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MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2019 DUKECHRONICLE.COM

ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH YEAR, ISSUE 46

Grad students face challenges for mental health By Shayal Vashisth Contributing Reporter

Graduate students at elite schools face challenges related to mental health. Graduate students at elite universities are “disproportionately likely” to experience mental health issues, according to The Atlantic, referencing a study by Harvard-affiliated researchers. The study found that 18 percent of approximately 500 doctoral candidates surveyed at eight institutions—including Columbia, Harvard, Princeton and Yale, but not Duke—suffered from anxiety and depression, which is more than three times the national average. “Graduate study can become stressful for a variety of reasons—the long process of writing a Ph.D. dissertation, the compact timetable of a master’s program, or the challenges of adjusting to a new culture as an international student, just to name a few,” wrote John Zhu, senior public affairs officer and communications strategist for Duke’s Graduate School. The results of the study also indicated that approximately one in 10 students reported “suicidal See MENTAL HEALTH on Page 4

GoTriangle to stop operating Robertson Bus By Carter Forinash Staff Reporter

After this academic year, GoTriangle will no longer operate the Robertson Express route, which runs from the campus of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill to Duke University. The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program is looking at options to keep transportation between the two campuses going. Allen Chan, executive director of the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program, confirmed that the Robertson program was notified that GoTriangle will no longer operate the bus route past the end of the academic year. However, the Robertson program is exploring See GOTRIANGLE on Page 4

Graphic by Jeremy Chen | Graphic Design Editor

Photo by Jim Liu | Opinion Photography Editor

Blue Devils earn 21st ACC tournament title By Michael Model Sports Editor

CHARLOTTE—One week ago Saturday, the Blue Devils walked off the court in Chapel Hill ready to hit the reset button prior to starting postseason play. Three wins, 81 points and 30 rebounds by Zion Williamson later, it’s safe to say Duke is back at its best. The third-seeded Blue Devils clinched their 21st ACC tournament title Thursday after knocking off No. 4 seed Florida State 73-63 Saturday evening. Duke used a 2511 run in the opening minutes of the second-half to break open a game that was tied at halftime. Williamson capped his stellar tournament for the Blue Devils with a 21-point, fiverebound performance as Duke collected its first piece of hardware of the 2018-19 campaign. Williamson’s scoring total for the week was a program record for a three-game run in the ACC tournament and earned him MVP honors. Williamson and R.J. Barrett earned a spot on the all-tournament first team and Tre Jones was named to the second team. “It’s an honor for to us win,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “This is the best conference, especially this year, and I’m proud of my guys. They beat three outstanding opponents, and tonight was a physical, really hard-fought defensive game and our guys played good defense again. So I’m proud of them.” The Blue Devils (29-5) struggled to find consistency out of the gates, missing each of their first eight attempts from the perimeter as Florida State jumped out to a 27-19 advantage. Duke then started to push the tempo and took advantage of eight first-half turnovers from the Seminoles (27-7) to tie the game at 27 and entered halftime tied at 36.

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Terrance Mann hit a triple out of the locker room to give the Seminoles a three-point lead, but the Blue Devils came right back with a classic Duke second-half run. Jones hit a jumper, Williamson hit a pair of layups, Javin DeLaurier hit two at the line and a reverse layup by Jones in transition capped a 10-0 spurt. The Blue Devils took a 46-39 advantage with 16:29 remaining— then their largest of the night. Less than three minutes later, Duke went on another 8-0 spurt to open up a 58-44 advantage, forcing a Florida State timeout with 11:11 remaining. The Blue Devils opened the half with 10 consecutive made 2-pointers and coupled that with stifling defense that held Florida State to just three of its first 15 from the field out of the break. “We came here and we talked to each other, like `we came too far just to lose,’ Williamson said on the message at halftime. “You know it’s a long bus ride. We don’t want to be on no quiet bus ride we want to be lit and enjoy ourselves and also we were playing physical, both teams, so you know we just had to have execution with it and that’s what we did.” The Seminoles fought back and cut the Duke lead to as little as five, using a 12-3 run to trim the deficit to 61-56 with 5:28 remaining—behind a team-high 14 points from ACC Sixth Man of the Year Mfiondu Kabengele—but Florida State could not slow down the Blue Devils enough down the stretch. A bucket by Jones and a 3-pointer by Cam Reddish from the left wing with 1:20 left put the game away. Jones continued his recent attacking mentality on offense, but was more efficient than in past games. The floor general added a season-high 18 points, on 8-of-14 shooting, while racking up six assists in the process. See M. BASKETBALL on Page 9

Please join us on March 20th as we reflect back on the lasting impact of the financial crisis. The conference is free to attend and open to the entire Duke community.

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After United Methodists vote against LGBTQ+ inclusion, local churches and Duke Divinity School respond By Christy Kuesel Recess Editor

Jake Satisky University News Editor

On the way home from church this past month, Jennifer Ingold Asbill’s seven-year-old daughter asked her why their church had rainbow banners strung up on the railings, visible to anyone driving through the thick fog that blanketed downtown Durham. How does a parent answer that question? The answer involves faith, politics, community, sexuality—not easy concepts for a child to grasp. So Asbill, pastor for children and pastoral care at Duke Memorial United Methodist Church and Divinity ‘08, replied as honestly as she could. “‘The rainbows were there, this week particularly, because our family and our church family and a lot of our friends believe that when you grow up you can love whoever you want to,’” she told her daughter. “‘We decided as a church that we wanted to put up the rainbow flags to remind everyone that God loves everyone.’” The past month had been a difficult one for the United Methodist Church. Its General Conference—the global representative body that makes decisions for the entire denomination—voted Feb. 26 to strengthens bans on same-sex marriages and the ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy. Duke joined 92 Methodist-affiliated colleges in signing a statement in January urging full inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals in the Methodist Church. Last March, students at the Divinity School interrupted the Divinity School State of the School address to protest in support of LGBTQ+ issues. Elaine Heath, then-dean of the Divinity School, stepped down in August. Duke Divinity School is one of the 13 United Methodist seminaries. It receives financial support from the denomination, and the University has had close ties to the congregation. “Put simply, we will work to ensure that all are welcome to pursue study and preparation for Christian ministry at Duke

Jake Satisky | Contributing Photographer Duke Memorial United Methodist Church chose a colorful way to show support for LGBTQ+ people.

Divinity School,” Divinity School Dean L. Gregory Jones said in a statement following the decision. Despite the rainbows and support, the aftermath of the General Conference’s decision has not been easy for Methodist churches in Durham and Raleigh, including the Divinity School. Two main plans were proposed. The One Church Plan would have allowed individual churches to determine their marriage policy. The Traditional Plan, which passed the General

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Conference with 53 percent of the vote, affirms the current bans and amplifies punishments for clergy who marry LGBTQ+ couples. However, following a further review, at least four ballots were cast by non-voting members. Although the number of these ballots is smaller than the 54-ballot margin by which See INCLUSION on Page 3

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Duke graduate programs earn high 2020 rankings

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As a result of the General Conference’s decision, congregations across the country must now confront an FROM PAGE 2 issue long ignored and pushed to the side. But these conversations may be happening more quickly the vote passed, some church leaders are now calling for a than is healthy, Asbill said. She said that a lot of the same new vote. fears that divide people along political lines also divide Before the vote, the UMC’s Book of Discipline—its them along theological ones, and that living in a bubble constitution—had affirmed the “sacred worth” of all people, means that people forget there are others who think very yet it also stated that “the practice of homosexuality” is differently than they do. “incompatible with Christian teaching.” These divisions can exist within single churches as well. At By Lexi Kadis The Traditional Plan didn’t change the rules against North Raleigh United Methodist Church, the congregation is Senior Editor same-sex marriage or clergy already in place, but it enacted split down the middle, according to Senior Pastor Duke Lackey, universal punishments for clergy who break the rules regarding Divinity ‘87. Several Duke graduate schools were ranked among the homosexuality. Lackey stressed that for some, the Bible prohibits sametop programs nationwide by the U.S. News and World The United Methodist Church is the third largest sex marriage, which settles the debate. For others, those few Report 2020 rankings released this past week. Christian denomination in the United States, following passages are outweighed by Jesus’s message of love. The 2020 rankings evaluate graduate school programs the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention. Regardless of the General Conference’s decision, he said in business, law, medicine, nursing, engineering and Twelve million Methodists—seven million in America he will continue to affirm the “sacred worth” of his LGBTQ+ other fields. alone—are affected by this decision and face the choice to congregants and embrace them, despite not being able to marry The rankings are determined from a variety of criteria, remain in or leave the church. them. When asked if he would marry them if he were permitted, such as the accomplishments of incoming students— But many churches cannot make plans for their futures, he paused. based on their grades and standardized test scores—and since the UMC’s Judicial Council is currently reviewing how the “I’m going to follow the Book of Discipline, and if the Book the success of recent graduates—based on job placement Traditional Plan accords with the Book of Discipline. Due to of Discipline allowed it, then yes, I would be willing to do that,” rates and starting salaries. the confusion surrounding the decision, Duke Memorial has no he answered. Duke School of Nursing’s master of science in nursing current plans to leave the General Conference. The church has The question of sexual orientation is not the first program is ranked No. 2 in the nation. The school’s not been asked to perform any same sex marriages, but Asbill challenge the Methodist Church has faced. Willimon grew up doctor of nursing practice degree tied for No. 2, out of said the church will address in a racially segregated South Carolina. After getting that when necessary. 146 rated programs. his Master of Divinity from Yale, he returned to his What are the gifts of God “We could not maintain the high-level of performance Divinity School Chaplain home state, preaching messages of love for people of that is recognized by these exceptional rankings without Meghan Benson expressed her that we are discarding with all races and backgrounds. the hard work, commitment and personal support of “heartsick at the hardening our rejection? “When I went back, I knew I was going back into a our world-class faculty and staff, gifted students and of hearts” in an email. She war,” he said. “I knew there would be arguments, but also provides pastoral care, committed alumni,” said Marion Broome, Ruby Wilson meghan benson it was kind of invigorating.” professor of nursing and dean of the School of Nursing, in so she’s been focusing on He knew his messages wouldn’t always be well DIVINITY SCHOOL CHAPLAIN a Duke Today release. engaging students who are in received, but he wanted to make a difference. He likens Duke School of Law tied for 10th in the U.S. News pain over the decision. After that political climate to the challenges young divinity rankings. It achieved several specialty rankings, including the vote, she had a gathering with an LGBTQ+/Ally student students—especially those who identify as LGBTQ+—face group, and she wrote a prayer litany to help ease people being eighth best in international law and tying for eighth today in educating those who oppose their rights. in intellectual property law. through their grief. In fact, the decision has made him feel better about the Fuqua School of Business was also ranked No. 10, with “What are the gifts of God that we are discarding with teaching he does at the Divinity School, where he prepares the its marketing program tied for second and its executive our rejection?” she wrote in the email. “What might Christ be next generation of Methodist preachers to tackle the political MBA program ranked sixth in specialty categories. teaching the church in this generation through the witness of realities of Methodism today. our LGBTQIA+ friends?” U.S. News placed Duke’s School of Medicine in a tie For her sermon on the Sunday after the vote, Heather for 13th, among 120 medical schools evaluated, with its William Willimon, a retired Methodist bishop and professor Rodrigues, pastor of Duke Memorial UMC, incorporated the surgery program ranked second. of the practice of Christian ministry at Duke Divinity School, confusion and grief of the entire congregation, sharing that Additionally, the medical school’s physician was at the General Conference and advocated for the One members of the LGBTQ+ community have higher rates of assistant program was ranked No. 1, tied with the Church Plan. depression, suicide and homelessness. “Issues of sexual orientation are worked out in every University of Iowa, out of 169 programs evaluated. She told stories of Methodists who no longer felt The physician assistant program has held the first congregation I know,” he said. comfortable in the church due to the General Conference’s position for several years. Willimon said that a majority vote may work in American decision, and said that she herself had no idea what would d The rankings also placed the Sanford School of Public but it creates deeper divisions within religious happen next. First Rounpolitics, 22 und MA RC H 21– cond Ro Se Policy in fifth Re forgiopublic policy analysis, and the Pratt conferences. At communion, six members of the LGBTQ+ community nal 4 –2 23 H MA RC Regional Semifinalsin 24th, its highest score ever. School of Engineering “Nothing was really decided, but a lot of damage was done,” were granted the honor of handing out sacred bread and wine als Fin –2 9 MA RC H 28 H 30 –3 1is ranked eighth among universities nationwide he said. in a show of support from their church and their faith. MA RCDuke in the U.S. News and World Report 2019 rankings. Now The General Conference’s vote mirrors the political landscape And speaking directly to LGBTQ+ members of the church, tied with the University of Pennsylvania, Duke fell behind of America today, with Willimon likening it to an “ecclesiastical she said, “I see you. I love you, beautiful children of God. And Penn to ninth place in the 2018 rankings. mirror” of a political convention. whatever happens next, we lean in with love.”

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MENTAL HEALTH FROM PAGE 1 thoughts on at least several days within the prior two weeks,” according to The Atlantic article. Danielle Oakley, director of Duke’s Counseling and Psychological Services, said that graduate schools in particular need to be more aware of how they impact their students’ mental health. She said that counseling services need to change the way they interact with graduate students to ensure better mental health outcomes. “At Duke, CAPS has a formal partnership with the graduate school to provide specific

The Graduate School has a collaboration with graduate students’ unique needs.

programming to the graduate students,” Oakley said. “I have graduate students on a council who will share information about how their needs are different from undergraduates.” The experience of being in graduate school “exacerbated, if not caused” students’ mental health problems, The Atlantic noted, since they face the combination of financial, professional and academic pressures. The Harvard study found that approximately 50 percent of student participants with anxiety or depression were “diagnosed sometime after starting their graduate studies,” according to The Atlantic. Oakley attributed the rates of graduate

student mental health issues to the multiple stressors they experience. Examples of these stressors may include having children, being international students far from home, living on minimal stipends or working in situations where they can be exploited by their superiors. Recently, CAPS expanded their hours on Tuesday evenings—now staying open until 7:00pm—to accommodate graduate students who are not available during regular hours, Oakley said. CAPS prioritizes going to events that graduate students, especially students of color and other marginalized groups, are attending, she added. “Part of our mission is to attend those events so students can interact with us in an informal way,” Oakley said. “Going to events that are being hosted for them is a way for us to form relationships for when they want to reach out.” To engage the general graduate student population, CAPS has organized presentations to discuss mental health issues and encourage a culture of openness, Oakley explained. Claire Ravenscroft, Ph.D. student in the English department, said that challenges stem from an academic culture that pushes for production, pay challenges during school and the worries of job security after graduation, in an email to The Chronicle. “No one should be expected to pull fulltime hours in a lab they’re only getting paid part-time wages to work for, but lots of grad students are expected to and are expected not to complain,” Ravenscroft wrote. “When you combine severe financial precarity with a work culture that normalizes and even prizes high levels of stress, it can be incredibly toxic and difficult, even for people whose mental health has been relatively stable in the past.” Zhu explained the ways that the Graduate School has approached students’ mental health Sujal Manohar | Photography Editor challenges. “Student wellbeing has long been an area Counseling and Psychological Services to fulfill of focus for The Graduate School,” he wrote. “We tackle this issue in a number of ways, such as increasing awareness of wellness resources and encouraging students to use them, providing robust student support in a variety of areas, working to build a strong culture of mentoring and forging close collaborations with CAPS and other services so we can connect students with the help they need.” Oakley said that the mental health challenges that students face today were also an issue when she was in graduate school. The University can improve graduate students’ mental wellbeing by by emphasizing a culture of support rather than competition, she added, but it will require an investment by administrators and students alike. “[CAPS is] often the last to see a student,” Oakley said. “It’s their faculty members, their peers, their family who interact with them. Every person on the campus has to be educated on how to recognize [and] respond to a student in stress.”

EAT A BURRITO

GOTRIANGLE FROM PAGE 1 other options for continuing bus service between Durham and Chapel Hill. He declined to elaborate on the options that the program is considering. “We—at the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program—do plan to continue to make this service available for the next academic year and we are currently assessing many options,” Chan wrote. GoDurham, the public transit system for the city of Durham, currently operates the Robertson Express for GoTriangle. Duke Parking and Transportation Services operated the Robertson Scholars program bus service until 2013, when management changed to GoDurham, previously known as the Durham Area Transit Authority. Chan told DukeToday at the time that the scholars program subsidized the bus, and that the local transit authority operating it would help the program get back some of the money through fares. The bus, which runs every half hour between the Morehead Planetarium and the Duke Chapel on West Campus, aims to serve students in the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program but is also available to the general public for a $3.00 fare. “GoTriangle cannot run the route because it doesn’t meet our performance standards for an express route, and because we already run Route 405 in the same corridor,” Burgetta Wheeler, public relations manager for GoTriangle, wrote in an email to The Chronicle. Route 405, which runs between Durham and Carrboro with stops in Chapel Hill, serves a similar route to the Robertson Express. Along with concerns about performance standards, the route was the victim of aging buses with mechanical issues that were not replaced when they were retired, according to Wheeler. Durham County Commissioner Ellen Reckhow, who chairs the GoTriangle Board of Trustees, expressed concerns about the routes compliance with federal guidelines. Wheeler clarified that Reckhow was referencing Federal Transit Administration rules that prohibit GoTriangle from running a charter service, which Wheeler said the Robertson Express may be in conflict with. Wheeler wrote that the decision to end GoTriangle’s operation of the Robertson Express bus was unrelated to GoTriangle negotiations with Duke over the DurhamOrange Light Rail Transit Project, which the University declined to sign onto ahead of a key deadline last month. According to Wheeler, the process to end service on the route has been in the works since last year, although the Robertson Scholar Foundation was notified of the final decision at the end of January.

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‘SUPERMAN’

MEN’S BASKETBALL: WILLIAMSON’S RETURN SPARKS DUKE • BLUE DEVILS EARN NO. 1 OVERALL SEED

6 | MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2019

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

‘KILLERS KILL’

How ACC tournament MVP Zion Williamson’s return sparked Duke’s championship run By Mitchell Gladstone Sports Features Editor

CHARLOTTE—As blue and white confetti fluttered down to the Spectrum Center floor, Zion Williamson made sure to dap up each of his teammates. But he didn’t stop there, continuing down the line to congratulate Duke’s assistant coaches and managers as well. All season long, Williamson has tried to shun the spotlight, instead deferring to his “brothers.” The freshman doesn’t do a postgame interview without sophomore walk-on Mike Buckmire by his side. But he can’t avoid being the center of attention. His dunks fill up highlight reels, his presence draws multiple defenders at once and his celebrations make cameras click from every angle. When Williamson was handed the ACC tournament MVP trophy, he beamed from ear to ear. With the soon-to-be National Player of the Year back on the floor, the Blue Devils reminded everyone why they are as likely as anyone to be celebrating a championship once more this season. “When you’re a little kid watching Duke on TV cut down nets, championship nets, and you say you want to be a part of it, you say it as a little kid,” Williamson said. “But when you actually grow up and get to be a part of it, I mean, that’s why we come to Duke, win championships and try to get banners.” To put things in perspective, consider this: Thursday night, Duke scored 44 points in the paint against Syracuse—that tied the most allowed by the Orange this season. Then on Friday, the Blue Devils dropped 50 points in the paint against North Carolina, also the most surrendered by the Tar Heels in any game this season. And once more, with a 21st ACC tournament title on the line, Duke logged 42 points in the paint against 7-foot-4 Christ Koumadje and a long, deep Florida State team. Of course, that tied the most allowed by the Seminoles this year as well. You think that Williamson guy makes a difference?

Bre Bradham | Staff Photographer

Zion Williamson set Duke’s three-game ACC tournament scoring record, averaging 27 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Blue Devils to their second conference championship in three years. “It’s tough to determine what our potential is.... I try not to do that,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “Half the conference season we played without our full complement of players. So, to play these three games was so important because we remembered many of the things that we did when we played together before, but we [also] learned some new things.” It didn’t take long for Williamson to make an impact in the Blue Devils’ postseason opener. His emphatic dunk just 2:05 into Thursday’s win brought the entire building to life. Then following up on a perfect 13-of-13 outing, the Spartanburg, S.C., native delivered the game-winning bucket to beat North Carolina and help Duke get the proverbial monkey off its back against its hated rivals. Saturday night, his impact wasn’t as obvious. Williamson’s 21 points were quiet, and he grabbed just five rebounds.

Bre Bradham | Staff Photographer

Williamson broke Duke’s record for most made shots without a miss in the quarterfinals against Syracuse, going 13-for-13 on his way to 29 points.

Instead, Williamson’s presence made life easier for his teammates. Three of Duke’s other four starters added double-figure points, led by Tre Jones’ 18—two of which came courtesy of a gorgeous bounce pass from, you guessed it, Williamson. Tar Heel head coach Roy Williams said after Friday’s semifinal, “The guy that’s been hurt put on his Superman jersey.” Thursday night, a Syracuse assistant called Williamson “the incredible Hulk.” Williamson isn’t any single character. He’s Superman, Batman, the Hulk and Captain America all wrapped into one. For the Blue Devils, though, one hero is not going to be able to do it all and carry this team to a sixth national title. Williamson is still a freshman, an 18-yearold kid who has yet to play in the NCAA tournament despite all the hyperbole and hoopla that surrounds him. Duke has beaten every team it has

played this season, except for Gonzaga. Every team the Blue Devils will play over the next three weeks, they will be more than capable of beating. And each opponent will know exactly who to have its eyes on—at 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds, the man wearing No. 1 in white won’t be hard to find. “Those six games I sat out, when you see your brothers going to war battling and there’s nothing you can do but sit on the sideline and cheer, there’s nothing wrong with that, but I’m not that type of person,” Williamson said. “I want to be out there with them.” Williamson, after getting through the handshake line, made his way over to ESPN’s Allison Williams along with R.J. Barrett. Through all the clichés, Williamson delivered a poignant message. When asked what about their March mentality, his answer was simple. “Killers kill.”

Bre Bradham | Staff Photographer

Williamson helped the Blue Devils attack the glass in all three games in Charlotte and scored the game-winner against North Carolina with a putback off his own miss.

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Stepping Stones: Tre Jones seals championship By Hank Tucker Associate Sports Editor

CHARLOTTE—Tre Jones has done just about everything for Duke this season—elite on-ball defense, playmaking for his magnificent classmates and managing the Blue Devils’ fast-paced offense. Hunting his own scoring wasn’t always a priority, not until the second half of the ACC championship. Jones evoked memories of his older brother Tyus Saturday night, shining when the lights were brightest with 13 of his game-high 18 points after the break to help Duke pull away from Florida State. He drove into the Seminoles’ physical defense and finished consistently at the rim, winding up 8-of-14 from the field. His efforts helped the Blue Devils dominate the paint, outscoring Florida State 42-18 in that area. “Earlier in the year, Tre was just happy running the team and did a great job. He’s still happy running the team, but he can score and we need that and he knows that better now,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “So we’re just more balanced and we have a lot of confidence. They have a lot of confidence in one another.” Particularly after returning from a shoulder injury he suffered against Syracuse in January, Jones has often been hesitant to attack the paint, content to move around the perimeter and take open 3-pointers. Those looks were easy to find because he wasn’t making them, with defenses content to sag off of him on the perimeter to clog the paint and make life more difficult for Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett. Since the injury, Jones is shooting just 13-of-57 beyond the arc, a 22.8 percent clip. He didn’t settle for those open shots Saturday, using his

Bre Bradham | Staff Photographer

Tre Jones scored 13 of his career-high 18 points in the second half of Saturday’s championship and attempted 11 2-pointers in the game, his most since injuring his shoulder in January. finesse and body control to get shots off at the rim around defenders. The 6-foot-2 point guard’s 11 2-point attempts were his most since Duke’s first matchup against the Seminoles Jan. 12, the game before his shoulder injury, and his seven made shots inside the arc were season highs. “Early on in the game, I saw they were helping off of me a lot, trying to plug gaps, to Zion especially, but R.J. as well,” Jones said. “As a player and a competitor, I wanted to do everything in my power to help us win, and it just took more scoring from me tonight.”

Jones showed his aggressiveness on the Blue Devils’ first offensive possession of the second half, knocking down a pull-up midrange jumper to respond to a triple from Terance Mann that put Florida State ahead 39-36. That started a 10-0 run that gave Duke the lead for good. “We emphasized at halftime to come out and deliver the first blow in the second half,” Jones said. “Both teams were a little fatigued from the past few games, but we See JONES on Page 9

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Duke earns No. 1 overall seed in NCAA tourney By Mitchell Gladstone Sports Features Editor

After 34 games and an ACC tournament title, Duke has showed time and time again why it is arguably the best team in the nation. Sunday night, the Blue Devils were rewarded for their success as they get ready to begin a sixgame run for the program’s sixth national title. Duke was handed the top overall seed by the NCAA selection committee Sunday evening, meaning the Blue Devils will go through Columbia, S.C., and Washington in order to get back to Minneapolis and the Final Four, a stage they haven’t reached since 2015. The ACC got each of the top three overall seeds, with No. 2 going to Virginia in the South Region and No. 3 going to North Carolina in the Midwest. Gonzaga got the last No. 1 seed in the West Region. “It feels great. It shows that all of our hard work is paying off, so let’s dance,” ACC Player of the Year Zion Williamson told GoDuke.com Sunday evening. The Blue Devils could potentially see crosstown foe N.C. Central in the first round as a No. 16 seed Friday night at 7:10. The Eagles are playing North Dakota State in the First Four on Wednesday night. If Duke avoids a colossal upset, it would face either No. 8 seed VCU or No. 9 seed Central Florida in the second round. UCF’s head coach is former Duke legend Johnny Dawkins, and the Knights feature 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall. In the second weekend in Washington, Duke

would potentially have to face ACC competitor Virginia Tech as the No. 4 seed not far from Blacksburg, Va. There generally aren’t allowed to be two top-four seeds from the same conference in the same region, but it’s impossible to avoid when a conference has five top-four seeds, which the ACC will accomplish with the Blue Devils, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida State and the Hokies all posting impressive seasons. No. 5 seed Mississippi State is another potential Sweet 16 matchup. “One advantage we have is that there has been a lot of attention on us the entire year. For us, it is one game at a time,” associate head coach Jon Scheyer told GoDuke.com. “Any time you look ahead, there is enough situations I have been through as a player or as a coach where you look ahead and you can get beat by anybody. “We always look at it as a two-game tournament. Friday you have to win and then you play Sunday, then you get your rest and preparation and get ready for the next week and that’s the way we are going to approach it.” Looking ahead to the Elite Eight, the No. 2 seed in the East Region is Big Ten tournament champion Michigan State, and LSU earned the No. 3 seed with a tough first-round matchup against 14th-seeded Yale. Louisville is another ACC team in Duke’s region, slotted as the No. 7 seed. “It’s March Madness,” freshman R.J. Barrett told GoDuke.com. “There will be a lot of crazy times and I just can’t wait to be a part of it.”

Bre Bradham and Jim Liu | Staff Photographers

Duke is a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015, the last time it made the Final Four and won the national championship.

8 | MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2019

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M. BASKETBALL FROM PAGE 1 “I feel like it’s just the will to win. All of us came here with one goal in mind and that’s to win, so especially in a game like today, championship game, my brother’s had my back,” Jones said. “Even at the start of the game I was struggling a little bit. They kept believing in me, coaches kept believing in me and kept telling me just keep going, keep taking my shot. So with them believing in me and trusting in me, those plays were able to be there and I was able to make them.” After a slow start from Barrett, the freshman phenom began to attack and ended up with 11 first-half points and 17 in the contest. Barrett complemented another stellar offensive showing from Williamson, who paced the team with 12 in the opening period and led the Blue Devil scoring game on the interior. Both teams showed sloppiness in the first half, combining for 15 turnovers. The

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down the stretch and Duke’s lead down to seven, Jones delivered, ending a scoring drought of more than two minutes with a short pull-up just before Cam Reddish’s dagger 3-pointer polished off the win. With Jones contributing and all three of his fellow freshmen in the starting lineup topping 10 points as well—Reddish barely squeaked over that threshold for the first time of the tournament with the late triple—the Blue Devils had four doublefigure scorers for the first time since March 2. If they can continue to spread out the offense like that to take pressure off Williamson and Barrett, they have as good a chance as anybody to cut more nets down in Minneapolis in three weeks. “We weren’t going to accept anything but a win in this ACC tournament,” Jones said. “All of us really came here to win a championship. Even when we committed, we talked about coming here to win. So being able to get this first championship, it means a lot, but hopefully we’re not done.”

teams took better care of the ball out of the locker room, as Duke won the turnover battle 13-12. Duke did manage to improve in an area that it has struggled mightily in throughout the season—at the charity stripe. The Blue Devils finished the contest with a 81.0 percent clip on free-throw attempts. Duke needed every point it could get at the stripe as the Seminoles could not miss, draining their first 13 attempts and finishing the contest 15-for-16 With the win, the Blue Devils earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament. Duke will be in the East Region and will begin tournament play Friday in Columbia, S.C. at 7:10 p.m. against the winner of N.C. Central and North Dakota State. “This tournament’s been great, we’re ACC champions,” Williamson said. “I think that if we didn’t win it then the tournament wouldn’t have been great, so us winning this makes it great.

FROM PAGE 7 knew that if we were able to get stops and get out in transition, we would be able to wear them out.” Jones finished that spurt with a layup off a full-court bounce pass from Williamson that hit him perfectly in stride. In a reversal of the connection that has occurred countless times this season, it may have been Williamson’s finest play of a spectacular tournament. “I was just feeling it. Tre was running, I said, ‘Let me try to dime it,’ and it got through and Tre finished,” Williamson said. “I’m just glad he made the layup.” After a few minutes of trading buckets, Jones made back-to-back driving layups to give the Blue Devils their first double-digit advantage of the game in the middle of another 8-0 run. Then, with the game getting dicey again

The Chronicle Tag yourself in Sportswrap: Frightened Coby White: ��touché Man in the black sweater: �� doanut americasnexttopmodel: �� americasnexttopmodel Mark Armstrong: ��happyrock UNC afro lady: ��winniethepooh Student Advertising Manager: �� Griffin Carter Account Representatives: �� Paul Dickinson, Matt Gendell, Francis L’Esperance, Lancer Li, Jake Melnick, Emma Olivo, Spencer Perkins, Brendan Quinlan, Levi Rhoades, Rebecca Ross, Alex Russell, Paula Sakuma, Jake Schulman, Zoe Tang, Stef Watchi, Matt Zychowski

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R.J. Barrett made the all-tournament first team, scoring in double figures in every game.

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Cash prizes of up to $1,000 will be awarded for outstanding research in education-related fields� Open to Duke undergraduates� Application deadline is April 12, 2019� For applications and information: http://educationprogram�duke� edu/undergraduate/scholarships� Faculty contacts: Dr� Zoila Airall (zoila�airall@duke�edu) or Dr� Susan Wynn (susan�wynn@duke� edu)� PHYSICIANS ASSISTANT/NURSE PRACTITIONER Seeking a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner with Mental Health experience to occupy an office in a Behavioral Health Agency� Individual MUST be able to bill Medicare and Medicaid� Rental fee will be discussed and determined on individual’s ability to provide Medication Management Services to adults in an outpatient setting for Behavioral Health Agency� No emergency room coverage� Qualified applicants will have the ability to effectively build and manage relationships with our patient community� Two years of Physician Assistant experience required� Email dr�loney@caps4u�org

Motivated with soft skills to support physician documentation� Apply: www�medscribes�com Questions: careers@medscribes�com RESIDENTIAL COUNSELORS No plans for the summer? Like working with young people? Want to make a difference? Become a residential counselor with Duke Youth Programs! For more information and to apply: https://learnmore�duke�edu/youth/employment-opportunities� Email tpatters@duke�edu RESEARCH ASSISTANT Duke professor looking for research assistant to run subjects at the VeraSci innovation lab� If interested, please submit your resume to: hr@ verascience�com LIFEGUARD AT NEW HOPE CAMP www.newhopeccc.org info@newhopeccc.org 919-942-4716

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Crossword ACROSS 1 Closes 6 Like the voice of someone who’s stuffed up 11 [Guests must provide their drinks] 15 Went after 16 Sheep-related 17 Where the first presidential caucuses are held 18 “Crossing my fingers!” 19 Squiggly mark in “piñata” 20 Earl ___ tea 21 2001 Tom Cruise thriller 23 Some rides from the airport, nowadays 24 Leave out 25 James who sang “At Last” 27 Nickname for former N.B.A. star Darryl Dawkins

35 “Star Wars” princess 36 Maya who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial 37 Diamond pattern 38 Suffix with different or confident 39 “Chill out!” 42 Connected PC system 43 Ready to assemble, as a home 45 Reef predator 46 Flowy hair 47 Amy Adams or Emma Stone, hairwise 51 Keep it ___ (be honest) 52 Sound from a ghost 53 “What a shame” 56 Kind of ice cream suggested by the starts of 21-, 27and 47-Across 62 Swear

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE I B A N K S

W H I F F S

D O R R I T

B O T A N Y

T H E N I L E

D O A F A V O R

R A C E K R E V O O D E M E N D A E B A S C U L E S S E R C H R T A L O L E S R E A E G O E U D F E S

L E T I E W T O O T C M O Y O N P T E R T C E L A S E R S F L L D E O N N P Y A

E N D O O N E T D A A S Y S E B L Y N B O O W A

D I A T R I B E

I N D I A N S

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63 Largest city in South Florida 64 Japanese dog breed 65 “Look how great I did!” 66 Shenanigan 67 Enticed 68 Kill, as a dragon 69 Sits for a photo 70 Venue often named for its sponsor DOWN 1 Makeshift knife 2 Funny (or sarcastic) joke response 3 Japanese noodle type 4 Pudding ingredient 5 Patron for sailors 6 Friendly response to “Do you mind?” 7 Hertz rival 8 ___ Road, route for Marco Polo 9 “Still …” 10 Director Spike 11 Beginning of the universe 12 Days of ___ 13 One with a debt 14 Large inlets 22 Rapper ___ Wayne 23 Maneuver upon missing a GPS instruction 26 Take out of the freezer 27 Video excerpts 28 Symbol on a valentine 29 Floating fuel carrier

Edited by Will Shortz 1

No. 0211 9

35 39

51 53

32 37

24 27

PUZZLE BY HOWARD BARKIN

30 Race official

54 Egg-shaped

31 Rear-___ (auto accident)

55 Mr. Pibb or Dr Pepper

41 The first modern one was held in Athens in 1896 44 Off in the distance 32 “The Times They Are a-Changin’” 46 Nickname singer 48 Pacific weather 33 African antelope phenomenon 49 Unfortunate 34 Opera singer crowd reaction to Fleming a performer 39 Made the sound 50 [I don’t know of a crow the words to this part] 40 Group that inspired “Mamma 53 College entrance Mia!” exams

57 Has a nosh 58 French female friend 59 Ocean motion 60 Heaps 61 Nickname for grandma 63 It may include the words “You are here”

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“

Beyond Varsity Blues

ast week, the ivory tower was stunned by the news of a college admissions fraud scandal connected to a number of prestigious higher education institutions. Dubbed “Operation Varsity Blues,” the FBI charged fifty people in six states—including famous actresses, business leaders and other well-heeled parents—involved in a nationwide bribery and fraud scheme to help their children gain admission to elite colleges and universities. Also implicated are top college athletic coaches who facilitated the scheme by pretending to recruit the students as top athletes and the SAT proctors who helped the students falsify their scores. For the cynics among us, this scandal may not have seemed so scandalous. The college admissions process is rife with glaring—and entirely legal— inequity on nearly every front. Both recruited athletes and students with high SAT scores are disproportionately wealthy, and their ability to jettison to these ranks is largely due to the resources their class status affords them. In fact, even the College Board’s own data shows that wealthy students from college-educated families are more likely to excel on the test. Zip code income disparities and fewer educational opportunities play an influential part

onlinecomment “If the tuition increase allows for an increase in financial aid, then it essentially functions as a tax on the rich. The EFC of students on financial aid does not change. Only students whose parents make over like 200K will be affected.” —Nathan Heffernan, responding to “The tuition is too damn high!” via Facebook on Mar. 4, 2019

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.

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BRE BRADHAM, Editor MICHAEL MODEL, Sports Editor ISABELLE DOAN, News Editor BEN LEONARD, Managing Editor NATHAN LUZUM, SHAGUN VASHISTH, LEXI KADIS Senior Editors LIKHITHA BUTCHIREDDYGARI, Digital Strategy Director SUJAL MANOHAR, Photography Editor FRANCES BEROSET, Editorial Page Editor CHRISTY KUESEL, Recess Editor ALAN KO, Editorial Board Chair SYDNEY ROBERTS, Editorial Board Chair CHRISSY BECK, General Manager MARY HELEN WOOD, Audio Editor STEFANIE POUSOULIDES, University News Department Head JEREMY CHEN, Graphic Design Editor JAKE SATISKY, University News Department Head JUAN BERMUDEZ, Sports Photography Editor MICHELLE (XINCHEN) LI, Local & National News Head IAN JAFFE, Special Projects Photography Editor DEEPTI AGNIHOTRI, Health & Science News Head CHARLES YORK, Special Projects Photography Editor KATHRYN SILBERSTEIN, Health & Science News Head HANK TUCKER, Towerview Editor JU HYUN JEON, News Photography Editor SHANNON FANG, Towerview Managing Editor SARAH DERRIS, Recess Managing Editor LIKHITHA BUTCHIREDDYGARI, Investigations Editor HENRY HAGGART, Sports Photography Editor KENRICK CAI, Investigations Editor WINSTON LINDQWISTER, Sports Managing Editor LIKHITHA BUTCHIREDDYGARI, Recruitment Chair MAX LABATON, Editorial Page Managing Editor FRANCES BEROSET, Recruitment Chair VICTORIA PRIESTER, Editorial Page Managing Editor SAM KIM, Senior News Reporter MIHIR BELLAMKONDA, Editorial Page Managing Editor MAYA ISKANDARANI , Senior News Reporter JIM LIU, Opinion Photography Editor SEAN CHO, Senior News Reporter IAN JAFFE, Video Editor TREY FOWLER, Advertising Director JAMIE COHEN, Social Media Editor JULIE MOORE, 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 1517 Hull Avenue call 684-3811. To reach the Advertising Office at 2022 Campus Drive call 684-3811. One copy per person; additional copies may be purchased for .25 at The Chronicle Business office at the address above. @ 2019 Duke Student Publishing Company

in limiting lower income students’ options as well. The National Center for Education Statistics found that even after local and state governments increased education spending, educational inequity persisted, in part because many states primarily finance schools through local property taxes. In terms of the federal funding, chronic funding problems for public schools will only be exacerbated as President Donald Trump

Editorial Board calls for a 12 percent—or $7.1 billion—cut to funding at the Department of Education, a major budget cut for the third year in a row. A year ago, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights published a report, “Public Education Funding Equity: In an Era of Increasing Concentration of Poverty and Resegregation,” on how residential segregation led to inequity in educational opportunities. It allows for higher-income neighborhoods to fund predominantly white school districts with larger sums of local tax revenue, while lower-income neighborhoods with more people of color are left with comparatively undersubsidized facilities, teachers and class materials. This issue has led to desperate parents being sent to jail for lying about residency in an attempt to get their children into the better school districts with better opportunities. Despite a diversifying overall population, the United States still remains deeply segregated according to census data. This is especially true for Black Americans due to the legacy of de facto segregation from the Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras and endemic racial preferences among white people who choose to live with other white people.

There are still a number of legal ways rich parents can cheat the supposedly meritocratic college admissions game. Duke has not been scathed by this scandal, but at the University and beyond, the legacy preference persists as a nepotistic mechanism to ensure that power and wealth are preserved inter-generationally within predominantly white, affluent genealogies that are already disproportionately represented in college. At Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale, Penn, Brown and 33 other colleges (including Duke), there are more students from families in the top 1 percent than from the bottom 60 percent. University attendance has always been a status symbol to facilitate a branding and perception of successful parenting for rich families. As such, meritocracy is a myth, and it would be irresponsible and myopic to pretend otherwise. Outrage over the boogeyman of the undocumented valedictorian student or that Black or Latinx student with the “race card” maliciously “stealing” a spot from “deserving” students is misplaced and disingenuous. With the cards of historical socioeconomic inequity stacked up against them, disadvantaged low-income students of color know best how they have had to move heaven and Earth in order to get their feet into the doors of prestigious universities. The rules of the game have always been unfair, and the legal parameters around what actions are acceptable feel rather meaningless when you were never meant to win in the first place. This was written by The Chronicle’s Editorial Board, which is made up of student members from across the University and is independent of the editorial staff.

Duke’s rate of sexual assault is a campus health emergency

n a recent article in The Chronicle, the results of a survey given to Duke undergraduates in 2018 showed that almost 48 percent of women respondents at Duke were sexually assaulted, a number which does not include coerced sexual contact and sexual harassment. This is unacceptable. Imagine if almost 50 percent of students contracted an illness which affected their health, school performance, and may impact the rest of their lives.

Mindy Oshrain GUEST COLUMNIST

If this were anything but sexual assault, it would have been seen and addressed as a public health and campus emergency. Unfortunately, these numbers come as no surprise to me, nor, I imagine to many of my colleagues in the area. I have been a physician for Duke students, both undergraduate and graduate, as well as Duke faculty and staff, across many departments and disciplines since 1985. In my office, I have treated many women—too numerous to count—who have been victims of every sort of sexual misconduct. Women who were sexually assaulted by fellow students, their lives shattered while their assailants went free, often going on to lucrative careers unmarred by the experience. Female students who told of being touched inappropriately by their advisers, taking it as a matter of course, undergraduates raped by fellow students, seduced by professors. Women graduate students relay that their principal investigators have harassed, humiliated and/or propositioned them. I have seen medical students whose attending physicians or research advisers had an expectation of sexual favors, graduate students who were stalked and harassed, and resident physicians who were victims of sexual misconduct by attending physicians.

This is but a brief recounting of the types of incidents heard over the years, all of them occurring at Duke. And I am but one psychiatrist seeing a minute portion of the Duke community, most of them privileged enough to seek and afford treatment. It has been an honor to work with these women, to be entrusted with their pain and the difficult journey they undertake to process these grievous wounds, knowing that, even when healing occurs, the scars can be permanent. As a psychiatrist, I have validated and supported, prescribed medication, provided psychotherapy and trauma work. These women took time away from their own work and used their own financial resources to try to heal themselves and return to their lives and careers. That is another, often overlooked, cost of sexual misconduct, discrimination and misogyny. Duke’s responses to this issue are better than they used to be, but still inadequate. Requiring that incoming undergraduates take online classes, “AlcoholEdu and Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates,” is a step, but no substitute for in-person required training and institutional responsibility. While the Office of Gender Violence and Prevention offers other options and training, those programs are based in the Women’s Center, a tacit implication that this is a women’s problem, not a Duke problem. And yet, despite the clear and pervasive problem, there seems to be no urgent response by Duke to these numbers. Inviting the head of “Time’s Up” to be the 2019 graduation speaker is a gesture, (now complicated by her resignation), but while men in power at Duke continue to abuse their privilege with impunity, it is not enough. The cultural climate facing women at Duke is pernicious; it is in need of meaningful and swift action to make Duke a place where all can thrive. Mindy Oshrain, M.D.’83, H.S. ’83-‘87 Mindy Oshrain is a consulting associate in the School of Medicine’s department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.

The Chronicle

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We need to redefine Duke right now

uke is riddled with contradictions. In the campus culture, it’s evidenced by the rigid social hierarchy in spite of general distaste for exclusivity. It’s also seen in the suffocating notion of “effortless perfection” and the precarious facade students put on in order to conform. But in the wider institutional scheme, these incongruities are more evasive, slipping through the cracks and crevices of the administrative infrastructure. My previous article not only explored the importance of intentionality for first-years, but also alluded to just how decentralized Duke is. This past week, I had the opportunity to reflect on my Duke experience more deeply through Spring Breakthrough,

Catherine McMillan COLUMNIST

a four-day seminar in specialized topics. By participating in this program, my perception of Duke and this institution’s place in the orbit of higher education fundamentally changed. As I attempt to to sort out this tidal wave of insight and new information, I want to disseminate these perspectives as widely as possible. A quick disclaimer: to re-evaluate how Duke’s complex hierarchy provides for its students, this column will make some broad strokes. Truthfully, a single column isn’t enough space to disentangle all of these components. So my goal is to ask questions about the power dynamics and encourage more discussions across all institutional levels. What is the role of a university? Capitalizing off of the intelligence and productivity of young people, universities brand themselves as places to hoist up the next generation of movers and shakers. To an extent, four-year undergraduate programs thrive off of the professional necessity of a diploma, catering to those who see education as a gateway to financial security. But aside from strategic marketing, colleges, in my view, are the ultimate loci of knowledge production. This knowledge is dynamic and ever-shifting; more importantly, it is also inextricable from the world, the communities, and the people outside of academia. At Duke, the history of our institution is rich with archival materials that demonstrate the complexity of

adhering to this lofty mission. On April 10, 1968, the Academic Council held an emergency meeting in response to student activism erupting on campus following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The activism was in part inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and anti-Vietnam war protests. But beyond the galvanizing culture of the 1960s, students used this national devastation as a charge to remedy Duke’s history of unjust treatment towards nonacademic workers; thus the Silent Vigil unfolded. While this snapshot of student activism epitomizes students rallying for administrative accountability, it is also a moment of re-evaluating the function and role of the university as a whole. Now 51 years removed, I think it’s time to begin to re-evaluate again. At that 1968 emergency meeting, the Academic Council drafted a response to these underlying issues, writing: “A university is often defined as a community of scholars, and it must be such a community if it is to carry out its purposes in learning and research. But a university cannot carry out those purposes if it disregards justice and morality in the larger community in which it operates or in the non-academic community within its own bounds…” Every action and every policy implemented by the university has repercussions, catalyzing a domino effect that stretches across Duke’s institutional dominion. It echoes from the privilege and power concentrated in the Allen Building; it reverberates in the dorms of over-worked, over-stressed emerging adults; it resounds within the homes and families of Duke’s workers— academic and non-academic alike. Even today we see these issues of “justice and morality” bubble up to the surface: soaring sexual assault statistics, rising tuition, mandating an alternating seven-day work week for housekeeping staff—the list goes on. While these problems may not be strictly academic in nature, they still impact individual lives and the day-to-day function of the University. So where is the central hub of Duke’s motivations? Who does Duke serve? How does Duke identify as an institution? What’s in Duke’s DNA? According to the Duke’s governing Mission Statement, James B. Duke actively charged members of the University to “provide real leadership in the educational world.” From developing this leadership, Duke’s overarching ambition is to provide a “superior liberal education” to its undergraduate students. After

all, Duke is a liberal arts school, right? Interestingly enough, Duke’s defining mission paints an ideal of student leadership and enterprising faculty scholarship without laying out comparable standards for the institution itself. But to be a true leader among our peers, Duke needs to stop imitating other institutions and start committing to a central identity. How can higher education be democratized to allow for increased community input? The previously mentioned 1968 Academic Council report also reveals inconsistencies between the goals that the institution touts and the actions that it ultimately takes: “...We wish for exploration of additional ways in which the University can contribute to the larger community as it carries out its unique functions as a university. It contributes much to the community in an economic sense but there are inequities within the University.” I am just one voice on campus: one among 6,994 undergraduates, 8,898 graduate and professional students, 3,774 faculty, 39,525 staff, and looking beyond campus, an alumni network amassing 167,848 Duke graduates. So I realize that my opinion in The Chronicle is infinitesimal juxtaposed with the magnitude of these 227,039 lived experiences. As for what direction I believe Duke should be advancing towards, I would recommend several things: a stronger commitment to unifying the Duke community as soon as students arrive on campus, more student input in the classroom setting, fortifying networks of communication across Duke’s institutional silos, and altogether encouraging a stronger focus on undergraduate exploration. But I believe that we all have a responsibility to redefine Duke. So I encourage you to take a step back and be reflective. Re-definition can only come with a collective paradigm shift that aggregates the many ways in which we perceive ourselves as members of the Duke community. And it culminates with the stark realization that we are ultimately the enforcers of our own conformity. We have the charge and the ability to establish higher expectations. Whether or not those can be met is another question entirely, but as former President John F. Kennedy once said: “every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” Catherine McMillan is a Trinity first-year. Her column usually runs on alternate Fridays.

Not just donations: What it really means to give to Duke

s a Duke student, getting flooded with emails is something I’m familiar with. But as a senior this year, a new type of email has made its way into my inbox: emails about giving to Duke. We

without the generous financial aid package I received. Once I got here, I participated in DukeEngage, study abroad programs and paid summer research activities that were not only been highlights of my Duke experience

Ethan Ahuna COLUMNIST are asked repeatedly to donate money, with incentives including Chapel climbs, being able to pick where our money goes, and the refrain that even one dollar counts. But money is not the only way to give to Duke, and it should not be treated as such. Last semester, I attended a Senior Student Leaders Dinner at the Washington Duke. It was presented as an opportunity to talk with notable administrators about “what it means to be engaged alumni.” While the event was well-executed, I quickly realized that “engagement” just meant donating money. And as the night went on and very few of the administrators or event organizers even asked me what leadership positions I even held on campus, it became clear that “leadership” was just a way to narrow down which seniors got an invite to dinner. I am the first to admit that I have benefited greatly from philanthropy at Duke. Coming to Duke would not have been an option for me

but impacted my worldview. Donations are indubitably important. Without them, students like me could not partake in the Duke experience, and the Duke experience itself would not be the same. And I also know that 5 percent of the ranking criteria for the U.S. News and World Report college rankings is “alumni engagement,” the percentage of the graduating class that donates to the school. And staying high up in those rankings keeps our stock up as alumni in the job market, if only in our own psyche. But to equate engagement with giving money paints an incomplete picture. For one, it feels weird and wrong that Duke is already asking for money when my parents just finished giving up a large chunk of their life savings so that I could go here. There is also the question of whether I fully agree with what Duke stands for. I absolutely want to support future students and help them have the most fulfilling and accessible

college experience possible, but do I want to make a monetary contribution to an institution that refuses to enact a hate and bias policy to protect marginalized students? And yes, no one is asking me for an exorbitant amount of money. But to create great events for the senior class but only make them open to donors makes it feel like we are being bribed—you can come to a ball at the Nasher or climb the Chapel, but only if you pay us. For me, there isn’t a clear reason why being solicited for money before I even graduate feels wrong. Duke has contributed so much to my self-development: intellectually, interpersonally and ethically. But the notion that my only value to the university now is as a potential financial resource feels hollow, like the strides I made here as a person are not as important as the financial contribution I can make once I leave. One of the invaluable aspects of Duke is the alumni network we join. And it’s not just alumni who give money; it’s alumni who give time and energy. Duke alumni are very willing to talk to you about their jobs, give you advice and help you navigate the world beyond Duke. The alumna who did my alumni interview when I was a senior in high school still visits campus at least once a year and takes me out to dinner every time. These connections and their interpersonal nature are priceless, and they exist because of the positive experiences and fond memories these people have with

their alma mater. There is a sense of pride that many feel when it comes to being a Duke graduate, and that camaraderie is not something money can buy. Again, I understand that financial donations are crucial. I’m not suggesting that giving money to Duke is necessarily harmful. If you can give, and you want to, you should. But being guilt-tripped into giving does nothing to boost engagement. And to not consider the full scope of alumni engagement is to omit the importance of the alumni network and the human capital that it provides for current and former members of the Duke community. If Duke has impacted you the way it has impacted me, then you should give to Duke. You can give by donating money toward scholarship programs that have impacted you. Give by taking the time as an alum to talk with undergraduates who are interested in your career trajectory. Give by working to actively make the world outside the Duke bubble a better place, doing so with the skills and disposition that Duke has provided you. But give because you care about Duke students, because you want the institution to do better, because you are proud of your alma mater. A $1 donation and a Chapel climb is not what it means to be meaningfully engaged. Ethan Ahuna is a Trinity senior. His column usually runs on alternate Tuesdays.

The Chronicle

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CAN’T MISS EVENTS MARCH 18-APRIL 14

MFA|EDA 2019 THESIS EXHIBITION Monday, March 18-Saturday, April 13

Duke University’s MFA in Experimental and Documentary Arts celebrates the successes of the class of 2019 in MFA|EDA 2019, the program’s annual thesis exhibition, on view in Durham at the Power Plant Gallery and Full Frame Theater, and on Duke’s campus at the Fredric Jameson Gallery and Rubenstein Arts Center. For more information go to: mfaeda2019.org

EXHIBITION: POP AMERICA Thursday, February 21-Sunday, July 21 Nasher Museum of Art Antonio Dias, The Illustration of Art/Uncovering the Cover-Up, 1973. Screenprint and acrylic on canvas, 35.82 x 53.54 inches (91 x 136 cm). Courtesy of the artist and Galeria Nara Roesler, New York, New York and Rio, de Janeiro, Brazil. © Antonio Dias.

ANOUSHKA SHANKAR Thursday, March 21 8 pm Carolina Theatre of Durham

DUKE CHORALE SPRING CONCERT Tuesday, March 19 8 pm Baldwin Auditorium

FULL FRAME DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL Thursday, April 4-Sunday, April 7 Durham, North Carolina

SCREEN SOCIETY: AMI STUDENT FILM & ESSAY AWARDS Thursday, March 21 7 pm Rubenstein Arts Center, Film Theatre

SPRING MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION: BAD ROADS Thursday, April 4-Sunday, April 14 Sheafer Theater

CHOREOLAB 2019 Friday, April 12 & Saturday, April 13 Reynolds Industries Theater

Brought to you by Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies, Center for Documentary Studies, Dance Program, Music Department, Master of Fine Arts in Experimental & Documentary Studies, Nasher Museum of Art, Program in the Arts of the Moving Image’s Screen/Society, Theater Studies and Duke Performances.