Following up on the spirit of Race Day, the Inter-Community Council is planning a series of retreats designed to improve race relations among University students.
The retreats, which will be attended by a group of racially diverse volunteers, will use weekend trips to forge personal relationships and discuss racial issues, said Trinity junior Maya Corey, Duke Student Government vice president for community interaction and chair of ICC.
"Basically the idea came as a follow-up to Race Day and to continue discussion on campus," Corey said. "We want people to step outside of their comfort zones and share personal stories. Hopefully, people will form friendships they can carry with them when they come back to Duke."
The idea originated with Trinity junior Brandon Busteed, a member of ICC, chair of the Campus Social Board and president of the Class of '99. He said he sees the retreats primarily as a way of fostering social relationships among different races.
"Not many people really get to know each other when you have a big party with a DJ going on," Busteed said. "Our goal is to create actual personal relationships."
The retreats, however, have met opposition from at least one member of ICC, who labeled the idea a frivolous use of campus funds.
"We're kidding ourselves if we think that this is going to improve race relations," said engineering senior Saam Azar, an ICC member and student director of the Community Service Center. "We need something a little more substantial than a weekend party."
Azar declined to comment on the actual formulation of the retreats because he was not present for the meeting during which the committee approved the idea.
One or two pilot retreats are planned for this semester, with three groups of 15 to 20 students each. Ideally, Corey said, each group would have bonfire discussions on race and participate in community-building activities, such as ropes courses and trust circles. At the end of the weekend, the groups will come together for a final party.
"One ICC member jokingly referred to it as a 'jungle groove,'" Corey said. "We want people to get to know each other both in a serious and an informal atmosphere."
Selected faculty members will also accompany the students on the trip, participating in the discussions and the trust-building activities.
The funding for the race retreats will come primarily from a $2,000 grant given to the ICC by the Kenan Ethics Program. The money was donated to encourage a follow-up to Race Day, said Elizabeth Kiss, director of the program.
"Part of what we do is to create dialogue on various ethical issues on campus," Kiss said. "One very important issue is race relations. We wanted to give some help and provide some incentives to continue the conversation that Race Day started."
Although he had no specific ideas about how the money should be spent, Azar said he believes the expenditures will not capitalize on the gains of Race Day.
"I thought we went into Race Day wanting more change on the University level-not just students going away for the weekend," he said. "I'd have to really think about how I would spend the money, but definitely not like this."
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