A committee at Duke University recently released a report summarizing 10 months of research on campus atmosphere that will result in a requirement for students to take classes on race and ethnicity.

The Campus Culture Initiative Steering Committee, a Duke University coalition, submitted the report to Duke University President Richard Brodhead to address aspects of undergraduate life.

The report states the goal is to create "a diverse, inclusive and engaged community that affirms difference is the social context necessary for the transformative educational experience that Duke intends to provide."

Though spurred by the accusations and subsequent publicity of the Duke lacrosse team, Duke's vice president for student affairs, Larry Moneta, said the initiative addresses universal collegiate problems and represents conversations that have been taking place at Duke for several years.

"These are the same issues every university sees: alcohol use and abuse, a sense of conformity to a particular norm and too few opportunities for students to engage with faculty," Moneta said.

Under the Campus Culture Initiative, the Cross-Cultural Inquiry is modified so all students are required to take two classes — one of which must focus on race, ethnicity, class, religion, sexuality or gender.

The Cross-Cultural Inquiry includes courses that teach students to approach issues from various perspectives and think critically about issues pertaining to identity, diversity, globalization and power.

University spokesman Keith Lawrence said the report, available on the Duke website, was intended to analyze the current atmosphere to help plan for the future.

"We want to look at things we are doing well and ways we could improve," Lawrence said.

Aspects of undergraduate life included in the initiative are athletics, admissions, curriculum and experiential learning, faculty-student interaction, residential life, dining, social life and alcohol, according to the report.

"We have to connect the dots with issues that affect our students," Moneta said.

As reported on the Duke website, in a summary by Committee Chair Bob Thompson, the initiative includes four phases.

The first three phases have already been completed and included framing an approach and organizing the work, identifying and gathering issues, analyzing data and posing relevant questions to the campus and community.

Currently, the committee is in the fourth phase of formulating its vision for the university and providing recommendations to the administration to make that vision accessible to faculty and students.

According to a release from The Associated Press, the Campus Culture Initiative was created after Brodhead canceled the 2006 season for the men's lacrosse team.

The forfeiture of games resulted from an alleged attack on a woman performing as a stripper at a lacrosse team party.

The university also has The Women's Initiative which formed three years ago to directly handle the issue of sexual assault and awareness.

But Moneta said the faculty at Duke was not willing to accept complacency.

"Duke is a university that is not content," Moneta said. "We're not happy to say 'good enough.'"