Duke Student Government gave seniors who are worried about jobs after graduation reason to hope at its meeting Wednesday night.
DSG passed a resolution supporting the creation of several one-year masters programs. Junior Chelsea Goldstein, vice president for academic affairs, will present the resolution to Provost Peter Lange in a meeting Thursday.
"We want to make sure that not only do students graduate, but that their [Duke] degree is meaningful," Goldstein said. "Something that is good long-term for Duke-not only during hard financial times-is a one-year masters program."
This is one solution for students who find it difficult to find employment following graduation due to the recession, she noted.
DSG sent a survey to the student body at the end of Fall to gauge interest in such a program, Goldstein said, adding that she was pleased with the results. Of the nearly 1,100 responses received, 76 percent said they would be interested in a one-year masters program. Only five percent of survey responses indicated a complete disinterest in the program.
"One-year masters programs would be cash cows for Duke," Goldstein said. "Because of that, there has been a lot of positive feedback from administrators."
Hopes are that every major would have its own one-year masters program. All of the details have yet to be finalized, but the goal is to have a few of the programs ironed out this year, Goldstein said.
"The bottom line is this: This program is good for Duke students and for the University," she said.
In other business:
Sophomore Mike Lefevre, vice president for athletics and campus services, presented new bylaws for the Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee.
"We want to make a more formal relationship between DSG and DUSDAC," LeFevre said.
This is the first time DUSDAC's responsibilities have been laid down on paper, he said. The new bylaws also mandate an open forum once a year so that students can give input on their dining experiences.
DSG voted to move the bylaws to the Rules Committee for further revision.
In addition, senators from the Academic Affairs and Athletics and Campus Services Committees gave presentations concerning current projects. In the works are a new course evaluation Web site, an expansion of the FLUNCH program, an East Campus spring gardening day and a DSG review of e-Print.
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