On college campuses across the nation, student privacy is under attack. At several schools, deans and administrators have begun to use tactics bordering on espionage to obtain information about students who promote the use of drugs and alcohol, and are using that information as grounds to dismiss those students from school.
But, hey, that couldn't happen at Duke, right? Well, it hasn't yet, but the building blocks for such a campaign against student life are certainly in place. We have a Student Affairs division that is disdainful of the social scene on campus, and that would like nothing more than to see selective living and on-campus parties become a thing of the past. The Hideaway, Duke's only on-campus bar, was recently shut down. Fraternities have been moved off-campus. Further, Duke lacks a strong student government organization to stand up for student concerns if and when such action becomes necessary.
Although evidence like this is hardly indicative of an assault on students' rights, students in coming years should be on their guard. Who knows whether a letter like this one is currently lurking in the filing cabinet of our dear friends at Student Affairs?:
Dear Suits in the Student Affairs Department, Nan, and the next Duke President:
Re: That pesky student behavior problem
I am writing to you in response to what I have been hearing about your current problems with the lifestyle of the student body at your esteemed University. I think I have a possible solution to the problems you have been dealing with, and I am reasonably certain that this tactic will reduce the student population to the mindless drones we administrators want them to be. Once this plan is implemented, you can focus on more important issues like building more museums, raising money, and improving Duke's rankings in the be-all-end-all index of U.S. News and World Report's best national universities.
This solution was used at another small private university in the country recently during the past academic year. This school planted an undercover cop in a freshman student dorm to spy on the incoming class and discover who the major drug dealers and party-goers were. While this may at first seem extremely unethical and a great breach of the trust placed in you by the student body, the aforementioned operation netted six arrests in a single dormitory alone. Yes, this will by all estimation create a vacuum that will be filled by incoming students who will assume the roles of the arrested students, but you can just plant another cop in the next freshman class to catch them. Among the useful tactics employed by the officer were becoming heavily involved in Greek life by rushing and pledging a fraternity. This allowed him to keep an eye on the party scene on campus and enhanced his chances of catching violators. While the members of the fraternity were extremely upset when they found out they were pawns in this operation, their voices were quickly silenced by being offered a one-year exemption from hazing restrictions.
I know you may be worried about the possible student outcry when the news about an undercover cop breaks on campus. Yes, the students will be mad, as they were as a result of the incident I was just speaking about, but as long as a unified body representing the interests of the students does not exist, you'll have no trouble getting away with it.
What's more is that these techniques have no boundaries! Imagine the possibilities! A whole army of secret police who disguise themselves as students enforcing order on every quad. Violators of campus rules can be sent to the now vacant Trent dorm or to N.C. State. What a utopia your whole University will be. For one thing, administrating over the whole school system will be easier. The undergraduates can just be swept under a rug while you can focus on other programs. You can start Campaign for Duke Part 2! Picture it, Nan, you and your successor can sit from atop your office in the top of the Chapel and rule with an iron fist. Please feel free to write me with any questions on how to implement this plan. I think I can be of great use and make a great contribution to your school. Ciao!
With love,
Big Brother
The incident mentioned in this letter did actually happen at the school in my hometown where many of my high school friends attended. There was a great deal of outrage in the local media about the bust and many of my friends were equally upset that a "narc" had been living in their midst. The incident made me realize how precious student privacy is and how we as students at Duke need to remain always vigilant in protecting student rights. Gestapo-style tactics cannot be used here at Duke as they are being implemented at other schools across the nation.
When the new President is selected at the end of next year (and I mean Duke's, not the nation's), we need to make sure that he or she will be student friendly and not view the undergraduate student body as a distraction from running a research-oriented university. Learning cannot flourish at a place where students and administrators are truly viewing one another as enemies. Hopefully, some of the leaders on campus (be it DSG or Campus Council) can make sure that students' rights remain a priority at Duke. Deep down, the administration wishes us well. However, it is important to be cognizant of the actions they take in monitoring and enforcing university policies. If they're watching what we say and what we do and how we party, it can't hurt to keep an eye on them, too.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.