At its weekly meeting Wednesday night, Duke Student Government discussed reinstituting a program offering students reduced rates for legal services after a five-year absence.
"We're looking into hiring a lawyer to sit in the DSG office two hours a week to offer legal services for students on a first-come-first-serve basis," said DSG President Paul Slattery, a senior.
Slattery-who presented the proposal, sent Feb. 25 to University administrators and the North Carolina State Bar-said the program's lawyers would be responsible mainly for offering legal advice and giving referrals. Services would be capped at $3,000.
He also said any firm or attorney chosen could not currently or in the future be involved in legal action against the University.
This program previously existed until 2003 when the lawyer, a Duke graduate, passed away.
Attorneys would mainly help students with issues such as traffic, alcohol and drug possession violations. They might occasionally help with cases of theft, vandalism, destruction of property, assault and sexual assault.
Dean of Students Sue Wasiolek, with whom Slattery has worked closely on the proposal, is particularly knowledgeable in this area, he said. He added that he will rely on her knowledge in choosing the most adequate candidates.
"We value that the attorney is Durham-based, has a lot of experience with traffic and alcohol work and is well-established," Slattery said, adding that the University also places a strong emphasis on male-female diversity.
The proposal calls for at least three candidates. Applications will start coming in just after Spring Break, after which DSG will either set up an interview committee or will arrange for the candidates to speak to the senate.
In other business:
DSG Executive Vice President Jordan Giordano, a junior, presented an election bylaw that would allow the positions of president and vice president to be put to vote as a combined ticket. Currently, every position of the executive board is elected independently.
Senators also unanimously granted charter status to the Women's Mentoring Network. The network is a non-selective women's group open to everyone on campus, said sophomore Bethany Hill, a senator and co-founder of the network.
"We have currently received support from the Women's Center and [Dean of Undergraduate Education Stephen] Nowicki and have 150 members on the listserv," Hill said.
Junior Alex Crable, chair of the Student Organization Finance Committee, said SOFC had granted the Women's Mentoring Network recognition status because it is a non-selective group. No current group on campus is accomplishing what the network would like to accomplish, he said.
The network has already hosted discussions in freshman dorms, dinners with faculty members and an event at the Nasher Museum of Art, Hill said.
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