Lackluster attendance by senators Tuesday night allowed the Duke Student Government to avert a controversial vote on funding allocation for a Lambda Pi Chi sorority-sponsored performance by Jose Torres Tama when the governing body failed to meet its quorum by one member.
Sophomore Matt Hoekstra aroused the debate over allocating DSG funding for the group’s speaker when the senator announced that Torres Tama was a controversial figure who made a statement comparing the situation of Mexicans in California to the situation of Jews under Hitler.
Senator Prabhat Mishra responded to Hoekstra’s objections to the allocation, stating that the academic freedom legislation DSG passed earlier in the semester allows the group to fund a speaker, even if he is deemed controversial. “I think it’s just another ploy from the Duke Conservative Union trying to censor free speech,” said Mishra, a freshman.
Sophomore Joel Kliksberg, vice president of community interaction, unsuccessfully attempted to table the vote. “A lot of DSG senators are unfamiliar with Jose Torres Tama, and we’ve learned this year that we have to be very careful with the funds we give,” Kliksberg said. “It all requires just a little bit more research on our part before we vote.”
Senior Dave Rausen, chair of the Student Organization Finance Committee, informed senators that funding allocations were not determined on the basis of judgements of the speakers participating at events. “As all students pay into the fee, it’s not our job to censor the events or ideas of individual student groups,” Rausen said. “As long as groups put in the effort to make sure their events are properly registered and in accordance with Duke procedures we are not allowed to deny them from happening, as we have seen from past events such as the Palestine Solidarity Movement.”
The allocation vote was postponed until next Wednesday’s meeting after a legislator called quorum and the body failed to meet it.
Prior to the vote, Senator Joe Fore informally presented an academic bill of rights, which he touted as unique among student government bodies. The bill, which still needs to be presented and discussed by the Senate twice before it is voted on, could ultimately be sent to the student body as a referendum. Fore stated his academic bill of rights serves to define student’s rights and responsibilities in an all-inclusive manner. He said that in designing the bill, he asked himself, “What can we do that provides a vision?”
Although Fore said the bill is still a “malleable document,” in its current form it addresses issues like academic advising, access to academic facilities, academic trust and freedom and flexibility regarding rescheduling exams and assignments. The bill will be discussed formally in February meetings.
In other business:
Deborah Jakubs, University librarian and vice provost for library affairs, and Tom Wall, director of public services, gave a special presentation on the Perkins Library system. Wall spoke about the Perkins Library expansion. Wall described planned group study spaces as areas that students will be able to reserve in advance from their dorm rooms, complete with white boards and plasma screen televisions.
Wall explained they are studying other schools’ library systems to develop ideas, but they also want user input. “We’re looking to transform all library services to meet your needs, but we need to know what your needs are,” Wall said.
DSG chartered dance group Sabrosura, which formally separated itself from Mi Gente because of Mi Gente’s more political aims. The Senate also chartered the Miniature Golf Social Club and recognized Queer Visions, which presents films depicting alternative lifestyles.
The senate gave $1368.60 for WXDU’s broadcast from Krzyzewskiville and $1,000 for Duke Moot Court’s conference.
The senate elected three new senators: junior Jessica Ogbonnaya, sophomore Rhodes McKee and freshman Robert Shaw, and one new SOFC member junior Michelle Oh.
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