Sep. 4, 2012 issue of The Chronicle

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T H E I N D E P E N D E N T D A I LY AT D U K E U N I V E R S I T Y

The Chronicle

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTH YEAR, ISSUE 9

WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM

DNC takes off in Charlotte Sororities to recruit Schedule of major speakers at the DNC in Charlotte, N.C. off campus from Staff Reports THE CHRONICLE

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TUESDAY Jimmy Carter, former president Michelle Obama, first lady Julian Castro, mayor of San Antonio

WEDNESDAY Elizabeth Warren, Mass. senate candidate Bill Clinton, former president

THURSDAY John Kerry, senator from Massachusetts Joe Biden, vice president Barack Obama, president

The Democratic National Convention, beginning today in Charlotte, N.C., aims to excite national enthusiasm for President Barack Obama, who faces a tough re-election battle, and his party but will also have a local focus on North Carolina—the state Obama won by less than 14,000 votes in 2008. The Chronicle will provide print and online coverage as North Carolina assumes the national spotlight to bring coverage to Duke students on campus, just 150 miles from the convention, and to other residents of the Triangle. Local and national editor Jack Mercola (@mercolajack), special projects editor Nicole Kyle (@nicolekyle) and online photography editor Chelsea Pieroni (@chels_piero) will be in Charlotte to live-tweet, post photos and recaps of major events and offer analysis on the numerous players at the convention. DNC programming will run through Thursday and feature North Carolinians such as Rep. David Price, a former Duke professor whose district includes the Triangle, North Carolina lieutenant governor and gubernatorial candidate Walter Dalton and Sen. Kay Hagan, in addition to former president Bill Clinton and other national party leaders. Charlotte

by Carleigh Stiehm THE CHRONICLE

The recruitment process for the nine sorority chapters in Duke’s Panhellenic Association will move from West Campus to the Durham Convention Center this Spring. The move was prompted by expected limitations to available on-campus space. In prior years, sororities have utilized the Von Canon meeting rooms in the Bryan Center, which will be undergoing renovations this Spring in preparation for the West Union renovations beginning summer 2013. These and other meeting spaces across campus have seen decreased availability in response in the renovations said Sarah Loge, program coordinator for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. Although sorority recruitment will be moved off campus, the new location will centralize the process as all recruitment events will occur in the same place, Loge added. “We are very excited about the move and the ability to have everyone in one location with similar spaces instead of all over East and West Campus,” said Loge. President of the Panhellenic Association Kelsey Woodford, a senior, declined to comment on the change in location. Although the new location will present changes to transportation logistics—students will have to be bused from campus to the Convention Center—the recruitment events themselves will remain largely unchanged, Loge said.

ELIZA STRONG/ THE CHRONICLE

SEE DNC ON PAGE 4

SEE RECRUITMENT ON PAGE 6

Some professors restrict Wannamaker breaks from laptop use in classrooms new house council model by Danli Liu THE CHRONICLE

Despite the large role computers play in higher education, students are restricted from using their laptops in many classes. In an effort to hold students’ attention, some Duke professors are restricting the use of laptops in lectures. Laptops not only distract students themselves but also negatively affect other people in the class, said Emily Klein, senior associate dean at the Nicholas School of the Environment and professor of geology. Some professors have found that students have been more focused and engaged in classroom conversation when they are

Thomas Robisheaux on parapsychology, Page 2

not using their computers during lecture. “Not having laptops means that students can convey active engagement more easily,” Cheri Ross, professor of international comparative studies, wrote in an email Saturday. “I have noticed that there are fewer side conversations happening in class without laptops.” Professors who have implemented the laptop ban in their classrooms said they found the change to be very effective. Ross—who has kept her classes laptop free for the past two years—decided to make this change after discovering several students in SEE LAPTOPS ON PAGE 5

by Ryan Zhang THE CHRONICLE

As students across West and Central Campuses prepare to elect house councils, one group of houses has taken a different approach. Under the newly implemented house model, each house is supposed to choose its own independent house council, a departure from the quadrangle councils of years past. Recently, however, the three Substance Free houses in Wannamaker Quadrangle opted to merge under a single elected house council. The Wellness House in Wannamaker retained its own previously elected house council.

“For Wannamaker, it makes the most sense to have two councils,” said Joe Gonzalez, dean for residential life. “It makes sense to have one group for the Substance Free houses and have the Wellness house be its own separate group.” Wannamaker resident Ernst Casimir, a sophomore, said that the combined Substance Free council would benefit all three of its houses. “Instead of, for example, having three different pool tables, this plan allows us to bring all of our resources into one group that everyone can use,” Casimir

Start filling up your calendar with this semester’s biggest arts events, check out the Fall Arts Preview

SEE COUNCILS ON PAGE 4


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