Leadership and the "Right'

It is not easy being a student leader. Just ask Duke Student Government. The only popular elected student governing body, DSG is supposed to serve the best interests of the students-and that is exactly what it has done with regard to ARAMARK Corp. After speaking with students, listening to a company presentation and examining performances at other institutions, DSG offered a "no confidence" vote for the third consecutive year.

We cannot fault DSG for apathy or even misplaced priorities. Our elected representatives have remained persistent and vigilant. The only problem is that they lack any substantive power. Thus even with the support of Jim Wulforst, director of dining services, and the Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee, it is unclear whether any meaningful change will transpire at the end of the year when ARAMARK's contract expires.

Yet DSG, at least, appears to be kept abreast of administrative maneuvering and is under no illusion that its vote is binding. Campus Council, on the other hand, cannot even be considered a pawn of the administration since it seems to have no idea what Residential Life and Housing Services director Eddie Hull is doing. Although it is still unclear what happened vis-à-vis the housing moratorium, we know that Dean Hull made a unilateral decision to create two new fraternity sections without offering any rationale for his actions.

Baffled by Hull's decision, Campus Council leaders then understandably declared an end to the housing moratorium, which Hull had seemingly nullified. Yet shortly thereafter, Hull claimed that the moratorium was in fact still in place, thus officially making a mockery of the Campus Council leadership. It is true that Campus Council organized a successful event in Cameron, but it should have left that to the Duke University Union, the most productive governing body this year. Running enjoyable student programming, however, is a far cry from enacting serious policy change.

Cynicism aside, there is some room for optimism. During the past six weeks, student activists have scored two stunning victories. By this point, the story of housekeeper Olivia Vaughn, "From fired to re-hired," has been extensively covered in the campus press and reached near mythic status on student listservs. But Duke Organizing is not the only student group making tangible gains in the realm of administrative policy. A recent front-page Chronicle article highlighted the continued success of the group Students Against Sweatshops, which steered the University toward adopting a more worker-friendly apparel policy. Founded at Duke more than five years ago, the tireless group of activists continues to press for and achieve improved working conditions abroad.

The Environmental Alliance, meanwhile, is making serious strides towards implementing a more eco-friendly printer policy that will simultaneously save thousands of dollars and cut down on the wasteful destruction of our ecosystem. Reflecting on these instances of triumphant student activism, I began searching for a common thread-and then it dawned on me. Contrary to my assertions two weeks ago about the waning influence of the "Left" on campus, I realized that left-leaning student groups are the only ones effecting tangible change.

It's true that the radical "Right" is loud and obnoxious-we have all been bombarded by Duke Conservative Union fliers-but the reality is that they favor show over substance. Outside of bringing right-wing speakers to campus, these "activists" spend all their time denouncing the alleged left-wing bias on campus and pushing academic freedom pledges on faculty members. I have no doubt that such propaganda will serve these future politicians down the line, but I also know that it will do little good on a campus dominated by an entrenched bureaucracy that severely limits the reach of student leaders.

Duke Organizing is already spearheading a strong coalition of left-wing groups on this campus pushing for a healthier working environment and a living wage indexed to inflation for all Duke-affiliated workers. Thus I propose that the Duke Conservative Union and College Republicans, the leading right-wing student groups on campus, join this coalition in order to make a real difference in people's lives by altering administrative policy.