INC NEWS - Recent listserv postings on Central Campus planning

[kjj1 at duke.edu]

Folks,

Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the meeting on Central Campus 
redevelopment on Thursday. If they're not brought up directly, the recent 
reactions to the recent N&O article on Central Campus redevelopment 
("Central Campus gets wary eye: What Duke's makeover of the area might 
include concerns some business operators" News & Observer, 28 April 2005) 
that were posted to local listservs will surely be the proverbial elephant 
in the middle of the room.

I'm collected the postings below (in roughly the order in which they 
appeared), so those who missed them can read the exchanges before 
Thursday's meeting.

Kelly Jarrett

****

Come on, John [Schelp], do you really believe that because a
few students suggested--- in an open ended
brainstorming session-- putting a car wash on Central
Campus that we'd do it? No way in hell. Peter Lange
told the reporter that yesterday. Your decision to
take it seriously shows why so many people are finding
it difficult to take you seriously.

John F. Burness
Senior Vice President for Public Affairs
   and Government Relations
Duke University

****

Mr. Burness,

I take John Schelp seriously and, whether or not I
always agree with his approach or content, I think he
is a voice of concern and passion for our community.
As a member of both the Duke and Durham communities, I
frankly find it sad and disheartening that such a
powerful member of the Duke administration would take
such a nasty, arrogant, and immature potshot in a
public forum.

Jim M.

****

Well said, Jim.

President Brodhead, Mr. Burness is presumably speaking
for you and the University.  As an alumnus and an
neighbor, I expect a classier act from Duke.

Tom C.

cc: Richard Brodhead

****

Mr. Burness,

You do not have to use foul language to get your point
across on the PAC II list serve. As moderator for the
meetings I try to allow a place of respect for all.

Please do not ruin this place of respect by saying
things you would not say in front of someones
grandmother.

You could have simply denied the accusation,

Richard M.

****

to John Burness...

Come on, John. With all due respect, a snide put-down
is hardly the same as a serious response. And trying
to minimize community concerns and fears ("mistrust,"
if you will) about how Duke's actions affect Durham by
attributing them to John Schelp and trying to
discredit him on a public website seems like a cheap
shot to me.

I've pasted below all the references to Peter Lange's
comments in yesterday's N&O article, and while I find
another of the rather generic reassurances that Duke
is concerned about Ninth Street's viability that we've
heard before, I don't find a specific denial or a
clarification on the car wash or retail.

Now, I'm willing to consider the possibility that
Peter did make such a specific clear denial ("there
will be no car wash on Central Campus") to the
reporter and that it simply didn't make it into the
article. But readers have no way of knowing that.
We're still waiting for some kind of clear public
commitment on Central Campus retail.

Duke Provost Peter Lange said the university has an
interest in offering its students educational and
social guidance along with increasing levels of
responsibility and independence over the course of
four years.

Lange says the university is open to community
comments at public meetings but has made no effort to
negotiate the complex array of community concerns with
select individuals because the development process
remains in its infancy.

Lange said this week that he is aware of a certain
level of community distrust and fear about Duke's
Central Campus plan. Lange said he hopes a public
meeting that was held in February and future efforts
will assuage community concerns.

"I think that what you are seeing in some of those
proposals is people thinking out loud," Lange said. "I
have said repeatedly that we have no desire to make
Ninth Street or any of the other commercial operations
nearby less attractive to students."

Kelly J.

****

It seems to me John was just passing on the report
from the N&O with some of his own observations.  I
always wonder about statements people make about other
people to be "taken seriously".

Veronica H.

****

I couldn't agree more with your comments, Jim. As
someone new to the area only three years ago, I have
gone from being totally admiring of Duke University to
feeling quite disappointed at some aspects of Duke's
relationship with surrounding communities. Without
going into the laundry list of my many personal
disappointments, these exchanges pretty much exemplify
the general tone and tenor of the relationship between
Duke and some of our neighborhoods. Again, how
disappointing.

All these list-serves are good places for discussion,
which can be quite animated at times, but I also find
personal attacks out of line. Folks who make such
personal attacks on my own neighborhood's list-serve
are placed on "moderated" status so that the forum can
be a constructive place for discussion.

My impression so far of Duke is that there's not much
room for discussion on a lot of things and if you
raise public criticisms, you get the treatment that
John Schelp has received. I think this is the wrong
way to do business with surrounding communities. John
has done a tremendous amount of good for Durham
neighborhoods, and such passionate and intelligent
voices are greatly needed in Durham if we are going to
keep improving our city.

Christina H.

****

Are you trying to save the world one car wash at a
time?

Your response to the N&O story certainly makes the
viewpoint of John Burness easy to agree with. I
applaud his candor.

Just out of curiosity, what would you have to say if
Couch's carwash wished to relocate to The American
Tobacco Campus?

Dave J.

****

I take John Schelp serious as well, John is a
passionate individual that deeply cares about his
community, his concern is for Durham, and the well
being of his community.

Judging by the past nasty, arrogant, immature and
totally disrespectful behavior and attitude of some
Duke students towards the Durham residents of the
neighborhoods surrounding Duke East campus, Mr.
Burness comments seem to be totally within the above
attitude and perception of some at Duke towards the
Durham community in general and a projection of the
perception that the valid concerns of Durham's non
transient population should only be taken seriously if
it does not cause issues, related to the self
promotional commercial agenda of The Big Blue tax
exempt enclave and the needs of its Durham non
resident transient student population.

Standing up to a 1 ton rogue elephant intent at times
on crushing all in its path takes courage.

Thank you John.

David B.

****