Tuesday, November 6, 2001
Sunny High 62, Low 34 www.chronicle.duke.edu Vol. 97, No. 51
The Chronicle
Ifs ill the game The men’s basketball team trounced the EA Sports All-Stars in the Blue Devils’ first exhibition game. See page 9
THE INDEPENDENT DAILY AT DUKE UNIVERSITY
Students to stay home from polls � Although some students showed apathy toward the election, professors and employees said they intended to vote. By MALAVIKA PRABHU The Chronicle
As Durham voters go to the polls today, many students at the University will not be joining them. But professors and employees show a greater interest in the election.
Election Guide JAMES HERRIOTT/THE CHRONICLE
SPEED IS OF THE ESSENCE for Armadillo Grill employees Vincent Torrence (left) and Moe Salin (right)
Is dining on West Campus too fast-paced? Administrators wonder if a board plan could help create a more cohesive community By DAVE INGRAM The Chronicle
It’s dinnertime on a weekday evening, and undergraduates around campus are scrambling for food. Freshmen head to the Marketplace, while most upperclassmen choose from a variety of options on West Campus. The difference in dining styles is clear and will likely remain that way even as housing officials try to replicate the East Campus experience with the new residential life plan for West. They often cite the Marketplace’s board plan as a key
factor in creating first-year unity, but the retail model has continued to dominate the rest of the University. Administrators disagree about whether the retail plan contradicts the current vision for student life, but some prefer a dining plan that focuses more on community.
“I think everywhere we want a situation where dining is part of a community experience. Right now, it’s less than it should be. It’s too aggressive, too retail,” said William Chafe, vice provost for undergraduate education
Find out more about the candidates, their positions and the bond issue. See page 8 Most students said they were generally unaware about Durham politics; many do not even know that Durham’s municipal elections are taking place today, including the mayoral race between incumbent Nick Tennyson and
The East dining plan—with its prepaid 12 Marketplace meals per week—was created after the campus became all-freshman in fall 1995. The move toward a diverse retail plan for West began much earlier, as the need for dining options outgrew traditional eateries like The Great Hall. With the arrival of ARAMARK Corp. this summer, the campus now has 31 vendors with contracts for 41 different food operations. “What I say to the vendors is, Ton
challenger Bill Bell. “I am not registered to vote, and I don’t care about Durham politics, so I don’t think I’ll be voting anytime soon,” freshman Chris Beatty said. Another freshman, Sean Timpane, shared a similar sentiment. “I’m a Duke student, and Duke really isn’t a part of Durham, as seen by the walls around East Campus,” he said. Even some of the few students registered in Durham will not head to the
See DINING on page 7 P~
See ELECTION on page 6 P
polls today.
Campus Council asks for residential smoking ban Some question necessity, effectiveness of ban By JAMES HERRIOTT The Chronicle
Last Thursday, Campus Council passed a resolution calling for the University to prohibit smoking in all residential facilities by fall 2002. Campus Council President Vik Devisetty lauded the action as strong leadership in creating a healthier residential living environment. Although the administration has not made a decision on the matter, many students said a ban would invade their privacy. Campus Council argues that smoke does not stay in students’ rooms, but travels throughout the building, causing irritation and health risks for other residents.
“This change will allow Duke to
join with its peer institutions that
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have implemented such regulations years ago and will ultimately make our residential system a more healthy, attractive environment,” reads the resolution, signed by Devisetty and Campus Council Representative Anthony Vitarelli, a freshman.
The resolution said the prohibition would not inconvenience smokers too much because students would not have to trek far to leave their dorms to smoke. “Obviously [smokers] would prefer to smoke in their own rooms, but their smoking affects the people around them,” he said. He also argued that, because less than 5 percent of last year’s campus residents reported smokSee SMOKING on page 7 �
in light of recent international tensions, the Office of Abroad has increased security at study abroad sites and tried to assure students of their safety. See page 3
THAD PARSONS/THE CHRONICLE
PACKS OF CIGARETTES sit on display at the Lobby Shop. Students will no longer be able to smoke in their dorms if the University implements Campus Council’s proposed policy.
One day before the Durham city elections, the City Council heard a progress report on a development deal, which has not been closed after more than a year. See page 4
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The Graduate and Professional Council heard reports from two committees who argued that graduate student orientation lacks enough social activities. See page 5