All three young trustee candidates are very strong this year; they all share our values and recognize the improvements that Duke needs to make. However, Duke Democrats has chosen to endorse Chris Brown for Young Trustee.
Chris has leadership experience in a number of Duke organizations, including Duke Student Government. He is able to go into specific detail about his plans, and seems to have given the most thought to difficult problems and solutions on Duke’s campus. For example, he recognizes that there can be a lack of resources for students not wanting to pursue professional careers, and proposes that the Career Center work to give more exposure to companies that do not have a large recruiting budget. He has been involved in Board subcommittees for three years and can highlight his experience in dissenting to the Board. We are concerned that Young Trustees can sometimes be marginalized voices, but Chris has shown his ability to speak up and assert himself. We also often feel disconnected from our Young Trustees, especially after they graduate, and Chris proposes measures to keep Young Trustees more engaged with current students.
Gurdane Bhutani is also a strong candidate for Young Trustee. His experience lobbying on student loan rates and with activism on campus gives him valuable insight on the activist culture Duke should encourage. His experience includes working to reinstate free STI testing at Duke Student Health. Gurdane has experience with the Board of Trustees and has been involved in its subcommittees; he would make a fine addition to the Board.
David Winegar, Trinity ’15
Co-president, Duke Democrats
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