When Emily Grey was elected Duke Student Government vice president for facilities and athletics two years ago, the Wilson Recreation Center had just opened and students and staff were just getting used to the state-of-the-art facility. But one common suggestion soon arose that the workout areas needed music to make the center complete.
Working with WilRec director Bill Harvey, Grey organized a poll to gauge interest and finally implemented a plan to add radios to the weight rooms.
"It was a give-and-take relationship," Harvey said. "She was receptive to concerns I had, and she got it done."
Grey said her early WilRec music project acquainted her with the University and with DSG. Now, as the junior public policy major and psychology minor runs for the DSG presidency, she hopes to use her experience to enact further changes.
Grey has participated in campus affairs since her freshman year when she was a DSG legislator on the facilities and athletics committee. In January of this year, the Legislature elected her legislative pro tempore. Grey has also been active outside of DSG, in Pi Beta Phi sorority and the Freshman Advisory Counselor program. She spent last semester studying abroad in Florence.
Her tenure with DSG has included more controversial projects than WilRec music. As a vice president, Grey co-authored the report that denounced the Chapel's refusal to allow same-sex unions. After a heated campus debate, the administration ended the controversy by agreeing to allow such unions.
"It was an issue that I definitely felt very strongly about because it was inequality on campus," Grey said.
Former DSG President Jordan Bazinsky, Trinity '01, co-wrote the report promoting same-sex unions in the Chapel and praised Grey's work.
"She brings people together for feedback and consultation and does not make decisions in a vacuum," Bazinsky wrote in an e-mail.
Increasing diversity and multiculturalism is one of her expressed priorities, along with changes in residential life and financial aid. She said she hopes to lead DSG in addressing other issues, as well. "This person should lead the Legislature in taking a strong stand on issues that come up," Grey said of the president's role. "In the past two years, I've made a lot of close contacts with administrators."
As a member of the DSG Task Force on Financial Aid, Grey is helping prepare a follow-up report on recent changes relating to the issue to be released in March. Some students had complained about the inefficiency of financial aid advising and ambiguity regarding work-study requirements. The original report from the task force, released in August 2000, called for a variety of aid changes, including more space for the Office of Financial Aid and eliminating restrictions on car ownership.
Grey cited the increase in campus diversity as evidence that the campus atmosphere is improving. She said she hopes to find more ways to foster interaction. "I think having more programming space will help the diversity," she said.
Some multicultural leaders say programming space has been one problem, although they insist that more is necessary. "The two biggest problems are a certain amount of apathy and funding," said senior Tejas Shah, co-president of Diya.
Regarding residential life, Grey said greeks are important, but added that she plans to work toward an inclusive atmosphere. "People should not feel alienated if they're not greek," she said.
Also, Grey said the alcohol policy may need to be revisited, especially with the movement of drinking off campus and the possible increase in drunk driving.
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