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ONE ONE HUNDRED HUNDRED AND AND EIGHTH NINTHYEAR, YEAR,ISSUE ISSUEXXX 61

THE PROVOST: THE HARDEST JOB ON CAMPUS A history of Duke’s top academic position by Emma Baccellieri THE CHRONICLE

The University is currently conducting one of the most important administrative searches in the past decade. When Peter Lange steps down in June, he will conclude his third term, making him Duke’s longest serving provost. During his 15 years in 220 Allen Building, he has been at the helm of dean appointments for each of the University’s 10 schools, the establishment of various research institutes and the creation of Duke Kunshan University, among numerous other projects. The need to balance broad strategic goals with day-to-day management of a large research university makes the position a challenge for any provost. “The provost is probably the most difficult job on the campus and probably the least appreciated,” said former Academic Council chair Arie Lewin, a professor of strategy at GRAPHIC BY RITA LO/THE CHRONICLE

See PROVOST, page 2

DsG wraps up semester by ‘Father of sociobiology’ to reflecting on future goals teach at nicholas school by Carleigh Stiehm THE CHRONICLE

The Duke Student Government Senate celebrated its last meeting of the semester by reflecting on their accomplishments and looking forward to the next semester. At their Wednesday night meeting, Executive Vice President Nikolai Doytchinov, a junior, reminded senators to stay focused on their goals for the rest of the year. “I know there have been some things that I wanted to accomplish this semester that I have not yet done,” Doytchinov said. “I will take some time over break to see what needs to be

my priority next semester.” Representatives debated changes to the Student Organizations and Finance bylaw. The presentation highlights the creation of new, more concrete processes for auditing and dissolving student groups. Junior Joyce Lau, chair of the Student Organization Finance Committee, said that on average about half of student groups that request recognition or charter status are approved. “There are a lot of inactive groups,”

See DSG, page 4

by Jenna Zhang THE CHRONICLE

E.O. Wilson—renowned biologist, researcher and author—is coming to town. Under the new agreement signed by the University and the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation, Wilson will teach one week-long, for-credit course each year at the Nicholas School of the Environment. In addition to the courses, the new agreement with the foundation will provide new research opportunities for graduate students. “It’s a very exciting opportunity for us to deepen our research and education ini-

tiatives and to work with both faculty and students,” said Paula Ehrlich, president and CEO of Wilson’s foundation. She noted that the foundation hopes that a strong collaboration with the Nicholas School will further the common goal of bettering the understanding of our biodiverse planet and the preservation of ecosystems. “We’re hoping to set up a framework in which interaction and collaboration will grow over time and interweave between the See WILSON, page 4

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BEVAN

COLE

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the Fuqua School of Business who has been at Duke since 1974. The significance of Lange’s time as provost becomes particularly apparent when considered in the context of the position’s history at Duke. Of the 10 men who have held the job, just four have had terms longer than five years, and Lange is the only one to serve for more than a decade. The length of his term is unique among peer institutions as well—he has served longer than any of his counterparts in the Association of American Universities, which comprises more than 60 of America and Canada’s leading research institutions. Lange’s leadership style and character have distinguished him from his predecessors, colleagues say—and in the eyes of some, he is the best to have ever held the position at Duke. His legacy will now frame the search for a successor. 53 years of provostship As the University’s chief academic officer and faculty leader, the provost reports directly to the president and determines the general direction of the institution’s scholarship. “The president and provost spend three or four hours every week just talking to each other,” President Richard Brodhead said. “There’s no issue that comes up that we haven’t talked through.” A provost’s responsibilities do not end with academics. Directly under the provost are more than 10 vice provosts, as well as the deans of Duke’s 10 schools. The provost is also

BLACKBURN

responsible for policies related to financial aid, admissions, Duke University Press, DukeEngage, information technology, libraries, institute and initiative directors, the Talent Identification Program, the Nasher Museum of Art and digital initiatives. “The president can’t do everything when it comes to running an institution, and so a place like this has to have a provost with real authority, who can be backed up by the president,” said Philip Stewart, Benjamin E. Powell emeritus professor of romance studies, who has been at Duke since 1972. Former President J. Deryl Hart established the provost position in 1960 in an overhaul of the academic administration. The position evolved from a previous role known as vice president of the educational division. Political science professor R. Taylor Cole was the first person appointed to the job—serving nine years, second only to Lange’s 15. Among Cole’s most prominent accomplishments were overseeing the integration of the University and an increased commitment to graduate and professional education. “He also had a great sense of humor, and that’s critical,” said James B. Duke professor of economics Craufurd Goodwin, who served as assistant provost under Cole. “The stresses and strains are remarkable at times, and when stuff hits the fan, it’s pretty bad.” The position experienced relatively quick turnover in the years following Cole’s decision to step down in 1969. Chemistry professor and former dean of the graduate school Marcus Hobbs was the second provost. But Terry Sanford was announced as president

CLEAVELAND

shortly thereafter and chose to put economics department chair John Blackburn in the role, ending Hobbs’ term after just one year. At the end of Blackburn’s first year, however, he took a different administrative role, making room for Frederic Cleaveland to become Duke’s third provost in three years. A political science professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Cleaveland was Duke’s first provost to be hired from outside the University. In the role from 1971 to 1978, his term saw the merger of the Woman’s College with the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and the beginning of initiatives to promote faculty diversity. But it was under his successor, psychology professor William Bevan, that the University began to transition from a regional power to a national one. “There are a number of people here who believe his provostship was the turning point in making Duke standards very, very respectable,” said E. Roy Weintraub, an economics professor who has been at the University since 1974 and former dean of the faculty of arts and sciences. As provost, Bevan focused much of his energy on hiring talented junior faculty and also worked to standardize the rules for faculty appointment, promotion and tenure. The search for his successor proved complicated, however, and Keith Brodie—later the University’s president—took the role for a year. Mathematician Philip Griffiths, from Harvard University, ended up in the position from 1984 to 1991 and continued to build on Bevan’s steps forward.

“The secret to [Griffiths’] success—which was considerable—was his cooperation with faculty,” Stewart noted. Griffiths pursued a strategy of hiring highprofile senior faculty from other universities in order to have an immediate impact, rather than bringing in junior faculty and hoping they would develop into academic stars, said Bishop-MacDermott Family chemistry professor Alvin Crumbliss, who has taught at Duke since 1970 and is a former dean of the faculty of arts and sciences. “Griffiths, coming from Harvard, was not averse to throwing a lot of money at people,” Weintraub said. Although many praised his logistical skills and vision for the University, some noted that he did not have a background in administration and had a leadership style that was not conventionally personable. “His goal was to make this an elite university, and that’s the style he adopted as provost,” Crumbliss said. After seven years in the role, Griffiths was replaced in 1991 by Thomas Langford, dean of the Divinity School. Langford excelled at communicating with faculty, colleagues noted. “He knew how to bring people together and was very inclusive and very thoughtful,” Lewin said. “He was also very good at finding compromises.” Langford spent three years as provost— covering the transition from Keith Brodie’s presidency to Nan Keohane’s—before retiring. He was succeeded by John Strohbehn, previously the provost at Dartmouth College and an engineer by training.

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thursDAY, December 5, 2013 | 3

GRIFFITHS

STROHBEHN LANGFORD

BRODIE

Strohbehn served one five-year term, focusing particularly on undergraduate education and on building in the sciences. He did not, have much experience with a large research institution such as Duke, which was sometimes reflected in his work, Weintraub said. “He was a very nice man, he just didn’t seem to have much of an impact on things,” Goodwin noted. Lange’s legacy At the end of Strohbehn’s term, Keohane appointed Lange to the position. “When Peter replaced [Strohbehn]… the immediate change was pretty obvious,” said Michael Gillespie, professor of political science who has been at Duke since 1983. Lange had served as chair of the political science department and as a vice provost for academic and international affairs. He also served as one of the key architects of Curriculum 2000, the redesign of the undergraduate curriculum for the new millennium. One of his priorities as provost was increasing faculty quality. “That’s one thing about Peter, he clearly knows what it means to be an academic institution, what does it mean to have faculty who have a life of scholarship,” Lewin said. “It’s not just counting articles in top journals.” As provost, Lange has also worked on increasing the University’s global presence—improving Duke’s international reputation and bolstering programs abroad. A key part of this effort was the establishment of Duke Kunshan University in China, set to open in Fall 2014. “One of the things that Peter decided long

ago was that in order to compete as a global university, we needed to have an international presence and this was the way to do that,” Gillespie said of Kunshan. “People differ about whether that’s correct or not.” Initially, the venture met with criticism from some faculty who felt the administration had moved forward too quickly without enough time for discussion. Lange and the other project leaders responded by establishing more avenues for faculty input in recent years. A similar dynamic arose when Lange signed a contract with Internet course provider 2U in Fall 2012 that would have entered Duke into a consortium of schools offering for-credit online classes. In April, however, the Arts and Sciences Council rejected a motion to accept online courses for credit, with a number of professors criticizing a lack of faculty involvement in the planning process. As a result, Duke was forced to back out of the contract with 2U. “[Lange] hates to lose,” Gillespie noted. “He lost on the [online course] thing last Spring, but he’s approached that in sort of a good spirit in an attempt to get people to think about doing things that way.” Keohane said Lange struck a balance between confidence in his own views and acceptance of other perspectives. “He was quite willing to stand up to me when he disagreed with a direction I was taking, before a decision was made or announced and sometimes convinced me I was wrong,” Keohane wrote in an email Dec. 2. “But at least as often he was convinced instead, or was willing to accept my decision and work hard to implement it.”

In addition to greater international exposure for Duke, Lange has spearheaded a push toward interdisciplinary education, as seen in the establishment of Duke’s seven institutes. He has encouraged a system where there are few barriers between departments and schools in terms of research opportunities, Crumbliss noted. Brodhead credited Lange with creating a deep culture of collaboration across Duke’s academic units. “The deans at Duke work together in a way that they don’t work together at any other university I can name,” he said. “That doesn’t happen by accident. It’s been the result of endless work by the provost to make people realize that the parts work best when they’re parts of a whole.” Lange’s colleagues spoke highly of his shrewdness, humor and balance of common sense and intellect. “When you work for somebody like him, you want to do your best,” said Patricia McHenry, the provost’s executive assistant. McHenry has worked in Lange’s office for nearly his entire tenure and plans to retire when he steps down. Delegating is among Lange’s assets and he allows people to do their jobs with relative autonomy, Gillespie noted. “Peter, I’ve always thought, was the perfect person to be provost, partly because he is probably the most gregarious person I know,” Gillespie said. “He loves to talk to people, and in fact, he’s a little bit uncomfortable not talking to people.”

LANGE

Looking ahead A 12-member search committee of faculty, administrators, trustees and students is currently working to find Lange’s replacement, who will assume the position in July 2014. The new provost will oversee the opening of DKU and grapple with the expansion of online learning and its effects on higher education. Several professors expressed a preference for Lange’s successor to be hired from within the University. “The problem with bringing somebody in from the outside is twofold—one, the people here don’t know what they’re going to do, and secondly, the people who come in don’t necessarily know where all the bodies are buried,” Gillespie said. “Peter knew where all the bodies were buried and where all the money was buried. Knowing where all those resources are, that makes a huge difference. And the upfront cost to somebody coming from the outside is pretty high.” A person hired from outside the institution, though, can bring a valuable fresh perspective, Stewart said. But still others pointed to the University’s record of provosts, noting that the majority of the most effective provosts have come from inside. “It’s a big gamble when you go outside, and we’ve found that in cases before,” Goodwin noted. All in all, the role of provost is undoubtedly a complicated one. But when asked for the advice he would give his successor, Lange’s answer was simple. “Love your job,” he said.

Class of 2017... On Monday, December 9th the Duke Annual Fund and Student Development Advisory Council (SDAC) will be delivering your class photo and goodies to your dorm.

From 7-8pm at: Alspaugh Bassett Brown Pegram Giles Wilson Epworth

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Please meet us in the main lounge of your dorm to learn more about SDAC and the Duke Annual Fund.

Wilson

from page 1

Wilson Foundation and our University,” said Dean of the Nicholas School Bill Chameides. Wilson will begin by teaching a course titled “Biodiversity and the Meaning of Human Existence” in Spring 2014. The course—which is to be capped at 16 students—is open to Nicholas School master’s of environmental management and Ph.D students. Spots in the course are limited to ensure the best seminar and discussion experience possible, Ehrlich said. Students interested in securing a seat were required to submit a one-page essay explaining what they will contribute to the class, said Jennifer Swenson, director of professional studies at the Nicholas School. Several dozen students submitted essays and are currently under consideration. Final de-

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TWP QUOTE

cisions will be made later this week. The title of the course closely resembles that of a book Wilson is working on—”The Meaning of Human Existence.” Much of the course will focus on some of the topics that will be addressed in his book, which will be released in 2014, Chameides noted. “His teaching and thinking are not static,” Ehrlich said. “The course will take on its own life based on the interests of the students and various aspects of what Ed Wilson is thinking.” Wilson is known within the scientific community for his work in environmental advocacy, secular-humanist ideas and for his role as the father of sociobiology—the study of how social behaviors result from evolution. Pellegrino University Professor Emeritus of entomology at Harvard University, he is best known for using sociobiology and evolutionary principles to explain the behavior

OF THE

MONTH

“It’s never too late – in writing or in life – to revise.” – Nancy Thayer

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of social insects. Among the lay population, however, Wilson is admired as a “poet scientist” whose works seek to transcend the ordinary boundaries of scientific literature, Ehrlich said. His Pulitzer award-winning book, “On Human Nature,” introduces the concept of the “evolutionary epic”—an attempt to tell the 14-billion-year story of evolution in a sacred way. His 1998 book “Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge” breaks down the barrier between the sciences and the humanities. “One doesn’t often have the ability to learn first-hand from someone of the intellectual stature of E.O. Wilson, whether you’re a student or a professor,” said Charlotte Clark, lecturer and director of undergraduate programs at the Nicholas School.

DSG

from page 1

Doytchinov said. “In fact just this summer we de-chartered several groups that had basically been doing nothing for three years.” He estimated that nearly $30,000 was recovered from the funding from the annual budget after de-chartering these groups. There are well over 500 student groups currently registered with the University, Lau said. She estimated that only about 100 of those are currently active. “We are going to be de-chartering about 400 groups,” Lau said. “That is honestly the biggest change that is coming to come from this bylaw.” Previously, there was no specified and clear method for de-chartering groups that had broken rules or become inactive. The bylaw was tabled to be voted on at a later meeting. In other business: President Stefani Jones, a senior, said that

she and sophomore Lavanya Sunder, vice president for services, have made forward progress in bringing a bike sharing program to campus. “We will hopefully be starting the bike sharing program next semester,” Jones said. “We are really excited about that.” The Young Trustee Nominating Committee has had its first meeting of the year, and applications for the position will be sent to the student body Thursday. Junior Ray Li, vice president for academic affairs, reminded senators that tickets for Saturday’s ACC championship football game were still available. The group Duke Swim and Splash, which helps sick children in Durham, was granted chartered status. The Consulting Club was granted $2,791.59 from the programming fund to fund a management consulted boot camp. Legislation introduced by senior Leilani Doktor, vice president for social culture, granted $500 to purchase pizza for a football watch party in the Penn Pavillion this Saturday. Doktor encouraged all students to attend the party.

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DSG members were reminded to stay focused in order to accomplish all of their goals next semester.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2013

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Return from Paradise

The Paradise Jam champs return home to a difficult nonconference slate by Jay Sullivan THE CHRONICLE

Haley Peters may be returning at just the right time for Duke. After earning the Paradise Jam Tournament title last week, the No. 2 Blue Devils begin a slate of difficult games that includes three ranked opponents in two weeks. They start Thursday with a matchup against No. 16 Purdue at Cameron Indoor Stadium at 6:30 p.m. in No. 16 the Big Ten/ACC Purdue Challenge. vs. With Peters reNo. 2 turning to the roDuke tation after recovThursday, 6:30 p.m. ering from a knee Cameron Indoor Stadium injury against Vanderbilt Nov. 21, the Boilermakers (5-1) will have their hands full with a Blue Devil squad that learned how to play without their leading rebounder in a successful Paradise Jam tournament performance. “Everyone has a responsibility [to rebound],” McCallie said. “There are certain things you have to do for the team. They’re non-negotiable items. You must defend as a team, and you must rebound as a team. Different people can score, and different people can take different kinds of shots,

SPORTS

DARBI GRIFFITH/CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

rebounds in the final two games of the Paradise Jam combined, has emerged as a force for Duke in the post. Boasting one of the strongest backcourts in college basketball in Chelsea See W. BASKETBALL, page 6

FOOTBALL

Jameis Winston findings to be announced Thursday by Daniel Carp THE CHRONICLE

With a matchup against Duke in the ACC championship game looming, No. 1 Florida State will learn the legal fate of its starting quarterback. State Attorney Willie Meggs will announce the findings of the investigation of Heisman hopeful Jameis Winston Thursday in a 2 p.m. press conference. Winston, the SemJAMEIS WINSTON inoles’ standout Quarterback, Florida St. redshirt freshman signal-caller, could be charged with sexual battery in the attempted rape of a fellow student, which allegedly took place Dec. 7, 2012. If he is charged with a felony, Win-

ston would be immediately suspended indefinitely per Florida State Athletic Department policy and would not be able to suit up for Saturday’s conference championship game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Winston was named ACC Player of the Year Wednesday after leading the conference with 3,490 passing yards, throwing for 35 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. Winston’s attorney alleged that the sex between the Seminole quarterback and his 19-year-old accuser, was consensual. The accuser did not identify Winston as her attacker until more than a month after the alleged incident, according to a timeline released by the Tallahassee Police Department. The case has been the center of attention for the past three weeks following intense scrutiny from the alleged victim’s family, which issued a

Forever Duke... football A couple weeks ago, former Duke offensive lineman Matt Rumsey changed his Facebook profile picture to one of him in his Blue Devil uniform. “I promise you I’m not the only one that’s done that,” said Rumsey, who played from 2004-07 at center and started for three seasons. “For me, it’s just a way of trying to draw attention to the success of this year’s team. I could probably name another 10 or 15 guys who I played with who have done similar things.” Duke went 4-42 in Rumsey’s four years, leaving just before David Cutcliffe took over as head coach. This year’s team is 10-2—winning as many games as the program did from 2000-07—and is about to play in the ACC Championship game against No. 1 Florida State. And there may be no group of people more excited about this year’s team than the former players. “All of us were extremely proud to play at Duke, and always have been. Is it nice to have people talking about the program? Sure,” former offensive lineman Cameron Goldberg said. “I would never shy away from saying I am a Duke Blue Devil. But it is fun that people know about it now.” Goldberg played at Duke from 200508, so his last year was Cutcliffe’s first year in Durham. He texted with Cutcliffe after last Saturday’s win against North Carolina, offering his congratulations. The team won four games during Goldberg’s senior season, and he could immediately see the change the new head coach was effecting. Goldberg said the one thing he really wants to get his hands on is the Victory Bell because the team never beat the Tar Heels in his time there. The process of developing a squad like this year’s, an athletic and prepared one that has consistently dominated teams in the fourth quarter, began then. “He was like, ‘Oh my god you guys are the fattest, softest team I’ve ever seen,’” said Goldberg, who has worked a tech company the last four years after trying to make an NFL roster. “He really dedicated himself to getting us in shape, and that’s absolutely why we won some of the games we won in the beginning of the season: we outworked them.” Zack Asack, who graduated in 2010 and started at quarterback on the 2005 team, likened Cutcliffe to a drill sergeant, demanding strict discipline of his players,

Andrew Beaton

With forward Haley Peters out, guard Tricia Liston has stepped up, averaging more than 20 points and eight rebounds per game in the last three contests. but you must defend and rebound as a team. I think that’s been made clear.” The Blue Devils (8-0) have had to rely on younger players like freshman forward Oderah Chidom to compensate for Peters’ absence over the past few games. Chidom, who grabbed 24

thursDAY, december 5, 2013 | 5

statement accusing law enforcement officers of trying to dissuade them from progressing with the charges due to the Seminoles’ national championship aspirations. “We requested assistance from an attorney friend to interact with law enforcement on the victim’s behalf,” the statement said. “When the attorney contacted Detective [Scott] Angulo immediately after Winston was identified, Detective Angulo told the attorney that Tallahassee was a big football town and the victim needs to think long and hard before proceeding against him because she will be raked over the coals and her life will be made miserable.” Despite Winston’s ongoing investigation, it has been business as usual at Florida State. Winston addressed the media Wednesday but answered football questions only.

See BEATON, page 6

W. BASKETBALL

from page 5

Gray and Alexis Jones, the Blue Devils have not had to rely as much on post play to determine the outcome of games. The talented guard duo also makes offense easier for its teammates down low. McCallie acknowledged how important guard play is in opening up shots for Chidom and center Elizabeth Williams. “When you have smart guards and guards who make great decisions with the ball, that is the key to playing away, controlling the ball and making smart decisions with the ball,” McCallie said. “I feel very good about our guards that way, and that helps our post game follow.” Gray and Jones have also opened up a bevy of opportunities for guard Tricia Liston, who leads Duke in scoring with 18.4 points per game and continues to shoot better than 50 percent both from the floor and beyond the arc. Liston, along with shooters like Peters, consistently fights for offensive rebounds and second chance opportunities. Although the offense has been a strength for the Blue Devils this season, a lack of consistent defensive has plagued Duke and will be a focal point moving forward for McCallie. Purdue boasts a potent lineup of guards who can shoot and run the floor, led by seniors Courtney Moses and KK Houser who both average 13.7 points per game. McCallie has focused her team’s defense on Moses, Houser and point

SPORTS

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guard April Wilson to limit the Boilermakers’ offensive opportunities. “They have a nice team obviously, but they really rely on guard play,” McCallie said. “They can shoot. They’re prolific. We don’t want them comfortable. We want to wear them down. We want to contest every shot and be there before the catch.” The Blue Devils are poised to develop further as a team as they begin a stretch in which they will play No. 17 Oklahoma on the road and No. 1 Connecticut in Durham. Still, McCallie and Duke are focusing on taking it slowly. “[We play] one game at a time, and all of our games are hard,” McCallie said. “We opened with California. From our standpoint, it’s no different [with Connecticut]. It’s the same. [The keys are] good focus, really appreciate the talents of the team we’re going to play, and really working to shut them down.” The Blue Devils are confident that they can compete with the best in the country in defending reigning NCAA Champion Connecticut as long as they make a concerted effort on both ends of the floor and maintain intensity throughout the game. This experienced Duke squad hopes to build upon what it has learned from early tests to emerge victorious from this competitive stretch of games. “Our team learned that it’s important that we execute,” McCallie said. “No team is good enough to go out there and [just] play. You’ve got to execute on both sides of the ball.”

BEATON

from page 5

which gave the team exactly what it needed: “A kick in the butt.” Since Goldberg began working in New York City, he has been a part of alumni outreach efforts to get people to watch the games together. Basketball, he said is easy to get people together for. The football watch parties started as just him and a few other people, but they’ve grown with this year’s success. Asack now works as an associate producer for the ACC Digital Network and follows the team closely, cutting up the Duke highlights after every game. Some of the positive changes he has seen are schematic. Others are less tangible, with breaks falling Duke’s way like in the win against thenNo. 23 Miami when kicker Ross Martin’s field goal rattled home after hitting the post. “God’s a Duke fan. He really is,” Asack said. Asack said even in his era, the players went into every game thinking they had a good chance to win, even if it was against the ACC’s best, but the consistent losing could take its toll. “The old squads, I hate to say it, but I think we were just hoping we’d keep it a close game,” he said. “But this team is fighting for the wins, and they expect to win.” Rumsey now works at an industrial supply company in Atlanta and watches the games with a few other former Blue Devils in the area. He said he has seen other institutional changes, with the program now receiving more support from the University financially. He added that the University has done a great job keeping former players involved,

helping them get tickets and stay connected via email. Rumsey said another former player posted on Facebook about people asking him if he were jealous of this year’s team. The response: Absolutely not. “It was never a question of if it could happen, it was a question of when it was going to happen.” Rumsey said. “We’re not the ones on the field, we’re not the ones in practice but [we] certainly do associate ourselves with it, still to this day.”

Congratulations Coach Cutcliffe and the Duke Football team

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Zack Asack, Duke’s starting quarterback in 2005 and a backup on Cutcliffe’s 2008 squad, noted a change in attitude for the Blue Devils.

Pick up The Chronicle this Friday for a commemorative edition of the historic season, plus a preview of the ACC Championship Game. kakuro_399F.txt

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the chronicle

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communicating the closure Many students have walked up to the main entrance of the Bryan Center Plaza and been shocked to see a brown slab of wood halting their path. To gain entry to the plaza, students now have to trek around the old West Union, past the Chapel and approach from the side, or cut through the Flowers building. 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. The Bryan Center walkway closing, in particular, shrinks a communal space that has existed since the plaza’s creation in 2006. Students have lost a main artery into one of the premier social spaces on campus, and the elimination of the main entrance hurts some parts of Duke’s social culture. The walkway was a place in which groups could table for causes, and it offered an area for students to sit, relax and engage with others. We recognize that it will take two years for the West Union renovations to be complete and that any type of infrastructural improvement

I agree that the three-year mandate needs to be removed, but I don’t see how funneling all the kids into Partners and West Village and the Lofts is going to somehow enlighten them about race and class lines.

Editorial experience is being diminished. Students might be able to accept the loss of the Bryan Center plaza entrance without much fuss if there had been better communication about the likely disruptions caused by this year’s construction projects. We suspect administrators have compelling reasons for carrying out these projects in the way that they have, but find it troubling that the administration has felt little need to articulate these reasons to students. It is particularly disappointing that the administration failed to send students an email regarding the change. We find this apparent indifference to the concerns of current students disrespectful. Frustrated by the lack of communication, we

Letters PoLicy The Chronicle welcomes submissions in the form of letters to the editor or guest columns. Submissions must include the author’s name, signature, department or class, and for purposes of identification, phone number and local address. Letters should not exceed 325 words; contact the editorial department for information regarding guest columns. The Chronicle will not publish anonymous or form letters or letters that are promotional in nature. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length, clarity and style and the right to withhold letters based on the discretion of the editorial page editor.

I have no problem admitting that I’m a huge Kanye West fan. Not of the man per se, as I don’t know him and have found some of his public conduct deplorable, but of some of his work. His song “Stronger” has a permanent spot on my workout mix, because I enjoy the song and respect the tremendous homage to the film “Akira” in the music video. (Although, Kanye as Tetsuo, really? Then again, the angry teenage behavior thing kind of fits…) But, most recently, I have to admit that I respect his ability to forgive others. Specifically, the President of the United States. President Obama has referred to Kanye West as a “jack---.” On the record. Twice. Yet clearly Kanye is willing to forgive him that public insult (after accusing the President of using him as a distraction) and rushed to defend Obama recently on a New York radio show. In trying to explain why some of the President’s initiatives appear to be stalled, Kanye said the following: “Man, let me tell you about George Bush and oil money and Obama and no money. People want to say Obama can’t make these moves or he’s not executing. That’s because he ain’t got those connections. Black people don’t have the same level of connections as Jewish people. Black people don’t have the same connection as oil people. You know we don’t know nobody that got a nice house. You know we don’t know nobody with paper like that we can go to when we down. You know they can just put us back or put us in a corporation. You know we ain’t in situation. Can you guarantee that your daughter can get a job at this radio station? But if you own this radio station, you could guarantee that. That’s what I’m talking about.” Now, I’m not sure how much more connected you can be beyond being the President of the United States of America. But I’ll happily ignore that rather significant logical inconsistency in favor of addressing what has been getting a bit of press, namely the suggestion that Kanye West made an anti-Semitic statement. The director of the Anti-Defamation League (a civil rights NGO), Abraham Foxman, described this as anti-Semitic as “the age-old canard that Jews are all-powerful and control the levers of power in government.” With due respect to Abe Foxman and the work of the ADL, I completely disagree. While I can very easily see how it can be taken that way, I do not think that Kanye West made an anti-Semitic statement. It had a little more eloquence than his interruption of Taylor Swift—but not by much. Instead, we have a reasonably inept foray into public political commentary that manages to denigrate his own community yet amounts to little more than click-bait for news sites as a well–known public figure is accused of being anti-Semitic. My takeaway from this is that it is even less significant than Miley Cyrus’ recent comment about “70-year-old Jewish men” behind desks. It’s not about Jewish power and agency, but that the black community Kanye is speaking about

” edit pages

—“twentyfourteen” commenting on the column “The three-year sentence.”

Direct submissions to: E-mail: chronicleletters@duke.edu Editorial Page Department The Chronicle Box 90858, Durham, NC 27708 Phone: (919) 684-2663 Fax: (919) 684-4696

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Inc. 1993

Danielle Muoio, Editor Sophia DuranD, Managing Editor raiSa chowDhury, News Editor Daniel carp, Sports Editor Sophia palenberg, Photography Editor Scott briggS, Editorial Page Editor caSey williaMS, Editorial Board Chair jiM poSen, Director of Online Development kelly Scurry, Managing editor for online chriSSy beck, General Manager eMMa baccellieri, University Editor elizabeth DjiniS, Local & National Editor anthony hagouel, Health & Science Editor julia May, News Photography Editor kelSey hopkinS, Design Editor lauren feilich, Recess Editor eliza bray, Recess Photography Editor MouSa alShanteer, Editorial Page Managing Editor aShley Mooney, Towerview Editor jennie Xu, Towerview Photography Editor kriStie kiM, Social Media Editor lauren carroll, Senior Editor anDrew luo, News Blog Editor Matt barnett, Multimedia Editor rebecca DickenSon, Advertising Director Mary weaver, Operations Manager Megan Mcginity, Digital Sales Manager

will inevitably cause some current students’ experiences to suffer. But we are not sure that the disruptions caused by these projects are totally fair to current students. Students do not only pay for a Duke degree, but also for a campus experience, and, for many, that

ask for clarification on a few issues. Safety is an obvious reason for closing the entrance to the plaza, but what precisely were the safety concerns that motivated the close? How were the interests of current students weighed in the decision-making process? A clearer understanding of the costbenefit analysis conducted by the University will help students to make sense of the construction and how it affects them. Additionally, we are curious what alternatives were considered when deciding to close the entire pathway? Must the Bryan Center be entirely cut off from the residential quad or would it have been possible to create a narrow path past the construction? Answers to these questions would be helpful for understanding the logic behind the closing. The West Union renovations will undoubtedly improve the University in the long term, and the administration has worked to minimize inconveniences. Students are frustrated, however, by the lack of communication about the construction and its impacts, and we encourage the administration to consider its responsibility to current students and the risk the University’s reputation may run if it appears unwilling to consider students’ concerns.

Better, faster, stronger

onlinecomment

Est. 1905

The the Chronicle chronicle

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8 | thursDAY, December december 5, 2013

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the chronicle is published by the Duke Student publishing company, inc., a non-profit corporation independent of Duke university. the opinions expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of Duke university, its students, faculty, staff, administration or trustees. unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board. columns, letters and cartoons represent the views of the authors. to reach the editorial office at 301 flowers building, call 684-2663 or fax 684-4696. to reach the business office at 2022 campus Drive call 684-3811. to reach the advertising office at 2022 campus Drive call 684-3811

lacks the sense of community and mutual support he attributes to Jews. It is heartbreaking to hear someone as accomplished as Kanye West say his

Jeremy Yoskowitz the duke rav community doesn’t offer support and connection to other people in that same community. I can’t speak for the black community in any meaningful sense, and there are many people around on campus who are much better suited to address that part of Kanye’s statements. I can speak to some degree about the larger Jewish community, and it is true that there are some very strong, enduring and serious connections among Jews. No, those connections aren’t really about money, power or influence even though these are often ascribed to the Jewish community. Instead, we are talking about connections in the relational sense. Being part of the Jewish community isn’t only about ritual observances, Hebrew school, holidays and food. It’s about being a part of a larger community with shared values, history and experiences. What connects members of the community isn’t some secret handshake or admissions policy, but a shared understanding, common histories and experiences of family. This is by no means exclusive to the Jewish community, but it is something that is generally consistent across Jewish communities worldwide. When I travel, I know that I can walk into almost any synagogue on Friday night and feel right at home, even when the tunes and language used are unfamiliar to me. I know that I can reach out to people separated by multiple degrees of separation and that they will welcome me into their communities and into their homes. Not because they know me, but because this is what people in extended communities do. Jewish life at Duke welcomes all members of the Duke community because this is simply something that we do as a values-based community. Communities require not just the dedication to build them, but also the effort to sustain them. As we end the festival of Hannukah, a holiday about the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the Jewish people as a nation, let us all work in our larger Duke community so that no one feels as alone as Kanye West thinks the President is. Let us build communities that are just as he sings: better, faster, stronger. Better at welcoming others, faster to reach out and stronger than before. Jeremy Yoskowitz is the campus rabbi and assistant director for Jewish life. This is his final column of the semester. Send Rabbi Jeremy a message on Twitter @TheDukeRav.

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thursDAY, december December 5, 2013 | 9

searching for that spark

t was nearly 3:00 p.m. and I had yet to officially get out of bed. I was awake, yes, but it would be a stretch to claim I was a fully functioning human being. I hadn’t eaten. I hadn’t showered. I had barely moved. My only social interaction was with my two cats that were curled up next to me on my bed. My mother tried several times to wake me up, to convince me that there was more to life than the slums of my room, but her efforts were futile. I was content, happy even, to remain snuggled under the covers in a manner that resembled that of a lethargic, overgrown slug. Behold: How I spent day three of Thanksgiving break. I have no shame in admitting that I take great pleasure in

Michelle Menchaca making connections

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being completely and totally useless during the few days of the semester I have off. And during this particular Thanksgiving break, I was especially looking forward to afternoons spent doing absolutely nothing. So there I lay, spending my extended break as I had hoped, when something strange happened. As I do all too often when I’m alone and feeling contemplative (I really should stop that), I began reflecting on my life and my choices and, in this case, the past semester. I knew I had wanted to get away from school; I was stressed. I was overwhelmed. I was done. But as much as I wanted to leave, I found myself texting my friends and scrolling through Facebook, checking up on how Duke was doing. I couldn’t ignore the fact that I wished I was there. And this really made me consider my motives for wanting to escape in the first place. To preface, I am a firm believer in the notion that life is amazing always because I am alive and healthy and able to wake up every morning to this beautiful University. I am fully aware of the fact that I have no legitimate complaints in life. But I am tired. I am tired of the constant exhaustion, both physical and mental, that seems to accompany each day. I am tired of the academic rigor—of the essays, the projects—and the academic inferiority that occurs as a result, a constant reminder of my intellectual shortcomings. I am tired of feeling like I am not enough, either because a professor’s grade tells me so or a peer’s comment confirms it. I am tired of clinging to relationships that breed nothing but constant disappointment and bitter resentment. I am tired of a social culture that has numbed me, that has made me expect less from my peers and in turn expect less from myself. I am tired of feeling like I am falling behind in the proverbial race to get ahead, whatever that may mean in the college context. And most of all, I am tired of allowing these external factors to have such a strong influence on my perceptions of myself. This is what I wanted to escape. These are the inadequacies and insecurities and other sources of strife I wanted and needed a break from. And yet, when I finally did leave, I felt the inexplicable and immediate desire to go back. I missed the campus that amazes me, the people who inspire me and the work that motivates me to ask questions, to explore and to think critically about society’s most pressing issues. I missed it all. So here’s my obligatory end-of-the-semester reflection that basically every columnist goes through: As each day passes, I feel my cynicism brewing and my once hopeful ambitions molding into more practical plans. I came to Duke a wide-eyed freshman that believed that she was smart, capable and able to change the world. But now, I look at myself and I see an increasingly jaded sophomore who is losing the fire inside that has driven her for so long. But being away has made me realize that I don’t want to spend the next two and half years continuing down this trajectory. I want to reignite that spark, that fire, that passion that I still see in the faces of all the freshmen but not so much in the seniors. I’m sure my struggles are not that different from anyone else’s here. We all struggle. We all feel inadequate. We all feel at some point or another that we are not enough. But I think it’s important to not let that hinder our broader perceptions of our abilities and more importantly ourselves. Because when we do, when lose that spark, we are ultimately giving up on ourselves, too. So yes. This semester was tough—academically, emotionally and mentally. I’m sure it was for everyone. But I will get through it and somehow I will be OK. What I want as this semester closes, though, is to not just be OK with the outcome, but to be OK with myself, too. That will be the real challenge, but I think I finally realize it’s one worth taking.

The Spring 2014 columnist and Monday, Monday applications are now available. Send an email to sab59@duke.edu for more information.

Michelle Menchaca is a Trinity sophomore. This is her final column of the semester.

indulge in the present

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s I walked along the Bryan Center Plaza on Thanksgiving morning, I took a second to stop and admire the petite, white Christmas tree situated cozily next to the metal dining tables. I touched the wiry branches that felt too artificial; I traced the journey of the delicate light strand. And then I realized that I was being too nostalgic and scurried back to my dorm to continue working on internship applications. When I first think about this stark change of mood from seasonal warmth to calculating apathy, I give myself a mental high-five. “You’re going places, Molly,” I tell myself, and I pat myself on the back for abandoning living in the present in the hopes of securing a bright future. When I put it like that, such a mood shift does

I’m not saying that I am a heartless individual who doesn’t know herself or her convictions— quite the opposite. I have strong beliefs, and I stand by them. What I am saying is that I know for a fact that when given the choice, I eschew the “now” for some glorious vision of the “future” that leaves me forgetting the beauty of the life that I currently live. When I can’t even take joy in the magic of a Christmas tree during a holiday break—when I theoretically should not be obsessing over my workload—I know there is some misalignment in my prioritizing. I don’t think I’m alone. I urge you all to continue pursuing your dreams, regardless of career path. I encourage you to apply for any internship you find interesting and to be the

Molly Walker guest column not seem so bad. But in reality, what if all I am really doing is refusing to develop myself now, while being confident that the time for personal growth and identity construction will simply be a byproduct of future financial and educational success? Am I deceiving myself into thinking that if I can avoid being wrapped up in the perceived “indulgences” of the present and still be a warm, likeable person? I met with a professor recently to discuss—yes, you guessed it—my future career goals and my summer plans. At least, that is what I planned to discuss going into the meeting. The conversation, however, ended up only marginally touching on those topics and instead rerouted me into reconsidering everything I thought I knew about my social experiences. It was the best conversation I’ve had to date while at Duke. When I was finally asked if I had a clear, unifying vision, I came up at a loss. I suppose I had thought that something as basic as knowing the core foundation for all of my other issue-based beliefs would just come to me later. Perhaps I had fantasized it would come to me on the D.C. Metro while riding to work on the Hill, decked out in my expensive leather pumps and perfectly tailored suit jacket. The “identity stuff” could come later, right? Who has time for the present when the future is ruthlessly nipping at your heels? I’m not saying that having goals and caring about the future is a soul-draining experience.

successful Duke student that you undoubtedly are. But I also beg you to take a moment this holiday season and devote at least one night to bucking that lifestyle in favor of one that unabashedly and unashamedly indulges in the glory that is the present. Laugh uncontrollably. Flirt with someone—heck, even ask him or her on a date! Don’t feel like you are wasting your time. You’re not. You’re learning valuable social skills, and yes, these skills will indeed help you along in that future you both love and hate to envision. At the same time, the experience will be so irrevocably tied to the present that you won’t even be able to contemplate the future for those few seconds that you stare into that person’s eyes with a wonder you haven’t felt in a long, long time. No internship acceptance can simulate those feelings, no matter how prestigious it may be. This holiday season (and beyond), be more than a name on the top of a resume. Be a reckless, insatiable, present-loving college student, regardless of how unprofessional it may seem. These moments are the building blocks to life, and if we don’t savor them now, when we look back in later years that tower of blocks we worked so hard to assemble for ourselves may crumble faster than we ever imagined. I don’t want either of us to be unpleasantly surprised by the foundation (or lack thereof) that may remain. Molly Walker is a Trinity sophomore.

10 | thursDAY, december 5, 2013

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