The Group of Duke Independents held its first membership meeting Sunday night to present prospective members with the goals and objectives of organization.
The group will primarily concern itself with the housing and social concerns of independents, who, unlike members of sororities, fraternities and selective living groups, do not have housing advocates.
“There are a lot of voids where an independent voice needs to be,” said GDI Founder and newly elected secretary Danny Lewin, a senior and a former columnist for The Chronicle.
Junior Joe Catapano, newly elected GDI president, added that GDI has not decided on a specific agenda.
Still, GDI hopes to build up a listserv this semester by tabling on the plaza and reaching out to freshmen so the group will have a strong base from which to advocate in the future.
“After many years of independents not having a voice, Danny and I hope this organization will be a vehicle for the expression of the opinions of these students and that by using the collective views of these students, we can help to improve both the Duke housing system and Duke social life for independents,” Catapano said.
Catapano emphasized that gaining the support of many independents is crucial to acquiring the legitimacy GDI needs in order to be a voice on campus.
“It is important to know we have backing,” Catapano said.
About 10 people attended the GDI interest meeting Sunday. The GDI Facebook group has 135 members as of Sunday night.
Senior Meg Foran, an independent, noted the importance of the group’s role in presenting a positive model of independents.
Foran, who was elected vice president for social affairs and did not join a selective living group, said her Duke experience was defined by her involvement in the first-year advisory counselor program. She added that almost all Duke students find some group or organization they choose to get involved with, and for many of these students that group may not be a greek organization.
“I think it would be really great to foster a sense for independents not to be a dirty word on campus or necessarily a lack of something, but rather something people have chosen because they are defining their Duke experience in other ways,” Foran said.
Foran said greek affiliations tend to receive more attention because they are associated with housing options. She said she hopes GDI will be able to advocate for independents who do not have the “overarching branch” of the greek system.
GDI members also approved a constitution, voted to keep the name Group of Duke Independents and elected five officer positions at the meeting.
In addition to electing Catapano, Foran and Lewin, sophomore Christina Lieu was elected treasurer and freshman Arin Pamukcu was elected vice president for housing affairs.
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