Duke has long been thought of as a “work hard-play hard” campus. This evening its new Ivy-clad president will give his first public remarks about the undergraduate climate.
President Richard Brodhead will discuss the Duke he has observed and the one he would like to shape at 5 p.m. in Griffith Film Theater. The president will open with remarks he wrote himself and then take questions from students.
One part convocation address and one part assessment, Brodhead’s speech is an articulate look at some of the strengths and weaknesses of a Duke undergraduate education, said John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations.
“He’s talked quite generally about what undergraduate education should be, but this is very much more Duke-centered,” Burness said. “I think he will raise some interesting questions and propose some very thoughtful answers.”
Since being named president and taking office, Brodhead has been tight-lipped about his ideas for undergraduate life. In discussions about the future of Central Campus, he has revealed preliminary ideas for a “growth model” of residential life that would allow seniors a more mature experience than freshmen. On multiple occasions he has also extolled the educational opportunities of a residential campus and the virtues of a liberal arts education.
But he has been adamant about his need to absorb Duke’s character before he develops firm opinions or plans.
For the past 10 months, Brodhead has traversed campus talking with hundreds of students. Meeting with students in small groups of about 10, he has asked undergraduates what they think about their lives at school and what distinguishes Duke. He has hosted gatherings at his home and his office, always interested in the way students view their education.
Students are waiting to see what the president will make of the Duke experience—where the same students who wrestle in baby oil spend Tuesday nights in the Gothic Reading Room.
“The next step for us is to see if what he says is in tune with what our own concept of undergraduate life is,” Pasha Majdi, president of Duke Student Government, said, “and if it isn’t, then our job is to convey that to him.”
Burness, who read an early draft of the speech, said Brodhead has merged reactions from students and faculty with his own perceptions of Duke to identify areas where the University can improve its educational experience.
For many in the Duke community, today’s meeting marks a long-awaited shift from Brodhead’s period of learning to one of policy setting.
“It’s easy to believe that someone comes in as president and has a secret blueprint for every single issue that comes along,” Brodhead told The Chronicle in July. “If that were true of me, I should be impeached. People need to learn the place before they know what’s right and what’s wrong.”
Prior to becoming president of Duke, Brodhead served as dean of Yale College—essentially overseeing all aspects of undergraduate life from residential accommodations to academics. When the Board of Trustees named him to Duke’s top post, it highlighted his experience and expertise shaping undergraduate education there. Brodhead has been clear, though, that he does not intend to model Duke after Yale’s image.
Since arriving at Duke, he has commented little about undergraduate academics or the intellectual climate, which faculty and some students regularly describe as sluggish. Several senior administrators, however, have undertaken plans to improve advising and increase undergraduate research—programs Brodhead has supported.
At the December meeting of the Board of Trustees, the ultimate governing body of the University spent substantial time considering the undergraduate experience. Brodhead, however, will largely set the tone for any development.
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