- DSG passed a resolution supporting more Durham-related classes and a Durham FOCUS cluster.
- Changes to Transportation and Parking Services were discussed, including email notifications about towing and increased ticketing of non-commuters who park in the commuter lot.
-
A potential expansion to the USA Today readership program was discussed, including the introduction of a Duke-exclusive app with USA Today and regional articles.
Duke's academic involvement in the Durham community may soon see a large jump.
At a Duke Student Government meeting Wednesday, the Senate passed the Durham Education Initiative Resolution, which expresses support for the creation of more Durham and regionally-oriented classes, in addition to a FOCUS cluster centered exclusively around Durham.
The resolution was introduced by seniors David Robertson, vice president of Durham and regional affairs, and Ray Li, vice president of academic affairs, and freshmen Priya Sarkar, senator for Durham and regional affairs and Jon Gillespie, senator of academic affairs.
The impetus for this resolution came from a comparison to peer institutions such as Harvard University, they explained. Many of these universities have a large number of classes devoted to the study of their surrounding region, but Duke does not in comparison.
“We want to get students to be more active in the community, and this is a way to bridge that gap [between Duke and Durham] through classes instead of just extra-curricular activities or one-off experiences,” Li explained. “It’s a good way to create a sustained sense of community. Our peer institutions do this, and these courses are really popular in other schools.”
Li went on to say that another goal is to get more research-based interaction out of the Durham area, which is already a hub for social science research.
With the help of faculty liaison Megan Granda, director of the Center for Civic Engagement, the FOCUS cluster will take shape over the next year and will be ready for the incoming class of 2019. As of right now, the cluster will consist of a course taught by Granda, a documentary film studies class and a service learning component, Gillespie explained.
In other business:
Vice President for Services Billy Silk, a junior, spoke about some potential changes to parking brought up at a meeting with Duke Parking and Transportation. The changes include email notifications about towing, increased ticketing of non-commuters who park in the commuter lot and bonus parking packages for parking lots which experience routine vacancies. Additionally, Silk explained that he is working on expanding the Duke vans service to a pharmacy off campus on weekends.
Silk and President Lavanya Sunder, a junior, also explained a potential expansion to the USA Today readership program, which is responsible for the free USA Today and New York Times newspapers found around campus. Changes include the introduction of a Duke-exclusive app which will include USA Today articles and regional articles from USA Today affiliates.
The Student Organization Funding Committee approved approximately $8,700 in funding for Lambda Omega, which is bringing in actress and AIDS activist Sheryl Lee Ralph as a speaker.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.