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Emmeline Zhao THE CHRONICLE
In a new development for higher education file-sharing policy, Duke announced Friday that it will now require music trade associations to supply proof of copyright infringement before forwarding settlement letters to students. Over the past few years, universities have been caught in the crosshairs of coordinated legal crackdowns on students by the Recording Industry Association of America, nGWS forcing administrators analysis to balance their legal obligations under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act with their obligation to protect students. Duke is the latest in a small number of universities that have taken a stance against the RIAA’s charges approach, joining the ranks of institutions like Harvard University, the University of Washington and the University of Oregon. In particular, Harvard has been noted for its professors’ active position against RIAA litigation, but Duke’s policy has attracted media interest as well. “I have gotten several phone calls from colleagues at other universities who are interested in this policy that Duke has done,” Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta said. •
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the government grappling with the worst \omic outlook since the Great Depression, unlikely that Congress would be wilideeper into its wallet any time soon. research industry, which depends heavily on government funding, will try to persuade ConVice gress to keep digging. for Research James As one of the nation’s most prominent reSiedow said he is search institutions, Duke receives 17 percent of doubtful that this year its revenue from research, said Michael Schoe/iwill be any different -feld, vice president for public affairs awl With wars in two counment relations. tries, bailout plans and a leveled NIH budget, it is Although in recent years Duke harrecmed increases in funding from the National Institutes unlikely that Duke will reof Health—the government agency primarily ceive increases in funding. responsible for medical research—the Univer“We’ve competed pretty sity saw a decrease in its research enterprise well against other schools,” for the first time last year, from $3BB million Siedow said. “We’ve continin 2006 to s3B6' ued to grow the research enin 2007. terprise, but now we’re beginning to see decreases at Duke... and this year isn’t looking a whole lot better.” Congress might have to cut research spending because it is a nonessential expenditure and its payoffs are too far off in the _
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Few renovation slated to finish Dec. 19 by
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MANSFIELD/THE CHRONICLE
Renovations to Few Quadrangle are expected to finish Dec. 19, marking the end of a 7-month endeavor. Projects of this scope usually take 10 months.
Christopher Ross THE CHRONICLE
The $2O million renovation of Few Quadrangle is in the final stretch ofconstruction and has proceeded without obstacles, project officials said. Construction is expected to be completed by the Dec. 19 deadline in time for students to move in for the Spring semester, said Eddie Hull, dean ofresidence life and executive director of housing services. “The finishing touches are being completed,” said Paul Manning, director of project management at Duke’s Facilities Management Department. “Carpeting is being put down, and the walls and windows are being painted. It feels and smells and looks like the project is almost completed.” The complexity of the renovations were magnified with a timetable shorter than the suggested 10 months, Hull said. Because Few Quad could only be closed for one summer and one academic semester, the renovations were compressed into seven months, he noted. Few’s needs were deemed pressing enough to put it ahead of some SEE RENOVATION ON PAGE 4
Almost 1,600 high school seniors have already identified Duke as their No. 1. Early this month, 1,573 students applied early decision to Duke, seeking admission to the Class of 2013—showing more than a 25 percent increase in applicants from last year. This number falls justshort of the record 1,589 early applications received in Fall 2001. “All ofus in [Undergraduate] Admissions were very unsure about what would happen with early decision numbers this year—in part because of the economy,” Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Christoph Guttentag said. “All of us whohave seen an increase have been pleasantly surprised, not only at the fact -of an increase but at the Lnnstoph Guttentag r size or the increase. All ethnic groups have seen a rise in applicants, according to initial numbers from about 1,200 of the applications. Early decision application trends tend to foreshadow the year’s regular decision applicant pool, Guttentag said. But he noted that he does not anticipate as large of an increase in regular applicants as the early pool. In light of the recent economic downturn, private university officials across the nation had predicted fewer overall applications because of the high price of tuition. Duke was no exception, Provost Peter Lange said. But the numbers have proven otherwise. Dartmouth College received 12.5 percent more early' decision applications this year than last, and Yale University’s early action applications increased in number by 10.4 percent —both setting record highs. Stanford University saw an 18 percent increase in early action applications compared to last year. Guttentag said the increases in early applicants are not necessarily a result of students no longer being able to apply early to some other top institutions—as Harvard University eliminated early applications in 2006, and Princeton University and the University of Virginia followed soon afterward. He explained that the unexpected rise does not suggest an obvious explanation, but the surge is “in part just a recognition of what Duke has to offer” despite the pervasive financial crisis. “It’s very difficult to say,” he said. “But I think that we certainly have had some new -
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