President’s Council for Economic Opportunity
Building upon Session 31’s equity-focused projects, Session 32 has successfully overseen the implementation of free laundry and looks forward to the upcoming expansion of the airport transit program and anticipated launch of Duke’s first professional clothing closet.
The President’s Council for Economic Opportunity (Session 32-34) shall work alongside first-generation and low-income student groups, the Karsh Student Advisory Board, members of DSG, and administrative working groups to establish short-term and long-term solutions to pressing issues on campus concerning economic accessibility. Projects will include mobilization around issues of food insecurity, the introduction of a professional clothing closet, and effective policy creation to mitigate the hidden costs of Duke, working alongside DSG Senate Committees and relevant student groups. This Council will relentlessly work to ensure that all students, regardless of socioeconomic background, have access to the attire necessary for interviews, professional support for networking events and conferences, and resources for post-graduate success.
Rapid Response Council
Given today’s fraught political environment surrounding higher education, the President hereby establishes the Rapid Response Council to ensure a safe, secure Duke experience for all. Building upon work done in Session 31, in which a group of student leaders collaborated closely with Duke administrators to combat harmful federal policies that directly targeted Duke students. Those initial meetings allowed for the creation of a streamlined system of communication and solution implementation, along with jointly-created resources for the student body.
As the federal landscape continues attempts to suffocate the sphere of higher education, the best way to sustain the University’s mission of open collaboration and forward progress is to formally centralize these communications. The Council will ensure that student voices remain central to DSG processes and Duke policy in moments of crisis and distress. The Council is composed of 13 committed student leaders from multicultural organizations across campus and representatives from DSG.
Though this Council is established under the purview of the DSG President, it is critical to note that our capacity in this space is to ensure that the committee has access to advocacy materials, contact lists, and other materials required for their communicative policy work. Duke Student Government cannot and shall not influence how or what materials are to be discussed by the Council, placing trust in their leadership and experience.