Two weeks ago, junior Shilpa Modi and a small group of interested students held an intimate dinner with 2005 Nobel Peace Prize nominee Wahu Kaara, which was funded by the University through Duke Conversations.
The same source of funding was used last year to bring former fraternity member Eric Weinberg, Trinity '06, to speak about continuing brotherhood in Sigma Nu fraternity after graduation.
Because of the increasing popularity of the program, which brings people as diverse as Kaara and Weinberg to campus, the $150,000 allocated to Duke Conversations annually ran dry this year for the first time since its inception in Fall 2006. The Office of Student Affairs and Facilities stopped accepting applications Feb. 1 and set the deadline to hold a conversation for April 18.
But some students said they question the lack of stringency in the approval process for guests.
After the program ran out of funds, senior Ankit Shrivastava was denied funding to bring Maneesh Goyal, Trinity '97, a former pre-medical student who is now a professional celebrity party planner.
Shrivastava ultimately found funding through Craven Quadrangle Council.
"When it comes to Duke Conversations, the program is fantastic if done correctly-if there is adequate oversight of who is coming," Shrivastava said. "The program is so easy to abuse.... I do think the application process should be more strenuous."
In the online application to host an event, applicants must justify why interaction with the guest will be beneficial for students. Deb Hackney, OSAF's assistant director, said most applications are approved.
Modi suggested a more careful review process for proposed guests in order to truly make the most of the program.
"Just analyzing more of the 'why' would be useful-why is this an important conversation for Duke students to be having?" Modi said. "I'm questioning a little how much [past guests] have contributed."
Other students said, however, that lesser-known guests can be as compelling as recognizable names.
"I don't think that the purpose of Duke Conversations is to bring high-profile people," said sophomore Prashant Swaminathan, who hosted Inside Joke alumnus Dave Schmidt, Trinity '07, to speak on the weekend of the sketch comedy group's "College Musical." "[Duke University Union's] Major Speakers [committee] brought in Tucker Max, which is questionable. It's not necessarily the most important people that have the most important things to say."
Duke Conversations paid for Schmidt to fly in from Germany to discuss his experiences studying English on the Schondorf-Duke Exchange Fellowship.
Other lesser-known speakers funded by the program include Theoharris Christou, who spoke about "the art of curly hair;" Heather Heath, a former member of Alpha Phi Omega who discussed the future of the service fraternity; and Jim Fleming, Wake Technical Community College student body president, who spoke about campus activism.
Dean of Undergraduate Education Steve Nowicki, who was also a Duke Conversations guest in Fall 2006, said he is aware of concerns regarding the misuse of Duke Conversations funding.
"If we run out of money and we're not inviting the most interesting people, that's one situation," he said. "But if we run out of money inviting world leaders to come to Duke, that's another situation where we just need to find some more money."
The program, which is funded through OSAF, covers the expenses for round-trip airfare, transportation to and from the airport, a two-night stay at the Washington Duke Inn and dinner for 15 at one of several restaurants in the Durham area.
In addition, accommodations for guests' spouses are sometimes paid for by the program.
Duke Conversations began as a way for Duke students to engage in meaningful dialogue with interesting guests outside of a lecture setting, Hackney said.
"It was a desire of [President Richard Brodhead] for Duke students to be able to interact with interesting people and these conversations are a means for that to happen," she added. "If you think that someone who knows a lot about basketweaving is interesting, we think they're interesting too. We're not necessarily judging on content."
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