At this time last year, a large segment of the community was well into its protest of campus climate and The Chronicle's printing of David Horowitz's controversial anti-reparations advertisement. The Duke Student Movement produced several documents, including a set of demands for administrators to help "create an inclusive, supportive climate."
One year later, the demands have been met with varying levels of progress.
Specifically, the movement wanted the creation of a task force to report annually on campus climate; more vigorous recruitment of black faculty and administrators; a larger, more visible center for black culture; added support for the African and African-American Studies Program; and more funding for minority events and organizations.
"There are two dimensions of our response," Leon Dunkley, director of the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture, said last week. "One dimension would be quantifiable--how much effort, meaning dollars, has Duke committed to issues made clear last year.... The other dimensions are kind of sticky and elusive. David Horowitz's presence at the University... made us realize how unprepared we are to deal with issues of race and social difference."
Funding and space concerns have received some of the most immediate attention. In her April response to the movement, President Nan Keohane pledged $100,000 for student group funds. The money was distributed last fall, and Julian Sanchez, director of intercultural affairs, said the process will be similar next year.
In addition, students, working with Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta and other administrators, designed a plan last fall to consolidate some student funding sources under a series of appropriation committees. However, administrators postponed implementing the plan until next year due to time constraints.
"Obviously getting it fixed [is important], the sooner the better, but also you want to implement a system that will work," said Troy Clair, a movement participant and president of the Black Student Alliance.
Administrators and students point to progress on several cultural space fronts. By consolidating the Craft Center, Moneta made room for an interim multicultural center in the Bryan Center this semester. Planning is underway for a more permanent multicultural center and also an expanded Mary Lou Williams Center.
Final designs are contingent on Bryan Center renovations, said Executive Vice President Tallman Trask, but Dunkley and others hope to have concrete plans by this summer.
"It's a good space and a space that's being used by many student groups," said Sanchez of the interim center. "We look forward to the final renovations so that there'll be greater space for student groups."
The demand for a more diverse faculty and administration has seen mixed progress, administrators said.
The 1993 University-wide Black Faculty Strategic Initiative is only three hires away from its goal of doubling the number of regular-rank black professors by fall 2003, Provost Peter Lange told the Academic Council last fall. He said, however, that the administration is beginning to gather more information to address departmental climate and retention issues.
In addition, the demand for a stronger AAAS program has led to several changes, including a self-study, research expansion, the possible creation of a master's program and a continuing search for new faculty members.
A committee including Lange, Trask and Vice President for Institutional Equity Sally Dickson will release a report in several weeks on the effort to diversify the administration. That effort had little testing in this year's relatively stable administration, Trask said, with only one major search and hire: new Vice President for Information Technology Tracy Futhey. "Unfortunately, we didn't think of anything that no one else had thought of," Trask said of the upcoming report. "There are no simple magic bullets. It's going to take some considerable effort by a lot of people and a look at hiring practices."
Brandi Freeman, president of the campus NAACP chapter, said much of the response to movement demands appears to still be "in the works," but that overall she is optimistic changes will occur. Still, she said the lack of diversity among the faculty continues to be a problem. "The diversity of the faculty in the sciences is nonexistent. That's one area I would've liked to have seen more efforts," Freeman said.
The task force to evaluate annually the state of campus climate will present the framework for a report this week, said Moneta, co-chair with William Chafe, dean of the faculty of arts and sciences. Although the task force will not write a report, the framework will allow another group to focus its study, Moneta said. "It's a way to frame a comprehensive snapshot on campus climate issues, in particular as they relate to campus climate issues for African Americans on campus," he said.
Other members of last year's movement echoed Freeman that they are encouraged by planning efforts but see much to be done. "I think it's the nature of the institution," said Charles McKinney, a graduate student in history and movement participant. "While I do expect the University to participate in a pro-active way, I'm not going to expect that the dean of arts and sciences is going to drop several agenda items."
However, McKinney and others said the more "sticky and elusive" questions are still being discussed, among professors, students and faculty.
"My question remains, OWhat about the student environment that led up to last year?' We don't know," Dickson said. "Is there still work to be done? Do we have an environment where students think they're part of a community? We're still working."
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