The Chronicle

Issue date: 7/25/07 Section: News
Last update: 7/25/07 at 7:18 PM EST

Media Credit: SARA GUERRERO Administrators hope to steer selective living toward theme houses like Language Dorm in the future.

Despite recommendations made by the Campus Culture Initiative Steering Committee last spring, selective living groups will likely not be eliminated from West Campus, University officials said this month.

"I could well imagine that the recommendation in its fullest form would not be implemented," Provost Peter Lange said, noting the disagreement the recommendation has created. He is now reviewing the committee's recommendations and will make his own final recommendations to the president this fall, but said the result is likely to include more options for students.

A challenge administrators face in the decision is that there is no "correct" answer, said Eddie Hull, dean of residence life and executive director of housing services. "If there was, everybody would be doing the same thing," he said. "It's all a matter of what is it that would best serve the goals of Duke and how does that mirror up with the desires of students."

But administrators do acknowledge an inequitable distribution of privileges under the current system. The CCI reported that in Fall 2006, West Campus dormitories housed 82 percent of Duke's white students, approximately 75 percent of both Hispanics and Asians and only 58.4 percent of black students.

"Real estate is important at Duke and to the extent that one controls real estate, one has some significant privileges," said Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs and the CCI Steering Committee's vice chair.

Furthermore, according to the CCI report, the presence of many fraternities and mostly male selective living groups creates a "male-dominant" campus, although Hull said "retaining selective living opportunities also has merits."

Lange said the new Selective Group Assessment, launched in January, will evaluate group's performances-rewarding or punishing performance with bed-space changes-and may help change the current system.

Joe Gonzalez, associate dean of residential life, said options include establishing all-selective quadrangles and creating more co-ed selective living groups and all-female groups.

"Regardless of the outcomes, I think groups are recognizing... that they're going to get more attention," Gonzalez said. "They have a chance now to show that maintaining their existence is better for the community than not."

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