WORKING@DUKE
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FLOWER POWER
Duke’s Accent Team plants flowers to paint the campus in color for spring.
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N EWS YO U CA N U S E
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DUKE APPRECIATION WEEK
Special activities give thanks and pay tribute to Duke faculty and staff.
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Vo l u m e 1 , I s s u e 3
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
Gas prices got you down? Consider forming a vanpool with colleagues to commute to Duke.
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May 2006
CONFRONTING CONTROVERSY P R E S I D E N T B R O D H E A D R E S P O N D S T O L A C R O S S E S I T U AT I O N
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s Duke grappled with issues arising from accusations that members of the men’s lacrosse team sexually assaulted a woman, President Richard H. Brodhead convened several groups to investigate the social issues raised by the allegations. Over the past month, reporters and satellite media trucks have descended on Duke’s campus to cover the evolving story and the controversy that tapped into broader social issues of race, gender and class, and the relationship between Duke and Durham. Consider: A web search in mid-April for “Duke lacrosse” produced more than 12.1 million hits. “The issues surrounding this situation reach far beyond the behavior of a few lacrosse players,” said Tallman Trask, executive vice president for Duke University. “They hold broader implications for our campus and our city. Duke and Durham are part of the same community. The majority of the people who work here also call Durham home. Together, we’ve invested much time and energy over the years to improve our shared community. Now, we must be willing to confront some unpleasant issues so not to undermine the progress we’ve made.” On April 5, President Brodhead announced five steps (see sidebar) Duke will take to address the issues raised from the allegations against the men’s lacrosse team. Below are excerpts from his e-mail letter to the Duke community:
Duke Response m
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Investigation of men’s lacrosse. The committee will not be looking into the criminal allegations against the team, but will investigate reports of misconduct by other relevant student groups to see if the players’ conduct “stands out.” Report due by May 1.
Examination of Student Judicial Process and Practices. The Academic Council’s Student Affairs Committee will examine the way Duke deals with problems of student behavior. It will review the existing judicial system for students and make recommendations for change to faculty. Report due by May 1. Investigation of Duke Administration Response. This committee will examine the administration’s performance in responding to the allegations involving the team. Specifically, the committee will address the perception that the university did not respond as quickly as it should have and point to lessons the episode can teach. Report due by May 15.
Campus Culture Initiative. This initiative will be a rigorous self-examination to evaluate and suggest improvements in the ways Duke educates students in the values of personal responsibility, consideration for others, and mutual respect in the face of difference and disagreement. Progress report due at the end of this term and again in the fall.
In addition to the above steps, President Brodhead convened a “Presidential Council.” This council will scrutinize Duke’s responses to the lacrosse team incident; advise the president on best practices in other university settings; and consider ways that Duke can promote these values. The first meeting will be held this spring.
CONTROVERSY ~ continued on page 2
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