1000 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(01/27/14 11:14am)
Words not only reflect our cultural attitudes and beliefs, but also reproduce those attitudes and give them legitimacy. They give voice to cultural standards about gender and sexuality—the norms that dictate what it means to be a man, whether or not being gay is acceptable and how women ought to be treated. And words, by giving these standards voice, give them substance. They make imagined sexual differences seem fixed and weave beliefs that dehumanize certain groups into the fabric of our language, making those beliefs difficult to tease out and eject.
(01/24/14 10:43am)
Given Aycock’s racial views, we think renaming Aycock dormitory is an unambiguously good idea.
(01/23/14 11:05am)
Senior Daniel Strunk, chief justice of Duke Student Government, has launched The 40% Plan to alter the way money is collected from students through the Undergraduate Student Activity Fee, which is then allocated to student groups.
(01/22/14 10:03am)
In yesterday’s editorial, we sought to tease apart and examine some of the issues presented by greek life, and, after carefully considering some of its entrenched problems, we concluded that, on the ideal Duke campus, greek life would not exist. In our second installment, we would like to dispel some concerns about the practical difficulties of diminishing the reach and power of the greek system.
(01/21/14 10:28am)
Although criticisms of the greek system abound, it is rare to see members of the greek community discuss these issues publicly. At Dartmouth, Duke and elsewhere, greek culture can become thoroughly entwined with members’ personal identities, and greek-affiliated students often shy away from public introspection. We laud Dartmouth’s Panhellenic Council for its bravery in addressing the difficult issues facing its community.
(01/17/14 10:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In yesterday's editorial, we outlined the fragmentation of social life at Duke—a consequence, we argue, largely of administrative initiatives designed to improve the safety and vitality of social culture on campus. From eliminating Tailgate, moving much of Greek life to Central Campus and requiring PACT training for all new Greek members, policy changes initiated or pushed by the University have made it clear that the administration prioritizes safety over most other concerns.This University's emphasis on safety is appropriate and reasonable. In light of evidence of high rates of sexual assault on campus and the dangerous behavior fostered by alcohol-fueled events like Tailgate, the University has rightly made it a priority to discourage binge drinking and increate opportunities for alcohol-free social interaction. The University's intolerance for potentially dangerous on-campus events had led, many believe, to crackdowns and greater adherence by the administration to the letter of Duke's alcohol policies. Although many bemoan stricter enforcement of the University's alcohol policies, it is important to remember that these changes reflect a good-faith attempt to promote safety—even if, as we have suggested in previous editorials, they do not always succeed in doing so. Indeed, as social events move off campus, they not only become less visible, but they also create a whole new set of safety and liability concerns. Hosting parties at off-campus venues can encourage groups to maintain tightly controlled guests lists and assume greater responsibility for what happens under their watch. But these venues' distance from campus and unfamiliarity can increase the risk of drunk driving, sexual assault as well as other unsafe or criminal activities. In general, the exodus off campus makes it difficult for Duke police and party monitors to supervise events, placing the burden of responsibility onto the groups hosting off-campus events. The safety concerns that Duke has attempted to address through policy measures and collaborative action with campus social groups—binge drinking and sexual assault, in particular—will persist, unless we see major changes in the cultural attitudes held by students. Many of us remember the tragic, alcohol-related deaths of former students Drew Everson and Matthew Grape, events that prompted considerable reflection and, in many ways, changed cultural norms on campus. But students of that generation will soon graduate, and, when they do, the University will face considerable challenges as it attempts to imbue another generation of students with the same serious attitudes towards alcohol.In the end, legislating safety is not enough. Policy changes, though they make the University's priorities clear, can only cause real change if they are accompanied by shifts in what students consider to be normal or acceptable behavior. If we want the campus to become a truly safe and healthy place, students will have to internalize the importance of working to prevent things like sexual assault and alcohol overconsumption. Many students have, but the persistence of dangerous behavior suggests that more can be done.
(01/16/14 11:23am)
Though gone from West, much of the revelry has migrated to Central Campus and off-campus houses. With many fraternities and all nine Panhellenic sororities on Central, the formerly undesirable apartment blocks have become social hubs. Greek life has lost some visibility, but not much cultural clout.
(01/15/14 10:46am)
The increase in ED admits has been accompanied by an even more substantial increase in the number of ED applicants, driving down the early acceptance rate to 25 percent and paralleling trends at schools like Northwestern, Cornell and Stanford.
(01/14/14 11:28am)
By affirming the value of theology courses, we are not endorsing a particular answer to the question of God’s actuality or to the impact of that answer on the meaning of the human person. We are suggesting only the legitimacy of theological inquiry—as an engagement of the possibility of God’s existence and how such existence may inform other truth claims—and recognizing its place in a holistic humanities education.
(01/13/14 9:14am)
In putting students on common intellectual ground, a philosophy requirement would facilitate the interdisciplinary interactions that Duke strives to promote. It would give students a base from which to pursue their interests and a way to exchange ideas across disciplines with their peers.
(01/10/14 8:32am)
The poor reasoning that informed the ASA’s boycott goes well beyond the divisive situation between Israel and Palestine. As many commentators have noted in recent weeks, the ASA’s move is in and ofitself hypocritical, not to mention directed at parties with little immediate affiliation to the Israeli government—the group responsible for occupying Palestine and for compromising the available education opportunities.
(01/09/14 9:06am)
As a major research institution with a premier engineering school, Duke has an interest in promoting both scientific achievement and gender equality. The University is currently seeking to address the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics by investigating the ways female students negotiate the collegiate academic environment. These projects include the Gender Task Force and the Global Women’s Health Technology Center, a partnership between the Pratt School of Engineering and the Duke Global Health Initiative. These programs represent Duke’s efforts to retain women majoring and pursuing careers in science and engineering.
(01/08/14 8:58am)
Construction projects underway on the West Union and Perkins library promise to deliver major infrastructure improvements in the coming years. Although restrictions to the Bryan Center plaza have proven inconvenient—and current students are unlikely to reap the rewards—the long-term benefits of the projects will help improve campus life and foster community for future generations. Students should continue to monitor the progress of these construction projects to ensure that they proceed smoothly and with the best interests of students in mind.
(12/09/13 8:55am)
In addition to reducing the amount of paper the University consumes, online course evaluations yield three primary benefits. First, the online forms are easier to use than their physical counterparts. They are easy to access and eliminate the labor required by administrative staff, faculty and students to print, distribute, complete and return evaluation forms.
(12/06/13 1:51pm)
There exist two basic models for student dining. The first is a model employed commonly by state schools, where private vendors compete for spaces rented out by the university, and students use cash or a cash equivalent to purchase food. The second model is often found at private institutions, where the university operates a number of large dining halls. These dining halls are typically buffet-style eateries and use a swipe system.
(12/05/13 10:15am)
The West Union renovations are occurring in tandem with modifications to Perkins Library, which have caused the Gothic Reading Room to close. In addition to being inconvenient and unsightly, these projects have changed the atmosphere on campus.
(12/04/13 8:44am)
A number of centers and departments—including the Center for Documentary Studies—currently offer courses that encourage students to explore Durham. Ideally, the proposed course additions would build on the successes of current course offerings. Many of these courses include a service-learning component, and while service-learning is valuable, the time required to participate in these classes can sometimes repel students who are interested in Durham but overburdened by other commitments. The proposed courses would not include a service-learning element and may, as a result, allow students to study Durham without having to negotiate the time constraints imposed by classes focused on service.
(12/03/13 11:41am)
Seventeen-year-old Jesus Huerta was in the back seat of a police vehicle when he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Nov. 19. His death provoked an impassioned reaction from the Durham community—over 150 people gathered in downtown Durham, citing their frustration regarding the lack of information provided about Huerta's death.
(12/02/13 10:29am)
The University has worked hard to build a strong student community at the school. It has supported events before football games, worked to improve residential life through the introduction of the housing model and created a strong community for freshmen so that they feel welcome at Duke.
(11/26/13 9:43am)
Last weekend’s student dance performance, November Dances, reflects the astonishing growth of the dance program, reminding us that Duke, a university known for its students’ academic and athletic successes, contains an incredible wealth of artistic talent. The students who performed and choreographed pieces for November Dances wove a series of intricate stories with their bodies, assembling alternatively beautiful and bracing scenes with athleticism, sophistication and panache. The performance was gripping, and we congratulate the dance program—its students, instructors and supporters—on their success.
