Danesh for Young Trustee

The Editorial Board endorses Kaveh Danesh for the position of Young Trustee.

When students vote this Friday, they will decide between three accomplished candidates. Danesh, Olly Wilson, and Michael Mandl all displayed a profound connection to the University and all would represent Duke’s undergraduate population well. Each has drawn on their own Duke experiences to develop compelling visions for how they would serve effectively on the board.

However, Danesh clearly distinguishes himself from his two competitors. His effectiveness and enthusiasm as a student leader, passion for the undergraduate experience and deep understanding of the role of the Young Trustee make him a uniquely qualified candidate.

Danesh has the best interpretation of the YT position. His prior interactions with administrators and Trustees—through a variety of working groups and as DSG Vice President of Academic Affairs—have given him a pitch-perfect understanding of the Young Trustee’s role in decision-making processes on the Board. The YT, Danesh thinks, can’t beat the Trustees at their own game. The power of the YT comes from presenting innovative ideas that draw on his undergraduate experience and the experiences of others. This is how the YT can get things done. This concept—in contrast to other candidates’ emphasis on off-the-clock socializing and face-to-face argument—struck us as especially prudent.

Danesh has demonstrated his capacity for this kind of innovative thinking on a wide range of issues—for example, he has already presented briefs to the Board of Trustees about connecting DukeEngage to the undergraduate curriculum.

His breadth of knowledge is striking. In spheres such as academic reform, infrastructure renovations and the role of faculty in internationalization efforts, Danesh was particularly impressive. His knowledge reaches from the particulars of hospital management to the Duke and Durham relationship. This combination of breadth and depth will be vital for Danesh as he seeks to establish a credible presence on the board.

Wilson is a great second to Danesh, and would be an easy choice any other year. He offered a thorough and insightful diagnosis of Duke’s struggles in international expansion. Wilson’s mind is a bank of very specific knowledge about Duke—from international spending figures to hospital construction costs—and his ability to challenge the assumptions behind our questions—sometimes quite forcefully—show that he would be no pushover on the Board.

But Danesh’s unbridled enthusiasm and originality, coupled with his superior interpretation of the YT role, set him above Wilson. He will have an impactful tenure because of his enthusiasm and subtly—slowly making changes not through confrontation but with vibrant new ideas. It is easy to imagine Danesh—who, in our meeting, was more personable than Wilson— flourishing in both formal and informal settings, energetically challenging Trustees to consider the impact of their decisions on the entire Duke community. And, in our meeting, he included a discussion of Duke’s role in the Durham community that no other candidate addressed very fully.