Seniors will leave the University having witnessing a year of sweeping change.
A new residential plan unanimously passed by the Board of Trustees in December transforms East into a freshman campus, places upperclassmen on North, reshuffles selective and independent dorms, introduces quadrangle communities and creates a new cost structure. The plan received mixed reviews, with protests culminating in late April when a group of students camped out in front of the Allen Building and gathered more than 1,200 signatures to amend the plan.
Along with residential life, President Nan Keohane's decision to dissolve the position of University vice president and vice provost, held by Leonard Beckum, incurred a student-organized sit-in outside her office. The administrative post had been the top-ranking University position dealing with minority affairs. After the protest, Keohane announced plans to create a similar post dealing with institutional equity on campus.
The alcohol policy also changed when the vice president for student affairs instituted a policy allowing only University bartenders to distribute alcohol.
As policy changes affected undergraduate life, the Board of Trustees approved a University-wide plan in October titled "Shaping Our Future." The plan alters the University's mission statement for the first time since 1924 and sets the University's priorities for the next five years, including a new tuition policy and a renewed emphasis on the sciences.
At the same meeting, the trustees approved plans for $30 million to be invested in new recreational facilities on East and West Campuses.
Meanwhile, varsity athletics were making headlines. As new head football coach, Fred Goldsmith led his team to an 8-4 Cinderella season culminating in an unprecedented trip to the Hall of Fame Bowl. The women's basketball team enjoyed a stellar season. The team beat defending national champions UNC in Cameron, but lost a record-breaking, four-overtime game to Alabama in the NCAA tournament.
Women's soccer also defeated defending national champions from down Tobacco Road, handing UNC their first loss since 1990 and their first-ever defeat on their home field. And women's lacrosse earned a victory off the field in October when they were granted varsity status by the Board of Trustees.
Not all sports teams enjoyed the glow of victory, however, as the men's basketball team suffered an uncharacteristic losing season without the guidance of Coach Mike Krzyzewski, who was forced to sit out the season with a back injury. Off the court, the campus buzzed with rumors about Krzyzewski's condition, and sophomore forward Greg Newton was suspended for academic dishonesty.
The University's administration also saw changes in its lineup, as Dr. Charles Putman assumed the newly created position of senior vice president for research administration, while earlier in the year John Strohbehn was appointed as the new provost.
The year also marked the departure of Sue Wasiolek and Karen Steinour from student development.
Summer accidents claimed the lives of two young members of the University community, as Engineering junior Armin Asghari and Bill Maschke, Trinity `94, died in automobile accidents.
In the fall, Trinity junior Rohit Kumar and Trinity senior Jed Silversmith were accused of fraud for recruiting more than 600 students to join Sigma Gamma Delta honor society, housed in a mailbox in Dallas. The University eventually cleared the two students, and partial refunds were made to all students who had paid the $28 dues to join the society.
Later, controversy during Duke Student Government elections delayed runoff elections as candidates were charged with campaign spending and publicity violations.
Student groups were active in numerous protests. Mi Gente protested an annual "South of the Border" party, charging that the party made use of derogatory Mexican stereotypes. Mi Gente also worked with Student Action with Farm Workers on a campus-wide boycott of California grapes, citing the harmful effects of pesticides on farm workers who handle the grapes.
Student groups and employees spoke out against the perceived "plantation mentality" on campus, citing disrespect of minority employees and concern in the wake of an announcement that 49 jobs had been terminated at the Medical Center, 45 of which were held by black employees. The job changes were part of a broad restructuring effort at the Hospital that brought a managed health care plan for employees and was projected to eliminate more than 1,500 positions over two years.
DGBLA was also active on campus, protesting male strippers at a "Ladies' night" at the Underground on grounds of heterosexism and Title IX violations.
Students also protested in September when The Chronicle printed a cartoon that played on derogatory stereotypes of Koreans and Jews.
In response to discrimination concerns, the University agreed to award benefits to domestic partners of homosexual employees in January.
Senior year also brought the University closer to improved computing facilities with the appointment of a new vice provost for information technology. Ethernet connections reached every dorm room, and students could read campus news from the home with the debut of The Chronicle Online.
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