The Class of 2011, arriving as freshmen in August 2007, were the first group of students to start their undergraduate experience somewhat detached from the lacrosse case.
The lacrosse case, though, continued to impact their initial Duke experience. The Duke Summer Reading Program unanimously chose “The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South,” a nonfiction account of race relations in Durham by Osha Gray Davidson for incoming freshman to read.
The decision, made in March 2007, came a month before the accused players were declared “innocent” by the state Attorney General.
Though the criminal investigation in the lacrosse case had concluded, a new phase of the saga began in October when the original defendants became plaintiffs in civil rights lawsuits against authorities involved in the case. The three accused players—Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and David Evans—sued the city of Durham, disbarred prosecutor Mike Nifong and members of the Durham Police Department.
Another 38 unindicted lacrosse players and their families filed lawsuits against Duke, Durham and Nifong.
Despite the unresolved legal concerns, the focus of many students and faculty shifted to newer developments on campus.
A renewed effort to bring sustainability and conservation to campus led to the creation of Duke Bikes in August, a free bike-rental program. At the same time, the University became part of a statewide effort to conserve water during a prolonged drought.
In December, the Board of Trustees approved changes to Duke’s financial aid program, which aimed to distribute more assistance and reduce the amount of loans offered to many students.
The January 18 murder of Indian graduate student Abhijit Mahato in his Anderson Apartments residence brought a somber beginning to the second semester. Stephen Oates, a Durham resident, was arrested five days later in connection with the murder.
A second student murder took place in March after Eve Carson, a senior and student body president at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was kidnapped from her apartment and killed.
An international controversy played out on campus in March when a pro-Tibet rally brought a counter-demonstration supporting the Chinese government. Grace Wang, a Chinese freshman who supported greater political freedom for Tibetans, was labeled a ‘traitor’ on many pro-China websites.
The University community also witnessed many administrative changes. Dr. Nancy Andrews left her position as a dean at the Harvard Medical School to lead the School of Medicine, becoming the first female head of a top ranked medical school.
Duke’s sports teams concluded their seasons with mediocre results. Ted Roof finished his term as head football coach with one win over the entire season and finished with a dismal 6-45 career record. Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe took the helm of the program in December. The men’s basketball team lost to West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, while the women’s team ended the season with a loss to Texas A&M in the Sweet Sixteen.
Many members of the athletic department left their positions. After 32 years, Director Joe Alleva left for LSU after a tenure marked by both major fund raising and team success—but also scandals, including steroid use among baseball players, the lacrosse case and the DWI charges filed against his son, Duke graduate J.D. Alleva, after crashing a boat.
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