Kickin’ it with Ross
Duke partners with Delta
The airline company will expand its presence on campus in the coming months | Page 3
Senior kicker Ross Martin has emerged as one of the nation’s top special teams weapons | Sports Page 7
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
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2015
WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM
ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH YEAR, ISSUE 35
DSG, admins adjust ‘blanket’ medical leave policy Adam Beyer The Chronicle Duke Student Government and University administrators hope that students will have an easier time navigating the medical leave process after clarifications to the University’s leave policy. Updates being made to the policy include provisions clarifying the length of medical leaves as well as the conditions imposed on students who decide to take a medical leave. In particular, the policy now states explicitly that medical leaves can be longer or shorter than two semesters, whereas in the past the policy stated that they had to be at least two semesters. Students on medical leave will still be required to remain away from campus for the duration of their leave. The policy changes were prompted by efforts from DSG to reduce confusing elements in the current medical leave procedures. “It didn’t make sense to have this one blanket policy and force all students to wait a whole year [to return from medical leave],” said senior Jay Ruckelshaus, senator for equity and outreach, noting that some students are ready to return quickly after a relatively minor illness. “I envision this being used a lot more now that this actually says so in the text.”
Graphic by by Carolyn Sun | The Chronicle Graphic Carolyn Sun | The Chronicle
Some of the changes to the policy codify what has already been University practice. Currently, students on medical leave are expected to stay on leave for two terms beyond the term they left. These additional terms of leave can include a full summer. Although
students have been able to petition to return to Duke sooner in the past, the new changes will formalize this process and make it clear that returning after one semester is a possibility. The possibility of extended medical leaves lasting three semesters or more will be added
to the policy as well, though it has already been offered by the school. One aspect of the policy that has not changed is the requirement that students on leave remain See LEAVES on Page 6
Duke creates new center for health policy research Staff Reports The Chronicle Duke is creating a new health policy center to develop ideas for healthcare reform, President Richard Brodhead announced Monday in a press release. The center, which will be based at the Fuqua School of Business, was founded through a $16.5 million gift by Dr. Robert Margolis and his wife Lisa Margolis. Dr. Mark McClellan, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under President George W. Bush, was named the director of the center, which seeks to
promote collaboration among healthcare experts and translate ideas into practice. With expected participation from faculty members in Fuqua, the Sanford School of Public Policy, the School of Medicine and the School of Law, the Duke-Robert J. Margolis, MD, Center for Health Policy represents Duke’s continued commitment to interdisciplinary research and real-world problem-solving, Brodhead said in the release. “This new initiative marks an important and transformative collaboration within Duke, bringing together our campus schools and Duke Medicine,” Provost Sally Kornbluth said in the release. “The Duke-Margolis Center under the direction of Mark McClellan will be the focal point
for faculty and students to test ideas, bring them forward to create change and to realize Duke’s full potential in a vital field.” As director, McClellan will oversee several fields of study at the center, including global health, public policy, biomedical research, clinical care and law. McClellan was chosen for his expertise in healthcare innovation and value, two areas that he has focused on as a senior fellow with the Washington-based Brookings Institution. “His experience in the evolving health care landscape is virtually unmatched, and colleagues across the University will welcome his leadership,” Brodhead said. See HEALTH POLICY on Page 4
Special to The Chronicle Former FDA commissioner Mark McClellan will direct Duke’s new health policy center.