PROJECTS
See what each committee is up to by clicking on the panels below.
Students often complain about stress from a whole slew of avoidable flaws and structures in our registration system. Now DSG and Duke are fixing it.
Making course evaluations more accessible and useful to both students and faculty.
Duke currently does not have a formal exam policy, therefore we would like to work with university administrators to implement one that is fair for both students and professors. The first part of this is Blackout Dates, which would require professors to NOT schedule exams or paper deadlines for the day after major breaks.
Trying to expand FLUNCH to include quicker options such as coffee places to encourage more faculty interaction among students.
Showcase Duke’s hallmark program, DukeEngage, by creating an interactive space for the Duke community to share experiences and engage with the discussions surrounding DukeEngage.
Expand FLUNCH to allow students-initiated excursions (not just food) into Durham where both transportation’s and the actual excursion's bills are paid for by Duke.
Undergraduates have limited opportunities to combine theoretical knowledge and practical engagement through service-learning courses; adding service-learning components/creating new service-learning courses can effectively resolve this issue.
Underclassmen would benefit from having a guide throughout their journey at Duke, a person to ask questions from personal to academic to career and beyond.
Our goal is to simplify the entry process for incoming Duke students by revising a number of first-year resources and forms.
An annual event in which each major department would come together in a common space the night before the first registration window to assist students.
Institutionalizing a change in the attendance policy to allow more reasons for unexcused absences.
Created a debate series known as Battle of the Brains to increase the intellectual engagement on campus.
Working with DukeEngage to solve criticisms and assist in the program reaching their potential for community engagement.
Create a streamlined, quick, easy to use interface allowing students to form study groups for each of their classes.
Collab between DSG and DUU to create a night Devil’s Krafthouse where students and faculty can mingle and engage in a laid-back atmosphere,
Review the flipped classroom’s success and its perception by students
Proposing a “House Fellows” program to promote student-faculty engagement and interaction in a non-academic setting.
Expansion of intellectual engagement (IE) institutions and programming, and restructuring of existing IE institutions and programming.
Creating a new housing option built around an academic theme with non-selective, lottery-based admissions.
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
DURHAM AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS
The current alcohol policy does not foster a safe environment. That needs to change.
This assessment would be a way for the university to measure the impact of Duke's expansion into Durham on low -income and largely African American communities.
A project to improve Duke's engagement with Durham by listening to the voice of Durhamites striving to change the city for the better.
Encourage groups across campus to engage their members in a service project in the Durham community.
Create a FOCUS program that uses Durham as a backdrop to study many different topics.
Increase collaboration between student government associations within NC and among peer institutions.
On Campus Voting Site.
Contract TurboVote to be used by political organizations and included in the Freshman Checklist.
EQUITY AND OUTREACH
Duke Students Against Gender Violence will serve as a coalition of student groups on campus whose purpose is to address gender violence in order to improve collaboration and communication between these organizations and better disseminate information to the student body.
A group to work on inequities faced by trans students seeking transition-related, behavioral health care, and other health care needs at Duke.
Menstrual hygiene products should be provided for all menstruating individuals in all academic, residential, and student center buildings. Because menstruation is a natural bodily process affecting over half the population, we believe that menstrual hygiene products should be regarded as fundamental necessities to the hygiene of our academic and social environment, as ubiquitous as toilet paper and soap dispensers.
In partnership with Mi Gente, the DSG Equity and Outreach committee is working with administration to ensure that Duke's recent commitment to accept Undocumented/ DACA students as domestic applicants is easily visible and accessible online for prospective students.
A yearlong project in which DSG hosts a panel of minority group representatives to talk about social issues. The project will highlight issue intersectionality.
Various CAPS reform concepts, including online registration, appointment scheduling reform, increases of hours.
A speaker series that will spread awareness of the complex issues regarding the Asian American experience in the U.S., especially in higher education.
bring the conversation of intersectionality to the forefront of Duke discussions, encouraging audience participation.
Create a highly visible, highly accessible private prayer spaces to provide students with easy access to pray and gather on campus in the Marketplace and Keohane residence hall.
Students should have the option of choosing gender neutral pronouns or the pronouns of their choice to be used at Duke. These changes would primarily be seen on ACES, the Bursar, the Registrar’s office, and other similar offices.
Extending last year's E&O gender-inclusive restrooms project by converting some multi-stall bathrooms to be GI in an effort to ensure all buildings on campus are equipped with gender-inclusive restrooms.
While not a specific project, one of the underlying themes and discussions in E+O
Creation of the PASH (Peer Advocacy for Sexual Health) center run by peers as a Duke Sexual Health Resource Center.
Coordinate with interested student groups, including the Women’s Center, Wellness Center, and Duke Honor Council, to help those groups produce an event promoting sexual health and consent on college campuses.
FACILITIES, ENVIRONMENT, AND THE ARTS
By putting compost bins In the bathrooms on East Campus alone, we can annually eliminate thousands of pounds of paper towel waste from landfills.
A trash can with the composting symbol on it. If you Google Image "compost symbol," it looks like a loop that turns into a plant.
This project aims to install motion sensor lighting in dorms and academic buildings on campus.
There should be a map of central campus recycling of both single-stream recycling bins and cardboard recycling bins. Furthermore, these bins should be labeled.
Little collections of hammocks around campus for student leisure space.
Working to reduce Duke's waste of paper by reducing the volume of large curriculum manuals distributed.
creation of a structure in the Student Life precinct of campus that will serve as a vehicle of artistic expression on Duke’s campus, following in the example of the temporary partition on the Plaza that quickly gained traction as a mural wall.
Working to promote a smoke free campus.
Putting solar powered night lights on the swinging benches. Students will be able to use the night lights to study during the night on the swinging benches that aren’t close to an outside light source. The night lights would also have outlets to charge laptops and phones.
program in which any enrolled undergraduate student has the chance to propose a project that they believe would improve the undergraduate experience at Duke University, and, if chosen, has access to funding to implement their proposal
Each lacking dorm will receive one new water bottle station that fills water bottles conveniently and alleviates plastic bottle waste.
Conduct extensive research into whether or not the amount and locations of ePrint stations on East Campus and Central Campus is adequate and correct. If holes are found in the ePrint map that are causing sufficient inconvenience to students, present research to OIT and convince them to allocate the resources needed to maintain the new ePrint locations.
The aim of this project is to improve and simplify the process of applying for special accommodations housing for students who demonstrate a medical need for such housing.
In this project, we hope to create a clear guide for students looking into housing, along with adding more information about facilities in dorms and updating photos
Presents a small, easy to implement modification on the current system that significantly helps with problems.
RESIDENTIAL LIFE
SERVICES
uke University is currently the fifth largest campus in the United States. The city of Durham also receives 44 inches of rainfall a year (The U.S. average is 37). Thus, students often times need to travel long distances in the rain by foot or spend time outside in the pouring rain waiting to get on a crowded bus.
The creation of a closet that would hold professional clothing that could be rented by Duke students who do not have the financial means to purchase their own professional clothing for interviews/events.
Create preemptive precautionary programming to promote student health.
Working to get lunch equivalency at the Skillet.
Program to donate leftover Freshman guest swipes to food-insecure Durham residents
Because student health is at the forefront of Duke’s mission, Duke should expand nutritious dining to all facets of campus, particularly vending machines.
Creation of a formal, DSG-sponsored food point drive at the end of the year.
Currently in the libraries, we use conventional study spaces. However, universities such as NCSU and Wake Tech have been implementing alternative learning spaces to enhance study options. Therefore, we seek to implement alternative learning options on campus through the library system.
The goal of the project is to get the university to subsidize test prep for the MCAT, LSAT, and GMAT.
We plan to work with the Registar's Office and PTS to match class sizes and timings on Science Drive with an efficient C3 schedule
Extend campus wireless internet access to Duke Transit buses to allow students to stay connected while in transit.
increase use and ease of students accessing CAPS services and to reduce stigma regarding using CAPS.
Ensure that CAPS, the Career Center, and the Student Health center are highlighted during O-Week tours and info sessions.
Convert the Tower Reading Room on the 4th floor of Perkins Library into a Wellness Room - an enclave within the depths of the library devoted to physical and mental well-being.
Expand the FLUNCH Program to include locations on campus that serve coffee like Saladelia at Perkins, Saladelia at Sanford, and Twinnies Cafe. Adding these locations allow students to engage with professors in a low-stress environment outside of the classroom.
DSG in collaboration with DUSDAC has hosted two Food Truck Fairs in the springs of 2015 and 2016 - continuation of this project is ongiong.
Encourage first-year interaction with the Career Center in order to prepare for future needs such as resumes, interviews, job applications, etc.
Offer headphones as a service for those who forget their headphones at Brodie or Wilson Gyms.
use Campus Enterprises’ online ordering platform, BringIt, and the broader restaurants division to partner with the new West Union vendors to help expand the reach of Duke Dining and make the food more readily available for students at all points across campus.
Test, gather feedback for, and work with administration to plan for the rollout of the LiveSafe campus security app in the Fall of 2016.
SOCIAL CULTURE
Bring life and students back to the Bryan Center by turning it into a center for the arts
The goal of this policy change is to expand the network of bartenders that are available for students to use at on-campus events. Branching out from the current “university bartenders only” policy will reduce the cost of hiring a bartender and allow more accessibility for groups.
A club that is highlighted each week in the DSG blast and granted a small sum to use to welcome new attendees.
The Spring Activities Fair would allow organizations another opportunity to recruit members looking for engagement outside of greek life while capturing the contingent of students who went abroad that are looking for campus activities.
Have a basketball game where those with the most points from Inferno get priority into the game. This encourages people to go to other sports games to get points.
I'm coordinating with IFC and Panhellenic leaders to form a IFC/Panhel info session for international students who may not know much about Greek life, but are interested in rushing.
oversee all DevilsGate and Football Gameday operations from a student perspective to ensure the Duke experience is welcoming, and enjoyable for all involved.
The purpose of DevilsGate Tailgate is to support the Duke Football Program through an inclusive community building event. The DevilsGate program involves creating a safe and open space on the Main West Quadrangle that will enhance the gameday experience for students.
Each year, the Committee puts on a Staff Appreciation day whereby students are encouraged to sign posters thanking staff for all that they do. Cookout milkshakes are bought and handed out to staff, faculty, and others who sign and write a note to staff.