Duke News Briefs: January 17, 2003

Frosh on film

The Froshlife iMovie project debuted this week, as teams of Duke freshmen set out to capture the first-year experience through their own digital video films.

Since returning from winter break, participating students have received training in the use of palm-held digital camcorders, video editing software and laptop computers provided on loan by Apple Computer. Apple is sponsoring the project, along with the Office of Information Technology (OIT) and the Division of Student Affairs.

The first-year filmmakers will have two weeks to conceive, shoot, edit and produce a three- to five-minute film using the provided equipment.

"We have no idea what the outcome is going to be," said Sarah Roberts, the Froshlife project leader from OIT. She said that working on the films will help to build community in first-year residence halls and expose students to new uses of technology.

First-year student Trey Sherard said his team from Randolph dormitory is contemplating doing a humorous piece on their East Campus eatery, called "Myths of the Marketplace."

Epworth Resident Adviser Arif Jivan, a junior majoring in biomedical engineering, joked he may get involved by doing a "C.O.P.S."-style expose of residents in his hall.

Submissions are due Jan. 27, and will be judged on innovative use of technology and cinematic quality. Winning entries will be announced at the Froshlife Premiere event on Feb. 2. More information is available online at http://www.duke.edu/web/imovie2003.

Playwright at globalization symposium

Anna Deavere Smith, one of America's most celebrated new playwrights and actors, will speak at Duke in February as part of a two-day symposium on "Race and Gender in Global Perspective."

Smith is known for forming a blend of theatrical art, social commentary and journalism in her one-woman plays, including "Twilight Los Angeles -- 1992" about the Los Angeles riots following the Rodney King trial. In her work, she creates and performs dozens of characters who are based on information taken from interviews with real people affected by the riots.

In addition to her plays, Smith is known as a teacher and an actor in films such as "Philadelphia," "Dave" and "The American President." She also appears as National Security Adviser Nancy McNally on NBC's "The West Wing."

In "An Evening with Anna Deavere Smith," Smith will present selected characters from her plays to explore people's perceptions on race, class and gender. The event will be at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, in Page Auditorium.

Tickets for the show will be $20 for the public, $12 for Duke students, and can be ordered online at http://www.tickets.duke.edu. A limited number of free tickets are available to students only at the Women's Studies office, 210 East Duke Building.

Smith's performance will kick off the two days of presentations on how race and gender affect, and are affected by, globalization. The second event begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, and will be held all day in the Richard White Auditorium on Duke's East Campus. Featured speakers at Saturday's event include: Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo (USC), Beverly Guy Sheftall (Spelman College), Kamala Visweswaran (University of Texas, Austin), Charlotte Bunch (Rutgers), Leith Mullings (CUNY) and Rhacel Parrenas (University of Wisconsin).

Saturday's symposium is open to the public, but requires registration. The fee for the symposium is $120 for the public (which includes a ticket to the Smith performance), but the symposium is free to Duke staff, faculty and students. For information about registering, contact Pat Hoffman at 684-3655 or e-mail phoffman@duke.edu.

The symposium is sponsored by Duke's Council on Women's Studies. Smith's performance is sponsored by Women's Studies in conjunction with the Institute of the Arts.

Employee grazed by bullet

A Duke employee was grazed by what appears to be a stray bullet Jan. 9 while standing outside the West Edens Link dormitory on West Campus, Duke Police reported.

According to Lt. Davis Trimmer of Duke Police, the employee was standing on a terrace outside a coffee shop in the West Edens Link discussing a building project with several other people when a bullet grazed his hand about 2:30 p.m. He was treated and released at Duke Hospital.

Trimmer said several people reported hearing a popping noise right before the employee was struck. A hole in an awning above where the employee was standing indicates a bullet may have been fired randomly up in the air from the Duke University Road or N.C. 751 area and landed next to the dorm, Trimmer said. Police recovered a bullet at the scene, Trimmer said.

Police searched the area, but did not locate anyone with a gun. An investigation into the incident is continuing. Duke Police asks anyone with information about the shooting to call the department at 684-2444.

Ministry in the city

John Perkins, an innovator in international Christian community development, will lead an urban ministry workshop on Saturday, Jan. 18, at St. James Baptist Church, 1305 W. Club Blvd., Durham.

The workshop is part of a two-day event, called "Transforming Our Communities in the Name of the Gospel," sponsored by Walltown Neighborhood Ministries, which is a partnership among five churches -- Blacknall Presbyterian, Northside Baptist, St. James Baptist, St. John's Baptist and Watts Street Baptist -- and Duke Divinity School.

Today, Perkins will deliver a free public lecture at 12:30 p.m. in Duke Divinity School's York Chapel, and preach for a public worship service at 7 p.m. at St. John's Baptist Church, 917 Onslow St., Durham.

There is a $10 registration fee, which includes lunch. For more information or to register, call (919) 286-4140 or e-mail cpr@duke.edu.

Perkins has established three church-based ministries in Mississippi and California and is the author of several books, including "Let Justice Roll Down." He serves as chairman of the Christian Community Development Association and board member of Habitat for Humanity.

Grants on ethics

Grants of up to $500 are available to Duke students, staff and faculty to support initiatives at the university and Medical Center that promote ethical or moral reflection, deliberation and dialogue.

The Campus Grants program provides support for speakers, workshops, meetings, curriculum development, publications, organizational collaborations and other activities. Travel grants are awarded only in exceptional circumstances where the project is clearly linked to promoting moral or ethical reflection on campus.

Applications for these grants are considered twice each academic year. Deadlines for submission of applications are Feb. 15 and Sept. 15. Applicants will be notified of the status of their request in early March and early October.

Organizations already receiving ongoing and sustaining support from the Kenan Institute for Ethics are not eligible to apply for these grants. An organization (or representative) or individual may receive only one grant in any given academic year. Applications are available at the Kenan Institute for Ethics, 102 West Duke Building, by campus mail at Box 90432, by fax at 660-3049 or by e-mail at kie@duke.edu.

Academic Council agenda

The Academic Council will meet at 3:45 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, in 139 Social Sciences Bldg.

AGENDA

1. Minutes of Nov. 21 meeting
2. Announcements
3. Nomination of candidates for earned degrees
4. Executive session '" honorary degrees
5. Continued discussion on Policy Statement on Intercollegiate Athletics at Duke University
6. Proposal for reorganization of Academic Priorities Committee and the President's Advisory Committee on Recourses into the University Priorities Committee and the Academic Programs Committee
7. Faculty Compensation Committee report on salary equity

Obituaries

Wesley Williams, a former laundry services employee, died Dec. 29. He worked at Duke from 1979 to 2000.

Marvin Ray, a former maintenance engineering and operations employee, died Dec. 25. He worked at Duke from 1957 to 1982.

Hurbert Parrish, a former medical center housekeeping worker, died Nov. 23. He worked at Duke from 1968 to 1993.

Norwood Jacobs, a former operating rooms employee, died Dec. 6. He worked at Duke from 1970 to 1987.

Retha Dailey, a former operating rooms employee, died Dec. 24. Retha worked at Duke from 1969 to 1996.

Gloria Foddrel, a nursing employee, died Dec. 29. She had worked at Duke since June 1979.

Louran Weber, of medical oncology, died Dec. 29. Louran had worked at Duke since October 1968.