I was writing the epilogue of my book, and I needed to figure out one last thing: Have vandwellers been banned from Duke as a result of my experiment?
I annoyed Duke’s Parking and Transportation Services Office with calls and emails for months, but they refused to respond to my inquiries, so I–pressed for time–approached Duke’s office of Public Affairs.
Apparently, vandwellers have been banned. Here’s the new rule:
4.17.5 Overnight or extended parking of campers, vans, buses, etc., utilized as living and sleeping quarters within campus boundaries, is not permitted unless approved by Parking and
Transportation Services.
While I acknowledge that Duke is a big, sprawling billion-dollar corporate bureaucracy, and they have to cover their asses, I still think the rule is stupid. I could name a hundred reasons why, but I’ve already done so, so there’s no need to beat a dead horse.
Their reason? From one Duke spokesman: “As a private institution, Duke can determine the permitted and appropriate use of its facilities. Living in the parking lot is not permitted for reasons of safety, security, health and liability.”