It's one thing for graduates to get their diploma by mail, it is another for accepted students to choose another school. If this fiasco is allowed to continue the 'summer melt' (accepted students who have returned their deposit but then change their minds and go elsewhere) will continue to hurt the school.
Good point. The university has yet to reveal its yield rate of accepted students, and I am concerned that it may be poor. Our house is a double Dukie one with three children, and even we would hesitate before paying 43 large for our kids to go there. I would be up every night worrying now that I know that Duke could give a rat's behind about its students. Maybe Brodhead thinks that Duke has enough reputation in reserve that it could abandon its students and have plenty of others willing to take their place. We will find out but it's a huge risk.