Dear Duke,
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My name is Sanya and I’m a sophomore from New Delhi, India. My major is constantly changing, but seems to be computer science with a minor in history for now. I’m an RA in Craven this year and have been a senator for Residential/Campus life for the last year and a half.
As an RA on West and a senator for Campus Life, I feel like I am constantly thinking about social culture at Duke – the way it is, the way it can be, and everything we’re missing in between. I grew passionate about it as I realized how much every experience contributed or took away from my Duke experience. There’ve been times I’ve been grateful for all I have here, but also times I’ve struggled to understand why things are the way they are, why living on campus can be so inequitable.
I got on this track as a freshman, when I became a senator for Residential Life (now called Campus Life); my recent projects include a program to create families within independent houses and DUSK, which aims to reduce sexual assault and help combat the predatory environment surrounding Shooters. This past year, working on Campus Life and living on West has made me spend a lot more time thinking critically about independent housing, selectivity, off-campus drinking culture and other problems with Duke’s social culture. The conversations and experiences I’ve had with my residence coordinator, my residents, my committee and folks in HRL have shaped my platform, because I realized that the things that frustrate me can be fixed, so that everyone gets the most out of their time here.
I built my platform by also looking at what does work, to try and make Duke’s residential experience equitable by taking people’s best experiences and making them available to everyone – not only across selectives and independents, but also across first-years and upperclassmen. I’m focusing on independents, internationals, West Campus social culture and HRL communication. If you’ve made it this far, take a minute to read my platform! Feel free to email me with questions or suggestions.
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Much love,
Sanya
Communication Between the Student Body and HRL
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Intersectionality Conversation Space in the LGBTQIA+ Community
Click any of the above projects
to read more about my plans.
DSG Senator for Residential Life
2016-2017, First-Year
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DSG Senator for Campus Life
2017-2018, Sophomore
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Craven Quad RA
2017-2018, Sophomore
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Wilson House Council
2016-2017, First-Year
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IT Advisory Committee
I work to improve IT services on
campus and improve feedback between
students and the university.
DUSK: Duke University Safe Keepers
I've been working to implement DUSK - a group of students who work towards student safety around local bars, especially when they find themselves alone or inebriated. The aim is to prevent sexual assault associated with alcohol and Shooters. This program will especially be instrumental during O-week, when sexual assault rates are higher as freshman are more vulnerable.
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Read the memo for more!
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Independent House Families
I'm piloting a program to have families in independent houses, so that incoming residents have friends in their house and familiar faces to turn to starting from March itself! I hope this will increase a sense of belonging and strengthen the community within the house.
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Independent House Swag
I pushed for HRL to increase swag given to all independent houses as soon as houses are assigned to build a feeling of house identity.
