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ONE ONE HUNDRED HUNDRED AND AND EIGHTH NINTHYEAR, YEAR,ISSUE ISSUEXXX 92
40% Planners navigate DSG opposition
Duke admins comment on CollegiateACB
by Lauren Carroll
by Jenna Zhang
40 Percent Plan supporters are frustrated with what they see as an unwillingness of DSG leaders to communicate with them about the policy. DSG’s Executive Board—a group of 10 elected vice presidents and other leaders who lead committees of senators—is united against the 40 Percent Plan, which would allow students to allocate a portion of their activities fees to the groups of their choosing. Supporters of the plan said they think this indicates that the board is out of touch with the student body, trying to stifle discussion and unwilling to deviate from the status quo. Several DSG Exec members—primarily DSG President Stefani Jones, a senior, and Student Organization Finance Committee Chair Joyce Lau, a junior—have publicly fought against the 40 Percent Plan. In addition to hosting information sessions about SOFC, they have met with student leaders, written columns for The Chronicle and recently launched a Facebook campaign. Senior Daniel Strunk, one of the two architects of the 40 Percent Plan, said Exec is advantaged in the race because they
Greater attention has been given to cyber harassment following The Chronicle’s Feb. 14 profile on Lauren, the freshman adult film actress. In the media storm that has followed The Chronicle’s profile, activity on the Duke portion of online forum CollegiateACB has spiked. An unusually high number of posts have been made about Lauren in the past two weeks—including some with serious threats and personal information about her and her family. Current participation on Duke’s CollegiateACB forum is relatively high, with more than 900 threads and more than 7,000 comments, making it the school with the second most active forum on the website. Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta expressed disdain for the forum, but noted that Duke has no control over websites like CollegiateACB. “Most content on such sites, however vile, is protected speech and the owners of such sites could care less about institutional interests,” Moneta wrote in an email Thursday. “Further, most attempts to intervene just add to the publicity such site owners seek giving undesirable posts even more attention and
THE CHRONICLE
See DEBATE, page 4
THE CHRONICLE
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Duke FACE AIDS held its first ever Condom Couture event Friday night in the Keohane 4E atrium. Students modeled garments made out of condoms to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS on campus.
See CYBER, page 12
Abhi Sanka hopes to increase legislative dialogue as EVP by Shanen Ganapathee THE CHRONICLE
SPeCiAl To The ChroniCle
Sanka is running uncontested for EVP.
Sophomore Abhi Sanka is running uncontested for the position of executive vice president of Duke Student Government. Sanka has been involved in DSG for the past two years as a senator for residential life and has served in a number of internal capacities—including as chair of the senate judiciary selection process and a member of the Rules Committee. Sanka
said his vast amount of internal experience prepares him well for the position. “I really see the position of EVP as the best way for me to help the organization as a whole to move forward,” Sanka said. “I am running for this position because I really love Senate and I really want it to thrive.” Sanka wants to strengthen the connection between DSG and the student body, in particular, by increasing campus dialogue about legislative issues.
As EVP, Sanka wants the student body to add to the discussion before legislation is debated at Wednesday night Senate meetings. He called for a Facebook page where he would upload legislation and allow students to voice their opinions. Through these efforts, he hopes to increase senators’ awareness of student opinion. But Sanka has already begun his attempts to promote student body activity in See SANKA, page 12
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What’s happening at Duke
The Chronicle
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Rhythm & Blue and Out of the Blue performed at the Crowell arch Sunday evening.
Prizes were awarded for the best designs at Condom Couture and the money raised will go to support HIV-affected individuals in Rwanda.
victor ye/The Chronicle
MONDAY
P UNDAY
The Viennese Ball was held at the Freeman Center Saturday night, and included a live orchestra, polka band and a night of dancing.
cosmic cantina
Picture is a play on words for you to guess. The solution is a common phrase, title, or person. Check back for a new puzzle every Monday. Go to www.mondaypunday.com to check the answer.
Menu Sampling
Old School Veggie Burrito Regular Chicken Burrito Cheese Quesadilla Chicken Quesadilla Veggie Nachos Chips & Salsa
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Duke Jazz Ensemble performed Friday night at Baldwin Auditorium alongside Wess Anserson, a New York saxophonist.
$2.86 $5.65 $1.41 $3.59 $4.12 $2.06
Open til 4 am
1920 1/2 Perry St. at Ninth Street Just a block from East Campus Now served at JB’s hot dog stand
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Child raises money for new BoT approves new tuition court at Children’s Hospital rates for next academic year by Staff Reports THE CHRONICLE
SPeCiAl To The ChroniCle
Max Bonstetter hopes to raise $2,000 to restore the basketball court at the Children’s hospital.
Got a sweet pic? Post it on Instagram or Tweet it with #chronsnap. Best photos will appear in the paper next week
See HOSPITAL, page 4
at the National Humanities Center
March 20- 21, 2014 The 3rd annual conference examining human rights through the perspective of the humanities. Keynote Address: “The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined” Steven Pinker, Harvard University K. Anthony Appiah, Princeton University Didier Fassin, Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton, NJ) Lynn Festa, Rutgers University Saidiya Hartman, Columbia University Stephen Hopgood, University of London Walter Johnson, Harvard University Robert Pippin, University of Chicago Gregory Radick, University of Leeds
For further details or to register for the conference, visit nationalhumanitiescenter.org Human Rights and the Humanities is made possible by the support of Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina, Duke University, North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
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For his 10th birthday, Max Bonstetter wants something more than presents. After seeing Duke basketball players visiting patients at Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center on behalf of nonprofit organization The Monday Life, Max decided to ask family and friends for donations to The Monday Life instead of gifts on Mar. 8—the second year in a row that he has decided to forgo presents for donations. “You feel good when you get presents from friends and family, but the real gift is giving to other people and making them feel good,” Bonstetter said. Last year The Monday Life raised money for music therapy, but this year, money raised will help refurbish Coach K Court and build a playground, said Bonstetter’s mother, Kather-
ine Johnson, Trinity ‘93. One of the recent publicity efforts for the “Restore the Court” fundraising campaign caught Bonstetter’s eye. Joey McMahon, Trinity ’09, founder of The Monday Life, made a video with Rasheed Sulaimon that ends with Sulaimon losing to a patient. “That sold Max, because he is a basketball fanatic,” Johnson said. Bonstetter noted that he was also inspired to raise money by a friend of his who raises money for a charity that sends soccer equipment to underprivileged kids. “I just thought that was amazing, and I said ‘Why don’t I try it?’” Bonstetter said. Bonstetter raised $440 at his birthday last year, but has his sights set on a higher goal this year. He has already raised $1,050 and hopes
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THE CHRONICLE
pick 3 words
by Patricia Spears
The Board of Trustees approved a 3.9 percent increase in tuition for the 201415 academic year. At their meeting in Palo Alto, the trustees raised tuition from $44,020 this year to $45,800 for next year, according to a Duke News press release. The full cost to attend the University—which includes tuition, room, board and fees— will therefore increase from $58,278 this year to $60,533. The Board also increased tuition by 3.9 percent at their February meeting last year. Estimates for financial aid costs will not be finalized until later in 2014, the press release said, adding that the amount Duke spends on financial aid has increased by 31 percent since 200910.
The cost of tuition to attend of all Duke’s graduate schools have also increased by 3 to 5 percent. The cost of tuition at the Divinity School increased by 4 percent to $20,680; the Fuqua School of Business tuition increased 4.9 percent to $58,000; the Graduate School tuition increased 4 percent to $45,760; the Law School tuition increased 3.5 percent to $54,460; The Nicholas School of the Environment tuition increased 3.5 percent to $32,900; The Pratt School of Engineering master of engineering management program tuition increased 4 percent to $45,780; the Sanford School of Public Policy master’s of public policy tuition increased 3.5 percent to $40,011; the School of Medicine tuition increased 3.9 percent to $51,888 and the School of Nursing tuition increased 4.9 percent to $40,365.
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HOSPITAL
from page 3
to reach $2,000. “It started out as $1000 but the donations kept going higher and higher, so I just thought I’d raise it,” Bonstetter said. Bonstetter said he is excited to attend Coach K’s Basketball camp this summer. His mom said that they will build in a trip to visit the basketball court. He noted that he appreciates his life and knows how lucky he is to be healthy. His friend is currently battling a brain tumor that requires many hospital visits. “I feel so lucky that…I can do it on my own,” Bonstetter said. Bonstetter participates in all-star basketball and baseball teams, as well as drama and academics. He hopes his grades and basketball skills will earn him admission to the University. “My whole life, I’ve been ready for it,” Bonstetter said. Bonstetter is an avid Duke basketball fan, and says that watching the games with his mom is important to him. “She’s a big fan, just like I am,” Bonstetter said.
Johnson said she is incredibly proud of her son and thinks it’s important that he takes the time to think about other people. “To forgo gifts, particularly on your 10th birthday…says a lot about his character,” Johnson said. Bonstetter says he shares some of the credit with his mother. “I think my mom kind of helped me a little bit too,” he said.
DEBATE
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have more resources and institutional knowledge, as well as stature and experience as elected campus leaders. The pro-40 Percent Plan group—led by former DSG Judiciary chair Strunk and sitting senator, senior Ajeet Hansra, the plan’s other author—have engaged in many of the same campaign tactics, but with a smaller core group of about 20 volunteers. “It’s very difficult for us to counteract that as a grassroots organization,” Strunk said.
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The chronicle The proposal is the first student petition-driven referendum to go on a DSG ballot in recent memory. Voting will take place Tuesday. Because SOFC funding is currently complicated, students are not able to make a fully informed decision about the 40 Percent Plan, let alone how to allocate their money if the plan passes, said juniors Ray Li, vice president for academic affairs, and Ellie Schaack, vice president for facilities and environment. This is a sign that they do not trust students, Hansra said. “It’s not a matter of not trusting students,” Jones said. “It’s a matter of making sure all groups are treated equally and fairly.” It is “telling, not upsetting” that the Exec is against the 40 Percent Plan because it shows that the experts in funding allocation do not have faith that it would work, Schaack said. She added that not all vice presidents are against any sort of student allocation, just this specific plan. Lau said that because the people leading the opposition are members of the DSG Executive Board, it is easy for the 40 Percent Plan supporters to paint the debate as the Executive Board versus a grassroots organization. Strunk and Hansra noted that they are frustrated because it seems that Jones and Lau came to a conclusion to be against the plan before having a formal meeting about it. As a result, Hansra and Strunk have said this led Jones and Lau to disseminate misinformation in The Chronicle and among other student leaders. Additionally, Jones and Lau are not open to compromise, Strunk and Hansra said. Jones and Lau—as well as several vice presidents— heard about the policy from Strunk in passing the previous semester and already had doubts when he first presented it to the Senate Jan. 15. They followed Strunk and Hansra’s presentation with their own immediately afterward, even though they had yet to approach the authors with any questions or concerns prior to the Senate meeting. “DSG Exec laughed and thought it wasn’t worth considering,” Hansra said. “They didn’t take the time to sit down and figure out what we’re advocating for.” Although both sides have further fleshed out their arguments since the policy was first proposed, Strunk and Hansra said they still have difficulties with scheduling a formal meeting with Exec. In the same way Exec has been played up as unwilling to consider the 40 Percent Plan or a compromise, some Exec members see Strunk and Hansra as unwilling to consider an internal reform to SOFC. Lau said this would be more efficient and effective. Hansra argued that SOFC has a history of not being able to reform themselves, despite years of issues concerning transparency and fair allocation. For this reason—after researching SOFC—they decided that going to the student body to enact reform is a better solution. Strunk and Hansra argue that the number of people supporting this issue—1,100 signed the petition to put the plan on the ballot—should be enough to show DSG that it is a priority for the student body. Therefore it deserves a discussion. This year, DSG has passed several bylaw reforms to SOFC, including making the chair an elected position. Internally, the DSG Executive Board’s united support has been described by some as having put undue pressure, directly and indirectly, on members of the Senate. Junior Abhi Sanka, senator for residential life and candidate for executive vice president, said he felt pressure from members of the Executive Board, including being told that he was making a mistake by sharing an article from Strunk on Facebook. Senators often put their trust in their committee’s vice president when it comes to issues outside of those directly under their purview, like the 40 Percent Plan, he said. They could also feel pressured to align with a certain side because they want members of the Executive Board to support them in an election. “I don’t remember a single instance in which the Senate has voted on a piece of legislation that the Exec board is fully against, and it has passed,” Sanka said. The Senate is, however, split on the 40 Percent Plan, and some publicly air their opinions. Three people sent complaints about undue pressure from Exec to oppose the 40 Percent Plan to an anonymous online comment box earlier this year, Jones said. She responded by holding an emergency Exec meeting and sending out an email reminding senators that they should feel comfortable taking whichever side they choose. Freshman Tara Bansal, senator for academic affairs, said the pro-40 Percent Plan leaders’ perception that there is undue pressure coming from Exec is “not true or representative.” “I personally have never felt that a decision is being made for me,” she said.
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
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Vote sanka for eVP, yes on 40 Percent Plan We have decided to endorse sophomore Abhi Sanka for the position of Duke Student Government executive vice president. Sanka, who is running unopposed, has the requisite skills and institutional knowledge to effectively lead the senate and oversee the legislative process. His practical experience as a senator and his strong conceptual understanding of the role of EVP give us confidence that he will be successful. Sanka, in line with the internally facing role of EVP, proposes several internal reforms that would be beneficial. He envisions a new Facebook page to post upcoming legislative items that students can comment on. He would also like to expand access to administrators for rank-and-file senators. These two changes would both engender more civic participation and empower senators to more effectively solve campus problems. Sanka also has expressed a desire to strengthen the house model, which we believe will be a top priority next year. As a senator for residential life, Sanka initiated a change to the housing application timeline to better accommodate the residential advisor appli-
cation process. Going forward, he intends to develop a better sense of community and identity for independent houses by connecting different house presidents and sharing successful strategies. Lastly, Sanka understands the place of EVP within the larger senate apparatus. He recognizes that his job will be to facilitate dialogue and streamline the legislative process, rather than to advocate for one specific issue. His approach to the position of EVP aligns well with our conception of the role. On a more general note, we would like to outline what we believe to be one of the main issues of this election and of next year. What is the proper role of DSG? We believe that DSG derives its power from the people and its influence from access to administrators. As with any elected government, DSG’s power, legitimacy and authority all originate from the consent of the governed. Recently, there has been an upswell of popular discontent with the abstracted, disconnected state of DSG politics. We believe this is a healthy and important discussion to be had and encourage increased scrutiny of DSG for the sake of
accountability and transparency. Far too long has DSG been complacent with its incumbent powers and out of touch with the electorate. Students should feel invested in their government and deserve one that is attentive to their concerns. DSG must do a better job of informing students about what it is doing and should be open to reform, instead of attempting to squash studentinitiated movements. DSG has considerable access to administrators and it should more effectively leverage that connection to address student needs. DSG executives cannot be merely advisors to the administration; rather, they need to be active advocates for issues that truly matter to students. Finally, we would also like to reiterate our support for the 40 percent plan. We encourage every student to educate themselves on the issues present in this election and to exercise their right to vote on Tuesday, March 4. Vote Sanka for EVP, and Yes on the 40 Percent Plan. We will endorse a candidate for DSG president in tomorrow’s editorial.
Read Adrienne Harreveld’s column, “Women’s work,” Mi Gente’s letter in opposition to The 40 Percent Plan and DukeAFRICA’s endorsment for DSG President Online Only
onlinecomment My favorite thing is when privileged white boys claim to be oppressed because other people are calling them out for their racist, sexist, classist or homophobic behavior as privileged white boys. —“Danica” commenting on the column “More than a frat boy.”
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.
Est. 1905
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an down. To the boys who have lost mothers, fathers, siblings, pets and pieces of themselves—man down. To the boys whose bodies have become owned by standardized movie scripts—man down. To the boys with bottled emotions, dancing inside, begging to escape—man down.
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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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Man down
Inc. 1993
Danielle Muoio, Editor Sophia DuranD, Managing Editor raiSa chowDhury, News Editor Daniel carp, Sports Editor elySia Su, 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 carleigh StiehM, University Editor elizabeth DjiniS, Local & National Editor georgia parke, Local & National Editor anthony hagouel, Health & Science Editor tony Shan, Health & Science Editor julia May, News Photography Editor eric lin, Sports Photography Editor kelSey hopkinS, Design Editor rita lo, Design Editor lauren feilich, Recess Editor jaMie keSSler, Recess Managing Editor eliza bray, Recess Photography Editor thanh-ha nguyen, Online Photo Editor MouSa alShanteer, Editorial Page Managing Editor Matt pun, Sports Managing Editor aShley Mooney, Towerview Editor caitlin MoyleS, Towerview Editor jennie Xu, Towerview Photography Editor Dillon patel, Towerview Creative Director kriStie kiM, Social Media Editor julian Spector, Special Projects Editor lauren carroll, Senior Editor Derek Saffe, Multimedia Editor anDrew luo, News Blog Editor anna koelSch, Special Projects Editor for Online glenn rivkeeS, Director of Online Operations yeShwanth kanDiMalla, Recruitment Chair julia May, Recruitment Chair Mary weaver, Operations Manager rebecca DickenSon, Advertising Director Megan Mcginity, Digital Sales Manager barbara Starbuck, Creative Director 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 @ 2014 Duke Student publishing company
Leena El-Sadek (dis)eased (re)presentation
Man down because our society has seen enough of the detrimental effects of “manning up.” Man down because we are losing too many of our boys. The Centers for Disease Control’s 2010 published summary states that at an average of 105 a day, suicide is the third leading cause of death among persons aged 15-24, and the second leading cause among persons aged 25-34. Disproportionately, of the average 105 daily suicides, males account for 83 of them. These numbers are staggering, and the gender disparity should jolt us to the disturbing pressures we place upon our boys. When our boys are four times as likely as our girls to commit suicide, it is all of society’s responsibility to address this tragedy. I grew up in a culture where boys were built Ford tough and girls were built to impress. I wear my Arab pride loud and proud, but sometimes, I wonder if my culture’s norms are hurting more than supporting us. Recently, I witnessed the passing of a much beloved relative. She was special. She was also powerful. She moved mountains with her voice as people from all over the city came in to her weekly lessons. She was fluent in physics, organic chemistry, love and compassion. She was a biological mother to four and a godmother to so many more. After the funeral, her oldest son, at 20 years old, was told the Arabic equivalent of “be strong” and “man up” to fill in the void in the family while his older sister was allowed to publicly and privately mourn. I was troubled by this reality. Ashamed, rather, that I was allowed to expose my weaknesses and surrender my strength as my male equivalents were expected to build an internal dam to keep the tears at bay. Gender studies would say that my culture constructs this ideology of masculinity and equates it with strength. That we perform our gender, rather than we are our gender. That we are human doings rather than human beings. Maybe that’s true, but as I came back to campus, I realized that if it’s true in the Arab world, then it’s true in almost every community of which I’ve also been a member. Hypermasculinity is pervasive in even the
most prestigious corners of American society. As a resident advisor, I have witnessed how college males are, far too early, expected to transform into independent men. They are expected to step into roles that hide their vulnerabilities, when it is these very vulnerabilities that allow us to grow, learn and develop resistance to life’s struggles. By camouflaging vulnerabilities with “manning up,” we are obstructing the development of healthy, resilient beings. Recently, Blue Devils United produced a powerful campaign that highlighted the use of destructive words that have saturated college student discourse. Phrases like “man up” “don’t be a girl” and “grow some” construct standards of masculinity that men are forced to fulfill. But society’s understanding of masculinity is more than what we utter; masculinity is also constructed by what we do not say. Silence is one of the biggest factors of “manning up.” And nowhere can we see silence better embodied than in organized sports, where masculinity is measured by superficial traits—body size, speed and strength. It’s what’s on the outside that matters. But athletes are also human beings who experience pain, disappointment and loss, both on and off the field. And despite the 200-plus pound, chiseled torso an athlete may model, he—like all of us—can be fragile. Yet our young boys don’t see this, because the culture of organized sports doesn’t encourage us to vocalize these weaknesses. Our young boys only see strong, dedicated men who don’t let pain destroy them, men who are invincible to pain. Organized sports attract millions of fans that strive to mirror athletes’ talents and physical attributes. As the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends of these fans, we have a responsibility to contribute towards building an accepting culture for men to share whatever aspects of themselves they wish to share—not only their strong sides. With a younger brother and as a resident advisor for several fraternities in my quad, I am familiar with the way language—and lack of language—paints masks on males’ faces and forces them to internalize. I also see the effects this has on their confidence, relationships, wellbeing and performance (trust me, Craven Quad has provided me with first row seats to college male behavior). It’s not enough that we avoid “manning up” comments. It’s essential that we use our words to paint opportunities for open and safe discussions. Where boys can be men—human beings with emotional voids and weaknesses. Where vulnerabilities can naturally take their course and tears can flow. So to all the males in my life and outside of my life, man down. Remove the mask. Let it loose. Or don’t. Whatever makes you comfortable. Because we’re losing too many of you, and I refuse to be a reason the stigma is perpetuated. Leena El-Sadek is a Trinity junior. Her column runs every other Monday.
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monDAY, March mArch 3, 2014 | 11
Duke Student Government and The 40 Percent Plan Endorsements Duke IFC endorses Giles for president After meeting with all three candidates, the Interfraternity Council is pleased to announce its endorsement of Will Giles for the upcoming DSG presidential election. The Interfraternity Council recognizes that DSG’s greatest weakness is a culture that promotes argument, cronyism and inaction amongst our representatives. For recognition, funding or to make a petition, the DSG forces organizations to navigate a ruthless bureaucracy, restricting any hope for growth or reform on Duke’s campus for any organization, small or large. The IFC believes that Will Giles—an outside, reformist candidate—will fundamentally alter the culture of DSG to serve Duke’s campus in the most efficient and fair manner possible. With his unique experience as a member of the DSG Judiciary and not as a senator, Giles’ platform and motivation for a “new DSG” will far outweigh the small successes championed by DSG insider presidential candidates. Giles supports a democratic, self-allocating funding model for Duke’s clubs and councils. We believe he is the best candidate to implement The 40 Percent Plan, should it pass, or to pass a new allocation plan should it fail. He also will reform the Senate by banning DSG executive members and vice presidents from voting on DSG policy, something that will ensure better representation of the diverse viewpoints of the members of the DSG by removing the ability of leaders to intimidate senators’ votes. Lastly, Giles promises to end the DSG process in which vice presidents appoint senators, who consequently have loyalty to no constituents but rather the vice presidents themselves. We hope ending the appointment process results in greater diversity of thought and experience among our governing body, hopefully in such a way as to better represent the approximately 6,500 undergraduates at Duke. We wish Will Giles the best of luck on Tuesday, March 4, and we encourage all Duke students—not just the members of the IFC—to vote YES for Will Giles as DSG’s new president. EJ Baldridge, Trinity ’15 President, Interfraternity Council
Let’s be honest. DCR is probably not one of the most well liked groups on campus. Our active membership is not particularly large, and no more than one fourth of Duke students voted for Romney in 2012. Ostensibly, we are one of the groups that would stand to lose the most under this plan, at least if you believe what the DSG opposition says (President Stefani Jones declined our invitation to attend an endorsement meeting). We believe, however, that this is really a debate about process, not outcomes. Most groups, including our own, are not likely to see their funding dramatically changed. The 40 Percent Plan does improve the funding process by enhancing transparency and encouraging more active involvement in student groups. Those are outcomes we should all want for the Duke community. Having met with the three candidates for DSG president, we were most impressed by Will’s commitment to serving the student body in its entirety, rather than a collection of special interests. While it is true that Will does not come from the traditional DSG pipeline, he has been misleadingly labeled as a DSG “outsider.” As an associate justice on the DSG Judiciary, he has a thorough understanding of the DSG constitution and by-laws and the issues that are important to the student body. We believe Will’s unique perspective distinguishes him from the other two candidates, as well as candidates in years past. He has identified a number of issues with the structure of DSG that he intends to rectify. We share his view that members of the Executive Board should not vote in the Senate and his belief that the existing system of checks and balances is severely lacking. We have chosen to endorse Will because he represents a much-needed change to the status quo. Kevin Shamieh, Trinity ’15 Secretary, Duke College Republicans
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Duke Political Union: Vote Sunder for leadership, Giles for change After interviewing all three candidates, Duke Political Union is proud to endorse both Lavanya Sunder and Will Giles for president of Duke Student Government. Sunder, the only candidate to have served on the DSG Executive Board, displays an extensive understanding of campus culture as a student representative and founder of Fix My Campus. DPU was particularly impressed with her platform concerning political awareness and culture here at Duke. Sunder has taken note of recent developments around voter laws in North Carolina and will work to include voter registration information in the freshman “Blue Book” while collaborating with local officials to establish an on-campus polling site. She has been closely following the student-led debate on The 40 Percent Plan and plans on encouraging even more student involvement through ballot measures and referendums. DPU is confident that Sunder’s successes thus far will translate into a productive presidency, and we find her to be the candidate with the clearest, most holistic vision for Duke going forward. Giles advocates for a change in Duke’s status-quo regarding student leadership and DSG transparency. Giles would push for each DSG Senate and Student Organization Finance Committee position to be elected rather than appointed. He would also push for a greater cross-section of the Duke community to be represented on DSG. DPU, a group primarily concerned with increasing students’ political involvement on campus, believes that such changes can only be positive in the long run. Furthermore, Giles recommends the addition of an Equal Rights Amendment to the DSG Constitution to contribute to the conversation about gender inequality on campus. Giles is a candidate with an innovative platform, and we are interested to see how his reforms might be implemented. DPU strongly encourages the student body to exercise their ability to vote on Tuesday, March 4. As part of endorsement procedure, Mousa Alshanteer recused himself from the endorsement process due to his position as The Chronicle’s Editorial Page Managing Editor. Pi Praveen, Trinity ’16 President, Duke Political Union Duke College Republicans endorses Giles, 40 Percent Plan Duke College Republicans are pleased to announce their endorsement of The 40 Percent Plan and Will Giles for DSG president.
Duke Panhellenic Association endorses Sunder for DSG President, opposes the 40 Percent Plan The Panhellenic Association is proud to announce our endorsement of Lavanya Sunder for DSG president. While all three candidates have unique, passionate perspectives on the position and are fantastic candidates, our organization unanimously believes that Lavanya has the most experience in DSG and works with issues that we hold close to heart. Her tangible involvement in improving students’ lives over the past two years, through Fix My Campus and her work with Duke Dining, shows a passion and dedication for working for the Duke student body. Additionally, Lavanya’s vast experience with the administration, most notably working to add a more effective bike program for campus, makes her most qualified to lead DSG. Finally, Lavanya’s platform points, including increasing women mentorship programs, improving connections amongst the diverse student body and adding pre-professional courses to our academics, show a host of well-rounded ideas and involvements that make her the best candidate to tackle the array of campus issues as DSG president. We enthusiastically support Lavanya Sunder in the upcoming DSG presidential election and encourage all members to cast a vote on March 4. The Panhellenic Association also urges students to vote against The 40 Percent Plan as it will fundamentally change the nature of our campus community. We believe that while SOFC has some improvements to make, The 40 Percent Plan will result in a reduction of the many specialized organizations on campus by requiring groups to lobby for funding rather than allowing SOFC to allocate according to organizations’ needs. Our student activity fee goes towards funding a vibrant and diverse community, and not merely the organizations that the most students are involved in. Additionally, while we do support increasing students’ involvement in funding decisions, The 40 Percent Plan asks for an experiment that is too costly in both time and resources. The Panhellenic Association opposes The 40 Percent Plan and asks our members to vote against it in order to preserve the wide range of experiences that we are privy to as Duke students. Emily Steemers, Trinity ’15 Executive Vice President, Panhellenic Association
Duke Democrats endorses Sunder, opposes 40 Percent Plan Duke Democrats endorses Lavanya Sunder for DSG president. After meeting with all three presidential candidates, we believe that all of them bring plenty to the table. Will Giles and Rence Nemeh both bring in a fresh outside perspective and some good ideas, and we believe that all three candidates have the campus connections outside of
DSG to stay in touch with the interests of the student body, but we’re most confident in Lavanya Sunder’s experience and her ability to turn ideas into policy. We oppose The 40 Percent Plan because it is an example of an initiative where the politics are much better than the actual, inequitable policy. It’s a beautiful thing to see democracy in its purest form in action, and it certainly highlights issues with transparency in both SOFC funding and DSG as a whole. We don’t believe, however, that this is the right way to address the problem. Instead, it creates an unfair distribution of funds for organizations. Large organizations, organizations with resources and organizations with preexisting clout would be in the best position to claim the 40 percent money, whether they need it or not. For clubs that lose out on that money, they’re suddenly competing for a piece of a much smaller pie, even though SOFC gets more funding requests than it has funding available without taking out nearly half its budget. We heard arguments both ways as to whether Duke Democrats would benefit or suffer from The 40 Percent Plan, but we believe that’s less important than the fact that The 40 Percent Plan distorts the funding process and would not be beneficial to Duke as a whole. Jordan DeLoatch, Trinity ’15 President, Duke Democrats Mi Gente endorses Sunder for DSG president After meeting with all three DSG Presidential candidates, Mi Gente would like to announce its endorsement of Lavanya Sunder for Duke Student Government president. Sunder has been a part of DSG for the past two years and has demonstrated the necessary experience we see fit for the position. As the program director for Fix My Campus, Sunder has demonstrated her commitment to all Duke students and their concerns by being accessible on social networks and promoting physical improvements on campus. Her experience in DSG as well as her established relationships and mentorships with the administration give her a solid base for which to begin and carry out her duty as DSG president. As an organization that is aiming to gain support for Latino students and faculty at Duke University, Sunder’s initial interest in issues affecting the Latino community show that the potential for an efficient collaboration between Mi Gente and DSG is possible for the future. She has demonstrated an understanding of particular issues both within and outside of our community, and we believe in her ability to improve the cultural climate of our University. Walter Solorzano, Trinity ’15 and Karina Santellano, Trinity ’15 Mi Gente, Co-Presidents Duke Libertarians endorse 40 Percent Plan Duke Libertarians enthusiastically endorses The 40 Percent Plan. One of Duke’s greatest strengths is its diversity of interests and activities. For precisely this reason we are in favor of the plan, as it will increase students’ awareness of this diversity. Opponents of The 40 Percent Plan have claimed it pits groups against each other. They fail to acknowledge that groups are already pitted against each other. When the Management Consulting Club siphons off $3,000 for a boot camp that less than 30 students attend, that’s $3,000 not going to other worthy causes. When DSG spends $5,000 of students’ money to frame 15 photos for its offices—three of which they then lose—that’s $5,000 not going to other groups. The 40 Percent Plan creates a system whereby the use of money is held accountable to students, not 14 unelected random students sitting in a boardroom controlling over $700,000. It establishes an incentive structure whereby groups have reason to reach out to students and involve them. It gives groups grounds to be proactive and students a reason to pay more attention and engage. Opponents of The 40 Percent Plan might call this campaigning—it’s really a system that enlivens awareness of diversity and counteracts apathy. Right now, entire categories of student interests are ignored or receive little funding by the SOFC, including a capella groups, engineering clubs and even the orchestra, among many others. And as a small political group, we believe the policy will not only benefit small groups but also promote campus discussion from small advocacy groups. In short, it is impossible for a 14-member board to encapsulate Duke. Only Duke students can encapsulate Duke. The opposition to the plan was given a chance to speak to our group, but declined due to scheduling. Ignoring the input from students and instead relying solely on 14 people to get everything right is not the way to improve Duke’s undergraduate experience. We encourage everyone who wants a vibrant and diverse student activities landscape to vote for The 40 Percent Plan on Tuesday. Michael Elgart, Trinity ’14 President, Duke Libertarians
CYBER
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visibility.” Although the University cannot control these websites, Moneta advised students to seek out help if they feel threatened. “While sites like this feature an abundance of hateful and disgusting posts, most are simply offensive and ill-willed,” he said. “But, vigilance is always called for and I advise any student who feels threatened in any way to inform Duke Police so that proper consideration can be given to all threats.” Chief of Police John Dailey noted that the Duke University Police Department only receives a few complaints of cyber stalking each year. “Under North Carolina law, [cyber stalking] includes repeated electronic mail that is annoying, threatening, or harassing,” Dailey wrote in an email Sunday. Stephanie Helms-Pickett, director of the Women’s Center, also advised students who had experienced cyberbullying to seek help. Helms-Pickett recommended students visit the Women’s Center or the Office of Institutional Equity for aid.
“Harassment of any individuals for any reason is not acceptable at Duke University and interferes with a student’s ability to learn, study, work or participate in school activities,” HelmsPickett wrote in an email Friday. A CollegiateACB representative who did not identify himself/herself denied allegations that the forum encouraged virulent and unaccountable posting. “The content on the site is a result of the users,” wrote a CollegiateACB administrator in an email Thursday. “When topics get out of hand and we are notified, we react accordingly.” CollegiateACB tracks IP addresses, the CollegiateACB representative said. A user from the College of William and Mary was arrested and expelled from the school last year for posts he had made. Duke has been included in other online forums of this nature since 2007 when Duke alum Matt Ivester—Trinity ‘05— founded JuicyCampus.com, a predecessor of CollegiateACB and the first major anonymous college gossip website. After JuicyCampus shut down in 2009, two graduate students from Johns Hopkins University and Wesleyan University created CollegeACB—an earlier version of the current CollegiateACB.
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CollegeACB garnered much attention at Duke, prompting the Panhellenic Association to petition for the University to ban it from campus. Young women are more likely to experience cyberbullying than young men. According to a 2007 Pew Research Internet Project article, 38 percent of girls reported having experienced online bullying versus only 26 percent of boys. More than 70 percent of the people targeted online are women, said Danielle Citron, Lois K. Macht Research professor of law at the University of Maryland and author of Hate Crimes in Cyberspace. Citron attributed the high number of inappropriate or threatening posts on the Internet to a lack of accountability and host sites’ immunity to lawsuits. “Sites can easily say ‘sue me,’ knowing that folks can’t afford to sue,” Citron said. “It’s like drive-by shooting.” The fine line between protected and illegal speech resides on how often the speech is repeated and whether the speech is a statement of fact, said Justin Patchin, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center. A statement of fact is a statement that declares a proven and accepted truth. “If they say ‘you’re a whore’—that’s defamation,” Patchin said. “If they say ‘you’re a douchebag’—that’s different. That’s not a statement of fact.” Although certain speech may not be defamatory, repetition of irritating or disruptive speech can constitute cyberstalking, Patchin said. “If I say that you’re stupid, that’s protected by free speech,” Patchin said. “If I say it multiple times in the middle of the night, and I call you up, and I say it over and over again—that’s cyberstalking.” Even if offenders cannot be tried criminally for cyber harassment, victims have the option of suing the offender in a civil court, Patchin said. Law enforcement is frequently reluctant or does not have the experience to pursue cyber harassment cases, Citron noted. “The societal response is ‘Get over yourself, there’s nothing we can do’,” Citron said. “We used to just tell women, ‘Oh, you can leave your spouse—you can leave the house.’ It leads to under-enforcement of the law.” The best way to combat cyberbullying at universities, Patchin said, is for those on campus to take a stand against it. “I think it’s everybody’s responsibility to do something about these kind of incidents, including the administration and the students at Duke,” Patchin said. “Students should stand up and say—this is where the line is, and we don’t tolerate anything beyond it.”
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DSG. In response to the 40 Percent Plan—a key issue in this year’s election—Sanka explained his attempt to bring the two sides together through his proposed 25 Percent Compromise. “Unlike a lot of people in student government, the concept of student valuation of student groups is something that is really important,” Sanka said. Identifying further problems in the structure of the Senate, Sanka noted the issues implicit in the at-large process, which encourages senators to think of themselves as on a committee first rather than a senator first. “We need more people who are less advocacy-oriented and who are more able to listen, create a dialogue and conversation on issues that are much more basic and fundamental—issues like student health, parking, tax-exempt status,” Sanka said. Although Sanka has many proposed solutions for next year, he noted that current EVP Nikolai Doytchinov has been successful in making the bylaws more clear, ensuring no legal issues arise, making the Senate run more efficiently on the floor and creating transparency by publishing recorded minutes online. “I want to take what he’s been doing and move it forward not only structurally but also culturally,” Sanka said. Ken Rogerson, Sanka’s major adviser and a public policy lecturer, highlighted Sanka’s leadership qualities. “He has the intensity, the entrepreneurial spirit and the skills to be a strong leader in whatever he chooses to do,” Sanka said. “He is patient and a good listener. I believe he will be a conscientious and fair representative for the student body.” Jay Sullivan, a DSG senator for residential life and a sports associate editor for The Chronicle, noted Sanka’s passion for his work in DSG. “His passion for representing the interests of students, knowledge of the way DSG functions and desire to improve DSG are unparalleled,” Sullivan said. “He is also a candidate that will not fail to come through on his campaign promises, and that level of authenticity has commanded the respect of many beyond myself.”