Sports
University
Saba earns 100th singles victory
students speak out against medical leave policies
Page 7
Page 3
The Chronicle 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
xxxxxday, monDAY, april mmmm 14, 2014 xx, 2013
Kwai steps down as junior class vice president
www.dukechronicle.com
ONE ONEHUNDRED HUNDREDAND ANDEIGHTH ninth YEAR, YEAR, Issue Issue xxx 112
Defining Movement: iconic showcase
by Jenna Zhang The Chronicle
Isabella Kwai—junior class vice president-elect—announced her decision to step down from the VP position in a Facebook post Saturday. Last Thursday’s election yielded a split ticket victory for Kwai, the current sophomore class president, and incoming junior class president Nandita Singh. Kwai’s running mate Sayoni Saha, the current sophomore class vice president, ran for junior class president but lost to Singh, while Singh’s running mate—Vaibhav Penukonda— lost to Kwai. In her announcement, Kwai attributed her decision to her personal values. “Something that has always mattered deeply to me in leading class council is the idea of partnership and team work,” Kwai wrote. “This was a hard decision to come to and I apologize for disappointing some of you, but it is a See election, page 12
Amanda brumwell/The Chronicle
defMo, a Duke University dance group, hosted ICONIC, its 12th annual showcase of nine original pieces celebrating multiculturalism, at Page Auditorium Friday evening.
James Balog given LEAF award for nature photography by Gautam Hathi The Chronicle
James Balog was awarded the Lifetime Environmental Achievement in the Fine Arts by the Nicholas School of the Environment Saturday. The LEAF award seeks to recognize artists who have devoted a large portion of their effort to addressing environmental issues. Balog received the award as a result of his photographic work, which includes a series of time-lapse photographs documenting the retreat of glaciers across the world as a result of climate change. These time-lapse projects were the focus of the 2012 documentary
Chasing Ice, which has received wide recognition, including a screening at the White House and a spot at the Sundance London Film Festival. “Artists have an incredible power and opportunity to influence how people feel and act about the environment,” said William Chameides, dean of the Nicholas School. “This award is intended to recognize those artists who have done that as a way of encouraging other artists to do the same.” During the awards ceremony, which featured musical performances and speeches, Chameides showed a selection of Balog’s work, which includes not only the time-lapse
glacier photography featured in Chasing Ice but also other environmental photography, including photos of environmental disasters and studio photos of animals. When accepting the award, Balog argued that enough people already have some understanding that climate change is a threat to humanity. “It’s been shown very clearly in the polls, despite all the glumness to the contrary, that a strong majority of the United States understands that there’s change in the atmosphere, there’s change in the climate, and that it’s connected with how we’re handling the burning of our fuels and how we’re
deforesting plants in the Amazon,” Balog said. Instead, he said that the problem is getting people to act and emphasized the importance of storytelling in the effort to bring about change in policies affecting the environment. “We need storytelling,” Balog said. “We have these patterns that are understood, and we need stories that come from art to illuminate and animate what’s going on and to create some sense that we need to do things different in the future. We need to have a perception of the urgency of the situation.” After the award ceremony, Congressman See LEAF, page 4
www.dukechronicle.com
2 | monDAY, april 14, 2014
What’s happening at Duke
The Chronicle
amanda brumwell/ The chronicle
Duke Diya and the Hindu Students Association organized Holi Hai! on the West Campus Clocktower Quad Friday. Students celebrated the annual Southeast Asian color festival.
Amanda brumwell/The Chronicle
At the ICONIC showcase, there were guest performances by DUI, Duke Dhamaka, Lasya, On Tap, Phi Beta Sigma Step, Rince Diabhal, Sabrosura and Spoken Word.
julia may/The Chronicle olivia anderson/ The chronicle
Students in Maureen Quilligan’s Shakespeare class performed Twelfth Night in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens Thursday.
Come join us for
Easter Brunch Sunday, April 20 l 10:30am-2:30pm
Special Easter Buffet will feature 20 items including samplings of Roasted Pig, Leg of Lamb, Salad Bar and more. Mimosa included. Join us for something delicioso this Easter Sunday.
2701 Hillsborough Rd Durham NC 27705
(919) 973-2717 gregoriassteakhouse.com
The Zeta Tau Alpha sorority’s annual Smash Bash took place Friday to raise money for the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation to support breast cancer education and awareness.
The Chronicle
www.dukechronicle.com
monDAY, april 14, 2014 | 3
Duke medical leave policies for mental health criticized
sophie turner/The Chronicle
Students suffering from mental illnesses, including some at Duke, have criticized their respective schools’ medical leave policies.
by Zaynah Alam The chronicle
A number of college students suffering from mental illnesses have spoken out against their respective schools’ medical leave policies recently—including some at Duke. A 2013 survey conducted by the American College Health Association found that more than 30 percent of college students reported feeling depressed and unable to function, 80 percent felt exhausted from causes other than physical activity and more than 50 percent felt overwhelming anxiety in the
past 12 months. These statistics coincide with critiques of various college administrations’ policies towards mentally ill students, Duke’s included. “Universities approach the question of medical leave in different ways,” said Ira Burnim, legal director of the Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. “Some are very supportive of students with mental health issues, and others act very reflexively.” Students on medical leave wishing to return to Duke must complete their two semesters
of leave before becoming eligible to submit a readmission application. This includes a $30 application fee, personal statements of how time on leave was spent, details on medical treatments and recommendation letters from supervisors and healthcare providers. Decisions are made by a committee that consists of an academic dean, the director of the office of student returns and other chosen representatives from Duke health units or the Academic Resource Center, according to the listed policy. The Office of Student Returns did not respond to multiple telephone and email requests seeking comment. Sophomore Danica Liu—who has taken two medical leaves for mental illness— recently authored a piece on the blog Develle Dish, which is run by the Duke Women’s Center, about her experience with the process and advocated for a change in the University’s current mental illness policy to make it more adaptive to different students. “I think that right now what they can do is make it so that it’s not a uniform policy,” Liu said in an interview with The Chronicle. “It doesn’t make sense to say medical leave— what is medical? How do you describe a problem as being medical as opposed to psychological?” In her piece in Develle Dish, Liu wrote that the Duke policy of having to submit certain pieces of medical information is a breach of personal privacy during the readmission process. Jeff Kulley, associate director for clinical services at Duke’s Counseling and Psychological Services, said students considering taking a medical leave of absence release clinical assessments to their deans but emphasized that specific details about the contents of CAPS counseling sessions remain
private. “It’s important to clarify that this is a summary document describing the form of therapy, the frequency and duration of appointments and overall progress towards goals,” Kulley wrote in an email. “In other words, mental health providers do not disclose specific details about what students revealed in counseling sessions because professional standards emphasize respect for privacy.” The review process for students returning from medical leave is based on the circumstances under which students left campus, according to the Office of Student Returns’ website. The committee, however, maintains its right to ask for more documentation if there are inconsistencies or lack of clarity in the documents provided. Freshman Hannah Moyles, who has been advocating for the initiation of a chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Health on campus and says she is herself afflicted with mental illness, also criticized Duke’s policy towards campus visitation while on leave. Both personal and medical leaves cut off access to housing, student activities and visits to campus for the duration of a student’s withdrawal from the University. “You can’t take part in any student activities, and I feel like for a lot of students that is not going to be really good for them, to be isolated from their friends,” Moyles said. Moyles additionally expressed concern that the current procedure for readmission might be deterring students from seeking help for mental illness. Similar concerns have been raised at several peer schools. “The school has to make an individualized See policy, page 12
The Chronicle
www.dukechronicle.com
4 | monDAY, april 14, 2014
Students encouraged to consider insurance abroad by Tim Bai
The chronicle
As students prepare for Duke-affiliated study abroad this summer, Student Health encourages them to be aware of the benefits and restrictions of their respective insurance plans. Two forms of special travel health coverage that students can consider for their semester or summer abroad— BlueCard Worldwide and International SOS—are made available through Duke. BlueCard is part of the StudentBlue insurance plan to which around 50 percent of students are subscribed, and ISOS is a Duke-affiliated organization that covers students traveling on Dukerelated excursions such as DukeEngage. Although both offer comprehensive care such as medical evacuation and repatriation of mortal remains, BlueCard is limited to costs for medically necessary procedures and ISOS is not considered a form of health insurance and may have surcharges on its services. “When something happens abroad, in the case you need to be [medically] evacuated… [these] benefits are what most students don’t take the time to read, because you never think you’re going to have an emergency when you travel,“ said Student Insurance Manager Anna Kenyon. Kenyon noted that Duke students have been hospitalized before in foreign countries without insurance and received large medical bills as a result. BlueCard insurance and ISOS both offer travel advising, prescription medication replacement, legal referrals
and emergency medical transport. Their services also cover the costs spent on medically evacuating students or returning mortal remains back to their country of origin. The ISOS website states, however, that since ISOS is not insurance, fees may apply to certain services with additional charges, which students may not be billed for until they return from their time abroad. The website also states that it is necessary for Duke-related travelers to maintain health insurance while abroad. In contrast, Kenyon said BlueCard will limit the maximum students have to pay out of pocket for medical emergencies to $2500. Kenyon emphasized, however, that students with BlueCard must contact the insurance agency as soon as something happens—noting that students in the past neglected to do so and were unable to apply their benefits. “The entity that arranges all of these services is BlueCard, and BlueCard is a separate entity from Blue Cross Blue Shield,” Kenyon said. “If it’s not arranged through them, [medical services] won’t get paid, no matter how much we call, ask for administrative waivers or anything.” Furthermore, Kenyon noted that BlueCard does not cover costs required for a person to accompany the student throughout the evacuation or repatriation process. The Student Blue Benefit Booklet states that the evacuation has to be strictly medically necessary—meaning that in the See study abroad, page 12
anthony alvarnez/The Chronicle
James Balog was awarded the Lifetime Environmental Achievement in the Fine Arts by William Chameides, the dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment, Saturday.
Leaf
from page 1
Scott Peters, Trinity ’80—who represents the San Diego, Calif. area—said that he appreciates how the LEAF award recognizes nontraditional contributions to environmental science and environmental policymaking. “It doesn’t all just come from labs or from monitors or meters. It’s all important, but it does come from the heart too,” he said. Susan Schaffer, a Durham resident who attended the ceremony, appreciated the illustrations of climate change which Balog’s work provides as well as the inspiring nature of his speech. “I thought Mr. Balog’s speech was very inspiring. It’s very easy to get pessimistic and down about the future, especially with all the money going into opposition of trying to save
the environment,” Schaffer said. “His words were very practical and very inspiring.” During a reception after the ceremony, Balog said that he was honored to receive the award, and felt that it would provide a boost to him and his team. He also emphasized the broad nature of climate change, saying that it was not a partisan or sectional issue. “Climate change is a universal human issue,” he said. “It doesn’t belong to red or blue, Republican or Democrat. It has direct and immediate concerns for all of us. I try not to let these conversations get politicized.” The award has been given annually since 2009, and past recipients include actor Robert Redford and musician Jackson Browne. The award ceremony was attended by a large number of alumni—here for reunion weekend—as well as members of the local community.
Oh, my gosh! Is it time? It’s time.
Register now.
NOT HING S AYS YOU’ V E A RRIV ED LIKE THE TITLE: NUCLE AR OFFICER.
Put yourself in truly elite company. From day one. In the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate (NUPOC) program. Get up to $168,300* in financial support as a student. Enjoy an impressive salary. Extraordinary benefits. As well as world-class technical training. Command a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. A stealth submarine. And teams of Sailors. Ready to gain experience beyond your years? Learn more. WANT TO LEARN MORE? CONTACT YOUR NAVY RECRUITER TODAY. XXX-XXX-XXXX (800) 662-7419
JOBS_districtnametogohere@navy.mil | jobs_raleigh@navy.mil
summersession.duke.edu summer@duke.edu
402DADGOF11
*Depending on location. ©2010. Paid for by the U.S. Navy. All rights reserved.
“
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
The Chronicle 10 | monDAY, April 14, 2014
monDAY, april 14, 2014 | 5
Hearing from both genders Last Thursday, The Chronicle announced that senior Jennifer Sherman will be this year’s student commencement speaker, marking the first time a female has given the address since 2000. Although application statistics—such as
Editorial the numbers of male and female applicants— are not published, the dearth of female speakers over the last fourteen years begs important questions about gender differences on campus. Why are Duke women so underrepresented as student commencement speakers? When asked the same question, Sherman responded, “It may just be that guys are more willing to give it a try and women are more conscious.” Her response directs the discussion toward a number of possible explanations, of which the most prominent evoke the enduring debate surrounding the impact of societal factors on women. We believe that a longstanding history of restrictive factors in modern Western liberal societies has precluded women from reaching their potential. Certainly, the political and
social ramifications of such policies are years have indicated. Men and women have significant—for example, women occupy fewer different experiences at Duke, and men cannot leadership positions. A study also found that capture fully the perspective women bring to women between the ages of 18-25 are less the table. Thus, both men and women stand likely than men to even consider running to benefit when they hear from each other. To for political office. The fact that women feel this end, in addition, of course, to her worthy discouraged from seeking public opinions speech, Sherman’s selection as this year’s could also contribute to the disparity between speaker is an unambiguous positive. male and female student graduation speakers Additionally—just as last year’s speaker, at Duke. Andrew Barnhill, reminded graduate students Putting the research aside, though, the that their voices and reflections are welcome important point at hand is the value of at the commencement podium—Sherman, hearing from a variety too, stands as a role of voices. The student model for future female commencement speaker applicants. Although carries the responsibility “It may just be that guys are more the application process of reflecting on the or the opportunity itself trials and tribulations of willing to give it a try and women may seem intimidating, day-to-day life at Duke, are more conscious.” we all gain from an inside the classroom applicant pool full of — Jennifer Sherman diverse and rich Duke and beyond. Given that women make up half of narratives. As Sherman the student population, rightly points out, one would imagine that “I hope I help more women would more frequently give the student people become encouraged to go for it in the commencement speech than the last fourteen coming years.”
soon to be classless
onlinecomment It wasn’t a matter of her ‘criticizing Islam’, as Islamaphobes claim. It’s a matter of her inaccuracies and blanket statements, wrongly attributing the misdeeds of extremists to Islam, itself. —“Deuce Prez” commenting on the editorial “Hats off to Brandeis University!”
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
The Chronicle
www.dukechronicle.com commentary
” edit pages
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
The Chronicle
B
lue Devil Nation, As the year draws nigh, we must begin to realize that we will soon lose the Class of 2014. Yes, all the beloved seniors will have to venture forward into a world filled with uncertainty and unemployment. Because of this, I’d like to give a word to my aging brethren about the days that are ahead. You’re screwed. Plain and simple. I mean, these were the best four years of your life. I hope you like depression, because the real world is full of it. You’re leaving Duke, which means you’re leaving a school filled with amazing people. Where else will you have a campus filled with people not only
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
of a twenty-something that doesn’t have their whole life planned out? So you’ll probably have to move back in with your parents. Hope you like home cooked meals and a supportive family, because you’ll be seeing a lot of that. And I didn’t forget about the graduate school kids. You may think you are signing up for years of highquality education to rocket you to a stellar career, but you’re actually agreeing to being forced to vicariously enjoy college through the hundreds of students you TA. Every night, you’ll go to bars with your friends and just wish you were among the hordes of self-conscious undergrads. The undergrads that either are equipped
Monday Monday right wing smarter than you, but also guaranteed to make sure you know they are smarter than you? A place where at any moment on any day you can be put on TV because of a race or sex scandal. And, in the real world, you have to eat real food. Yeah, that means no Penn Pavilion. You can start crying now. Also, no more construction, which means you won’t be gently awoken by the soothing sound of jackhammers destroying the small bits of the old Loop that remain. And the screwing doesn’t stop regardless of whether or not you have a set plan. Let’s assume you have a job. You’re doomed to a life of steady paychecks, independence and casual Fridays. A life where day drunk isn’t an acceptable standard and sitting on your bench shirtless is more than frowned upon. And all of your parties are immediately transformed from ragers to light get-togethers where you invite the people and choose alcohol you like. That sounds miserable. Call me crazy, but what is a party without the forced mentality of copious amounts of bad beer and freshmen. To those of you without a job, you are especially screwed. I mean, you went to a top ten school and didn’t get a job. Isn’t it assumed that every year a bunch of high level, high-paying jobs immediately have openings for the thousands of outgoing undergrads? And, with the nation’s amazing economic state, how could you not already have a job? Who has ever heard
with fake IDs or are sufficiently pregamed to enjoy a night of sweaty discomfort. If you want a real wake-up call, think about alumni weekend. Last weekend, thousands of alumni flooded campus to reconnect with fellow alumni and see the state of the campus. In other words, they are all so overcome with grief about their steady jobs and families that they are allowed one brief glimmer of the past. Nothing is sadder than seeing a grown man take selfies with the Chapel. I mean, this is why Alumni Weekend is so close to graduation; so seniors can see the fate that awaits them in less than a month. To see that a Duke degree means four years and 363 days of monotony only disrupted by the little pulse of life that is a reunion with all of your best friends. All of your top thousand people in your life that have, of course, meant so much to you. So what are your options? Well, leaning into discomfort and graduating with dignity seem to be out of the cards, so you’ll have to find a way to stay here. Now you’re down to two options. Set up shop in the bottom floor of the Bryan Center and hope no one finds you or try and fail out of all your classes and tack on another year. Sorry, Class of 2014, but you’re screwed. You’re about to become Duke Alumni and those people never become successful. Am I right or am I right? Next semester Right Wing will be the executive producer of Belle Knox’s reality show.
Interested in contributing to campus dialogue? The Summer/Fall 2014 columnist and Monday, Monday applications are now available. Send an email to emd26@duke.edu for more information.
The Chronicle 6 | monDAY, april 14, 2014
1
Wikipedia. Surely, our Duke education is more valuable than the education we were able to access for free years ago. And it is. Rather, it can be. Duke affords us an experience to gain intellectual, personal and social capital. To take what we learn in the classroom and transform it into meaningful projects that impact others in a meaningful way. To implement programs
monDAY, April 14, 2014 | 11
Thanks to CDS
Call me doctor 2: the number of days I haven’t been able to eat anything solid. 4: the number of times I have been to Student Health last week. 3: the number of hours waiting in the E.R. There are many reasons I miss home, but being sick tops the list. For the past two weeks, my body has been on a rollercoaster of emotional and physical plunges. My diet
The Chronicle
www.dukechronicle.com commentary
I
wish I could capture what I felt as a high school senior quickly approaching graduation and directly contrast it with what I am feeling now as I am about to graduate from Duke. I remember I was completely numb to high school because I was so possessed by my expectations for the future. Now, it’s laughable. I, like many of you, was obsessed with the abstract idea of college. And, now with some hindsight perspective, I realize I was mostly fascinated by the idea of being part of an ancient, idealized institution more so than college itself. My fantasies of college consisted of me sitting in a leather chair, reading a big book and wearing oxfords. The ideal image I created for the fu-
Leena El-Sadek
Adrienne Harreveld
(dis)eased (re)presentation
as if
has been reduced to broth and Gatorade, and, like clockwork, my day usually ends after dinner when the pain commences. “It’s just a stomach bug from food,” the doctors told me. All I can do is wait. I will soon be able to eat and work and run and dance like I used to. Lies. All lies. I have been living with a monster inside of me for the past two weeks. Every time I eat anything remotely tasteful, I feed this growing monster and it rejoices by producing painful orchestras of celebrations inside of me. With exams, quizzes and assignments due every single day of the week, I began to think that I was mistaking pain for stress. Certainly the doctors made me believe that it was all mental. That maybe I didn’t want to admit that my plate was a little full, and I was a little overwhelmed. That “going to bed early” was because I was sick and not because I was slacking. I am certain that I had some sort of gastrointestinal pain. But I also admit that this pain was exacerbated by other factors. My body was screaming what I was too scared to vocalize, but it’s in this vulnerability that one grows. There is no perfect student. It’s okay to fall down and fall behind. It’s okay to admit weaknesses and limits, and it’s okay to disappear from this ordered-disordered world. It’s okay to surrender. Duke can take the backseat for a while. I’m not saying school is not important. I am, after all, a Duke student and I would be a hypocrite in denying education’s rewards. But, as students, we need to take a step back and evaluate what we’ve learned and how we’re learning it. Are we able to hold a conversation about our first semester’s courses? How many months does it take before those lectures become faint memories? Duke academic life is scripted into a predictable storyline. Sure, we can regurgitate formulas, theories, mechanisms and definitions better than most people I know. But that’s not what our classrooms are for. That’s why we have
in communities that need it the most. To realize that the world we live in isn’t the same world that others experience. And that most of those people have different needs and want us to be asking deeper questions behind those theories and formulas we memorize. A Duke education is for more than us. And let’s be real. We’re all guilty of falling into the GPA trap. Who cares how well we did? It’s the curve that matters, right? Far too early in my Duke experience, I was introduced to the mentality that the number of hours in Perkins translates into success, but the hard truth is that transcripts can only take us so far. It’s your life experiences—your failures and successes and your relationship with the people along the journey—that will long outlast your GPA and will have the greatest impact on your post-graduate opportunities. After all, it was my friends—not my professors—who came with me to the ER that night. Being sick at Duke isn’t a case of bad fortune. Being sick at Duke is a glorious reminder to slow down. It’s a reminder to invest and reinvest in other learning sources, a.k.a. people and experiences. It’s a reminder to listen to the monster that’s dwelling inside of you and taking advantage of the damaging effects of student life. Duke Students, in an environment that tells you the sky’s the limit, it’s okay to remind ourselves we don’t need to be pushing this limit 24/7. So, after my first ER experience, I decided to fill out my own prescription. I got in bed, opened Scandal and forgot about Duke for a while. Forgot about the tests, assignments and deadlines hinging in the horizon. Forgot that grades mattered and forgot that classes existed. As soon as I forgot about the transient elements of my Duke experience, I remembered that I am the doctor of my own body.
ture wasn’t because of my love for intellectualism or leatherwear, but because these were the images I associated with being part of an institution necessary to legitimize my existence. I enrolled in classes like ancient political thought and French cinema because utility be damned! I wasn’t here to land a high-paying job. I was here to revel in unpractical haughtiness. Learn for learning’s sake and one day be an old woman who skulked in a corner and cited Foucault. I wanted these things because they signified you made it in the system that breeds who controls the world. This frame of thinking lasted approximately a week, ending right after I realized how narrow-mindedly I was thinking and remembered that somewhere within me I had a genuine intellectual interest that motivated me to pursue college in the first place. So, I attempted to figure out what college really was and feel more connected to my community. I started loving what the ivory tower university provided for me, but I felt empty toward the world around me. I felt that by entrenching myself in an institution that controls the world, I pushed myself further from it. That was, until I took a class at the Center for Documentary Studies. The Center for Documentary Studies, or CDS, has been the most rewarding component of my Duke experience. The heart of the center’s mission statement includes the goal of “promot[ing] documentary work that cultivates progressive change by amplifying voices, advancing human dignity, engendering respect among individuals, breaking down barriers to understanding and illuminating social injustices.” It’s inspired. For me, it feels revolutionary. Its mission is not a nod to elitism and pedigree, it is a place where every single voice is equally valued. The course structure and the faculty there highlight the importance of grassroots storytelling. The center’s entire identity is based on breaking down barriers as a means for learning, which is the type of approach I felt my education was missing. Applying the unique approaches of the Center to other academic fields made university level analysis and research feel much more fulfilled. At CDS, a physician can teach a photography course on documenting teenage pregnancies. An accomplished playwright and actor can teach black history through acting methods. I have talked with a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee member and labor organizer for hours. I have discussed appearance-based gender privilege within female identities with a queer hip-hop artist. I have Skyped with genomics bloggers. I’ve made jam with two former Brooklynites who have made their way to Durham. I’ve interviewed AIDS survivors, my best friend, pastors, lawyers, judges, lawmakers, pediatricians, break-dancers and painters. Most importantly, I never viewed these people as guests or peripheral commentators—I viewed them as my educators. It should be intuitive for a liberal arts education to require students to have a course structure like this. My history degree reveals to me the misconstrued narratives I’ve been fed my entire life. It encourages me to find diverse reporting and primary sources from voices that may have been neglected in previous historical accounts. Much of my coursework leads me to pursue a grassroots telling of a story. Therefore, it would only seem natural that I receive my own undergraduate education from varied voices. If my history education were to only rely on what professors and school library books tell me, I would be betraying the methods and historiography inherent in the field. As students we should recognize that we can learn from someone with just a Bachelor’s degree or without a high school diploma. And not only should we have the opportunity to do so, but it should be absolutely necessary. Our research and writing should be informed by whatever and whomever can contribute. Academia will be richer as a result. Tenure and credentials alone lead to a monolithic undergraduate experience, which leads to a more homogenous world. I am deeply grateful for the type of thinking and learning the Center for Documentary Studies exposed me to. Three years ago today, I was incessantly Googling North Carolina and looking through duke.edu pages. I never came across the sites for the Center for Documentary Studies, the Duke Office of Civic Engagement, WXDU or the Duke Coffeehouse—spaces I consider most essential to my Duke experience. Nothing I had pictured or planned for myself came to fruition. Instead, thanks to CDS, my identity, my way of thinking and my goals all radically shifted and reshaped. I am leaving Duke different from the ingratiatingly earnest, elitist, future corporate lawyer I arrived as, but I am still equally obsessed with the future and expectations. While much of this future is unknown, I will leave Duke having gained the precious insight that what is unconventional will leave you most fulfilled.
edit pages
Leena El-Sadek is a Trinity junior. Her column runs every other Monday.
Adrienne Harreveld is a Trinity senior. Her column runs every other Monday. Send Adrienne a message on Twitter @AdrienneLiege.
The Chronicle
policy
www.dukechronicle.com from page 3
determination based on the best available evidence, including the best available medical evidence,” Burnim said. “Some schools do that—they look at the case, try to learn and engage with students and family.” The Bazelon Center helped a Princeton student file a lawsuit against the university in 2012 on claims that he was coerced to withdraw from the school after attempting to commit suicide in his dorm room. Princeton’s alleged efforts to remove the student from its campus violated the Americans with Disabilities Act as it pertains to continued education, Burnim added. “The law is pretty clear—the law being the Americans with Disabilities Act—that if someone has a mental health condition, then they are allowed to continue in school as a student, if they meet the academic and behavioral requirements of the school,” he said. Princeton’s current policy states that a student will be placed on involuntary leave if they are shown to present harm to themselves or others or are “unable or unwilling to carry out substantial self-care obligations.” Yale junior Frances Chan wrote a piece for The Huffington Post last month, saying that she was told she would have to be put on medical leave if she did not attend weekly weigh-ins to monitor her low body mass index, despite claiming that her low weight was genetic and she did not have any eating disorders. Yale College states in its academic regulations that it “reserves the right to require a student to withdraw for medical reasons” if a medical problem is deemed serious or a student becomes a danger to themselves or others as determined by the dean of the college, the director of Yale
health or the chief of the mental health and counseling department. A USA Today article presented a similar case at Brown University last year, when student Okezie Nwoka was rejected from readmission after a semester of leave on the grounds that he had not completed the mandated two semesters away from campus before returning to the university. The two-semester minimum for medical leave is also mandated by Duke and Princeton. “I think students are really terrified... to come out as mentally ill because they’re terrified of the consequences,” Moyles said. “A lot of times, they just end up having to suffer in silence rather than getting the treatment they need.”
study abroad
from page 4
event of social unrest or disasters, students cannot use their BlueCard to cover the costs of evacuating dangerous areas. ISOS, on the other hand, covers these services that BlueCard does not. Wanet Sparks, travel and allergy nurse, said ISOS applies to all staff and students traveling on Duke-related business. Students have the option of combining ISOS with any health insurance plan, including BlueCard. “Anything related that has a Duke label on it, they’re eligible for [ISOS],” Sparks said. “It covers for political unrest and weather issues as well.” In addition to assisting students in security-related evacuation, the ISOS website notes that the service will cover companion tickets and transportation for accompanying family.
monDAY, april 14, 2014 | 7
Eric Mlyn, executive director of DukeEngage and assistant vice provost for civic engagement, said DukeEngage advises students about how to maintain health through international travel clinic appointments and DukeEngage Academy—a series of pre-travel workshops designed to address concerns students may have prior to beginning their summer abroad. DukeEngage also provides students with an emergency contact card that includes the numbers of ISOS offices. “DukeEngage emphasizes that participants are the ones best situated to take responsibility for their own well-being and for ensuring access to health insurance coverage,” Mlyn wrote in an email Sunday. Mlyn added that DukeEngage helps students by explaining the requirement of health insurance coverage abroad and encouraging students to look over their insurance policy’s out-of-network benefits or consider purchasing a supplemental, short-term international medical insurance policy. Students who have participated in DukeEngage said that they were equipped with an awareness of ISOS, if not knowledge of its specifics. “I don’t think I would’ve liked being airlifted, but I definitely would have used ISOS if I had an emergency,” said sophomore Eric Mastrolonardo, who participated in DukeEngage in Zhuhai, China last summer. Sophomore Patty Shi was on the same DukeEngage trip to Zhuhai, but she said ISOS was not discussed in-depth with the students and that many were unsure of the benefits they had. “Personally, I just relied on my insurance from home,” Shi said. “But I definitely would have been interested in learning more about the program.”
election
from page 1
decision that I feel upholds my personal values and will ultimately serve the class best.” Kwai would have made a great junior class vice president, Singh said. “I really would’ve been excited to work with her next year,” Singh said. “I think she’s extremely loyal to her best friends and running mate.” Saha also praised Kwai’s leadership. “I am incredibly supportive of Bella regardless of her decision to assume or decline the position of VP. Having worked with her for a year, I am thrilled that our class elected someone whose optimism and passion has transformed class programming,” Saha said in an email Sunday. “I look forward to seeing the direction class council takes next year and am thankful for having the chance to be a part of it this year.” The new junior class vice president has not been confirmed yet. Junior Nikolai Doytchinov, executive vice president of Duke Student Government, noted that the current DSG bylaws are rather ambiguous in this situation. The DSG Senate will decide on the procedure at their meeting Wednesday, resulting in a new statute that will apply for this year as well as the future. Doytchinov noted that he suspects the outcome will result in the position being filled by someone of Singh’s choosing, with the approval of the current sophomore class council.
@dukechronicle
THE ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE IS PROuD TO CONGRATuLATE
THIS yEAR’S POSTGRADuATE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS BosTon ColleGe
nC sTaTe
Anthony Bellitti M-Cross Country / T&F Hannah Mulvey Field Hockey Tory Speer Softball
Kody Burke W-Basketball Brie Merriwether Volleyball Fabian Otte M-Soccer Meagan Proper W-Soccer
Clemson Chandler Catanzaro Football Emily Howard W-Swim & Dive Thomas McNamara M-Soccer Alex Stockinger M-Soccer
Tanner anderson Men’s Track & Field
WoMen’s cross counTry/T&F
JulieT BoTTorff
ross CoCkrell
Perry simmons
Tanner Anderson earned a myriad of awards as a high jump specialist for the Duke men’s track and field team. As a freshman, Anderson not only became the first Duke high jumper to break the 7’ barrier but also captured the IC4A title after posting the fifth-best mark in the nation at 7-4.25 (2.24). An All-ACC Outdoor selection in 2011 and 2012, Anderson set school records in the indoor and outdoor high jumps while also receiving All-ACC Academic honors in 2012 and 2013. Anderson also earned a spot on the ACC Academic Honor Roll in 2011 and 2012.
Two-time cross country All-America honoree, Juliet Bottorff, saw one of the most successful cross country careers in Duke history. In addition to posting two top-30 performances at the national cross country meet, Bottorff earned both All-Southeast Region and All-ACC accolades in cross country in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013. Bottorff captured the ACC Championship in 2013, marking the first time since 2005 a Blue Devil won the event. Bottorff proved equally prosperous in the classroom, earning the 2012 ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year award and garnering All-ACC academic team recognition all four years she competed.
One of the finest defensive backs in ACC history, Ross Cockrell twice captained Duke to bowl games in 2012 and 2013. As a senior, he earned his second straight first team All-ACC citation as the Blue Devils won a school record 10 games, captured the ACC’s Coastal Division crown and earned a berth in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. One of just 17 football players in league history to earn Academic All-ACC honors four times, Cockrell closed his 49-game career with 233 tackles, 12 interceptions and a school record 42 pass breakups.
A two-time All-ACC selection at offensive tackle, Perry Simmons was named the recipient of the 2013 Jim Tatum Award as the league’s top senior scholar-athlete for football. Also a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete, he helped Duke to a school record 10 wins in his final campaign including the ACC’s Coastal Division Championship and an appearance in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Also a two-time Academic All-American, Simmons started 50 consecutive games for the Blue Devils, guiding Duke to back-toback bowl game berths for the first time in school history.
FooTBall
FooTBall
duke
Greg Andrews M-Tennis Jennifer Kellner W-Tennis Harrison Shipp M-Soccer Elizabeth Tucker W-Soccer
Tanner Anderson M-Track & Field Juliet Bottorff W-Cross Country /T&F Ross Cockrell Football Perry Simmons Football
Ashley Corum W-Track & Field Jocelyn Lu W-Tennis Katie O’Rourke Gymnastics
PiTT
florida sTaTe
syraCuse
Kelly Hensley Softball Tom Neubacher M-Swim & Dive
Adrian Chambers Field Hockey Laura Hahnefeldt Field Hockey Sarah Pagano W-Cross Country / T&F
GeorGia TeCH Shayla Bivins W-Basketball Will Jackson Football Alysha Rudnik Softball maryland Mary Cushman Volleyball Brett Harman Baseball Nikki Maier Softball miami Raphael Akpejiori M-Basketball Lindsi Arrington W-Cross Country / T&F Bassim El-Sabawi M-Track & Field AJ Salcines Baseball norTH Carolina
theACC.com • @theACC
noTre dame
Meredith Hoover W-Swim & Dive Michelle Ikoma Gymnastics Kelly McFarlane W-Soccer
VirGinia Jon Fausey Wrestling Molly Menchel W-Soccer Kate Norbo W-Soccer Thomas Porter M-Cross Country / T&F VirGinia TeCH Leigh Allin W-Track & Field Frances Dowd W-Cross Country / T&F Tea Ivanovic W-Tennis Wake foresT Aubrey Bledsoe W-Soccer Katie Stengel W-Soccer Evan Stephens Baseball