Ana Despa

Articles

NEWS | UNIVERSITY

‘Variety of hues but not of views’: Faculty reflect on academic freedom, point to low perceived ideological diversity on campus

By Ana Despa | November 1, 2024

Since 1976, Duke’s academic freedom policy has remained largely untouched and uncontested. Yet in April, the Academic Council, along with Duke’s President’s and Provost’s Offices, formed a committee on Academic Freedom, Responsibility, Free Expression and Engagement following the escalation of protests on college campuses across the country in response to the Israel-Hamas war.

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NEWS | LOCAL & NATIONAL

Duke alumnus Ken Jeong awarded star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

By Ana Despa | October 24, 2024

Per Jeong’s request, his star will be placed next to that of Chinese American actress Lucy Liu and Anna May Wong, the first Asian-American actress awarded a star on the Walk of Fame, to honor the Asian American and Pacific Islander community’s contributions to Hollywood.

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NEWS | LOCAL & NATIONAL

Could North Carolina flip blue? The battleground state’s voting record, by the numbers

By Ana Despa | October 22, 2024

To see how politics have evolved in North Carolina over the years, The Chronicle conducted an independent analysis of the state’s voting history using publicly available election data.

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NEWS | LOCAL & NATIONAL

How could Hurricane Helene affect the election in North Carolina?

By Zoe Kolenovsky and Ana Despa | October 10, 2024

Any change in voter turnout in the affected regions may have an impact on the presidential race, which is currently polling near even in the swing state. As of Wednesday, the 538 polling average shows Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump leading Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris by one point in North Carolina, holding one of the closest margins of any state.

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NEWS | LOCAL & NATIONAL

Durham roundtable tackles homelessness crisis, calls for greater collaboration

By Nikhil Sethi and Ana Despa | October 9, 2024

Local nonprofit Open Table Ministry, which provides transportation, legal assistance and emergency resources to people experiencing homelessness, brought together city officials and community members to address the growing homelessness crisis in Durham ahead of World Homeless Day. 

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NEWS | UNIVERSITY

DGSU rallies across campus and in Allen Building for ‘livable wages,’ ‘improved working conditions’

By Ana Despa and Lucas Lin | September 4, 2024

Duke Graduate Students Union hosted a rally the day after Labor Day to demand that Duke give graduate students fair contracts, improve working conditions and pay all its employees livable wages.

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NEWS | UNIVERSITY

Duke’s economic impact on Durham and North Carolina, by the numbers

By Ana Despa | August 19, 2024

Amid calls for Duke to reexamine its financial relationship with its neighbors, The Chronicle examined recent reports measuring Duke’s economic impact on the city and state it calls home.

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NEWS | HEALTH & SCIENCE

Duke researcher discovers effective treatment for Sjӧgren’s disease

By Ana Despa | July 10, 2024

A Duke rheumatology and immunology expert was part of a team who discovered a potential treatment for Sjӧgren’s disease, an autoimmune disorder also associated with a type of blood cancer.

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NEWS | UNIVERSITY

Duke rezones parcels near Central Campus five years after its demolition, but its future remains uncertain

By Ana Despa | May 28, 2024

In 2018, Duke’s Board of Trustees assembled a Central Campus Task Force to generate development plans for the land, but the University had other financial commitments and did not pursue any “immediate development.” The Task Force only convened for one year.

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NEWS | UNIVERSITY

Duke’s publicly disclosed partnerships and financial ties with Israel, explained

By Ana Despa and Audrey Wang | May 24, 2024

After reviewing publicly disclosed information on Duke’s investment portfolio, industry partnerships and contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense, The Chronicle identified financial ties with Israel and organizations supplying military aid to the nation, primarily for purposes of research and education.

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