No mo’ froyo

10 Oct 2011, Posted by Hong Zhu in News, 0 Comments

Sophia Palenberg/The Chronicle

Where a frozen yogurt machine once stood, there is now a barren countertop. Those looking for on-campus frozen yogurt will no longer be able to satisfy their cravings at Alpine Atrium, where these desserts were recently discontinued.

This is not the first time froyo offerings have changed at Duke, where the desserts have had a complicated history. Joey Landry, Alpine Atrium’s manager, said the Atrium began to serve Freshëns brand froyo approximately eight years ago. This was eventually discontinued, however, due to insufficient “service and support” from this vendor.

A replacement was sought by Alpine Bagels, which also runs Alpine Atrium and the Sanford Deli in addition to the popular bagel shop. This replacement company had provided froyo for the past two years, up until just three weeks ago. As Landry explained, this recent change was largely due to vender-related issues, as this outside supplier could no longer service Duke’s needs.

“Our Freshëns replacement was not able to support us at our current demand,” Landry said.

Many students have noticed the quiet but dramatic change, and student inquiries have been common, noted Alpine Atrium employee Lauren Holliday. Holliday says that froyo was popular among students and has seen some students become visibly upset about the change.

“I remember this one time, someone looked like she was about to break into tears,” said Holliday.

Many others were left confused about the cause of froyo’s disappearance. Sophomore Shikha Nayar commented that the froyo was “really convenient” and was unsure why it was discontinued.

“I find it odd that they stopped it because it was probably pretty popular,” Nayar said.

Landry said that student feedback would be welcome and helpful during this time of transition. Those looking to provide opinions can fill out comment cards in Alpine Atrium.

Students looking for frozen desserts can still go to Alpine Bagels, where Tasti D-lite remains available. Still, Tasti D-lite will not be a perfect substitute for frozen yogurt. As Tasti D-lite’s website explains, their product is “a dairy-based soft serve frozen dessert. Not frozen yogurt, because it doesn’t contain fermented yogurt cultures.”

The saga does not end here: Alpine Atrium is looking to fill the void left by froyo’s exit. Landry could not yet share specific details but said that they were looking at a variety of options.

“We’ve got some ideas that we’re excited about,” Landry said.

Digging into Durham: Shooters

07 Oct 2011, Posted by Marianna Jordan in Digging into Durham, News, 1 Comments

To some Duke students, losing one’s Shooters virginity can be considered an initiation ceremony in its own right.

Chronicle File Photo

Although many believe Shooters is a necessary conclusion to a weekend night, all of us are at least somewhat well-versed in what this Durham hotspot represents. Sweaty, drunk, DFMO (dance floor makeout) and grimy are just a few words generally thrown around when Shooters comes to mind.

“Shooters is the game to the pregame,” said sophomore Becky Davis. “It is often the ultimate place to end in a given weekend night, and it speaks to every grade level, depending on what you do.”

Owner and manager Kim Cates believes that one element of Shooters’ success can be attributed to the working relationships that the establishment—and she herself—have maintained with individuals and groups within the larger Duke community.

“This past homecoming, we had alumni come and express how excited they were to be back at Shooters,” Cates said. “People said how much they missed us, and this was a positive thing. It’s really important that I feel this sense of relationship with these people that I am dealing with, and I don’t want that to ever change.”

Cates also noted that she tries hard to work with Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and Duke Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE).

“We provide bus services so that students can get to and from Shooters without driving,” Cates said. “Making sure that [students] stay safe is a very important thing for us.”

Cates added that strong relationships with Duke athletics, sororities and fraternities is crucial to Shooters’ success.

“I support the lacrosse, soccer, basketball, volleyball and football teams, among others,” Cates said, “If I want them to come to my business to support me, I feel like I should support them.”

She further explained that Shooters was originally a country nightclub that catered to the locals within the Durham community.

“Duke organizations would occasionally call to book parties,” Cates said. “Then, little by little, on Friday and Saturday nights Shooters saw more and more Duke students to the point where the locals didn’t like it. They were pushed out.”

There was less demand for the bands that used to play and more desire for the DJ as more and more Duke students began coming to Shooters. Cates ultimately replaced the bands with a DJ.

Duke students know the cover charge to be $5, although it is lower for locals.

“The locals don’t support me catering to Duke, but the locals don’t support me like Duke students do,” said Cates.

There is also a tangibly different atmosphere at Shooters on various nights of the week. Wednesday night is deemed “beer pong night,” and Cates explained that a different group usually attends than they might see on Friday or Saturday. More locals from the Durham and surrounding communities come on Fridays.

“I can always depend on our diehard group of Duke students to be there, though,” Cates said.

Thursday and Sunday nights are for private parties, and, as we all know, Saturday is the “biggest” night at Shooters.

Sophomore Sinaida Cherubin believes that there is a time and place for the quintessential Shooters experience.

“I used to hate being dragged there, and you have to be in a certain mindset to go,” Cherubin said. ”It’s not the place where you’re guaranteed to have fun every time—you’ll have fun depending on the people you’re with.”

Sophomore Kamika Shaw explained that there is always one person who loves Shooters in a group of friends. “They can drag a group there and convince you all that you’ll have a good time,” said Shaw. “But there’s honestly no alternative if all you want to do is go out and dance.”

Regardless of the stigma and how one truly feels about this Durham establishment, most would describe Shooters as a necessary check-off the Duke bucket list.

Redefining rape

07 Oct 2011, Posted by Shucao Mo in News, 0 Comments

The FBI plans to broaden its definition of rape Oct. 18, according to  The New York Times.

Yvonne Chan/The Chronicle

The debate focuses on the definition used for reporting to the FBI for the annual Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

Uniform Crime Reporting Program uses the current definition of rape—the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will to collect statistics that underrepresents the amount of sexual violence committed in the country. The inaccurate reports affect the harmony mechanism plans and research projects that city planners, media, government officials and others are working on to improve local, community and national order and peace.

The definition fails to take into account sexual victims of other sexuality or of the other sex and other types of sexual assaults that do not involve penetration of women’s vagina.

“The problem with presenting only rape in those statistics is that it gives a limited and distorted picture of the prevalence of sexual violence in communities,” Ada Gregory, director of the Women’s Center, wrote in an email. “It does not include crimes committed against men and it is limited to a very specific type of sexual assault involving the penetration of a woman’s vagina—not anal or oral penetration, penetration by an object or crimes when a victim is incapacitated.

In fact, thousands of sexual assaults that occur in the United States every year are not reflected in the federal government’s yearly crime report.

“A broader legal definition of rape has been necessary for a very long time,” said Robyn Wiegman, professor of women’s studies and literature.

Wiegman uses the example of the Abu Ghraib photos to elucidate the shock the world received for lack of comprehensive understanding of what sexual assault means—not just for women.

The current definition does not consider the offence or crime in an objective fashion.

“The description is written from the perspective of the rapist, who would gain such ‘knowledge’ from a woman against her will,” Wiegman said. “The very language of the FBI definition reduces the act of rape to ‘carnal knowledge’—a very old fashioned term that locates the meaning of a woman in her sexuality.”

As we compare the incredible speed with which we expand our repertoire of knowledge of the 21st century world through modern technology with the  tardiness with which the F.B.I. updates our understanding of sexual assault, the contrast projects a bleak and disturbing prospect of equality in terms of gender relations.

This change in UCR reporting, however, will not change the legal definition of rape in the U.S., Gregory said.

The “broadening” implies that statutory rape and other types of sexual assaults—that used to considered to be part two offenses and not to be included for crime statistics except for arrest data, will fall under part one offense for the purposes of uniform crime reporting and city planning, legislature, policymaking, etc.

The chart below is a report that includes both rape and sexual assault crimes reported to Women’s Center from the Duke community over the last five years and those reported from on-campus housing facilities to campus security that comply with the Clery definition up until 2009.

Gregory is not expecting an administrative change in what is reported. She does believe, however, that the change of definition will give a better indication of the prevalence of sexual violence and the need for additional resources to address this crime across the country. For the moment, research suggests that fewer than five percent of college women who are victims of rape or attempted rape report it to police.

The National Crime Victimization Survey found that three percent of college women are raped each academic year, usually by someone they know. But the National College Women Sexual Victimization study estimates about 20 to 25 percent of college women are victims of sexual assault and attempted assault during their college years.

Small as it is, the broadening of F.B.I’s definition of rape is a step toward gender inequality by attempting to bridge the inconsistency between official report and actual crimes happening around campus and across the country. It has long been advocated by lawyers, feminists and LGBT rights activists.

Gregory warned the Duke community that only by challenging the attitudes and assumptions that lead to an environment where sexual assaults happen, can substantial change takes place on campus.

“Real change to prevent sexual violence is about much more than changing definitions or ‘tips’ about walking in pairs,” Gregory said. “If we commit as a community to changing the aspects of our culture that give rise to acts of gender violence, we can make change happen.”

The Women’s Center has a number of tools, workshops and training sessions available to individuals or groups. Students can get involved in PACT, Men Acting for Change or the Women’s Collective. If you are interested in learning more about how you or your group can become involved in positive change on campus, we encourage you to contact The Women’s Center—men and women are welcome.

Students lacking at National Depression Screening Day

07 Oct 2011, Posted by Patton Callaway in News, 0 Comments

About a dozen people, both members from the Durham community and Duke faculty members, ventured to one of the Duke University Medical Center’s free depression screenings Thursday.

Tori Powers/The Chronicle

This is the first time since 2000 that Duke has participated in National Depression Screening Day. The new Psychiatry Chair, Sarah Lisanby, reestablished the tradition as a part of revitalizing clinical screenings and reaching out to the community—one of her six strategic goals for the department. Held in the Erwin Square Building and the Civitan Building, these screenings demonstrated the Psychiatry Department’s commitment to Durham’s well-being.

“We’re trying to reach out to the community to let them know what services are available here at Duke,” counselor Kate Thieda said. “The screening is important because it’s difficult for people to take the first step and come to counseling.”

The only component missing? Students.

“I’m not surprised that they didn’t show,” Thieda said. “Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is mainly the service for mental health for the college population.”

To learn more about the screening, I went through the entire process myself as the department’s only student participant. I first filled out the questionnaire, which was divided into four sections with each section testing for a different disorder: depression, bi-polar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The questions seemed straightforward, asking about specific symptoms and how often I feel or act a certain way. While taking the exam, I felt like I could easily identify the answers that would lead to a diagnosis of the disorder, making any clients prone to rigging their results. After the clinician walked me through my own results and explained them to me, I asked her about the possibility of clients recognizing the pattern and adjusting their answers.

“This screening is to get people thinking about their symptoms and what’s going on in their life, which may lead to getting help,” clinician Joy Brunson-Nsubuga said. “This is more of a screening instead of an actual assessment.”

After my evaluation, she showed me all of the available pamphlets and information about the four disorders, as well as research opportunities at Duke. The screening allows people in the community to learn about the resources available to them, whether or not the screening shows that they need help.

The total number of participants did not faze the department whatsoever.

“The goal was that if we help one person, it was successful,” Brunson-Nsubuga said.

To learn more about Duke’s mental health services for adults, or to schedule an appointment or get a referral, call Duke’s Psychiatry Department at (919) 684-0100 or CAPS at (919) 660-1000.

Soundoff: RIP Steve Jobs

07 Oct 2011, Posted by Chinmayi Sharma in News, 0 Comments

Special to The Chronicle

Wednesday, Oct. 5, the co-founder of Apple Steve Jobs—who also served as its chairman and Chief Executive Officer—died after struggling with pancreatic cancer. As the well-known technological maverick who had once owned Pixar, created the technology behind many of our easy-to-use gadgets today and revolutionized the way entertainment is delivered, Jobs’ death was felt ubiquitously. The Chronicle’s Chinmayi Sharma spoke with students about their reactions to the loss of this innovator. 

“If I were Steve Jobs, I would want to hear all the good things that people say about me before I died. It is said that all of the acknowledgement of him and his work comes when he is gone and can no longer appreciate it. He really did revolutionize technology and the way we use it. It’s weird how people always acknowledge people after they’re gone, like Michael Jackson.”

—Kelsey Short, senior

“I think Steve Jobs helped define how our society perceives entertainment and he played a key role in creating the technology to deliver it. The loss will be felt primarily there because he innovated much of the delivery methods we rely on because he knew both ends of the stick—in charge of Pixar, he learned what goes into a good movie but he also knows the technology to create it.”

—Ethan Gottlieb, freshman

“It is extremely rare that you have a ‘great man’ more or less single-handedly shaping history—but Steve Jobs was exactly that.”

—Scott Grundei, sophomore

“I read his obituary in the Washington Post and it shows just how influential Jobs was. He started Apple and was bullied out of his own company until they let him back when Apple tanked without him. Apple is going to tank again now. I hope not, but without Steve Jobs it is definitely a possibility.”

—Sam Rang, sophomore

“I’m a PC guy but I appreciate the impact Steve Jobs has made on consumer electronics. He’s really innovative, having made Mouse and easy to use interface, not to mention mp3 players and smart phones that everyone seems to use nowadays.”

—Varun Kannan, junior

“Without a doubt, Apple under Mr. Jobs was a visionary company that paced the rest of the field but to say that there will be a vacuum of innovation is truly underestimating the strength of the tech industry. While competition does partially dictate innovation, so too does necessity, demand and individual creativity. These factors, among others, I feel will continue to drive the industry. As far as innovation within Apple goes, I believe that Mr. Jobs was not the lone innovator in the room and so moving in the future, the type of people that Jobs hired and the company spirit and mentality he fostered will carry the company in the future and will sustain the innovation.”

—Derek Schocker, freshman

“The news of his death is not only saddening, it also shows just how willing he was to continue working up until his final weeks. That, right there, shows his commitment and passion for his art.”

—Joseph Lee, junior

“I was shocked at the news last night after being informed by Facebook. I couldn’t believe such a giant in the world of technology had passed. Thinking about all that he had accomplished, it became very clear that Steve Jobs really had changed the world for a better place, bringing people together over entertainment with iTouches and iPods and revolutionizing the industry. Steve Jobs will always be remembered through the worldwide phenomena he created. Technology lost a mastermind yesterday.”

—Matt Brown, junior

“I am truly saddened by Steve Jobs’ death. I carry his Stanford graduation speech in my journal and sketch perspective studies of Apple products. Steve Jobs and his work have long inspired me. This will not change with his passing.”

—Lina Colucci, senior

“Steve Jobs was a phenomenal human being who understood how to live life before death. He touched the lives of so many around the world through his inventions. However, there has been some criticism because little is generally known about his philanthropic contributions. Apple as a company has not been as receptive as some other companies regarding the use of conflict minerals in their products. He was a good man, but some more direct capital investment towards world’s problems in education, health, environment, etc…similar to other billionaires like Gates or Zuckerberg would have been ideal. Nonetheless, his impact on mankind resonates strongly through the happiness he brought to many people via technology.”

—Braveen Ragunanthan, senior