Engaging independents with Football Gameday remains a top priority for Duke Student Government.
In last night’s DSG meeting, junior Chris Brown, external chief of staff, said he has been working with DSG President Pete Schork, a senior, and senior Christina Lieu, DSG vice president for athletics, services and the environment, to persuade University administration to change the Football Gameday policy regarding independent students. Under current policy, only registered student groups are allowed to hold barbecues on West Campus prior to each home football game.
“In the past, there were loopholes that were used by fraternities off campus to throw parties on West [Campus],” Brown said. “That’s why the administration has been very cautious about changing this policy.”
Brown and his team are trying to elicit interest from independent students in order to bargain with University administrators to push for a policy that would allow any group of students to register in Football Gameday, Brown said.
“Without the ability to reserve space on the quad, it would be impossible to think that independent students are satisfied with the current Football Gameday model,” Brown said.
The Interfraternity Council “was not satisfied” with Football Gameday, Brown said, adding that he highlighted IFC’s reaction because the majority of registered student groups at the first Football Gameday last Saturday were part of the organization. He added that only one group—selective living group Wayne Manor—that participated in last week’s Football Gameday opted not to participate this weekend. Two groups affiliated with IFC will not be participating this weekend because of policy violations, he noted.
In other business:
Vice President for Academic Affairs Kaveh Danesh, a senior, addressed the Senate about the plan to renovate the West Union building. He said he met with administrators last week but there have not yet been specific details released about the renovations. Danesh said he is hopeful that there will be more meeting spaces for student groups.
“There will be [The] Link-like spaces, and even storage spaces, which we severely lack,” Danesh said.
Junior Alex Swain, vice president for Durham and regional affairs, also proposed new programs to better integrate Duke students with the Durham community.
In one program, DSG will fund three off-campus receptions for students and Durham residents to get to know each other better. The Office of Student Affairs, in an effort led by Christine Pesetski, assistant dean for off-campus and mediation services, will fund three similar events, Swain said, adding that there will be safeguard measures in place to prevent mishandling of this fund—which amounts to $250 for each reception.
Anna Koelsch contributed reporting.
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