured them on that day in September. DCU President David Bitner, a junior who organized the memorial, was a 14-year-old lying in bed
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Duke Student Government has elected to lower the proposed increase of the student activities fee from $5O a year to $3O a year over the course of two years. The DSG Senate voted to change the course of the Sept. 15 referendum at their meeting Wednesday night. “My concern is that students who are not involved with student groups would be less likely to pass something like this,” said DSG PresidentJordan Giordano, a senior. An increase in fees will lead to an additional $360,000 in financing. Because the money will only be enough to launch one of the three originally proposed initiatives—a campus-wide car-rental service, a full-time legal attorney for students and a bus tracking system —the Senate voted largely in favor of hiring a legal aid. “That’s what we thought students wanted the most, and primarily because it’s the only thing the student activities fee can pay for,” said Executive Vice President Kantha, a senior. “Based on the DSG representatives and what we’ve heard from the student body, students really need this.” If the referendum passes based
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on the new proposal, the student activities fee will increase from the current $222 per year to $252 for the 2009-2010 academic year, and thenjump to $282 for the 2010-2011 academic year. The initial proposal suggests increasing the current fee by $5O per year, or a total of $lOO. “This is a step in the right direction,” said Duke University Union President Chamindra Goonewardene, a senior, who has spoken out against the initial proposal. “We need to make sure it’s done right think smart and not think quick.” Goonewardene attended the DSG meeting to counter the fee increase and said that as elected representatives, campus leaders should ensure that all decisions are made in students’ best interest. Kantha said Goonewardene’s speech was the “breaking point” after week-long talks, and criticisms, of the proposal. The legal service is budgeted to cost $150,000 a year. The remaining $210,000 from the increase will go to the Student Organization Finance Committee, of which a portion will go toward doubling the current $lOO,OOO Programming Fund pending a Senate vote, Giordano said. The Programming Fund provides —
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Duke attorneys ask court to dismiss Giuliani suit body, Andrew Giuliani is responsible for both his actions and their consequences.” The response says Giuliani’s conduct alone—includAttorneys for the University and head golf coach O.D. Vincent filed Wednesday afternoon a motion to dismiss the July ing breaking a club, “gunning” the engine of his car, 23 lawsuit in which senior Andrew Giuliani alleged that he throwing an apple at the face of former teammate Brian Kim, a junior, and being disrespectful to a trainer, acwas illegally terminatedfrom the golf team. Donald Cowan and Jim Cooneycalled for the court to discording to the filing —would have merited a dismissal, miss the suit with prejudice —barring a plaintiff from bringwhich was unrelated to his golfing ability. Team meming action on the same claim—and to deny relief to Giuliani. bers did not take opportunities to vouch for Giuliani, and the response notes that five of six players specifiThey also requested a trial byjury. Giuliani’s suit, first reported by The Chronicle, alleged cally recommended that Giuliani’s membership be “terby
Staff Reports THE CHRONICLE
that he had been unfairly dismissed from the team and
Vincent had crafted unique parameters that would effectively bar his reinstatement, likening the situation to a “Lord of the Flies” incident. “Andrew Giulianiis entided to no more privileges than any other member of the Duke University student body,” Wednesday’s filing reads. “Like every other member of the student
minated.”
Although Giuliani’s mother, Donna Hanover, told The Chronicle that the family had exhausted all avenues to communicate their grievances, the University’s filing says CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO that Giuliani, his parents and counsel “repeatedly sought to avoid [and] to maneuver around” Duke’s codified Senior Andrew Giulianifiled a suit against Duke in July alleging an illegal terminationfrom the golf team. University lawyers responded Wednesday. three-step review process. ...