National

Questions Linger After Duke Student Admits Hanging Noose

Published

11 years ago

April 3, 2015

Duke students from front left to right, Michaela Stith, Ashley Croker-Benn and Jasmine Roddey rally during a university-wide forum outside the Duke Chapel on campus Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Durham, N.C. Duke officials said Wednesday that they are trying to find out who hung a noose outside a building that houses several offices, including those focused on diversity. (AP Photo/The Herald-Sun, Christine T. Nguyen)

JONATHAN DREW, Associated Press

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — The swift discovery of the person who hung a noose at Duke University leaves questions ranging from the student’s identity to what punishment the person will face.

The university has begun disciplinary proceedings that could result in suspension or expulsion, while federal and state law enforcement officials are investigating whether the action constitutes a crime.

The university identified the person after several fellow students came forward with information, and the undergraduate student admitted to hanging the noose from a tree at a plaza in the heart of campus, university spokesman Michael Schoenfeld said Thursday.

Schoenfeld said the student has left campus but is still enrolled. He declined to describe the culprit’s gender, race or whether the student had been in trouble in the past, citing privacy laws.

On Thursday, the plaza where the noose was hung teemed with students enjoying a sunny afternoon and discussing what happened.

Sarah Burks, a junior English major from North Carolina, said punishing the culprit is the right move but that it’s not going to change a campus culture in which “there’s definitely still a lot of separation between different groups.” She says friends of hers have experienced racism on campus.

“There’s nothing else they can do when something like this ends up on the front page of the New York Times. They have to find the person,” she said of university administrators.

Officials say the noose was found about 2 a.m. Wednesday in the plaza outside the Bryan Center, the student commons building. Black Student Alliance vice president Henry Washington said he and about 14 other students saw the noose hanging overnight after being alerted via Twitter. On Thursday, he praised the reaction of fellow students and administrators at the school.

“I appreciate that immediate action was taken both by the student community to identify a person and by the faculty to ensure that disciplinary action is taken,” he said.

Duke Student Affairs Vice President Larry Moneta said the student responsible for the noose would face judgment under the school’s code of conduct, which includes penalties ranging from probation to expulsion. He said it was “too soon to make any comment” about whether the student had expressed remorse.

“This is all part of what the investigation will yield and the opportunity for the student to speak to the basis for the behavior,” Moneta said.

At a gathering Wednesday in front of the university’s Gothic chapel building, Duke President Richard Brodhead told a crowd of several thousand that their presence was a rejection of what the noose symbolizes in a region where lynchings were once used to terrorize black residents. And he said that while administrators and campus police investigate the case, it is up to each individual to reject racism.

On Thursday, senior math major Marshall Ratliff was walking by the Bryan Center shortly after the announcement that someone admitted hanging the noose. Ratliff said he was happy the person responsible was found out.

“Duke is making it clear as a student and faculty community that this sort of bias and antagonism is not going to be tolerated on campus,” he said.

___

Associated Press writer Emery P. Dalesio in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Related Topics:Duke University Duke University noose

Up Next

Racism a Lingering Problem Among Collegiate Millennials

Don't Miss

Recent Racial Incidents at US Colleges and Universities

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Six Months in, Probate Reform Coalition Marks Progress in Protecting Elders From Financial Abuse

Despite the cited obstacles, NPRC has made some promising inroads towards their mission. NPRC has identified that nationwide the Attorneys General must be engaged and encouraged to implement oversight, protection and enforcement of the law; members find support from each other as they advocate for redress via “letters of compassion” sent to judges, nursing facilities and law enforcement agencies and members are instructed on their rights, how to take constructive action to protect those rights through access to resources that allow them to intelligently represent themselves in court.

Published

1 week ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

NPRC member Stewart E. Handte, a former Mineral County, Nevada, Sheriff and 27-year veteran of police work, currently wears an ankle monitor after he was arrested on kidnapping charges for helping his friend, Roger Hilligus, remove Hilligus’ mother, Susan Hilligus, from a nursing facility after finding her bruised and neglected. NPRC has submitted a “Letter of Compassion” for both Handte and Hilligus requesting that charges be dropped. Courtesy photo.

By Tanya Dennis

The National Probate Reform Coalition, a loose-knit national coalition of advocates, victims, and families dedicated to protecting elder rights, especially within the probate court system, was formed by the Post Newspaper Group (PNG) after more than a decade of reporting on the mistreatment of elders and the plunder of their estates.

In response, PNG Publisher Paul Cobb set in motion a series of monthly town halls to address the problem and propose workable solutions, designating it a “year of action.”

At six months, the coalition has attracted families, advocates, and experts across the nation whose strategies have proven effective in their respective states, and who are moving forward collectively with the mission of engaging judicial, legislative, and enforcement agencies to ensure elders are not exploited or abused.

“The issue of elder abuse is multi-layered”, says NPRC planning committee member Venus Gist. “Elders are our most vulnerable population, next to children, and they are easily exploited by strangers, their own family members, and the judicial system designed to protect them.”

Since January, NPRC has, via monthly virtual meetings held on the first Thursday of each month, clearly defined the issues and formulated workable solutions that can be implemented nationwide.

“There are amazing laws on the books that protect elders and their assets,” said NPRC member Zakiya Jendayi. “The problem is they are ignored, and that lack of oversight has led to systemic abuse in the Probate Court system, not just in Alameda County, but nationwide.

“The scary part is the collusion and wall of silence NPRC has encountered when reaching out to the Judicial Council, legislators, and the State Bar for assistance. It’s so obvious that one hand is washing the other, that they’re protecting each other, that it’s difficult to initiate any type of meaningful reform much less dialogue.”

Stacy Drake, a Texas member, says, “I’ve been looking for help for over 10 years with my situation, and I finally found it within the NPRC coalition. God answered my prayers.”

Broadening its reach within Alameda County, NPRC has invited Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to assist with outreach, education, and resolution.

“We hope to host an elder abuse/elder protection symposium annually, if not twice a year, to let our elders know that Alameda County and the City of Oakland are a safe place, a place where in their golden years they have no worries regarding exploitation and abuse,” said Cobb. “Society is defined by how the care for its children and elders.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

1 week ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps!

Watch the long-form video https://youtu.be/YANxGwD2CjI Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation
The post Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps! appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

June 23, 2026

Oakland Post

Watch the long-form video

Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation

The post Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps! appeared first on BlackPressUSA.