The Chronicle Ford, Steele Belvin honored with endowment Scholarship named offer views for Fin. Aid director on election by
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Carmen Hernandez THE CHRONICLE
The debate Wednesday night between Harold Ford, chair of the Democratic Leadership Council, and Michael Steele, chair of a* Republican Political Action Committee, GOPAC, seemed more often a consensus than a debate between the two political leaders on policy issues.
Approximately
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thirds of Page Auditorium was filled with mostly upperclassmen and graduate students, and the event was moderated by Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations. The debate was sponsored by Duke University Union, Black Student Alliance and the Hart Leadership Program’s Connect2Politics Initiative, The debaters, who said they have been friends for several years, discussed mostly general issues like energy policy and campaign funding, and did not aggressively SEE DEBATE ON PAGE 5
Christopher Ross THE CHRONICLE
Director of Financial Aid Jim Belvin was showered with awards at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens during his retirement party Wednesday, and the establishment of an endowment in his name ensures that his contributions to the University will continue to be remembered after his departure. More than 100 friends, co-workers and former students whom he had influenced and worked with donated money to create the James Belvin Jr. Scholarship Fund which was announced by President Richard Brodhead. When matched by a challenge grant, the scholarship endowment totals $250,000. “I never imagined an honor like this would come my way,” Belvin said. “It is quite a capstone to a wonderful career.... It’s awesome.” The announcement came as a surprise to Belvin, but that was not the only award he received during the celebration. Hope Williams, president of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, awarded him with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine—the highest civilian honor offered by North Carolina. “Being director offinancial aid is one of thosejobs in a university central to its mission but invisible to many of thosewho most benefit from it,” Provost Peter Lange said. “This is even more the case when the incumbent is a man of quiet skill and commitment.” Belvin has spent the past 38 years at Duke, with 32 of those as financial aid di—
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CHRIS MCGUIRE/THE CHRONICLE
PresidentRichard Brodhead (left) announces thecreation ofa fund in honorofDirectorofFinancialAid JimBelvin (right) at hisretirement party Wednesday in the Sarah R Duke Gardens.Belvin has worked at Duke for 38 years.
Notably, Belvin has worked to give financial assistance to more than 30,000 students to attend Duke, according to a University statement. “We have had a huge growth in diversity and there is no way that we would have the growth and diversity at Duke without the kind offinancial aid program that Jim has managed,” Lange said. Belvin has been responsible for federal student aid and the University’s student loan office, and worked on the financial aid enrector.
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Emma Miller
For years, students have likened the Gothic architecture ofWest Campus to Hogwarts, the dazzlingly magical school of witchcraft and wizardry made famous by Harry Potter. But it’s no longer just the stony buildings that help draw parallels between Duke and J.K Rowling’s iconic institution. Quidditch—the wizarding community’s most popular form ofrecreation—is the newest sport on campus. Over the past few weeks, passersby have stopped to stare as a group of about 12 freshmen congregate on East Campus Quadrangle and toss a slighdy deflated volleyball through hula hoops mounted on poles —all while clutching brooms between their thighs. Freshman MaliaLehrer is spearheading
EMILY
BRAY/THE
CHRONICLE
Some freshmen have started playing the wizard sport Quidditch on East Campus with hopes of playing in a collegiate tourney.
SEE BELVIN ON PAGE 4
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THE CHRONICLE
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hancements that were approved by the Board ofTrustees in December 2007. The initiative, which reduces parental contributions and alters loan structure to help more families, is estimated to have already benefited 2,500 students, according to the University statement “It has been my honor to have you be the financial aid director during our Financial Aid Initiative,” Brodhead told Belvin during the ceremony. “I think your
efforts to prepare aspiring Duke players for participation in the Intercollegiate Quidditch World Cup, a tournament that began when Middlebury College defeated Vassar College’s visitin the first intercollegiate Muggle Quidditch match last fall. The rules of Quidditch have been necessarily altered for Muggles. Instead of flying on broomsticks, players run across the field with brooms held firmly between their legs. Dodgeballs act as the violent Bludgers that zoom around knocking players to the ground, and the Snitch —the elusive gold ball with wings whose capture ends the game—is SEE
QUIDDITCH ON PAGE 6