The Chronicle The independent news organization at Duke University
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2024
ONLINE DAILY AT DUKECHRONICLE.COM
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTIETH YEAR, ISSUE 2
DUKE’S 100TH YEAR, DUKE’S 100TH INCOMING CLASS
Lilly Library begins renovations By Michael Austin August 12, 2024
By Zoe Kolenovsky and Abby Spiller August 22, 2024
Managing Editor
News Editor and Editor-in-Chief
After officially transitioning from Trinity College to Duke University in December 1924, Duke’s inaugural firstyear class stepped foot on campus in the fall of 1925. Now in 2024, another crop of first-years will make history as the University’s 100th incoming class. “The Class of 2028 has arrived at a very special moment in Duke’s history,” President Vincent Price wrote in an Aug. 19 email to The Chronicle. “As we celebrate our Centennial year, the arrival of Duke’s 100th entering class of undergraduates — and the exciting ideas, ambitions and perspectives they bring with them — are in many ways symbolic of the incredible opportunities ahead for the entire University.” When the Class of 1929 joined the Blue Devil community, The Chronicle commemorated their arrival in a piece titled “The New Freshman.” “Especially does one have difficulty in discovering the typical freshman because of the heterogenuity [sic] of the members of this class,” the Sept. 23, 1925, article reads. “The trains bring these new men from climes that vary as greatly as sunny California and cold, bleak Alaska, from balsam-clad peaks of the Appalachians to the sandy beaches of Florida, from the rustic mountaineer homes of the Unakas to the palatial residences of Riverside Drive in New York; and in individual
Lilly Library is under renovation, a process that began in May and is slated for completion in 2026. The estimated $64 million overhaul — dubbed “The Lilly Project” — is causing an 18- to 24-month closure of Lilly Library, with staff and library services relocating to the Bishop’s House located behind Bassett dorm. Although certain resources were temporarily unavailable during the summer relocation process, the Bishop’s House opened Aug. 1 and began offering essential library services. Here’s what you should know about accessing library resources on East Campus this year. Anabel Howery
differences the freshmen vary as greatly as in environmental circumstances.” Though much has certainly changed in the intervening century, diversity remains a defining attribute of the Class of 2028. The 1,711 members of this year’s class hail from across the globe. They also represent an effort by University administration to increase the socioeconomic diversity of Duke’s student body, which Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Christoph Guttentag expressed in a March email to The Chronicle where he noted the University’s ongoing goal of “attracting and admitting a higher percentage of students eligible for Pell grants.” The Class of 2028 is the first to contend with the Supreme Court’s June 2023 decision to end race-based affirmative action in college admissions.
The incoming class also represents the most selective in University history, with record low acceptance rates for both the Early Decision and Regular Decision application rounds at 12.9% and 4.1%, respectively. While a century has passed since Duke welcomed its first class, similarities remain between the first Blue Devils and the new first-years. “Even though they may dress differently, have different accents, cherish different ideals and be unlike in physical appearances, each is a dealer in futurity … and each is a profound optimist,” the 1925 Chronicle article reads. First-year Caroline McSwain, who hails from a small school in Skaneateles, New York, shared her excitement to be part of See CLASS OF 2028 on Page 7
Duke community reacts to end of Joe Biden’s reelection campaign, rise of Kamala Harris By Rae Rackley July 31, 2024 Staff Reporter
Less than four months before Election Day, President Joe Biden announced July 21 he was ending his campaign as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. He then endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now the front-runner for the Democratic Party’s fight against Republican nominee Donald Trump. Harris confirmed her intention to run for president in a statement later Sunday afternoon, praising Biden for his “selfless and patriotic act” and thanking him for endorsing her candidacy. “My intention is to earn and win this nomination,” she wrote. “… I will do every-
thing in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.” Biden’s decision to end his candidacy so close to a national convention is unprecedented in modern American politics. However, this dramatic shift has largely transformed the Democratic Party’s concerns about Biden’s mental acuity into unified support for Harris as their next presidential nominee. Harris is the only Democratic candidate to publicly announce she is seeking the nomination after Biden ended his bid. According to an Associated Press Survey, Harris had gained the support of enough Democratic National Convention delegates
to secure her spot as the party’s nominee by July 23. She is expected to select a running mate within a week, and DNC delegates have announced plans to conduct a virtual vote to nominate Harris and her prospective vice president by Aug. 7. Meanwhile, Harris opponent now faces the challenge of addressing a newer, younger, female candidate. The Trump campaign has already pivoted their strategy over the past week to challenge Harris political standing, namely by targeting her handling of immigration policy at the Southern border and attempting to discredit her identity as a Black woman.
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Library resources During the renovation, students can meet with Lilly librarians and staff in the Bishop’s House. As the temporary home for many of Lilly’s services, the Bishop’s House also enables students to print and scan, return books, pick up holds and reserve materials for classes. Until Aug. 26 — the first day of classes for the fall semester — Lilly at Bishop’s House will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Starting Aug. 26, the schedule will shift to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m Friday. For visitors, the building has two 30-minute parking spaces available for use free of charge. According to a Feb. 28 post on The Lilly Project’s website, “as much of Lilly’s collection as possible” will remain accessible during the renovation. Students are encouraged to find the locations of items of interest in the online catalog and to take advantage of the “90 million books and other materials” available from peer institutions through the Interlibrary Requests program. The Lilly Library 3D printers — managed by
the Innovation Co-Lab — will be relocated to See LILLY LIBRARY on Page 8
INSIDE Rezoning withdrawal After three years of meeting with Durham’s Branch Avenue resudents, Duke withdrew its application to rezone land. PAGE 3
Summer enrollment decline Enrollment in Duke’s Summer Session ourses has steadily declined over the past decade. PAGE 5
Cherokee course series
The new course progresion is a part of the recently established Native American Studies Initiative’s efforts. PAGE 6 @thedukechronicle | ©2024 The Chronicle