Talkln'to Tak DSG presid. _it faces two.-.-- of The Chronicle's finest during the first THE CHRONICLE Oak Room Interview. See p. 7. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 13. 1997 ONE COPY FREE DUKE UNIVERSITY DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA :iRCULATION: 15.000 VOL. 92, NO. 91 The Arduous Road of the Achievement Index Discussion about AI The following dates represent the history ofthe Achievement Index since it was proposed in April 1996. draws meager crowd Johnson presents Index By CASEY VANOVER proposal to I Arts &_ Sciences meeting Segal said he expects to re­ In a sparsely-attended ceive a more substantial an. 22, 1997 Feb. 13, 1997 Al proposed DSG refects Al; votes for Wednesday night meeting in turnout. "I think the students the commons room of April 16, 1996 ident referendum have a duty to learn as much DSC Referendum Alspaugh Dormitory on East as they can about the Achieve­ Feb. 5, 1997 March 6, 1997 Campus, Val Johnson, associ­ ment Index given the referen­ \ / ate professor of statistics and dum," he said. _/. decision sciences and architect At the meeting, Johnson ex­ of the Achievement Index, ad­ plained the advantages of the Academic Affairs Alspaugh town dressed concerns about the index. Its goal, he said, is to Committee passes Al ., !_ FeBf.2. 199? proposed grading system, correct for the disparities in Dec. 11, 1996 Council discusses Al at B which would rank students in the grading policies of profes­ town meeting m®-,^ I each course relative to others sors by assigning students Jan. 30, 1997 March 13, 1997 in their class. weighted grades. Johnson of­ The meeting last night, fered the example of two stu­ SOURCE: THE CHRONICLE ERIC TESSAU/THE CHRONICLE sponsored by the academic af­ dents who recently graduated fairs committee of Duke Stu­ from the University—one who dent Government, was the graduated with a 3.12 grade DGBLA to consider shift in goals first geared specifically toward point average in classes with a students. The goal ofthe gath­ mean of 3.03 and another who ering was to educate students graduated with a 3.44 GPA in Discussion coincides with president's resignation about the AI before they vote classes with a mean of 3.47. on a referendum during DSG's Johnson said the former stu­ By JESSICA KOZLOV Roberts said that the role social force is a function of March 6 elections, said Trinity dent could be kept out of grad­ The Duke Gay, Bisexual and DGBLA plays on campus has what people need, and we've junior Dan Segal, vice presi­ uate school, merely because Lesbian Association is consider­ been an ongoing consideration always tried to be responsive dent for academic affairs. his professors set different ing a shift in its overall mission for its members since to the needs of our Given the importance and grading standards. from a politically active campus the group started in members." timeliness of the issue, Segal The AI, however, is de­ organization to a group with a 1973. Its goals are Although members said he was disappointed with signed to alleviate these dis­ stronger focus on the social largely dependent on of DGBLA have not the turnout—only about 10 in­ crepancies by assigning an needs of its members. This deci­ the particular needs made any concrete dividuals attended the session. index value according to a stu­ sion comes in conjunction with of its members at the decisions regarding He attributed the small audi­ dent's performance relative to the Feb. 4 resignation of time, she added, and, their future role on ence to The Chronicle's heavy that of others in the same DGBLA's president, Trinity as a result, DGBLA campus, they will be coverage of the issue, leading course. Assigned achievement sophomore Keisha Roberts. has undergone many holding a retreat students to believe they have a index values would then be "Excelling academically and changes in its history. March 1 to discuss sufficient understanding ofthe converted back to the GPA sys­ successfully maintaining this "We've always the alternatives and issues involved. tem, each student receiving a organization isn't possible this had to deal with the Keisha Roberts to restructure their Nevertheless, organizers of GPA value relative to his class semester," she said. "I'd rather of 'Are we so- Hleadership . "It was the event said they were not rank. For example, he contin­ give up my leadership position cial?' or 'Are we political?' or too much responsibility for one discouraged by the meager at­ ued, if under the current sys­ to someone who can manage it 'Can we be a combination of person to handle, so [DGBLA] is tendance. They still plan to tem student A earned a GPA of successfully than neglect it or the two?" Roberts said. "The going to be going through some hold a similar meeting Feb. 24 3.7, while student B earned a only do half a job." decision to become more of a See DGBLA on page 5 • on West Campus, at which See ALSPAUGH on page 5 • Former U.S. Senator promotes book, ponders future Bradley spurned Duke years ago, but visited Durham Wednesday By IVAN SNYDER interview before speaking Wednesday Jersey senator of using his recently- When Bill Bradley was a senior in at the Regulator Bookshop, "and that published book to position himself for high school in Missouri, the future Princeton had all these Rhodes Schol­ a possible presidential run in 2000, a senator decided to become a Blue ars, which I wasn't quite sure what charge similar to the one leveled Devil. He was recruited by then-bas­ that was. It seemed to me just a schol­ against former Chairman of the Joint ketball coach Vic Bubas, and many of arship which you got to go to Oxford. Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell. the Duke faithful were hoping he The combination of those two things Bradley, who calls himself an "in­ would lead the basketball team to its came together in that last weekend, veterate journal-keeper," said his mo­ first national championship. Four and I made the switch." tives for publishing his memoirs lie days before the freshman class was to But Bradley admitted that his final elsewhere. convene in Durham, however, a host of decision was by no means an easy one. After ending his basketball career factors—among them a broken foot "I felt a great deal of respect and ad­ at age 33, Bradley chronicled his ath­ and a trip to Europe—changed miration for the coach of Duke at that letic experiences in his first book, "Life Bradley's mind, and he opted for time, Vic Bubas," Bradley said. "And on the Run." Following his retirement Princeton instead. so it was a very difficult thing for me." from the Senate in early 1996 after "It was the congruence ofthose two Bradley returned to Durham three terms, Bradley felt it was once things. One was my world without Wednesday to promote the paperback again time to offer his reflections on basketball—which was an exaggera­ version of his memoir, "Time Present, the political chapters of his life. tion, but nonetheless, a feeling I had Time Past." Many members of the "You always try within the experi- KIM CLAYTON/THE CHRONICLE never had before," Bradley said in an press have accused the former New See BRADLEY on page 4 • Bill Bradley THE CHRONICLE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1997 World and National Newsfile U.S. news organizations allowed in Cuba From wire reports By STEVEN MYERS hibits Americans from spending money Cuba to more regular scrutiny by Swiss agree: The Swiss govern­ N.Y. Times News Service on the island. The announcement did American journalists outweighed the ment announced it will set up a fund to compensate Holocaust victims WASHINGTON — The Clinton ad­ not clear the way for a new flood of drawbacks of letting Castro's govern­ and their families. But it has not de­ ministration announced Wednesday news reports on conditions in Cuba ment receive the hard cash that news cided whether it will contribute any that it would allow American news or­ after 38 years of Communist rule. organizations would spend to rent of­ of its own money. ganizations to open bureaus in Cuba for Although 10 news organizations fices or buy supplies. the first time in nearly 30 years, hoping have applied to the United States for The president's spokesman, Mike Williams sues: Erik Williams, a that the presence of a foreign corps of permission, Cuba has so far agreed to McCurry, said: "The administration player for the Dallas Cowboys filed journalists will increase diplomatic and allow only on—Cable News Net­ believes that news gathering and re­ suit against the city of Dallas and political pressure on the Communist work—to open an office and begin re­ porting by U.S. news organizations will its police, asserting that his civil government of Fidel Castro. porting. The decision nonetheless rep­ keep international attention focused rights were violated when officers The White House signaled the resented a significant break in the on the situation in Cuba and on the re­ investigated accusations made last change in policy as the Treasury De­ longstanding U.S. effort to isolate Cas­ alities of economic and political condi­ December and later recanted by a partment granted special licenses to 10 tro and his Communist government. tions there and will bring greater pub­ 23-year-old woman, who initially organizations to open what are essen­ The administration, supported by lic exposure to those who are claimed that he had raped her.