Continuing the lengthy process of planning the redevelopment of Central Campus, administrators sought out faculty opinions at Thursday’s Academic Council meeting.
While speaking to faculty about the present state of the project, both Provost Peter Lange and Executive Vice President Tallman Trask cautioned council members that plans were far from finalized.
“We’re trying to get the first steps correct and set the right tone,” Trask said.
Lange compared current discussions within the University to a family’s deciding what amenities would be nice to have in a new home. Working out the specifics with the architects will come later, he said.
There is no “secret set of documents,” Lange assured the faculty. He added that administrators are still working to address the concerns of community members opposed to the changes on Central.
Central needs a true faculty presence, Lange said, citing international studies and the arts as possible areas of emphasis. He and Trask invited input from council members, who received the reports of the first planning subcommittees.
Noting a suggestion in the reports that certain academic program clusters move to Central, Tomiko Yoda, associate professor of Asian and African languages and literature, wanted to ensure due consideration for faculty opinion.
“When and how would these programs be participating in the discussion of these plans?” Yoda asked.
Other questions focused on Central’s future atmosphere.
This is an opportunity to create “really distinguished and memorable and important” buildings, said Peter Burian, professor of classical studies. He was optimistic about the possibilities of developing such a huge amount of land.
“There’s no other university in the country, as far as I know, that has anything like this,” Burian said.
George McLendon, dean of the faculty of Arts and Sciences, echoed Burian, suggesting more artistic architecture and public art displays. “It doesn’t have to be a gentleman with a cigar,” McLendon said.
Trask, however, remarked on the expense of purchasing high-quality art and the importance of avoiding trends that would quickly pass. He also noted that “Duke stone” would not be a main building material.
By allowing private stores in University-owned space, administrators could retain authority over the types of businesses and building designs on campus, pointed out Will Wilson, associate professor of biology.
“It would be nice if we had non-Duke eclecticness,” Wilson said.
A description of bars as “critical to the social ‘scene’” in the report of the Housing and Dining Committee disquieted Linda Franzoni, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials sciences.
“The biggest red flag for me is security,” Franzoni said, suggesting that such venues might draw in individuals unaffiliated with the University.
Trask and Lange tried to allay these concerns, emphasizing that there were no answers yet to many professors’ questions.
“You are all identifying points of unresolved issues,” Lange said.
In other business:
A new Ph.D. program in public policy won the council’s unanimous endorsement. This is the third doctoral program approved by the faculty this year.
The council also voted on the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics’ statement on “Academic Integrity in Intercollegiate Atheltics: Principles, Rules and Best Practices.” Kathleen Smith, faculty athletics representative, expressed concerns about some of the document’s details, but a resolution supporting its “general proposals and overall thrust” passed unanimously.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.