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Keeping LDOC Fun, Keeping It Safe

Duke students, administrators hope policies will lead to a repeat of last year's successes

Last
year's Last Day of Classes (LDOC) concert was limited for the first time to
current students, faculty and staff -- and daytime programming was added, along
with free food and drinks.  The goal
was to shift the student culture toward moderation and away from high-risk
behaviors. Plans for Wednesday's LDOC call for more of the same.

"The same policies that existed last year, exist again,"
said Jordan Hale, Duke employee adviser to the Office of Student Activities and
Facilities, who serves on the 2011 LDOC Administrative Advisory Committee.  "We saw drastic improvements in terms
of student behavior and general safety."

On Friday, 2011 LDOC student co-chairs William Benesh and
Lindsay Tomson talked to a group of staff  "A-Team" volunteers who will wear blue shirts and walk around West
Campus in shifts on Wednesday.  The
team's job is to remind students about the rules and assist if needed.

The students told the volunteers that they support the
policy changes initiated by their predecessors. "We want LDOC to be safe and
enjoyable," Tomson said. The co-chairs have written a public letter  to faculty emphasizing their
understanding that LDOC is a class day and asking them to let students know
they expect responsible behavior. "In this way, you can
be our best ally."

The student chairs also invite faculty to attend the West
Campus activities, including a barbecue at K-Ville between 4:30 and 6 p.m., a
Chapel Climb, a Grease sing-along and pizza at midnight, as well as the main
concert featuring rapper Ludacris and others. "We expect the event to be
exciting and fun, and we would love to have you be a part of it," they wrote.

Students will be required to carry their Duke IDs with them
at all times on Wednesday and may be asked to show them. Wristbands for all who
want to attend the festivities on Main West Quad after 4:30 p.m. will be
required. The wristbands are free but need to be obtained in advance on the
Bryan Center plaza between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday and the same hours on
Wednesday on the main quad near the entrance to Alpine Bagels.

As per Durham community standards, no amplified sound is
allowed prior to 5 p.m. but it will be loud from 6 p.m. until about 10:30 p.m.
when the concert concludes. Duke Police, who will patrol, will close some of
the roads surrounding West Campus beginning in the afternoon and continuing
until the concert concludes.

Rules involving alcohol will be enforced among those who choose
to drink:  Alcohol is limited to
individual beers and cannot be carried in glass containers. Any beer that is
unattended will be discarded. Students may not distribute alcohol or share
alcohol with one another. Students may have a maximum of six 12 oz. cans on
them at any given time. As per university policy, no drinking games or other
unsafe drinking behaviors will be permitted. Students making poor decisions or
who appear intoxicated will be asked to pour out the contents, asked to leave
the event and disciplinary action may be taken.

For more information, see http://www.duke.edu/web/ldoc/index.html