THE INDEPENDENT DAILY AT DUKE UNIVERSITY
The Chronicle Spring 2010 Roompix sees fewer choices
Bus bursts into flames, no injuries
by Ray Koh THE CHRONICLE
Students returning from study abroad
programs this Spring may have to settle for less when it comes to housing. Last year, the opening of Few Quadrangle in Spring 2009 allowed for greater flexibility in accommodating housing preferences, said Jen Frank, assistant
director of accommodations for Residence Life and Housing Services. Frank wrote in an e-mail to students Wednesday that there would be “very few opportunities” for returning students to select their own roommate for Spring 2010. “When I start meeting with students, I remind them that the housing option is limited when they go abroad,” Frank said. “If people wanted to go during Spring, that would make the process easier but most don’t.” Some students returning from abroad said they have been frustrated and anxious with the limited housing options. “RLHS is making it sound as though they don’t have room for us when we come back from abroad,” said junior Lori Walker, who is currently studying abroad ;n London; “My No. 1 priority is living with my roommate, but that SEE HOUSING ON PAGE 6
COURTNEY DOUGLAS/THE CHRONICLE
Firefighters from the Durham Fire Department inspect a burnt bus after it caught on fire on East Campus Wednesday afternoon. No one was injured during the incident. Lindsey Rupp THE CHRONICLE
by
A C-l bus caught fire on East Campus
at about 5:27 p.m. Wednesday, Duke Police
said. No one was injured. The bus was leaving the East bus stop heading toward West Campus when several people noticed sparks coming from the bottom rear of the bus near the back tires. Anthony Hatchett, the driver at the time, said a passenger notified him that the vehicle was on fire. He immediately pulled over at the C-2 stop between Gilbert-Addoms
and Jarvis Dormitories and evacuated the eight to 10 passengers. “It was really shocking,” Hatchett said. “I was saying to myself, ‘What could have started this fire?’ There was no indication, so.I was really shocked. It’s a firsttime experience.” The fire broke out in the vehicle’s engine compartment. Scorched parts laid on the charred street beneath the bus after emergency crews extinguished the flames. Junior Kiley Samz was waiting for the bus at the 02 stop when it pulled up par-
tially on fire. She said she saw gasoline leaking out of the bus as it was evacuated. “The gas on the street was on fire, then it popped and the whole back was on fire,” she said. Hatchett said he moved with the passengers and bystanders toward Gilbert-Addoms and watched the back of the bus blaze as they waited for firefighters to arrive. Capt. Gary Paschall of Durham Fire Department, who was one of the firefighters SEE BUS FIRE ON PAGE 6
DUKE STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Senators debate SOFC, reject AG amendment by
Christina Pena THE CHRONICLE
Duke Student Government worked on a lengthy agenda at its meeting Wednesday night, passing several important pieces of legislation. A large portion of the meeting was spent on the proposal for increased transparency of the Student Organization Finance Committee. The proposal was later referred to the Student Affairs Committee after a lengthy debate. A proposal to amend the executive bylaw was rejected after another heated discussion. The amendment would have prohibited the attorney general from being a candidate in any election held within six months of being attor* neY general. It would have served to minimize a conflict of SEE DSG ON PAGE 5
Piano virtuoso Murray Perahia comes to Page, RECESS 3
A
ontheRECORD "The cardiac patch that we are currently testing on mice is working great"
—Associate Professor Nenad Bursae on mending hearts. See story page 3
Football: A look ahead The Chronicle breaks down each of Duke's remaining six games, PAGE 7