Embrace the new Tailgate
(09/03/12 7:33am)
With the inaugural new Tailgate Sept.15, Duke students will have somewhere to be again on fall Saturday afternoons.
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With the inaugural new Tailgate Sept.15, Duke students will have somewhere to be again on fall Saturday afternoons.
None of us go mini-golfing as often as we should, which is part of why there is much to say on behalf of a new initiative to expand the scope of the student faculty outing program. Previously available only to first year students, the reimagined program-—much to its credit—has been conceived of and coordinated by students, and answers to a cardinal challenge in designing academic experiences: No amount of bookishness can make up for the amicable spirit that comes from shared leisure, which sustains meaningful academic relationships.
Duke administrators have publicly cast into doubt the future of Duke’s relationship with the Bull City Connector, citing lower-than-expected ridership rates.
The new West Union Building will be modeled on the upscale Italian food court Eataly located in New York City. Thus, West Union will no longer house national fast food chains, such as Chick-Fil-A and Subway, which will not return to Duke after this year.
President Richard Brodhead’s recent treatise on Duke Kunshan University, emailed to the Duke community last week, recycles bromides about “global presence” while avoiding serious issues. Although we appreciate the president’s efforts to keep the Duke community informed, his lack of clarity and candor heightens confusion and fuels skepticism about the Kunshan campus.
Welcome to Duke, Class of 2016! Freshmen are arriving at this university during a very special time, and we do not mean that in a trite way. Duke is undergoing a massive amount of change this year, more change than it has experienced in recent memory. The Editorial Board will often use this space to discuss and critique the upcoming changes. However, before we get started, we want to quickly comment on some of the major issues at stake that will undoubtedly impact your Duke experience in the years to come.
The times they are a-changin’ at Duke. The beginning of this academic year marks a time of monumental change at our university, change that will shape the core of the institution for years to come. Some changes are physical, like the West Union renovations, including the new multipurpose pavilion that has already broken ground. Some changes are social, like the inaugural house model, which will drastically transform residential communities. Some changes are overseas, like Duke Kunshan University, which was finally approved by China’s education ministry this summer. Finally, with the announcement of Duke’s multibillion dollar capital campaign, the biggest in the school’s history, there are big financial changes looming as well.
“There’s a tsunami coming,” Stanford President John Hennessey has said of elite universities joining the growing trend of online education. This summer Duke decided to make the online leap through a partnership with Coursera, a web education company started by two Stanford computer science professors. Starting this fall, Duke will offer free online courses to anyone with an Internet connection. It will join Stanford University, the University of Michigan, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and 11 other schools, both international and domestic, in teaching subjects ranging from robotics to Roman mythology.
After strong sales and a constant stream of customers, the Refectory’s Divinity School location will close. The decision came after a breakdown in negotiations between Refectory owner Laura Hall and Duke administrators. Problems arose when Hall was unwilling to accept paying a larger commission to the University.
The Robertson Scholars Program recently sparked questions by announcing the resignation of Executive Director Woody Coley. Coley stepped down earlier this month after only a year in the position. This decision follows the resignation of several other staff members.
The Fuqua School of Business canned its incipient expansion into the Middle East last month with the same curtain of obscurity that has covered the project from the beginning.
The Duke community suffered a tragic loss with the passing of Jessica Caroe, a rising second-year MBA student at the Fuqua School of Business.
The search for a new dean to head the Sanford School of Public Policy has been extended after the selected candidate declined his offer. As the search committee gears up to continue looking for candidates, we hope they do so with eye towards a leader capable of continuing the school’s strong suits while charting new paths.
Two weeks ago, Amendment One passed with 61 percent of the vote, despite the efforts of activists in the state and among the student body. Although the passage of the amendment represents a codification of discrimination and a step backward for the state, the University has done everything in its power to reaffirm its commitment to LGBT rights within the new legal framework. We commend administrators for their efforts and hope they continue to support equality.
The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to reappoint President Richard Brodhead for a third term. The announcement follows a board initiated four-month review of Brodhead’s leadership to this point. The decision to reappoint comes ahead of major transitions for the direction of the University. With the implementation of the house model, renovation of the West Union and opening of Duke Kunshan University on the horizon, the presidential position should remain stable. In addition to this, the president must be prepared to handle unforeseen circumstances and cultivate confidence through a coherent vision for the future.
We call on all Duke students registered to vote in North Carolina to vote this week against Amendment One, an amendment to the state constitution that would make all civil unions and domestic partnerships, in addition to same-sex marriage, unconstitutional. It is not hard. Early voting will take place until May 5 in the Old Trinity Room of the West Union Building.
We at The Chronicle’s independent editorial board are pretty tied up (read: wasted) this LDOC, so in lieu of a standard editorial, we’d like to share some of our favorite happenings on the Duke Twittersphere (see, we’re in touch with campus... right? #istwitterstillcool).
Of the nation’s elite universities, Duke is among the very few that offer merit-based scholarships to outstanding incoming students. Most notably, none of the Ivy League schools—which are often cited as Duke’s peer institutions—publicly offer merit-based aid.
Despite significant improvements in gender equality, the fight for equal status for women remains incomplete. Asserting the continued relevance of feminism, the “Who Needs Feminism” campaign combats the undeserved stigma associated with the feminist label and facilitates serious conversations about securing and defending the rights of women.
Students will vote Monday for the seven new vice presidents to lead the Duke Student Government Senate. We would like to take this opportunity to examine the candidates running unopposed for the vice presidents of three committees: academic affairs; facilities and the environment; and residential life.