Bassett Dormitory

Building Description

Bassett is home to 125 first year Duke students. It is a co-ed dorm, with male and female students living on the same hall. Bassett is located at the back of the Main East Campus Quad, adjacent to Brown and adjacent to Baldwin Auditorium.

Bassett Residence Hall is part of the Neighborhood 1 dorms on East Campus along with Alspaugh, Brown and Pegram. Like other neighborhood 1 dorms, Bassett is not air-conditioned, although individual air-conditioning units are administered under special circumstances.

Bassett is staffed by one Graduate Assistant and five Resident Assistants under the supervision of Residence Coordinator Allison Burzo. The Bassett Faculty-In Residence is Martin Eisner, professor of Romance Studies.

History

Bassett opened in 1927, and was named for John Spencer Basset ’88 Trinity College history professor for 12 years. In 1903 Bassett wrote an article titled “Stirring Up the Fires of Race Antipathy,” advocating improved race relations in higher education. During a time of segregation, he was scrutinized by many for this opinion. This lead to a trial in which Bassett’s job came into question. The trial that eventually reinstated Bassett as a professor became a milestone for academic freedom in U.S. education and became known as “The Bassett Affair.”