"Like most students," she writes,
I quickly came to appreciate Brodhead's irrepressible charisma and obvious warmth of spirit when interacting with students. For that and other reasons, I delighted in Brodhead's early successes-persuading Coach K to stay, successfully negotiating the Palestine Solidarity Movement controversy that followed soon after-which were impressive. But that faith was strained in April 2006 when our community trusted Brodhead to marshal the skill and delicacy that defined his previous conduct.Read her entire column here.
What we got instead was a series of administrative blunders-one more scandalous than the next-that have done more long-term damage to our university than the media frenzy ever could have. As we continue to move forward, I wonder at Brodhead's reluctance to acknowledge those missteps and learn from them.
Indeed, what does it say about our university that 12 months after credible accusations surfaced that Durham police officers were disproportionately targeting Duke students, no Brodhead administration official has reassured us we're safe?
What are we to think when four months after the University settled former lacrosse player Kyle Dowd's grade-retaliation suit, administrators have done nothing to address this serious breach of trust? And five months after the Campus Culture Initiative presented its fatally flawed report, what effort has been made to reinvigorate the once-strong student interest in confronting Duke's deep social rifts?
79 comments:
Excellent.
What a delight it is to read Ms. Butler's thoughts again. In addition to the Lax 47, Duke clearly has at least one more student in its ranks who earns respect for clarity of thought. She also obviously writes better than everyone of the G88. How she can stomach a Duke "education" is beyond me, however.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's Duke students who make Duke look good. The faculty and administration show their extreme lack of judgment by continuing to fail to recognize that salient fact.
I will again ask what evidence exists that Kim Curtis is currently employed at Duke University. My impression is that she is not.
Don't be looking for Kristin on the next Duke/Brodhead multi-city, PR, dog and pony shows
Richard Brodhead.
Toast.
Broadhead's unique experience might actually be an asset if he would learn from it. Of course, he would also have to develop a spine. I suppose I'd really like to see evidence that someone can admit that mistakes were made and that things should have been handled differently and it would be best if it could start at the top.
A leader is needed who can turn this to good, and this would be the first step. If Broadhead isn't the one for this, Duke should do all it can to find someone who can. How about Lawrence Summers? I'll bet he has an informed and valid perspective on this!
This woman thinks so well and writes so well she must be majoring in a real discipline.
"I will again ask what evidence exists that Kim Curtis is currently employed at Duke University. My impression is that she is not."
I looked at both undergrad and grad course listings for Fall 2007 in Political Science and her name did not appear.
As always, pragmatic & forthright. Speaking truth to power -- no soft pedaling.
Welcome back Kristin!
Addressing the Kim Curtis issue and getting rid of her are not the same thing. I believe Ms. Butler, and most others, would like Duke to make a written or spoken statement that what she did was wrong and will NEVER be tolerated. To the Duke Community as a whole.
Getting rid of Kim Curtis and 'addressing' the issue at hand are not the same thing. I believe Ms. Butler, and most others, want the administration to come out with a statement condemning such actions as highly inappropriate. Speak it. Write it. Don't hide from mistakes.
Duke shouldn't hide the fact that Curtis is gone (if indeed she is).
Of course for personnel (and perhaps settlement term) privacy reasons Duke may be limited in what they can say. However, acknowledging that they've righted one wrong ... might help. To allow students, such as Kristin, to believe that Duke cares not about rebuilding student trust in faculty and administraction -- is just sad.
I will again ask what evidence exists that Kim Curtis is currently employed at Duke University. My impression is that she is not.
The Duke Poli Sci web site still lists her as a Visiting Assistant Professor
She's definitely got balls.
wow.
Curtis is still listed as affiliated faculty of the Pol. Sci. Dept.
I am fascinated by how two well known Duke students---Chauncey Nartley and Kristin Butler have reacted to this fiasco. Nartley threatens coach Pressler's 14 year old daughter, while butler writes some of the most insightful pieces on this matter seen anywhere. But to whom does Duke give a prestigous student award..Nartley the "intimidator".
Terrific essay by Kristen again. I will savor this her last year of columns for the Chronicle. She captured my own journey of admiration to dismay on Brodhead. My admiration of him glossed over his actions and inactions well into the Fall of '06.
"What we got instead was a series of administrative blunders-one more scandalous than the next-that have done more long-term damage to our university than the media frenzy ever could have. As we continue to move forward, I wonder at Brodhead's reluctance to acknowledge those missteps and learn from them."
Me, too!!!
"Ultimately, the questions come down to this: Given Brodhead's position on the firing of Mike Pressler- Senior Vice President for Public Affairs and Government Relations Burness told reporters that although Pressler was an "excellent coach," it was "essential for the team to have a change of leadership" before it could "move forward"-why shouldn't we apply that logic to the president himself?"
Pressler was willing to take corrective actions. I have no doubt that his own hammer would have fallen on a few lax player heads even if the cops had recognized Crystal's allegatons as fraud and not let them go any further.
Brodhead's position that he would do everything the same way again should be met with a resounding: "That's not good enough!"
The Duke Poli Sci web site still lists her as a Visiting Assistant Professor.
LOL! Do you have any idea how frequently those pages are updated???
The Visiting Prof website said it was last updated 8/28/07. THAT'S TODAY!!
This Duke website, http://fds.duke.edu/db/aas/PoliticalScience/faculty/kcurtis/cv.html ,lists Prof Curtis as a Visiting Professor. At the bottom it shows when it was last updated. The dated it was last updated is 2007/8/28 which is TODAY.
JLS says....,
Nice essay by Ms. Butler, but alas I notice she is still a Duke student? Maybe she deserves a pass on that as senior. It is more costly for seniors to change schools that others. On the other hand she was a Junior this time last year and could have transferred then.
Still as long as Duke students and alum just complain rather than act, Brodhead has no reason to do anything. If 1,000 Duke students had voted with their feet and transfered this year, I bet Brodhead at a minimum would have addressed these concerns IF HE STILL WORKED FOR DUKE.
But alas, Ms. Butler will soon be gone. Fewer and fewer Duke students will know what happened. Right now probably more than half the Duke undergrads chose Duke knowing full well about this mess or not caring enough to find out.
Kristin forgot to mention
• the administration's violation of student information privacy and federal law
• enforcement of the Faculty Handbook
• public statements presuming guilt
I'm sure there's more...
This is the best question raised in Kristin's excellent op-ed:
"Ultimately, the questions come down to this: Given Brodhead's position on the firing of Mike Pressler- Senior Vice President for Public Affairs and Government Relations Burness told reporters that although Pressler was an "excellent coach," it was "essential for the team to have a change of leadership" before it could "move forward"-why shouldn't we apply that logic to the president himself?"
Yes, indeed. Why doesn't Brodhead accept the need to take the same medicine he served to Mike Pressler?
Brodhead should resign, now.
Misunderstood/misused phrase and web page updating
My First comment is not a criticism of Kristin's essay since I could be misunderstanding something. She says "What we got instead was a series of administrative blunders-one more scandalous than the next-that have done more long-term damage to our university than the media frenzy ever could have." (second paragraph)
If one is more scandalous than the next, doesn't that mean that a series of events has diminishing degrees of scandal? Obviously, she thinks it means just the opposite. Am I misreading something here?
As for several commenters' remarks about updating web pages, I think that web page HTML can be set to show that the page was updated daily, even hourly, automatically. That's not to say that the poly sci web site was not updated today, but it would be a coincidence.
KW
came across your blog randomly, - fascinating.
thanks,
p
Ms. Butler’s editorial is superb. It clearly expresses a reasoned opinion without suggesting that hers is the only opinion possible. “Those are my thoughts. You can direct yours to pres-review@duke.edu”. Quite apart from the possible merits of its content, its prose is unpretentious, clear, and effective. An intelligent reader gains from it a definite idea of what its author means. In this it contrasts dramatically with the opaque and modish affectations of several of the literature professors whose works have been anthologized on this blog in recent weeks. I presume that the Duke trustees consider their alumni an important constituency. If so, I hope that the numerous Duke alumni who have expressed themselves so effectively on this blog will now follow Ms. Butler’s lead and write to the review committee.
The scheduled presidential review is unlikely in itself to be of any great significance. Surely the trustees know that President Brodhead’s presidency is, sadly, already a failed one. I say that with no pleasure. I used to know and work with Dick Brodhead, before he left teaching for administration, and I always found him a very nice guy. Much of the mess at Duke antedated him, but he has proved incapable of dealing effectively with this crisis. If Duke really wants to “move forward”, it cannot be with him at the helm. Kristin Butler is brilliant in her presentation of the analogy between Coach Pressler and President Brodhead. Pressler was “excellent”, but apparently he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Well, the trustees can declare Brodhead “excellent”, too, and fire him on the same grounds that he fired Pressler—whatever they were.
A second reason I take no pleasure in the situation is that high-profile presidential failures are not good for American higher education generally. The parallels between Summers at Harvard and Brodhead at Duke are more telling than the superficial differences. Summers had to go, in essence, because he refused to play the game of the hard-left Arts and Sciences faculty. Brodhead will probably have to go, after a decent interval, because he did play their game to the considerable detriment of the institution. If America’s finest universities have become hostages to well-organized, self-indulgent, and self-righteous faculty cliques who define their professional mission as “politics by other means”, they have in effect become ungovernable. There is no use for “leadership” among those who cannot be led, only misled. What it would take to alter this situation significantly is not tinkering but major surgery of a kind that in present circumstances seems unthinkable.
That Duke is producing students such as Butler speaks volumes for the institution. It reminds me of the adage to not discard the baby with the bathwater.
Don't expect Kristen to get the William J. Griffiths award this year. Pity.
2:30 - Absolutely Brilliant
Re-read Chafe's intent for Duke, understand that President Brodhead is in lockstep with those aims, and lookout!
Ms. Butler writes with a style that could be called "patient," as if she's explaining these things to someone who needs reminding - as is the case: her comparison of Pressler to Brodhead is very aptly stated.
Until Proven Innocent, now #287 on Amazon, on it's rapid ascent to #1.
professor x
I enjoy reading your comments for they have been thought provoking. In your most recent (@ 2:30 PM) you make the statement:
"If America’s finest universities have become hostages to well-organized, self-indulgent, and self-righteous faculty cliques who define their professional mission as “politics by other means”, they have in effect become ungovernable. There is no use for “leadership” among those who cannot be led, only misled. What it would take to alter this situation significantly is not tinkering but major surgery of a kind that in present circumstances seems unthinkable."
You have identified a critical issue, in my judgment, for among those things memorializing the HOAX is a statement made by Richard Brodhead during the 60 Minutes interview. He said (August 2006):
“ The facts kept changing [!]. Every day we learned new things that no one knew the day before. Every day we were being urged to speak with certainty about facts that were full of great uncertainty at that point. Our policy all along was to act on the basis of the things we knew for sure and to withhold action and decision on the things we didn’t know for sure.” (emphasis added)
Now, the convenience of hindsight allowed Brodhead to assert that the policy was to withhold action and decision. Yet, in fact, Brodhead clearly took action (his April 6, 2006 public statement coinciding with the “Listening Statement”) and he clearly made decisions (e.g. Pressler, the lacrosse season, etc.)… actions and decisions that were (or became) averse not only to the 3 victims, but also to the other lacrosse players, to every student at Duke University and even to our confidence in leadership and the future of Duke University.
This last is most painful, for if your view of the un-willingness of some to be led is true and if, in fact, that hard-left faculty did indeed pressure Brodhead to act as he did, then the Duke University I knew (and perhaps others knew as well) is now rudderless in a sea of agenda-driven politics. Worse still is the whirlpool on the horizon ... with the wail and whir of the vortex.
___________________________________
Brodhead knows with certainty those who "urged," as well as their agendas. Now, Brodhead has not (and did not) identify who was urging him to “speak with certainty.” But even those with no imagination should have no struggle in making a high probability guess … say, better than 88%.
Perhaps it's time to identify formally those who urged "inappropriate" action and (re)consider their effect on the future of Duke, its students, its faculty, its alumni, its prestige ... oh and yes ... even its purse.
Kristen is what makes us older Duke grads proud of the University.
You know, I have spent months criticising the feckless stumblebum, the 88 mental midgits and aleva as incompetant and incapable of runing anything beyond an average middle school....but I now think my criticism is misplaced. These people are at best syncophants(sp) serving at the pleasure of what is supposed to be a board of trustees. What a joke. These people are losing it and don't even know it. What a pity!!!
Thanks again Kristen.
trinity60
I would think that if Steel wants Duke to be more like the Ivy Leagues, then he better look for professors of that quality from the ivies and not inexperienced administrators from the prestigous seven.
Professor X at 2:30, great post. Very well written.
Does any think there is even the slightest possibility that a story about Broadhead's leaving Duke, whether it's written tomorrow or ten years from now, could be written without the words lacrosse and rape in it?
While his colleagues in the academy might look at a number of other factors, Broadhead's tenure (regardless of length) will generally be viewed through the lens of the "Duke lacrosse rape case" whether he or any of us like it or not.
As a result he'll receive marks somewhere between D and F. Those don't cut it at Duke.
Kristin may be lucky to graduate!
It wouldn't surprise me if Duke were to assign "Visiting" Associate Professor Kim Curtis to follow Kristin through her class schedule, awarding capricious "F's" at every opportunity for retribution.
Only beef I have with a very well written column is the assumption that Duke has deep social rifts.
Durham and the Klan of 88 have social rifts that they manufacture.
Have the Klan provided any of those who are quoted in the Listening Statement?
Has there been any evidence supplied to support the notion of a social disaster?
None.
I personally think of Mr. Broadhead as Mr. "Narrow"head. His actions validate that moniker, even though he probably thinks of himself as a "liberal".
As an honest liberal, who believes that liberal means tolerance and understanding of points-of-view that clash with your own, I find this man to be an impostor. I don't care about his purported charisma and warmth, his actions don't back any of that up.
I am even more "ferklempt" about this man's pretentions at representing my alma mater as its President than I was of Dr. Knight's pretentions when I entered Duke 40 years ago as a freshman. Dr. Knight was deemed as "not being the right man for the job, at this time" by the Board Of Trustees during Dr. Knight's tenure. I certainly hope that the current Board recognizes the similarities of Dr. Broadhead's tenure with President Knight's.
Fortunately, "corrective measures" were taken promptly after it became clear that Dr. Knight was not the right leader for guiding my alma mater.
I received a good education at Duke, but I'm increasingly ashamed of where I earned my degree.
I would not return to Duke, nor would I pay for a child of mine mine to study there, as long as Dr. "Narrow"head has a position of power there.
I used to be proud of my Duke degree. I no longer am....
I hope Duke listens to alumni, but individual voices have limited volume compared to a choir of collective voices....Speak Up.
Having attended alumni meetings where other alumni articulated opinions that mirrored mine, I hope that their voices continue to be "loud and clear" about where they stand on this issue.
There are many valid ways to make your voice heard. Find a way that works for you and follow your gut....don't be afraid.
Mr. "Narrow"head's gut doesn't have what it takes to answer your legitimate concerns.
You are "free" to voice your opinion....
Regards,
Formerly proud to be a Duke grad.
Duke did not "produce" that sudent: she obviously came and will leave with a core of values and common sense not eroded by Duke's motley collection of US hating, jargon spouting, deconstructionist oddballs.
Every taxpayer, parent, student and voter must take to heart what Duke ignores: (a) those dead people that wrote the bill of Rights weren't so dumb, and it is both unbelievable and unacceptable that Duke has 88 professors that either don't know or don't care for due process except in selective settings; (b), allowing colleges to administer themselevs without voter/taxpayer/parent involvement is as foolish as allowing unionized city employees to set their own pensions.
Tenured appointments, college hiring, benefits and what is taught should never have been entrusted to professors and college administrators. This was a dereliction almost without parallel and it needs to be reversed.
To democrats or republicans and grassroots activists everywhere: help the People take back their universities. Parents and students are dying for a voice.
re Kristin's writing
While I concur with the substance of her column, I see no original analysis, or incisive criticism, of Brodhead's management style.
Kristin is a sloppy writer (e.g., she uses the illiterate "whether or not" when whether by itself is sufficient).
I think it's kind of ridiculous to overpraise people like Butler only because you share a common enemy.
And so it goes ...
The panel for the April 1, 2008 prestigous Willis M. Tate Distinguished Lecture Series at SMU includes, Ralph J. Cicerone, President of the National Academy of Science, Harvey V. Fineberg, President of the Institute of Medicine, and Charles M. Vest, President of the National Academy of Engineering.
Their topic?
"Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Saving U.S. Science and Technology Leadership".
Who wants to take bets that promoting race/gender/class warfare studies are NOT part of the solution?
Who thinks lack of funding WILL be discussed?
Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Saving U.S. Science and Technology Leadership
Kristin Butler may not get any awards from Duke like Chauncey Nartley did, but she will be viewed as far more employable by institutions that value things like honesty, clear thinking and results.
For those defending the marxist intellectuals I thought this comment about those tolerant, progressive, lovelies in East Germany was quite on point...
"...about East Germany: An order to kill those trying to escape the socialist paradise was uncovered. The order said, “Do not hesitate with the use of a firearm, including when the border breakouts involve women and children, which the traitors have already frequently taken advantage of.” More than 1,000 people were killed on the border of the Germanys, about 125 of them at the Berlin Wall.
...Caspar Weinberger was secretary of defense, and hated by virtually everyone around me. He made the following point: West German border guards and East German border guards were both facing the same way: east." - Jay Nordlinger, NRO
That sums up the Klan of 88 - they remain facing east even though the Berlin Wall fell long ago.
anon 5:43 has it right, Kristin was centered when she came to Duke, and did not let the environment demean her personal values and courage.
KC has so much to be proud of, I am just glad you were available and willing to keep the light shining.
I wish you well with the book and the many opportunities you have coming up to continue to shine the light where the failures of so many want it to go away. The dehuman approach still being used by these professors in their various titles to what happened is just disgusting. Behind the closed doors of their classes who knows what will be allowed to be said, what they will expect from their students.
It's pretty basic,they turned their backs on the rights of three students and harmed them more in doing so. A simple apology would be in order from a decent human being
I still say, students, beware, not one of them will apologize, you could be next.
5:53
I shall not quibble about writing style and petty observations.
But I note that you have an egregious error of thought. Folks who visit and post on this blog have no "common enemy." In fact, my sense is that folks here believe in a "common good," but one that unfortunately does not yet exist at Duke.
no justice, no peace said...
"Only beef I have with a very well written column is the assumption that Duke has deep social rifts."
I do think Duke has deep social rifts, but the rift is between the hard-left professors and their relatively small group of student followers on one side, and the vast majority of Duke students on the other side, who simply want fair treatment and respect for all Duke students. Prior to the lacrosse mess, the two factions lived in relative peace. Now, however, the actions of these professors and the administration have greatly heightened this rift. Ms. Butler's column was a dramatic first shot in Duke Culture Wars, Part 2..... As Ms. Butler notes, the situation was made much worse by the mishandling of the CCI, which many students (correctly) interpreted as a call to "re-educate" Duke students with mandatory PC sensitivity training, rather than an attempt to understand and bring together people with diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
For a dramatic example of "Duke Culture Wars, Part 2", take a look at the long tirade against Ms. Butler from Anonymous in the comments section following Ms. Butler's article.
Anyone who underestimates Duke students is making a big mistake. Ms. Butler is a perfect example of the best in Duke's student body.
I think it is ignorant to say that "whether or not" is illiterate. And so it goes....
Well, we might as well deconstruct what "Ivy League" means, since so many posters want Duke to be like the "Ivy League," which, of course, is a sports conference that has nothing to do with academics.
Let me explain it all for you, kitty kats. The "Ivy League" is a marketing strategy that has convinced a lot of suckers that virtual shitholes like Brown are somehow "elite." It's somewhat akin to what happened to The New Yorker when Tina Brown took charge. Brown, an unimaginative no-talent, wanted to maintain the mag's "eliteness," so she hires the most overrated photographer that ever walked the Earth [see Richard Avedon; Duke's Avedon was that no-talent punk Fishy] to "let it be so." The New Yorker is still "elite," but is it a good magazine? Hell no!
Truth be told, the "Ivy League" schools are not superior to a lot of other schools in US, especially after you cost them out. And don't kid yourselves: smart employers are getting wise to this BS. Yes, we all can have a good laugh at the Nartleys of the world, but the Kristin Butlers, too, are worthless to people in my profession.
But I'll tell you how to make a damn good school (if you have the balls to do it):
1. Don't compromise your integrity.
2. Study the best and the brightest.
3. See (1) and (2).
5:53 PM
Instead of making revisionist history and transgender studies their focus for curriculum, perhaps arts and science instructors should delve into more substantial subjects grounded in facts and substance.
You know, English, Shakespeare, and the natural sciences. The anti-G88 subjects.
KC = I always believed Duke University settled because of the keycard business. No evidence that DUMC was part of the deal as they have no proven bad acts.
Just to let you know, many nurse professionals are writing the NH Board. Notifying them that a lynch mob is trying to get Levicy in trouble with no professional proof. We are also requesting the Board turn over the letters to the proper authority for harassment and stalking.
The fact that Kim Curtis was still employed by Duke one day after the Dowd suit was settled is a complete disgrace. That she is still employed by Duke to this day is almost unthinkable. That any respectable University can tolerate a teacher committing the worst ethical breach possible is incredible and inexcusable. At an elite school like Duke it's inexplicable.
As I have said before, President Broadhead should have insisted on her immediate termination. He should have taken a "she goes or I go" stance.
The continued employment of Curtis and the Broadhead administration's silence on the issue are unacceptable. Faculty, administration, alumni, and anyone associated with the University should be outraged.
Personally, I would never have believed such a thing could happen, much less at Duke.
Anonymous said...
re Kristin's writing
"While I concur with the substance of her column, I see no original analysis, or incisive criticism, of Brodhead's management style.
Kristin is a sloppy writer (e.g., she uses the illiterate "whether or not" when whether by itself is sufficient).
I think it's kind of ridiculous to overpraise people like Butler only because you share a common enemy.
And so it goes ..."
8/28/07 5:53 PM
Perhaps, but it appears that Kristin is one of the few students willing to stand up and be counted in an editorial format. She is willing to place herself in harm's way for what she believes. In my book, her honest editorial content counts for more then your useless "sloppy writer" criticism.
Carry on...
Orange Lazarus
Are DIW posters commentariats?
anon 5:53 says "I think it's kind of ridiculous to overpraise people like Butler only because you share a common enemy."
And I think (rather, I know) that such snipery could only come from a shrivelled soul who feeds among the 88 Anointed.
She's not overpraised, she earned every accolade. Kristin clearly and cogently illuminates the salient points of the malfeasance of Dr. Brodhead, while the learned 5:53 picks jealously at sentence structure and mutters to itself.
Advantage Butler.
To anon @ 12:39 and bgu @ 6:26...
I believe Griffith Award winner Chauncey's last name is spelled Nartey.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Formerly Proud Duke Grad @ 5:10 who wrote "...I hope Duke listens to alumni, but individual voices have limited volume compared to a choir of collective voices... Speak Up. ..." :
I tried singing 'a cappella' to Hank Woods, Director of the Duke Annual fund, and was disappointed, but not surprised by his response:
Mr. McGeady,
Thanks for your note and your support of Duke. I’m sorry not to have responded sooner, but I have been traveling a great deal lately and have not had much time to follow-up on correspondence.
No, the Annual Fund does not itemize which faculty salaries are supplemented. Annual Fund contributions are directed at the discretion of the Deans of each of Duke’s schools and colleges. In some instances, they support faculty, but they also support financial aid and operating costs of providing educational opportunities for Duke students. In the case of the Chapel Annual Fund, your contributions support the many outstanding programs offered by Dean Wells and his staff.
Have you actually seen the ad placed by the “Group of 88”? I’d be happy to send it if you have not. While I don’t agree with the way in which these faculty members expressed their concerns, they do have a right to express them. Duke’s reputation wouldn’t be very strong if it was known as a place where certain members of the community censored what others had to say. And, I doubt much in the way of education would happen if everyone expressed similar viewpoints.
Ultimately, many great things happen on this campus every day and I hope that you will find that worthy of your support. Again, thanks for your note and your support. Have a great rest of the summer.
All the best,
Hank
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Date: July 28, 2007
To: Hank Woods
Subject: Annual Fund Report
Dear Mr. Woods:
Thanks for your report on the Duke Annual Fund, which seems to be performing surprisingly well. I recently enjoyed a terrific 30th class reunion at Duke in April, the same week the North Carolina Attorney General finally declared former Duke students Evans, Finnerty and Seligmann innocent. (From the outset of the hoax, the falsely accused and indicted players maintained their innocence with the support of Coach Pressler and the entire men’s and women’s lacrosse teams.) Many of us skipped President Brodhead’s State of the University address at Page, as well lunch at Cameron, so we could witness and cheer Duke’s great lacrosse team to a significant overtime victory over Virginia.
Your report states the Annual Fund helps to cover faculty salaries, which is fine in theory. However, in practice does the Annual Fund itemize which faculty salaries are covered or supplemented?
Fortunately for Duke, I am an extremely modest contributor to Duke (Friends of Duke Chapel), but in good conscience I could not give a dime if in any way it was for the benefit of Trinity College’s infamous Group of 88. What an embarrassment this group is for the university! Furthermore, since it has undermined the good name of Duke students and Duke in general, this group of so called educators appears to be in violation of several tenets of the Duke Faculty Handbook. Will there be any inquiries or hearings into this matter? Duke’s reputation is at stake. Many like me who love Duke are concerned.
Yours truly,
Stuart McGeady, T’77
Duke Lacrosse 1974-1976
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's to hoping for a shock wave impact from a choir of collected voices, with a big bang from KC's and Stuart Taylor's bestselling Until Proven Innocent.
Are there 2 groups? duke students for an ethical durham and duke students for an ethical duke? Duke students should start with Duke, that will keep them busy for a long time, long after they have graduated. I think this case is the tip of the iceberg on the lack of ethics at Duke. Glad to read that at least one alum has "seen the light"
5:53
I don't think Kristin is a "sloppy writer" but I definitely think you are unnecessarily rude. Have you read anything written by Duke's leading (i.e. most prominent on this blog) academics? Or maybe you don't understand how rare it has been for anyone associated with Duke to exhibit integrity or courage throughout this ordeal. Or maybe you really believe "whether or not" is really some big deal.
Re: 5:53
Nobody ever errected a statue to a critic. I think you are an intellectual snob wannabe, who didn't make the cut at Duke.
Kristin is a beacon of hope to me, that maybe there are others of her caliber still there.
It is often the "remnant" who saved the cultures. Maybe Kristin can encourage some others of her ilk to personify all that is STILL great about Duke.
No, Duke didn't "put that in her". It gave her a setting to develop her intellect and moral compass.
Re: 8:54
"Stalkers" are trying to get Levicy in trouble? Dear God, I watched her testify. As a graduate of the Masters of Science in Nursing program from Duke I could not believe my eyes and ears that such a total embarassment to the nursing profession would even be called as a witness. Tell Levicy not to worry. She is MUCH too small a fish to have any worries in this whole thing. She over-estimated her importance before, and if she thinks anybody give a ###***!!! where she goes to ply her (questionable) professional skills she needs to take a chill pill. I wouldn't employ the woman to take temperatures on rats. Let alone function as a professional nurse. Nobody needs to "stalk" her to have her de-credentialed. Just let them view her testimony before Nifong's hearing. She made a fool of herself unassisted.
She needs to apply for a job in a diversity-friendly outpatient clinic... on another continent. No respectable health institution in the US would want to risk her.
There's a fascinating photo on Flickr.com, showing the Duke lacrosse house covered with signs from female students at Duke, telling the potbangers to stay away, reminding them of "Innocent Until Proven Guilty", etc. The photographer, one of the potbangers, put the photo on Flickr in March/April '06 in an effort to mock the sign-posters (since two of the words in their signs are spelled incorrectly). Interesting to think how, if the protestors had only heeded the warnings from those students, maybe their city wouldn't be under the financial assault it's brought upon itself.
Anonymous said...
Re: 8:54
"Stalkers" are trying to get Levicy in trouble? Dear God, I watched her testify. As a graduate of the Masters of Science in Nursing program from Duke I could not believe my eyes and ears that such a total embarassment to the nursing profession would even be called as a witness. Tell Levicy not to worry. She is MUCH too small a fish to have any worries in this whole thing. She over-estimated her importance before, and if she thinks anybody give a ###***!!! where she goes to ply her (questionable) professional skills she needs to take a chill pill. I wouldn't employ the woman to take temperatures on rats. Let alone function as a professional nurse. Nobody needs to "stalk" her to have her de-credentialed. Just let them view her testimony before Nifong's hearing. She made a fool of herself unassisted.
She needs to apply for a job in a diversity-friendly outpatient clinic... on another continent. No respectable health institution in the US would want to risk her.
8/29/07 1:07 AM
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What she did to the Duke 3 was awful. Much of Nifong's plan revolved around her.
And didnt she make some sort of statement connecting the lack of DNA evidence and "rape is about power"?
I tried to feel sorry for her ---her career is ruined after all.
I have a sick feeling Brodhead will come out of this 'review' by the BOT just fine. The BOT has eyes like the rest of us and they've seen exactly the harm he's done. And being privy to financial reports, they've damned well seen the huge amounts Duke has been forced to pay because of Brodhead's support of hate-filled faculty and his betrayal of innocent students. If that had ever bothered them in the slightest, they would have said or done something long before now. The fact that they haven't uttered a single word except to show their absolute support for Brodhead means his egregious conduct is just fine with them.
Sorry - but IMO, Brodhead will be at Duke for a long time to come.
12.53 Kristin fan
I didn't write that, but it sounds an awful lot like Polanski, the only banned commenter on this blog.
Anyway, Kristin is tops in my book.
Who needs Polanski?
I watched her testify also. Not sure we were watching the same person. The questions were benign as were the answers. Like any RN, she will get eleven job offers for every ten jobs she applies for in NH or any where else. No ruined career - although if I were her, I would quit the dopey SANE thing.
7:41 Duke1965
You are absolutely right, thanks for your clarifying point(s) and please excuse my lack of clarity.
I was reading "social rifts" to refer to the the social disasters of race/gender/class warfare as presented by the Klan of 88.
In rereading she is appropriately painting with a broader brush.
Regardless it is a piece that does get to the heart of the matter.
1:32 am inre "Flickr photo"
I looked it up - and the comments from the "photographer" sound like they're from Levicy, herself!
It's hard to believe. Thanks for the info.
I wish KC would do a little piece on that piece of...photographer.
I agree with Carolyn (@1:47 AM). Much as I doubted slimy-face dickhead since Day 1, his actions had the blessings of the Board of Trustees. It would be hypocritical of the BOT to admonish dickhead for his actions that the BOT itself had agreed to. It's worth noting that the BOT collectively did not think at all that any one of those players could have been their son. Not even Mrs. Janet Hill. Isn't she Grant Hill's mother?
At least the powers that be at Duke are consistent. It wasn't "about the truth" for Pressler et al. And it isn't "about the truth" for Broadhead and his merry Gang of 88.
anon 9:30
"It would be hypocritical of the BOT to admonish dickhead for his actions that the BOT itself had agreed to."
Think that would stop them?
Mac : Re. that Flickr photo, if you look at that person's profile and blog, you'll see what a hater she is. Another blog where you see the writer screaming for the heads of the falsely-accused back in March and April of '06, but at least she had the sense to drop it once the first DNA tests came back. No apologies though. The bitter thing keeps that photo on Flickr, apparently, as a desperate last shot, not even realizing it makes the lacrosse girls look good and her look like a boob. Yes, many of Durham's residents deserve exactly what they're going to get.
mac 7:47
"I looked it up..."
Link please?
Durham townie "bunchofpants" took the picture on Flickr. Here's the link, sorry no HTML...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bunchofpants/120540753/
Anon 2:22 : It is http://www.flickr.com/photos/bunchofpants/120540753/
Kristin Butler is gone from the 28 August Chronicle and her article "Bye Bye Brodhead" has been removed from the Chronicle as well. Remnants of post "33 Germany and pre 1990 USSR.
To the 6:44...
Neither Kristin Butler nor her columns have been removed from the Duke Chronicle. Simply search on her name. The Chronicle is publishing again daily. I think dated content is rolled under the front pages of the web site.
stu daddy..thank you for the link!!!!
I went there and was absolutely stunned when I saw "bunchofpants" stating:
"eshu, I think that the Duke athletic dept. would have loved to have hushed this up, and it probably would have, too, if one of the cops handling the investigation hadn't sent an e-mail to our neighborhood list asking anyone who saw or heard anything that night to contact him. A newspaper reporter saw the e-mail and started investigating ... then it got huge.
I think the way information was handled officially was crappy, but I'm glad the whole thing didn't get hushed up and disappeared. I'm outraged and it doesn't look like that's going to change for a while.
Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.
"..one of the cops handling the investigation ... sent an e-mail to our neighborhood list asking anyone who saw or heard anything that night to contact him."
WHO WAS THE COP? WHAT DID THE E-MAIL SAY????????
I wonder if anyone responded and if so what their liability could be for false testimony. Discovery should disclose this!!
8:29 : I agree, that SHOULD be investigated.
I don't know if BunchofPants (ugh, silly) and her blog could be a clue to anything like that or not (I wouldn't doubt it) but what a bitter hateful person she seems to be. She'll well deserve getting her bunch of pants sued off with the rest of durham.
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