While Duke remains under the national spotlight for the alleged rape involving members of the men's lacrosse team, the University put its best face forward to host prospective freshmen visiting campus as a part of Latino Student Recruitment Weekend and Duke Up Close.
Administration officials are not yet certain about the incident's effect on admitted students' decision to attend the University.
"It will very much depend on what happens in the coming days and weeks, how the University as a whole responds and how that response is perceived by members of the Duke community, prospective students and their parents," said Christoph Guttentag, dean of undergraduate admissions. "It does seem to me that things are changing quickly, so there's no knowing what the situation and atmosphere will be like in two weeks or a month."
Senior Tomas Lopez, co-president of Mi Gente-the Latino student organization that helps plan and direct LSRW-stresses the importance of being open with visiting students, especially in light of the alleged crimes.
"Certainly something like this does not help recruitment, but all we can be is honest," he said. "The challenges posed by recent incidents reinforce the importance of specific minority recruitment programs to the University's wider goals."
Although many prospective students are stunned by the lacrosse situation, they do not view an isolated incident as representative of the University as a whole, and said it will not effect their decisions to attend Duke.
"I don't think the actions of a small group of people reflect the entire Duke campus," said Austin Weiss, a high school senior from Palm Desert, Calif. "You could call it the 'North Carolina controversy' instead of the 'Duke controversy.'"
Weiss-a participant in Duke Up Close-said the incident will not have any effect on his decision to attend the University.
Lopez noted prospective students have openly discussed with their undergraduate hosts the impact that the alleged rape and its aftermath have had on gender, racial and Duke-Durham dynamics.
"We discussed it for almost a half-hour as part of an impromptu, informal group session on Thursday, and the student I'm hosting has asked me about it," Lopez noted.
Tour guides who give daily campus tours were urged to perform their duties with a "balanced and honest approach that hopefully will address the curiosity and concern of any visitors," junior Allana Strong, head coordinator of Duke Tour Guides, wrote in an e-mail.
She advised guides against focusing too much on the lacrosse events and neglecting important material usually covered on tours.
In spite of the challenges faced by the administration and students representing the University, organizers are optimistic about the turnout of both LSRW and Duke Up Close.
"We've certainly poured everything we have into making this weekend happen," Lopez said. "We believe that the weekend has been a success, and our hope is that many of our attendees will matriculate at Duke."
Armando Priego-a high school senior from Bellflower, Calif. here for LSRW-said his tour guide and other students have been helpful and open to discussing the ramifications of the incident.
"The tour guide has mentioned it and given me his take on the situation and allowed me to form my own opinion, as well as given me the common sentiment among many students which has helped me to better understand the community at Duke," he said.
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