The Duke Digest - August 26, 2011

 

In Today's Issue: 

  • Class of 2015 Arrives for Orientation
  • Kuniholm to Step Down as Sanford School Dean
  • Duke Libraries Receive $13.6 Million Rubenstein Gift
  • Israeli Ambassador Hosts Ramadan Iftar with Duke's Imam Antepli
  • Duke Basketball Ends Foreign Trip Undefeated
  • Duke, UNC, NCSU Collaborate on 9/11 Anniversary Event

CLASS OF 2015 ARRIVES FOR ORIENTATION
The caravan of mini-vans, SUVs and station wagons that crowded campus roads on Tuesday morning could mean only one thing -- the approximately 1,725 members of Duke's Class of 2015 had begun moving into their East Campus residence halls.

The Class of 2015 represents 46 states and 55 countries. California is the state that produced the most students with 191 (11 percent), followed by North Carolina with 185 (11 percent), New York with 152 (9 percent) and Florida with 126 (7 percent). This year's class sets a record for the number of African-American students in a first-year class (192), and contains the third-highest number of both Latino (117) and Asian first-year students (450) in school history. More than 11 percent (200) are from other countries.

Read More:
Class of 2015 Arrives for Orientation Week (duke.edu)
The Energy of the Class of 2015 - Student Profiles (duke.edu)
President Brodhead Addresses Freshmen (duke.edu)


KUNIHOLM TO STEP DOWN AS SANFORD SCHOOL DEAN
Bruce Kuniholm, the founding dean of Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, will step down at the end of this academic year, Provost Peter Lange announced Monday. During his tenure, Kuniholm successfully led the transition of Sanford from an institute to a school and the doubling of the public policy faculty.

The university will conduct a national search for a new dean that will be led by Helen F. Ladd, the Edgar T. Thompson Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and professor of economics.

Read More:
Kunilholm to Step Down as Sanford School Dean (duke.edu)


DUKE LIBRARIES RECEIVE $13.6 MILLION RUBENSTEIN GIFT
Duke University trustee David M. Rubenstein will give $13.6 million to the Duke University Libraries in support of the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, President Richard H. Brodhead announced Wednesday.

The donation is the largest ever to the libraries. In recognition of Rubenstein's gift, the special collections library will be renamed the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, following approval by the Board of Trustees.

Read More:
Duke Libraries Receive $13.6 Million Rubenstein Gift (duke.edu)


ISRAELI AMBASSADOR HOSTS RAMADAN IFTAR WITH DUKE'S IMAM ANTEPLI
In an effort to foster better relations between Israel and the Muslim-American community, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, hosted dozens of Muslim-American leaders Thursday night at his Washington, D.C., home for an iftar, the traditional meal to break the fast during Ramadan.

While other diplomatic officials and politicians, including each president since Bill Clinton, have hosted iftars, the event is a first for an Israeli ambassador and comes as a time of continuing tense relations between Israel and the Muslim-majority Palestinian territories.

The evening's 65 guests include prominent Muslims and Jews, such as Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic Studies at American University; Rabbi Marc Schneier, president of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and the founding rabbi of the Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, N.Y., and the New York Synagogue in Manhattan; and Abdullah Antepli, the Muslim chaplain at Duke University.

Read More:
Michael Oren, Israeli Ambassador, Hosts Ramadan Iftar with Muslim Americans (Huffington Post)

 

DUKE BASKETBALL ENDS FOREIGN TRIP UNDEFEATED
Juniors Andre Dawkins and Mason Plumlee combined for 37 points and 22 rebounds as Duke wrapped up an undefeated foreign tour with an 86-66 victory over the United Arab Emirates National Team on Thursday night at Al Wasl Sports Club.

The victory over UAE completed Duke’s four-game, two-nation Friendship Games tour.  The Blue Devils defeated the Chinese Olympic Team in each of the tour’s first three contests. The Blue Devils are scheduled to depart Dubai Friday afternoon and will arrive back in Durham on Saturday morning.

Read More:
Duke Basketball Ends Foreign Trip Undefeated (goduke.com)
Duke Friendship Games Central - Exclusive Coverage (goduke.com)


DUKE, UNC, NCSU COLLABORATE ON 9/11 ANNIVERSARY EVENT
A conference marking the 10th anniversary of 9/11 will be held Sept. 8, 9 and 12 at Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The "9/11: 10 Years Later" conference is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged, but not required.

For more information on registration and events, click here.