WORKING@DUKE n NEWS YOU CAN USE n Volume 7, Issue 2 n April/May 2012
INSIDE
Moving Toward Carbon Neutral How To Appeal A Parking Ticket Career Tools: Professional Associations
Degree of Distinction Participation in Duke’s Employee Tuition Program has more than doubled in five years
Editor’s Note LEANORA MINAI
Contents
Keep On Learning
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his month, our main feature is “Degree of Distinction,” which features employees who are using Duke’s Employee Tuition Reimbursement Program for schooling. The benefit pays up to $5,250 per year toward an academic degree at North Carolina schools. You’ll learn about Jameca Dupree, who landed a part-time job at Duke with a high school diploma but earned a bachelor’s degree using the tuition benefit. She is now a financial analyst who may return to school again for an MBA. “My theory is that where you go and what you do completely depends on you,” Dupree told Working@Duke. “Duke has so much to offer. I’m so grateful that I am here because it has allowed me to take control of my education, my career path.” On page 11, you’ll find more news on continual learning. “Career Tools,” the series with tips for professional development, introduces Michelle Evans, an administrative manager at Duke. She honed her public speaking by joining a professional organization. “It gives you a comfortableness and confidence in your own abilities,” Evans told Working@Duke. On a personal note, I’m making my first short documentary film as a continuing education certificate student at Duke’s Center for Documentary Studies. The 10-minute film explores how a group of Durham mothers cope with losing their sons to gun violence in the city. As part of earning the certificate, I took video production and editing classes and conducted fieldwork, while working full-time. I’ll screen the film during the certificate graduation on May 18, along with other students. (If interested, you can learn more about the short film at leanoraminai.com). While certificate programs are not eligible under Duke’s tuition reimbursement program, I made the investment for my continual learning. Being a former newspaper reporter amid a digital revolution, I want to learn new skills. When considering professional development, you may not need to earn another degree. Joining a professional organization or taking a class may help you learn skills to advance your career. If you take some time to read through this month’s issue, you’re bound to discover a resource or inspiring anecdote to help in your professional or personal growth.
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Cover: Degree of Distinction Slightly more than 1,000 Duke employees currently combine full-time work with additional schooling, a feat made possible in part because of Duke’s Employee Tuition Assistance Program.
Plan Ahead With Retirement Consults All employees are eligible for oneon-one consultations at no charge with Fidelity, TIAA-CREF, VALIC and Vanguard.
Moving Toward Carbon Neutrality After establishing its Climate Action Plan, Duke’s carbon footprint continues to shrink. Greenhouse gas emissions, which include energy use and on-campus transportation and commuting, are down 11 percent from a 2007 baseline.
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Got a Duke parking ticket? You may be able to appeal it Career Tools: Expand skills through professional associations Duke Farmers Market opens on April 27 What is Sakai? Everything you need to know in this Q&A
2011, 2009, 2008, 2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing 2009, 2007 Bronze Medal, Print Internal Audience Tabloids/Newsletters
This paper consists of 30% recycled post-consumer fiber. Please recycle after reading.
Briefly Deadline for reimbursement receipts April 15 The deadline for submitting Health Care and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account receipts from last year is April 15, 2012. Faculty and staff must submit all receipts by April 15 for services provided from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2011, to receive reimbursement. Receipts can be scanned and submitted online or through WageWorks’ EZ Receipts mobile application. Learn more at hr.duke.edu/reimbursement.
Duke hosts Financial Fitness Week May 21-24 This year, Duke staff and faculty can get financial tips either in person or through several “Cyber Monday” webinars during Financial Fitness Week. On Monday, May 21, four “Cyber Monday” webinars will be offered on topics ranging from a market overview to retirement income strategies. On Wednesday, May 23, employees can visit the Searle Center and Bryan Center to attend other seminars, including retirement planning strategies, building a better budget and everything you need to know about Duke’s life insurance plans. All sessions are free. Participants will be entered in drawings to win one of several GPS devices. More information on registration, other Duke locations and how to access the “Cyber Monday” webinars is at hr.duke.edu/financialfitness.
Celebrating staff and faculty with ‘Duke Appreciation’ in May The annual celebration of Duke faculty and staff returns May 18 with “Music on the Quad.” The marquee event is one of several special activities in May to recognize more than 33,000 faculty and staff at Duke. During the month, local restaurants will offer discounts, and the Durham Bulls will host special Duke Family nights. “It has been fun to be involved in the celebrations over the years,” said Alonzo Felder, an IT analyst featured as a Duke Star when he celebrated 25 years of service at Duke. “It is a nice way for Duke to validate the hard work employees do and to say, ‘thanks.’ ” Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president for administration at Duke, offered his thanks and appreciation to Duke staff and faculty for their contributions. “Every day, this massive and complex place called Duke runs smoothly because of the work of thousands of employees who live out our principles,” he said. “It’s especially impressive to me that even during these financially challenging times, employees haven’t just hunkered down. Instead, they have found ways to preserve the legacy of Duke and prepare for an even brighter future. That reflects well on the character of our community.” Colleagues can show appreciation for co-workers who make a difference by writing a note on the “Making A Difference” blog, or picking up a treat and free personalized bookmark at the Duke Farmers Market. (See page 13 for more information about the market). For the full schedule and the “Making A Difference” blog, visit hr.duke.edu/appreciation.
Duke to double on-site child care capacity
“Working@Duke” recognized as best employee newsletter
A second on-site child care center will open at Duke later this year, more than doubling the number of spaces for children of Duke faculty, staff and graduate students. Two buildings on Hull Avenue near Central Campus will be renovated for the new on-site child care center. The center will be managed by The Little School of Hillsborough and operate as The Little School at Duke. “The addition of The Little School at Duke will be a big step forward in meeting the demand for high quality child care for our workforce,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president for administration at Duke. The new school is scheduled to open in early September with 170 spots for children between the ages of 3 months to 6 years. Duke’s current childcare center, the Duke Children’s Campus on Alexander Avenue, has capacity for 152 students. The tuition at both centers will be the same. Information about registration and enrollment will be available in May at hr.duke.edu/childcare. Through the Duke Child Care Partnership, parents who work at Duke University and Duke University Health System have greater access to quality child care at area centers. The Duke Child Care Partnership works with 42, four-and five-star centers that provide priority placement to children of Duke families.
Ragan Communications, the leading resource and publisher of information about corporate and employee communication, has recognized Duke among "the best of the best" for its employee communications. Of more than 350 entries in Ragan's 2011 Employee Communications Awards, the “Working@Duke” section of Duke Today won Best Employee Newsletter in the electronic publication category, and “Working@Duke” won Best Employee Newsletter in the print publication category. In addition, “Working@Duke” received an honorable mention for Most Improved Publication Design for a print publication. Duke’s Office of Communication Services produces the print and electronic publications. The Ragan award entries spanned the corporate and not-for-profit world and included names such as General Electric, ESPN, Southwest Airlines, SAS, Quintiles and the Mayo Clinic.
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Cover Story
Trenton Emmert, a Duke employee and North Carolina Central University nursing student, measures lung capacity in a mannequin while instructor Angeline Baker observes.
Degree of Distinction Participation in Duke Employee Tuition Program more than doubles in five years
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renton Emmert positioned the plastic tube between the mannequin’s lips to measure lung capacity and recited post-operative instructions. “This is to get you breathing deeper,” said Emmert as a nursing instructor observed. “To prevent what?” the instructor asked. There was a close guess, a brief pause and then Emmert remembered and offered the correct answer: “To prevent postoperative pneumonia.” A Duke anesthesia technician, Emmert practices patient simulations like this as part of his nursing studies at North Carolina Central University. He’s one of slightly more than 1,000 Duke employees who currently combine full-time work with additional schooling, a feat made possible in part because of Duke’s Employee Tuition Assistance Program. Last year, Duke reimbursed employees about $2.56 million for tuition expenses at a time when many institutions cut the benefit. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, U.S. 4
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Employees In Duke’s Tuition Assistance Program
Source: Duke Human Resources
businesses offering tuition assistance dropped from 68 percent in 2007 to 58 percent in 2011. But at Duke, the program is growing. Participation has more than doubled in five years – from 432 employees in 2007 to 1,006 in 2011. “Tuition reimbursement and other professional development opportunities at Duke signal our desire to make Duke an institution of learning not just for students, but for staff as well,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president for administration at Duke. “This investment translates into a skilled workforce and more opportunity for employees to advance within Duke as they expand their skills.” The tuition benefit is available to staff and faculty who work at least 30 hours each week and have at least two years of continuous service. An eligible employee can receive as much as $5,250 per year for up to nine courses at North Carolina accredited schools. The courses must be approved as part of a professional development plan. Employees who use the benefit must commit to remaining at Duke for two years after receiving reimbursement.
Seizing educational opportunities Jameca Dupree followed her husband and two young sons into Frankie’s Fun Park in Raleigh and slid a laptop and two accounting books on the table. While her husband negotiated pizza toppings with her sons, she powered up the laptop.
Ann Elsner, left, director of administrative services at Perkins Library, with Jameca Dupree at Dupree’s college commencement. Photo courtesy of Jameca Dupree.
She studied before the pizza arrived and joined her family for one round of go-karts before returning to her books while the rest of the family played. “Studying is important,” she said, “but so is family time.” In her 11 years at Duke, Dupree has artfully balanced home, work and school as she seized educational opportunities to help advance her career from a part-time Duke food service employee with a high school diploma to a full-time financial analyst with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Duke’s Employee Tuition Reimbursement Program The tuition benefit is available to Duke staff and faculty who work at least 30 hours each week and have at least two years of continuous service. An eligible employee can receive up to $5,250 per year for up to nine courses at accredited North Carolina schools. The courses must be approved as part of a professional development plan. Employees who use the benefit must commit to remain at Duke for two years after receiving reimbursement.
“I don’t know of any other place where I could have worked and achieved so much in such a short time,” she said. Dupree began charting her path with Duke’s Professional Development Institute, known as PDI. In 2004, she graduated from PDI’s Office Staff Development Program, where she learned Duke’s financial and record-keeping systems, business writing and other administrative skills. Soon after she finished that 44-week program, Dupree moved into a coordinator position in the Cardiac MRI department. Ten months later, she moved to a staff assistant position in Perkins Library. “PDI helped get my career on track,” Dupree said. “But I knew I needed a college degree to move farther.” She enrolled in North Carolina Wesleyan College in 2007 with her heart set on a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Over three years, Duke’s tuition benefit reimbursed her about $15,000 for the degree. She recalls those years as a whirlwind of activity. Many days, she would rush home after work, review her sons’ homework, give her husband a quick hug, then drive 20 minutes to the Morrisville campus for a three-hour class. On weekends, she sat in bleachers at her sons’ basketball games and studied accounting practices and organizational behavior. “It was tough, but my family understood how important it was to me,” she said. While Dupree was in college, Ann Elsner, director of administrative services at Perkins Library, increasingly involved Dupree in budget discussions and assigned tasks such as budget trend analysis. A few months after Dupree graduated in 2010, Elsner was able to promote Dupree to a financial analyst position at Perkins Library. “I wouldn’t have been eligible for this last promotion without the degree,” Dupree said. “But I’m not finished learning. I want to go on now and get my masters in business.” >> continued on page 6
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during his work there helping position patients on operating tables and wheeling in trays of equipment for sedating patients, he grew fascinated by the role of a nurse anesthetist. “It was something I could easily imagine myself doing, having responsibility for a Tuition paid by Duke patient throughout the operation,” he said. “But I needed that second degree.” Faculty and staff enrolled He investigated nursing school but discovered he was ineligible for most federal Institutions attended financial aid for a second bachelor’s degree. Before his second anniversary at Duke, a co-worker told Average age of participants him about the tuition benefit. He enrolled at NCCU and transferred to weekend night shifts at Average years of service Duke Hospital to make of participants time for day classes. When he earns his nursing degree next May, he hopes to gain direct experience at Duke for a few years then
By the Numbers Tuition Assistance in 2011
$2.56 million 1,006
Aliki Martin studies in the School of Nursing at Duke.
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Help finding her voice Three years ago, Aliki Martin watched as her son anxiously checked email each day, awaiting news of acceptance into college. She could empathize. She, too, had applied for college. A senior auditor for Duke’s School of Medicine, Martin joined the second class of Duke’s new doctorate in nursing practice in 2009. Her classes in evidence-based practice and applied statistics started days after she dropped her son off at the Rochester Institute of Technology. “Immersing myself in school work helped me cope with having an empty nest,” said Martin, who joined Duke 30 years ago as a pediatric nurse. She’s most recently been working on her capstone project: a pilot study to see if routinely screening breast and lung cancer patients at Duke for clinical trials will increase the numbers of women, minorities and underserved populations enrolled in clinical trials for new treatments. Her studies have given her an appreciation for just what it takes to make subtle changes in healthcare practices that could have major impacts on outcomes and research. She expects to earn the doctorate in August. “This work has helped me find my voice as a patient advocate,” Martin said. “No matter where my career takes me next, that will be helpful, and I’m grateful to Duke for supporting this growth.”
Long days paying off
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Trenton Emmert studies in nursing school at North Carolina Central University.
Trenton Emmert, the anesthesia technician studying at NCCU, settled into a favorite study nook in NCCU’s new Nursing Building. He pulled out a three-inch thick surgical nursing textbook from his backpack and underlined phrases with a blue highlighter. It had been a long day already. He arrived at school at 8 a.m., a few hours after finishing a 10-hour shift at Duke University Hospital. “It’s a hard schedule, but it’s for a good purpose,” he said. “I’m excited about becoming a nurse.” Emmert already has one bachelor’s degree that helped him get a job as a surgical technician at Durham Regional Hospital. But,
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return to school to gain accreditation as a nurse anesthetist. “Right now I have zero social life on the weekends, but thanks to the tuition benefit and the flexibility of being able to transfer to night shifts, I’m working toward the degree that I really want,” Emmert said. “I’m just really thankful to be working at an institution that makes this all possible.” BY MARSHA A. GREEN
Learn more about Duke’s employee tuition benefit at hr.duke.edu/tuition
Plan ahead with free retirement consultations Irene Lofstrom, left, and husband, Steve, visit the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. They enjoy gardening and hope to do more of it in retirement.
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urrounded by credit card receipts and bank statements, Irene Lofstrom meticulously entered her income, expenses and savings into a money management program on her computer. She and her husband had been saving since they started work at Duke 32 years ago, but one question kept nagging at her: Did they have enough money to retire comfortably? For help, Lofstrom, administrative coordinator in the Department of Neurobiology, used a lesser-known resource at Duke. She attended free retirement counseling provided by Fidelity, one of four investment companies that manage Duke’s employee retirement saving accounts. All employees at Duke are eligible for one-on-one consultations with Fidelity, TIAACREF, VALIC and Vanguard, even if they don’t participate in a retirement plan. Advisors work with employees to create an investment strategy, offer suggestions on investments and monitor investment choices. Sessions are provided by phone, on campus or at the investment company. “Saving regularly for retirement is important, but so is regularly checking to see if you are on target or need to adjust your strategy,” said Sylvester Hackney,
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associate director of Duke Benefits, who recommends making consultations an annual event. Last October, Lofstrom met with a Fidelity representative in the company’s offices at University Tower in Durham. She wanted reassurance that volatility of the markets would not derail her retirement plans. “I don’t know if I’m being conservative or aggressive enough for my age,” said Lofstrom, 58. Lofstrom learned that since most of her investment funds are in age-bracketed funds, she is on target. Age-bracketed funds automatically readjust the ratio of stocks and bonds based on a client’s expected retirement date so that the portfolio becomes progressively more conservative as retirement approaches. The Fidelity representative also calculated whether the combination of Social Security, Duke retirement plan and family assets would be enough to replace 75 to 85 percent of her family’s current income after retirement. She and the representative considered scenarios based on how long she and her husband will work and how much money they might need each year in retirement.
Financial Fitness Week May 21-24 Are you headed toward your retirement dream or do you need to recalculate the route? Through online and live webinars, Financial Fitness Week will help you chart a course. Participants will be entered in drawings to win one of several GPS devices. Some online presentations include: Retirement Income Strategies Understanding And Achieving Your Long-term Goals Market Overview For more information on Financial Fitness Week, visit hr.duke.edu/financialfitness.
“As it turns out, we can’t retire at 62 like we wanted to,” Lofstrom said. “We are just now recovering from the economic fallout, and that will delay retirement a bit. But at least now I know where we stand, and I don’t have to waste time worrying about it.”
For information about free one-on-one retirement consultations, visit hr.duke.edu/retirement
BY MARSHA A. GREEN
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Sustainable uke YOUR SOURCE FOR
GREEN
N E W S AT D U K E
Duke Moving Toward Carbon Neutrality Climate Action Plan continues to push ‘green’ behaviors
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uilt more than 80 years The reason lies not only in the ago, the steam plant way Duke uses energy, but on West Campus is supplies it as well. undergoing a major Last April, the giant pile renovation that marks the end of black coal outside the West of coal at Duke. Campus Steam Plant Furnaces that once burned disappeared, signaling Duke’s coal are being replaced with three final step of reducing to zero the giant natural gas boilers that production of about 80 percent provide steam to sterilize surgical of its steam from burning coal. It hospital equipment, maintain was a move recommended by the proper humidity for art and lab Climate Action Plan that got research and heat academic and Duke off of coal for the first time medical buildings across Duke. since the 1920s. In addition to a In addition to being sustainable, cleaner-burning fuel at the the retrofitted plant will save plants, Duke is now uses a solarDuke up to $400,000 a year thermal system on the roof of the in operational costs. Bryan Center that provides “Moving to cleaner fuels about 40 percent of the in the campus steam plants was building’s domestic hot water. one of the big moves that Duke This is a rendering of what Duke’s West Campus Steam Plant will look like once completed. “Ultimately, utilizing these could make as an institution to solar panels is going to displace meet our climate goals,” said an amount of steam we use at the Bryan Center to heat water, which Tavey Capps, Duke’s sustainability director. means we'll be using less steam and burning less natural gas,” said As Duke works to complete the steam plant project, the campus Steve Palumbo, energy manager for Facilities Management. “It's a continues its march toward carbon neutrality by 2024 – the main chain effect of sustainable practices.” goal when President Richard Brodhead signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment in 2007. Five years after signing the pact, and three years after establishing Duke’s Climate Action Plan, the university’s carbon footprint is continually shrinking. Greenhouse gas emissions, which include energy use and on-campus transportation and commuting, are down 11 percent from a 2007 baseline, a decrease in carbon output equivalent to the April 20, noon to 5 p.m. emissions of about 6,113 cars over one year. A festival, including a bike parade, music, food, Among the reasons for the shift has been the adoption of games and more, will be held outside the sustainable energy policies. According to an audit of Duke’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2007, 78 percent of all of Duke’s Levine Science Research Center. Get the full emissions came from energy consumption such as heating buildings list of events for April’s Earth Month at and powering computers. Last year, it was 72 percent, despite a larger sustainability.duke.edu. footprint with new offices and buildings like the Smith Warehouse.
Earth Day Celebration In April
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What does ‘carbon neutral’ mean? Carbon neutrality means the university will be able to completely cancel out all its carbon emissions with reduction efforts, which include conserving energy and improving transportation practices, among many others. Duke Facilities Management installed 45 solar-thermal panels on the roof of the Bryan Center to heat 40 percent of domestic hot water used in the building.
FOCUS ON ‘GREEN’ BUILDING Duke initiatives like a temperature control policy, which maintains heating and cooling within certain temperatures, and the campus’ extensive chilled water infrastructure, have helped lower electricity needs. These and other measures helped the university decrease its carbon output through purchased electricity by almost 21,500 metric tons between 2007 and 2011, the amount of emissions from annual electricity use of 2,681 American homes. Those savings will continue to add up given Duke’s focus on green building practices as part of its Climate Action Plan. The plan calls for getting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for all new construction or major renovations. Duke currently has 22 LEED buildings, from the country’s first certified free-standing garage (Sands Parking Garage) to its first LEED platinum residence hall (Home Depot Smart Home).
The GoPass, a free public bus pass for Duke students and eligible employees, is among alternatives to help reduce emissions.
“Our commitment to sustainability has been built from the ground up through construction and renovation projects,” said Tallman Trask III, executive vice president. “We started building to higher and more sustainable industry standards before LEED certification was introduced in 2001. We saw LEED as an opportunity to formalize this process and track our progress. Today, we are among the leading universities in the country.”
Neutrality is reached by reducing emissions and then offsetting leftover emissions by funding activities or projects that reduce, avoid or sequester greenhouse gases.
CURBING TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS While Duke has made consistent strides in energy use, the Climate Action Plan also points the direction for Duke’s transportation efforts. Despite an increase of 13 percent in transportation-related emissions from 2007 to 2011, much of that is due to air travel. This behavior can be hard to influence, if Duke faculty or staff travel on work-related matters domestically and internationally. Capps, Duke’s sustainability director, said that even though emissions were up, that doesn’t mean employees can’t make choices to cut down emissions that add up over time. Capps noted that the increase in transportation-related emissions doesn’t include Duke’s latest efforts to curb emissions on campus and throughout the Triangle because the reports don’t include the 2012 fiscal year. Late last year, Duke introduced two articulated, hybrid buses that use electric charge and low-sulfur diesel fuel. Parking and Transportation Services continues to promote sustainable transit, including providing the GoPass, a free public bus pass that allows students and eligible employees to travel at no charge. More than 6,500 passes have been distributed so far. “Not only are you saving a lot of money in gas and insurance, but you’re saving Mother Earth because you create fewer emissions when you’re riding the bus with so many other people,” said Mirta Mihovilovic, a senior scientist with the Department of Neurology who rides the bus from Chapel Hill to Durham and back each day with her GoPass. Duke also partners with Durham to offer the fare-free Bull City Connector as a sustainable public transit option for Duke community members and Durham residents alike. It averages about 1,500 riders each day and connects Duke with downtown Durham. “Programs like GoPass benefit everyone who takes advantage of them,” said Brian Williams, Duke’s transportation demand coordinator. “That's what's so special about what we have here at Duke.” BY BRYAN ROTH
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Learn more about the Climate Action Plan at sustainability.duke.edu
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Employees volunteer to review parking ticket appeals
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bout 3,300 parking citations were written at Duke last December, and for about half of the students, employees or visitors who got a ticket, it meant paying a fine from $10 for infractions like improperly displaying a permit to $250 for parking in a handicap spot. But for nearly 1,600 people, the fines were waived, as part of Duke’s parking ticket appeal process. By completing an appeal form or appearing in-person with the appeals committee, Duke community members and visitors are able to plead their case – successfully or not. “We know that everyone wants to park close to wherever they’re going, but unfortunately we just don’t have the spaces to accommodate everyone with the parking they’d prefer to have,” said Marian Brown, adjudications officer for Parking and Transportation Services and a member of the appeals committee. Along with Brown, 11 other Duke staff members voluntarily serve on the appeals committee, which meets once or twice a week, depending on the number of citation appeals. Students can also serve on the group. During a meeting, the committee reviews up to 30 appeals – from improperly parking in lots to failing to move vehicles
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from lots before athletic events. Time is also reserved to allow for five minute, in-person appeals. While all parking citations are eligible to be appealed, Duke community members should consider context when appealing a ticket. For example, if a vehicle was parked in a fire lane, or in a handicap-accessible spot, the driver is breaking state law; the ticket will not be dismissed. In other cases, if a car is parked without a proper permit, but the driver has a legitimate reason such as a medical emergency, the appeal committee may consider a dismissal. “It’s important to think twice before submitting an appeal because not everything will be a legitimate excuse,” said Brown, the adjudications officer. Johnny Bell, a senior network analyst with the Office of Information Technology, has served on the appeals committee member for about 20 years. He joined the group because he considered it a valuable way to help Duke’s parking efforts. Bell suggested first consulting Duke’s parking policies at parking.duke.edu to ensure an appeal is well founded. He recommended providing pertinent information, like photos, in the appeal. “A lot of times people will just appeal by making comments but never give us a way to verify what they say,” Bell said.
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Although Parking and Transportation provides information and support for the appeals committee, the committee’s voting members make decisions independently. Brown said the committee’s goal is to help educate and reinforce rules to keep campus safe. BY BRYAN ROTH
How To Appeal Only parking citation appeals received within 15 days of a parking violation are reviewed. Appellants must complete an appeal form at parking.duke.edu or fill out a form at the Parking and Transportation Services office at 2010 Campus Dr. An in-person appeal can be scheduled by calling (919) 684-7275 immediately following submission of an online appeal.
For more information, visit parking.duke.edu
Expand skills through professional organizations Professional groups offer opportunities to network, lead and learn Michelle Evans, right, speaks during a board meeting of North Carolina Women United. She represents Business and Professional Women on the board.
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ichelle Evans hesitated at the conference room door. She wondered whether any of the confident looking women dressed in business suits would want to talk with her, an administrator at Duke with two years of experience. Then the president of the Business and Professional Women chapter walked up, shook her hand warmly and asked about her career aspirations. That was seven years ago. “It was the beginning of a wonderful relationship, both with the president and the organization,” said Evans, an administrative manager for Duke's Research Integrity Office. Evans is now the president of the Raleigh chapter of Business and Professional Women, a national organization that focuses on improving the lives of working women through networking, education and development opportunities. Over the years, her membership in the organization has taught her tricks to calm nerves when at the podium presenting to professionals and steps for parliamentary procedure to ensure all issues are discussed during a meeting before a vote. “It is a nurturing environment where I can feel comfortable exploring new sides of myself,” Evans said. Some professional groups, like Business and Professional Women, bring together
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employees from different occupations around a common passion. Other organizations, such as the American Society of Landscape Architects, focus on professionals from specific industries. A common thread is organizations offer opportunities to learn new knowledge and skills and expand a professional network. Meg Flournoy, associate director of Career Services at the Fuqua School of Business, recommends following a passion when looking for professional organizations to join. “Find an organization that energizes you and brings meaning to you personally,” she said. “Then figure out how to bring that energy back to your job.” For Evans, membership in Business and Professional Women led to her becoming secretary after a few months. A few years later, Evans was asked to provide administrative support to Duke’s
Conflict of Interest Committee, a group that regularly uses parliamentary procedure. “I never would have guessed parliamentary procedure was a skill I would use at Duke,” Evans said. “But I was glad that I had learned it.” She also honed public speaking skills and found opportunities to speak to large groups within her professional organization. When her manager at Duke asked her to present to senior faculty on the progress of a new initiative, she accepted the assignment. “That’s the beauty of learning skills in organizations outside of work,” Evans said. “It gives me confidence in using them when the time is ripe at Duke.” “Career Tools” is a series of articles with tips and tools for professional development at Duke. BY MARSHA A. GREEN
Find A Professional Organization Search the web for professional associations related to a degree, training, association or keyword of interest. Check local chamber of commerce websites and city calendars to see what professional organization meetings or conferences meet in town. Some professional groups that meet on Duke’s campus are Duke’s Administrative Women’s Network, Toastmasters International Club and a variety of academic organizations such as the Duke chapter of Women in Science and Education (WiSE).
Got a “Career Tools” idea? Write working@duke.edu
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Steve Hinkle, chaplain with InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries, rides his bike to campus every day. He said a cultural shift at Duke to improve biking infrastructure has helped make bike commuting an easier option.
Pedal Power Making Progress At Duke More commuters hop on bikes when coming to campus
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or nearly a year, Steve Hinkle has peddled his way to the grocery store, meetings and most important – to and from work. Hinkle agreed last year to give up his 200,000-mile, 1992 Toyota Corolla for a custom-made commuter bike from Black Sheep Bikes of Fort Collins, Colo. The swap was part of the "Tour de Fat," a countrywide traveling bike event that made its first stop in Durham. The catch: Hinkle pledged to not drive a car, barring a serious emergency, for one year. While some may not be as accepting of this drastic change in transportation, Hinkle embraced it, particularly time spent on his bike on and around campus. “I’ve really enjoyed it because I like the sense of contact I get with the grounds and spaces around Duke,” said Hinkle, a chaplain with InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries. “It’s really easy to jump on my bike and go from one point to another because I don’t have to worry about parking like I would with a car.” In the past two years, Duke has made strides in enhancing campus for bike riders and commuters. Among the improvements are bike safety signs painted on roadways (called “sharrows”) and the creation of 12
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Bicycle Commuting Perks Employees and graduate students who do not purchase a parking permit can register as bicycle commuters. Registered bicycle commuters are eligible for: Up to 12 daily passes for
a preferred parking lot Up to 12 daily passes for
a remote parking lot Use of showers at Wilson or
Brodie recreation centers until 9 a.m. Monday-Friday (DukeCard required) online maps showing the locations for all 140 bike racks and 2,220 bike “parking spaces” on campus. The map also highlights showers that registered bike commuters can use at Wilson and Brodie recreation centers. In addition, bikeduke.com launched, offering tips on riding a bike to and around Duke. Last year, nearly 200 new Duke community members registered as bike
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commuters. Duke now has about 460 total; 40 percent are faculty and staff. “Practically every Duke road on campus has bike infrastructure in the form of a bike lane, wide shoulder or sharrow,” said Brian Williams, Duke’s transportation demand management coordinator. “We’ve made a concerted effort to make biking the cleanest and fastest way to travel carbon-free throughout Duke.” Hinkle, the chaplain and bike commuter, said having access to showers has been a benefit, especially in Durham’s summer heat. He also noted that Duke’s use of “sharrows” – nationally recognized symbols to alert drivers that cyclists are sharing the main traffic lane – may offer a long-lasting impact. The symbols are painted at 25 campus locations, from the Campus Drive tunnel on East Campus to the entrance of Science Drive across from the Washington Duke Inn. “I like seeing those because it’s one more reminder to commuters that the road is also intended to be used by bikes,” Hinkle said. “There’s a cultural momentum gaining that offers more and more support for people to bicycle at Duke.” BY BRYAN ROTH
Learn how to become a bicycle commuter at parking.duke.edu/bikecommute
Local goes global at Duke Farmers Market International cookbook kicks off market on April 27
T
he Duke Farmers Market offers some of the freshest local produce around, but this season, it’s going global. Beginning with the first market April 27, the Duke Farmers Market will celebrate its 12th season with an international theme of “Local Foods, Global Flavors.” As part of the effort, LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program and sponsor of the market, will highlight a different country each month of the market, which runs through Sept. 24. Visitors can pick up free recipe cookbooks featuring international recipes from Duke faculty and staff. “Being able to offer these local, fresh foods is great because we know our shoppers can taste the difference between what they can get at a grocery store and what they find at the farmers market,” said Lauren Updyke, health education manager with LIVE FOR LIFE. “By taking these recipes and using fresh ingredients from the farmers market, it offers everyone the chance to try something new while eating healthy.” The market, located between the Bryan Research and Nanaline H. Duke buildings off Research Drive, features about a dozen local farmers and vendors selling a variety of fresh produce, healthy baked goods and more. The Duke Campus Farm will join the market for the first time this year. Students, faculty and staff can use cash and FLEX points to buy items from the Campus Farm table. Updyke said this season’s global theme came about to recognize Duke’s diverse community. To open the first market, local cook Linda Watson will hold a cooking demonstration featuring collards to celebrate Brazil. The “Local Foods, Global Flavors” recipe cookbook will also be available at no charge. The cookbook will feature nine international recipes – one a month from April to December.
go online
For more information, visit hr.duke.edu/farmersmarket
Lucy McMorris, an administrative assistant with Duke Hospital’s administrative systems and nursing payroll, submitted her a recipe for orzo salad, a dish with origins in the Mediterranean. She’s made the orzo salad recipe for about 15 years. “I like to use tomatoes in my salad and everything tastes better with in-season tomatoes,” she said. “It’s easy to find good food choices at the market and the local farmers also give you good ideas for things to prepare.” In addition to farm-fresh produce and the new cookbook, employees can also buy special gifts at the market. During “Duke Appreciation” in May, faculty and staff can purchase produce through the “MARKET-GRAM” program. Vendors will sell special arrangements of flowers, fruits, coffee beans and other products as MARKET-GRAM specials priced from $3 to $12. Employees who purchase an item can then pick up from the LIVE FOR LIFE table a free MARKET-GRAM bookmark gift tag with messages like “You’re a peach.” BY BRYAN ROTH
Want To Go? The Duke Farmers Market runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday from April 27 to July 27 and every other Friday from Aug. 10 to Sept. 24.
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From Blackboard to Sakai: What you need to know
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im Nichols enjoyed using Sakai last fall in his Public Policy 264 course, “National Security Decision Making.” After attending a training session at Duke’s Center for Instructional Technology, he found the new online learning management system easy to upload all readings, assignments and other course materials. He found the interface easy to use, too. “As a management tool, it was a big time saver, and I got a lot of positive comments from my
students,” said Nichols, an adjunct professor. “They picked it right up, and we didn’t have a single glitch throughout the semester.” Nichols is looking forward to using Sakai again in the coming academic year. For those new to the system, though, he recommends exploring it a bit before the start of the semester. “It’s very intuitive, but it will take a little time to figure out some of the tricks for doing what you want to do,” he said. Tim Nichols
What is Sakai? Sakai, an open-source collaboration and learning environment, is replacing Blackboard at Duke for course and organizational site management.
What does Sakai offer? Like Blackboard, Sakai enables document sharing, discussion boards, grading, blogs, wikis, email lists, group project spaces and online testing. As an open-source platform, Sakai also provides increased flexibility to integrate new and existing tools, as well as support Duke’s growing number of collaborations.
What’s happening with Blackboard? After June 30, 2012, Duke users will not be able to access Blackboard or retrieve materials from any course or organization sites created in Blackboard.
Who’s using Sakai? More than 10,000 faculty and students are using Sakai in more than 800 courses this spring. The group includes a variety of schools and disciplines, with the highest concentrations in Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, School of Nursing and Sanford School of Public Policy.
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Working@Duke
What do I need to do? All faculty members should check Sakai for migrated Blackboard content and download other Blackboard content they want to save before June 30, 2012. Blackboard Elise Mueller with the Center for Instructional Technology works on the new Sakai “organization” learning management system with library employee Michael Daul. site owners should compare content migrated into their new Sakai “project sites” to content currently in Blackboard and copy or archive any additional content they want to save.
How can staff use Sakai? Any Duke staff member can create a project site in Sakai, which can be used for a variety of purposes, such as collaboration for small working groups or teams, storage and file sharing space or event planning.
How can I get help? The Center for Instructional Technology is offering workshops and training opportunities to help instructors and staff prepare for the change. Faculty and staff have a range of support options, including online help documentation, scheduled seminars and one-on-one consultation. BY CARA BONNETT
go online
For more about Sakai, visit sakai.duke.edu
A deep discount on deep cleaning
PERQS employee discounts
Employee discount at cleaning service offers savings
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ark Kitchens’ springcleaning is easy. He hires People’s Pride, a service that provides a 20 percent discount to staff and faculty. “I wanted my house to be cleaned effectively, but I wasn’t finding the time to do so,” said Kitchens, advisor of the Duke Karate Club and supervisor for Technical Services within the University Center for Advising and Events. People’s Pride offers Duke faculty and staff a discount on its signature deep-cleaning service, a two-day effort that includes cleaning sinks, showers, mirrors, ceiling fans, baseboards, outlet covers, windows, microwaves and the oven. People’s Pride is one of several companies currently offering cleaningrelated discounts through PERQS, the Duke employee discount program. The need for a spring-cleaning became clear to Kitchens when he saw airborne dust in the sunlight in his living room. As he gathered his work papers and his karate gear and headed out the door that day, he wondered whether he would get the house clean before his allergies kicked in. Later that day, he received an email from the PERQS subscription list advertising the People’s Pride discount. “I got on the phone immediately and started asking about costs and availability,” said Kitchens, who lives alone.
Kitchens set up an appointment with Vincent France, owner of People’s Pride, for a deep cleaning of his north Durham home on a Tuesday morning when Kitchens was off work. France arrived at 9 a.m., took his tub of sponges and cleaning solutions into the kitchen and got to work. He wiped down counters, scrubbed the microwave and cleaned grime from the sink. He polished the range top, scraping away food residue in crevices and corners. Before he turned his attention to the next room, France asked Kitchens to take a look at his work to ensure he didn’t miss anything. Kitchens said he was impressed. “I’ve had previous services where they bring in four people who zoom all over your house and you are never really sure what they have done,” Kitchens said. “Vincent really wants to do the job right.” For France, the reactions of his clients are the best reward for a job well done. “I just love helping people recapture their house and make it into a home again,” he said.
Vincent France, owner of People’s Pride, offers a discount to Duke employees on cleaning services. Here, he cleans the home of Mark Kitchens. Photo by Mark Kitchens.
People’s Pride (919) 931-5834 peoplesprideservices.com
BY MARSHA A. GREEN
go online
For a full list of PERQS discounts, visit hr.duke.edu/discounts
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WORKING@DUKE HOW TO REACH US Editor: Leanora Minai (919) 681-4533 leanora.minai@duke.edu Assistant Vice President: Paul S. Grantham (919) 681-4534 paul.grantham@duke.edu Graphic Design & Layout: Paul Figuerado (919) 684-2107 paul.figuerado@duke.edu Senior Writer: Marsha A. Green (919) 684-4639 marsha.green@duke.edu Writer/Videographer: Bryan Roth (919) 681-9965 bryan.roth@duke.edu Photography: Duke University Photography and Marsha Green and Bryan Roth of Communication Services.
Working@Duke is published every other month by Duke’s Office of Communication Services. We invite your feedback and story ideas. Send email to working@duke.edu or call (919) 684-4345. Don’t forget to visit the “Working@Duke” section daily on Duke Today: today.duke.edu/working
dialogue@Duke “How do you keep your job-related skills sharp?”
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I’ve been reading a book by Duke’s Darla Deardorff on intercultural competency because I want to keep up my knowledge and awareness of working with people from around the world. I also read the “International Educator” monthly magazine, and I’m involved with groups and conferences because it’s a wonderful way to network, learn more and improve my public speaking. I’ve taken classes with Learning and Organization Development for improving feedback and communication skills.” Lisa Giragosian Associate director, International House 15 years at Duke
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I’ll finish my bachelor’s in business management through the University of Phoenix’s Raleigh campus in April. I also stay up-to-date with certifications and look at publications to find out what’s out there to benefit my career. My next goal is to earn human resources certifications through Duke’s Continuing Studies.” Craig Gorham Employment representative, Duke Temporary Services 4 years at Duke
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The world of conservation, research, and animal management is everchanging. I tend to keep up on scientific journals, and I’m a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, American Association of Zoo Keepers, Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the National Association for Interpretation. Each of these organizations has online forums where colleagues within the community converse about relevant topics.” Niki Barnett Manager of education programs and interim development officer, Duke Lemur Center 4 years at Duke
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