WORKING@DUKE n NEWS YOU CAN USE n Volume 7, Issue 4 n August/September 2012
INSIDE
Free Football Kickoff Tickets Get Fit With Duke Run/Walk Club Eyeing Vision Care Benefits
A New Look For A Historic Campus Landmark structures at Duke undergo first major renovations since 1924
Editor’s Note LEANORA MINAI
Contents
Prepare for Open Enrollment
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very October during Open Enrollment, you have an opportunity to assess your personal situation and sign up for Duke health benefits or make changes to your coverage. In this issue, we highlight two optional benefits to provide you with some helpful information as you prepare for Open Enrollment. As part of Duke’s comprehensive benefits package, Duke offers a host of options like reimbursement accounts for health or dependent care expenses and vision care insurance. On Page 10, you’ll learn how one Duke family uses the dependent care reimbursement account to pay for camps for daughter, Deva. Duke employee Nancy Holliman saves about $150 for every $1,000 deposited in the account. Contributions are deducted pre-tax from pay. “It is definitely worth doing,” Holliman told Working@Duke. “In the process of doing taxes, we’ll see some benefit for sure.” Like the dependent care account, money for a health care reimbursement account is also deducted on a pre-tax basis, so you are able to save on expenses. (For 2013, the maximum contribution for a health care reimbursement account will be $2,500, based on national health care reform legislation). Keep in mind, you can only sign up or reenroll in reimbursement accounts during Open Enrollment, so now is the time to start thinking about these options as you evaluate your needs. The other benefit highlight in this month’s issue covers Duke’s vision care insurance. For the article on Page 13, we talked with Duke employee Mitzi Scarlett, who pays $9.47 per month for comprehensive eye care. The insurance covers the cost of new lenses or contact lenses each year and new eyeglass frames every two years, in addition to an annual vision exam. Under Duke’s plan, she only paid $100 for bifocals. “I was pleasantly surprised when she told me that my benefit paid for so much, including the scratch covering and other little things that add up,” Scarlett told Working@Duke. “It is awesome.” In the next issue of Working@Duke, we’ll have complete Open Enrollment coverage so check back in October. To do more research about benefits in the mean time, please visit hr.duke.edu/benefits.
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Working@Duke
Cover: New Look for Campus Duke is moving toward the future, while preserving its rich history. In the next few years, this will be present across campus, as pockets of construction take hold and freshlooking structures emerge.
Free Football and Fun Faculty and staff can request up to four free tickets for the Duke Football home opener against Florida International University on Sept. 1.
Duke Guiding Principles The Duke Guiding Principles — Trustworthiness, Respect, Diversity, Learning, and Teamwork — have served as the foundation for Duke’s efforts and actions for 15 years. Learn more about employees who help illustrate these principles.
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How to save on childcare Get fit with the Run/Walk Club Vision insurance offers comprehensive coverage Duke population rises, water use drops
2012, 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 postconsumer fiber. Please recycle after reading.
Briefly Nominations sought for Teamwork, Diversity Awards Are there faculty and staff in your area who take special care to value differing backgrounds and points of view? Have you worked with a team that emphasized collaboration and communication and advanced Duke’s mission? It’s time to nominate these people for the Diversity Award and Teamwork Award, annual awards that recognize faculty and staff who exemplify Duke’s Guiding Principles of diversity and teamwork. “We have employees who live these principles day in and day out but sometimes don’t get any visibility beyond their immediate colleagues,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president for administration. “These awards offer an opportunity to give them the wider recognition they deserve.” Ingeborg Walther, leader of the course numbering project that received the Teamwork Award in 2011, said her team spent the $1,000 award money The Arts & Sciences Course Renumbering Team to host a celebration to thank received a Teamwork Award in 2011 for standardizing the numerous other staff involved. “Many people worked numbers for more than 8,000 courses. with a good deal of patience, support and grace on this complex project,” said Walther, associate dean for curriculum and course development. “It was good to share the recognition.” Nominations for both the Teamwork and the Diversity Award in 2012 are accepted to Sept. 14. Winners will be honored at a luncheon with President Richard H. Brodhead and Chancellor for Health Affairs Victor J. Dzau in November. Forms, eligibility requirements and instructions are at hr.duke.edu/awards.
Got a question for President Brodhead? Duke University President Richard H. Brodhead will address faculty and staff during a Primetime employee forum on Oct. 4. Brodhead will offer an update on the “state of the university,” including Duke’s financial status, construction updates and other plans for the 2012-13 academic year and beyond. The event will start at noon in Griffith Theater in the lower level of the Bryan Center on West Campus. Staff and faculty are invited to write in with their questions for Brodhead by email [working@duke.edu] President Richard H. or send them by video. For video submissions, create a Brodhead 30 second video with your question, upload it on YouTube by Sept. 28 and email the link to working@duke.edu. (If you don't have a YouTube account, you will need to create one). A selection of video questions will be played during Primetime. The Primetime event will be broadcast live on the Working@Duke section of Duke Today [today.duke.edu/working] and the Primetime website [hr.duke.edu/primetime]. Individuals who attend or submit questions in advance will be entered into a random drawing for lunch with Brodhead.
Duke to add tobacco surcharge to insurance Because tobacco use drives up health care costs and leads to chronic health problems, Duke will ask staff and faculty who smoke or use other forms of tobacco to pay more for health insurance beginning in 2013. During open enrollment this October, employees will be asked about their tobacco use. Employees who indicate they smoke or use tobacco will be charged an extra $10 per month, starting with coverage for January 2013. Duke will remove the monthly surcharge from an employee’s health insurance if he or she successfully completes a tobacco cessation program. “We hope this surcharge will get people thinking about the true cost of smoking for themselves and others and encourage employees and their family members to seek support to quit,” said Lois Ann Green, assistant vice president of Human Resources Benefits. Visit hr.duke.edu/tobaccofree to learn more about Duke’s free tobacco cessation resources.
Find a ‘golden ticket,’ win prizes For the second year, Duke staff and faculty are encouraged to participate in the “Check Yourself” campaign, an effort to have individuals check and verify their personal information on the Duke@Work self-service website. During the campaign, which runs Aug. 6 to Aug. 19, “golden tickets” will be hidden on various pages of personal information linked from the "My Profile" section of Duke@Work. Five randomly chosen employees will receive a golden ticket that provides the chance to select from a handful of prizes, including an Employee Athletic Pass, tickets to a show at the Durham Performing Arts Center and a 50-minute massage. “This campaign helps us ensure that the data in our system is accurate, which in turn makes us more efficient in sending out communications about health insurance, retirement and other benefits," said Bill Marchese, director of the Human Resources Information Center. "When the data is correct, everyone benefits.” Check yourself at hr.duke.edu/selfservice beginning Aug. 6.
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Cover Story
Renovations of Baldwin Auditorium on East Campus include extending balcony seating along the sides of the auditorium and enlarging the stage. Photo courtesy of C. Ray Walker.
A New Look For A Historic Campus Landmark structures at Duke undergo first major renovations since 1924
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long Duke’s nearly 100-year-old performance venue on East Campus, construction crews dug mounds of dirt to excavate about 20 feet into the earth. After the ground was clear, giant concrete walls rose, creating space to house an upgraded air conditioning system that will offer a new level of comfort in Baldwin Auditorium: air from 40,000 small holes will seep from the stage to cool performers. The renovation of Baldwin Auditorium is just one new project Duke is undertaking to move toward the future, while preserving its rich history. In the next few years, it’ll be more present than ever across campus, as pockets of construction take hold and freshlooking brick, mortar and glass structures rise from the ground. After several years, Duke is once again in a building boom. “In my office, I have a photo of the construction of West Campus with the railroad tracks bringing in materials,” said President Richard H. Brodhead. “It’s a reminder that wonderful work done in the past created the scene for our present activities, and that we in turn need to keep building and renovating to provide for the Duke of the future.” 4
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Three years ago, Duke spent $190 million on 130 construction or renovation projects, including renovation of the East Campus Steam Plant and Smith Warehouse. Toward the end of the economic downturn, spending dropped to $80 million. As Duke continues to emerge from the Great Recession, construction work across campus is supported by outside donations, including last year’s $80 million gift from The Duke Endowment, the largest single philanthropic gift in the university’s history and in the Endowment’s 87 years. The 2012-13 capital budget includes $255 million for major projects to enhance Duke’s campus and buildings, including landmark structures like Baldwin Auditorium and the West Union. Baldwin and West Union, which will be remade with funding from the endowment gift, are part of the original campus construction that began following benefactor James B. Duke’s creation of both the Endowment and the university in 1924. In addition, Duke will build its first large-scale reclamation pond, a project originally outlined in Duke’s architectural master plan from the mid-1920s.
Aside from sustainable purposes, renovations at the West Campus plant include a modern facelift. Nearly 100 windows have been replaced, allowing light to flood inside for the first time in decades. In the boiler room, two smokestacks – 152 feet and 165 feet tall – were decommissioned and slowly deconstructed with the transition to natural gas. “No more coal at Duke,” said Floyd Williams, the project manager for the West Campus Steam Plant.
Baldwin Auditorium When Ray Walker stands on the partially constructed stage in Baldwin Auditorium, he can point to a spot, where, nearly half a century ago, he sat as a member of his high school concert band. Forty-seven years after the performance with his Hillsborough schoolmates, Walker is overseeing a $15 million renovation that will modernize the 85-year-old auditorium for a whole new generation of performers and patrons. “It’s kind of surreal,” said Walker, staff architect and project manager with Duke’s Facilities Management Department “I never would have imagined that so many years later, I would be leading a project to renovate this grand space.” The $80 million gift from the Duke Endowment will help fund the first major renovation of Baldwin Auditorium, the focal point of Duke’s East Campus and the primary rehearsal and performance venue for numerous student ensembles, including the Duke Symphony Orchestra, wind symphony and jazz ensemble.
Construction crews work on windows in the West Campus Steam Plant. Nearly 100 windows have been replaced in the 83-year-old building.
We s t C a m p u s S te a m P l a n t Once covered with black soot and dark grime, the 83-year-old brick inside the West Campus Steam Plant looks like it was laid yesterday. Bright red after pressure washing, the brick is one major aesthetic transformation as Duke converts the former coal-burning plant to natural gas. The West Campus Steam Plant, built in 1928, will fully function in May 2013. The 30,785-square-foot plant will assist the East Campus Steam Plant with providing steam to sterilize surgical hospital equipment, maintain proper humidity for art and lab research and heat campus and medical buildings across Duke. The work is an important part of Duke’s movement toward carbon neutrality by 2024 – the main goal when President Richard H. Brodhead signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment in 2007. “By next summer, we’ll have had the first year that Duke did not use coal on campus,” said Tavey Capps, Duke’s sustainability director. “We’re excited to see the impact of this sustainability initiative when we update the campus greenhouse gas inventory this fall.”
A model of what Baldwin Auditorium will look like when renovation is complete.
Baldwin’s stage – where Walker once performed – is part of the transformation. The depth of the stage will double from its original size, stretching 40 feet toward the audience. That change, coupled with extending balcony seating from rear-only to seating that wraps around the walls and nearly hangs over the stage, will reduce overall capacity from 900 to 700 seats. These changes give Baldwin a more intimate theater experience seen in many modern theaters, including the Durham Performing Arts Center. >> continued on page 6
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Upgrades to lighting and acoustics will allow for the space to be “tuned” to each individual performance, making sure musical notes carry to every corner of Baldwin, and a drum’s bass to each seat. “The new acoustics will be a great enhancement to the performances we present in Baldwin, whether it’s a string quartet, a solo piano recital or a large orchestra,” said Scott Lindroth, professor of music and vice provost for the arts at Duke. “We are thrilled by the prospect of being able to present student ensembles, faculty performers and other professional musicians in a hall that will truly do justice to the music.”
“The Pavilion, West Union and Bryan Center projects will tremendously improve many aspects of the Duke student experience as well as campus life for faculty, staff and guests,” said Larry Moneta, vice president for Student Affairs. “When completed, students will enjoy a premiere dining experience and outstanding program and event facilities.” For more information about the renovations, visit sites.duke.edu/westunion.
We s t U n i o n
As the West Union receives a facelift on one side of campus, a new destination will be built in the spring of 2013 between Erwin Road and Circuit Drive near Towerview Road. Duke’s first large-scale water reclamation pond will sit on a 12-acre site and will include a pavilion, bridge, boardwalk, walking paths and amphitheater with lawn seating. The pond holds a special place when it comes to Duke construction; it was part of the original master plan of the university’s landscape in the 1920s but never built. The $9 million initiative, which will take a year to complete, is a significant sustainable step, given that Duke is the largest water customer in Durham and the project will save millions of gallons of potable water a year. Once operational, the pond will collect rainwater and runoff from 22 percent of the main campus area. At standing capacity, the pond will hold about 23 million gallons of water at an 8- to 12-foot depth.
In an ambitious project involving a campus landmark facility, Duke is taking on a multi-stage process to transform the West Campus Union Building, renovate the Bryan Center and construct a brand new building adjacent to the Bryan Center known as the Events Pavilion.
Wa t e r r e c l a m a t i o n p o n d
This artist rendition of the Events Pavilion shows the soon-to-be constructed building, which will feature unique glass design.
The West Union project is the centerpiece of the renovations and is supported by the Duke Endowment gift. The work is expected to turn the West Union back into the principal student “living room” and eating space – the center of student life it was for more than 50 years prior to the opening of the Bryan Center in 1982. Beginning in September, work will begin on the A computer-generated model shows the reclamation pond, which will collect rainwater and Events Pavilion, a 25,000-square-foot building with Duke runoff from 22 percent of the main campus area. stone adorning the outside of a lower level and a main level encased in a unique glass design. The Events Pavilion will serve as Instead of using water from the city of Durham’s drinking temporary space for dining facilities during work at West Union, water supply, Duke will pump water from the six-acre pond to one and later will be opened up to become meeting and event space. of Duke’s nearby chilled water plants to produce chilled water for Once the Events Pavilion is complete, the renovation of cooling and dehumidifying campus and medical buildings. West Union will begin. Work on the West Union is expected to “There are financial benefits for us because we’ll save water begin in August 2013 and finish in the summer of 2015. When completed, renovations to the Bryan Center and Flowers and money, but it’s also a city benefit,” said Steve Palumbo, energy manager for Facilities Management. “It’s by far one the most Building will enhance and permanently accommodate student leadership organizations, student support centers and administrative significant sustainable projects we’re working on.” services previously housed in the West Union or adjacent buildings.
BY BRYAN ROTH
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Free football, food and fun at Employee Kickoff Celebration Annual “Duke Appreciation” event is Sept. 1
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employees and their friends and family joined a crowd of 32,741 hile Colleen Helms has been going to Duke at Wallace Wade Stadium. Tickets can be reserved at football games for nearly 30 years, there’s been goduke.com/employee. some extra prePre-game festivities – game excitement including music, inflatable since head coach David Cutcliffe games, face painting and a buffet has come around – the Employee – will start at 4 p.m. Sept. 1 at Kickoff Celebration. Krzyzewskiville outside Card She plans to be in the stands Each Duke staff and faculty member can Gymnasium. At 4:45, all fans are for this year’s fifth annual Duke request up to four free tickets to the Sept. 1 encouraged to cheer on the Blue Employee Kickoff Celebration home opener against Florida International Devils as the team walks through that is part of “Duke Appreciation” University. Pre-game festivities, including “Blue Devil Alley” on its way into and brings together faculty and a buffet, begin at 4 p.m. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Wallace Wade Stadium. The Fan staff for the start of the Duke Tickets can be reserved at Zone will close at 6:30 p.m. just football season. Helms enjoys goduke.com/employee or by calling prior to the 7 p.m. kickoff. The bringing family and friends to the (919) 681-8738. A DukeCard is required event, sponsored by Duke kickoff event because it’s a rare to pick up tickets on game day. Athletics and Human Resources, opportunity for the entire Duke also includes fireworks during community to rally together. halftime of the game. “We don’t often get a lot of “The kickoff celebration is a special event and unique time at work to see coworkers because we’re busy all day,” said opportunity to show our Duke spirit and support the team in an Helms, a nuclear medicine technologist in the Duke Cancer exciting environment,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president for Institute. “It’s nice to see other people, talk to them and enjoy good administration. “It’s a symbolic way of bringing the entire Duke food and music.” community together.” Beginning in early August, faculty and staff can request up to four free tickets for the home opener against Florida International BY BRYAN ROTH University, which starts at 7 p.m. Sept. 1. Last year, nearly 10,000
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Reserve your Employee Kickoff Celebration tickets at goduke.com/employee
Scan with smartphone to reserve tickets.
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Duke Guiding Principles
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n May, President Richard H. Brodhead reaffirmed the Duke Guiding Principles, which emerged 15 years ago from an initiative established by his predecessor and senior officers of Duke. The five principles – Trustworthiness, Respect, Diversity, Learning and Teamwork – have served as the foundation for Duke’s efforts and actions since that time. “These values are more than just words,” Brodhead said. “They represent the actions of more than 34,000 people who continually create the experience of Duke University. … I reaffirm our commitment to the Duke Guiding Principles and celebrate the extraordinary work that is done every day to bring these values to life for our students, patients, visitors and each other.” Here are Duke employees who help illustrate the Duke Guiding Principles.
TRUSTWORTHINESS
Oscar Dantzler
Officially, Oscar Dantzler is a housekeeper at Duke. But everyone really knows that “Oscar,” as he insists everyone call him, runs the Duke Chapel. With that unofficial duty comes a set of responsibilities, and he takes them all quite seriously. Just as he diligently dusts the crevices and nooks hidden throughout the Chapel’s neo-Gothic architecture, he is equally careful when he sees a student or visitor who looks likes he or she could use a kind word, or an open ear. “I love helping people,” said Dantzler, who has worked at Duke for 15 years. “I see that as part of my responsibility.” Dantzler exhibits the Duke Guiding Principle of Trustworthiness through values such as integrity, truthfulness and ethics.
RESPECT
Deb Johnson
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Last winter, Deb Johnson found herself in charge of transporting 50 students to campus. She needed a bus to shuttle the students to the Winter Forum, a non-credit curricular experience for undergraduate students before the spring semester. When it became clear campus buses were not running that day, Johnson, assistant vice provost for undergraduate education, scrambled and called a colleague she didn’t know. Help arrived in the form of Marian Brown, an off-duty adjudications officer for Duke Parking and Transportation Services. Brown arranged for a bus, and Johnson was quick to acknowledge Brown for her assistance. Johnson made sure Brown’s work was recognized in the “Making a Difference” blog this year. “Marian was amazing,” Johnson said. “She didn’t even blink an eye.” By valuing contributions and recognizing accomplishments, Johnson illustrates the Duke Guiding Principle, Respect. “Peer recognition is a big motivator for people,” Johnson said. “The little things mean a lot.”
DIVERSITY
Sam Miglarese
When a Duke student gets to experience life outside campus, two things happen, according to Sam Miglarese. The student enriches Durham, and Durham enriches the student. Both contribute to the diversity of the Duke experience. “Diversity is a sociological fact of Durham,” Miglarese wrote in an op-ed column a few years ago. “It is a reality we all claim some pride in, as it grows more obvious.” Miglarese came to Duke in 1999 after nearly 30 years in full-time church ministry. He’s now director of the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership and director of Community Engagement for the Office of Durham and Regional Affairs. He said that his office has a unique role in helping foster relationships between Duke and Durham. “Our goal is to create an environment that allows diversity to enrich rather than divide,” Miglarese said. “Diversity works best when it isn’t perceived as a melting pot where differences are processed into the whole, but when we recognize the unique gifts different people have and how those differences can push us to be better.” For recognizing and valuing differences, Miglarese represents the Duke Guiding Principle of Diversity.
LEARNING
Jameca Dupree
In her 11 years at Duke, Jameca 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 II with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. These days, Jameca Dupree’s life is a bit less hectic than in years past, but the mother of three is preparing later next year to participate in Bridges, an intensive professional development program for women in higher education. She also has her eyes set on Duke’s Toastmasters Club and Duke’s Financial System Specialist Certification Program. “My theory is that where you go and what you do completely depends on you,” Dupree said. “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 and my career path.” Because of her commitment to continual learning and excellence, Dupree exemplifies the Duke Guiding Principle of Learning.
TEAMWORK
Mitchell Vann (in white shirt at right)
Stefanie Conrad remembers when the director of facility operations at the School of Nursing popped into her office and asked if she’d want to help make a video. Mitchell Vann was enthusiastic, ready to pump up everyone on the DUSON (Duke University School of Nursing) Green Team for the upcoming challenge in the Green Devil Smackdown, a contest to see which team could earn the most points for sustainable actions. He thought a video would do just the trick. The video featured DUSON employees doing their best environmental trash-talk, explaining over a hip-hop beat why they cared so much about green practices and trying their best to appear intimidating through their scrubs, face masks and antics. It paid off — the 12-member DUSON team finished fourth in the Smackdown among 63 teams. “The people I work with are so bright and smart and passionate and dedicated and cool that it just makes doing things like this so easy and fun,” Vann said. “It’s not work. It’s wonderful.” By fostering positive work relationships and accepting responsibility and accountability, Vann is an example of a staff member who carries out the Duke Guiding Principle of Teamwork in his everyday work and life. BY ELIZABETH SHESTAK
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today.duke.edu/working
To learn more about these employees and the Guiding Principles, visit hr.duke.edu/guidingprinciples
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Save on childcare with a Duke reimbursement account The Duke Dependent Care Reimbursement Account can be used for childcare expenses such as summer camps. Photo by Hannah Jacobs/Courtesy of Camp Riverlea.
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s part of her family’s childcare plan, Nancy Holliman sends her 11-year-old daughter to camps for pottery, horse-back riding and other summer fun. She saves on these childcare expenses by paying with money sheltered from taxes through Duke’s Dependent Care Reimbursement Account. For every $1,000 deposited in the account, the Holliman family saves about $150. “It’s definitely worth it,” said Holliman, director of programs for HASTAC and the Digital Media Learning Competition at the John Hope Franklin Institute for Humanities. “We see the benefits when we do our taxes.” The Dependent Care Reimbursement Account is available to all Duke faculty and staff who sign up during the annual Open Enrollment for benefits in October. Participating employees may contribute up to $5,000 per year. Employees can use money from the account to pay for daycare, before-and afterschool programs, local day camps and inhome babysitting for children under age 13 if these services are necessary to allow an employee to work. 10
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In the past year, slightly more than 1,500 employees enrolled in the Dependent Care Reimbursement Account. They are on track to save more than $2 million in taxes because Duke takes the contributions from pay and places them in the reimbursement accounts before calculating federal, state and Social Security taxes, said Saundra Daniels, plan manager for benefits at Duke. “It’s an excellent way to save a bit of money on a fairly predictable expense,” Daniels said. Holliman, whose daughter Deva enjoyed a busy summer at Camp Riverlea
in Bahama and other local camps, pays for camps early in the year and claims reimbursement when she has proof Deva attended camp. She must also ensure that enough money has been set aside in her account to cover a bill before requesting reimbursement. “It involves a lot of remembering to get papers signed and faxed in to request reimbursement,” she said. “But for a couple hundred dollars, I remember.” BY MARSHA A. GREEN
How to Save on Childcare Participating Duke staff and faculty may contribute up to $5,000 per year per family to Duke’s Dependent Care Reimbursement Account. Contributions are deducted pre-tax from pay. Here are some reminders: You may sign up or re-enroll during Open Enrollment in October 2012 Money may be used to pay for childcare expenses from January 2013 to December 2013 Some special federal tax guidelines apply so participants are encouraged to review guidelines and contact Duke Benefits or WageWorks with any questions Employees can submit reimbursement requests by fax, online, or mobile phone
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hr.duke.edu/reimbursementaccount
Get fit, social with Duke Run/Walk Club Fall season starts Aug. 20 Employees participate in the Duke Run/Walk Club, a free wellness program for beginner walkers to race-ready runners.
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ith cholesterol just a tick too high and only so much internal motivation, Judy Oehler needed a way to step up her exercise. On doctor’s orders, she walked about four days a week but wanted to do more. So instead of going it alone, she got social at the Duke Run/ Walk Club. “Exercise is not something I’ve ever looked forward to, but having a group of people waiting for me was the motivation I needed many times when I could’ve easily said, ‘I just won’t do it today,’ ” said Oehler, a clinical nurse in the Department of Pediatrics. “Strength in numbers keeps you going.” That moral support will bring Oehler back for her third session with the Run/Walk Club when the program starts Aug. 20. Registration is now underway for the free, 12-week fall session that runs until Nov. 7. All Duke employees and their dependents can join the club, which is sponsored by LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program. Sign-up is available at hr.duke.edu/runwalk. The club meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. each Monday and Wednesday. Walkers and beginning runners meet at the East Campus wall, across from Whole Foods on Broad Street; more advanced runners meet in front of Wallace Wade Stadium. At each location, participants form groups according to fitness level and follow clearly laid out plans to help participants improve fitness and lower stress. In 2011, 712 people participated in the spring and fall sessions. “Members of our Run/Walk community have succeeded because we put a strong emphasis on social support and group dynamics,” said Liz Grabosky, fitness program manager for LIVE FOR LIFE. “Working out together helps you stay on track and makes accountability fun because you know you’ve got a big group of friends waiting for
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For more information or to sign up, visit hr.duke.edu/runwalk
you each week.” The Run/Walk Club will offer special workshops at the beginning and end of the fall session to help participants gauge progress. LIVE FOR LIFE’s “Fitness Fundamentals” program will run at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 15 at the Duke Health and Fitness Center track in Durham. Each participant will receive a free measure of aerobic endurance, a personal running/walking evaluation and body balance training tips. Along with dozens of other Duke faculty and staff, Margaret Donnelly will be hitting the trail at Duke’s East Campus in August. It’ll be her third session with the Run/Walk Club, which she joined in 2010 to help her feel more physically fit and confident. “I’m really not an athlete at heart, so I needed something to keep me going,” said Donnelly, a physician assistant in the Department of Pediatrics. “It was nice having the camaraderie of the group because I’m a social creature, and it’s nice to know people are looking forward to you showing up.” BY BRYAN ROTH
Join the Club The Run/Walk Club meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. each Monday and Wednesday from Aug. 20 to Nov. 7. Walkers and beginning runners meet at the East Campus wall, across from Whole Foods on Broad Street; more advanced runners meet in front of Wallace Wade Stadium. Groups also meet from 5 to 6 p.m. at Durham Regional and Duke Raleigh hospitals. The club is free of charge. Scan with smartphone to get started.
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Modern Art at a Modest Price Nasher Museum of Art offers discount membership to Duke employees
PERQS employee discounts
Janet Bassett views Alexander Caldwell’s “Performing Seal” at the Nasher Museum of Art with her friend, Daniel Tirpack.
Employee Savings at the Nasher Museum
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anet Bassett watched as the “Performing Seal” mobile twisted slowly before her, its dark metal discs casting shadows across the Nasher Museum floor. Although it was her third time seeing the mobile, she was captivated. “The whimsy of it still catches me,” said Bassett, a financial analyst III for Duke’s Patient Revenue Management Organization. The mobile was part of “Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art: Form, Balance, Joy” at the Nasher Museum. Bassett used her discount museum membership to visit the exhibition several times without having to pay the $10 admission. Although many exhibitions at the Nasher Museum are free to Duke faculty, staff and students, tickets are required for some special exhibitions, such as the Calder display. But Duke employees can get free admission to special exhibitions and shows by joining the museum through PERQs, the Duke employee discount program. At a discount rate of $40 for a two-person membership, staff and faculty get daily access to exhibitions (including ticketed special exhibitions) with a guest for a year. Membership also includes free audio tours and a 10 percent discount at the museum café and store. “I went to the Calder exhibit twice by myself and once with a friend,” Bassett said. “That’s one of the treats of membership. You can go back repeatedly and take someone with you if you want.” Even without the discount membership, staff and faculty can save on special exhibition tickets. Admission is half price, or $5, for staff and faculty. Bassett said the exhibitions, audio tours and talks at the Nasher Museum have introduced her to new aspects of modern and contemporary art. “I now realize I like modernistic art,” she said. “The membership makes it convenient for me to go to the museum anytime, and there is always something worth seeing.” Bassett enjoys visits to the museum so much that she purchased two additional memberships (at the full $60 price) for her son and granddaughter. “I like to give gifts of experience,” she said. “It is nice to be able to all get together and say, ‘let’s go see what’s at the Nasher.’ ” BY MARSHA A. GREEN
• Free admission to most exhibitions • Discount admission for ticketed special exhibitions ($5, not $10) • Reduced rate for two-person museum membership ($40, not $60) • Museum membership provides two free tickets per day to ticketed exhibitions, free audio guides, and a 10 percent discount at museum store and café
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Upcoming Exhibitions Current: “Olafur Eliasson: The Uncertain Museum,” an interactive art installation Aug. 23, 2012 - Jan. 6, 2013: “Time Capsule, Age 13 To 21: The Contemporary Art Collection of Jason Rubell” Nov. 4, 2012 - Feb. 10, 2013: “Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters: The Cone Sisters of Baltimore”
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For more information, visit nasher.duke.edu
Mitzi Scarlett saved about $300 using the Duke vision plan to purchase her new bifocals.
Seeing the benefits of Duke’s vision care insurance
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itzi Scarlett has 20/20 vision when it comes to Duke’s vision care insurance. Before she joined Duke, she once paid more than $400 for bifocals. “With Duke’s plan, I pay only about $100,” said Scarlett, a staff assistant in the Division of Cardiology. “That’s the kind of savings I get excited about.” Through Duke’s optional vision care insurance faculty and staff can manage the cost of comprehensive eye care. The plan covers the cost of new lenses or contact lenses each year and new eyeglass frames every two years, in addition to an annual vision exam. Duke’s medical insurance plans also provide coverage for one vision exam each year. Nearly 13,500 staff and faculty participate in Duke’s vision care plan, which allows them to pay for the benefit on a pre-tax basis. “Good vision, like good health, is something people treasure,” said Sylvester Hackney, associate director for benefits at Duke. He noted that periodic eye exams are part of good vision care, and also can help detect other underlying medical problems. Staff and faculty can enroll in vision insurance for themselves and dependents during the annual Open Enrollment period
in October. Employees do not need to be enrolled in any of Duke’s medical plans to participate in the vision care plan. With Duke’s vision care benefit, participants can have their eyes examined and shop for lenses and frames at any of 35,000 providers in the UnitedHealthcare Vision network, including more than 100 providers in the Triangle area. Scarlett, the staff assistant in the Division of Cardiology, prefers shopping for eyeglasses at places such as Wal-Mart because the stores carry a variety of eyewear, including brand name lenses that avoid materials to which she is allergic.
This year, Scarlett has paid $9.47 a month for Duke’s vision insurance. The plan covers her eye exam, the first $130 of the cost of a set of frames and the full cost of lenses (in lieu of contacts), including 100 percent of options such as progressive lens with anti-reflective coating, polycarbonate scratch protection, ultraviolet coating and photochromic tinting to darken lenses in direct sunlight. “With my eyes, I have to have glasses, so I’ll buy them no matter what the cost,” Scarlett said. “But it is such a pleasant surprise to realize how much I get and how little I pay with insurance.” BY MARSHA A. GREEN
Eyeing the Costs Service
For a person purchasing For a person purchasing at a retail chain with with Duke’s Vision no insurance Insurance
Comprehensive eye exam with refraction
$30
$136
Material co-pay
$15
$0
Designer frames (up to $130)
$0
$130
Progressive bifocal lens with anti-reflective coating
$0
$545
Transition tinting to darken lenses in sunlight
$0
$100
Annual Premium ($113) for individual
$113
$0
$158
$911
TOTAL ANNUAL OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE
Source: UnitedHealthcare for 2012 plan year
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Learn more about Duke benefits at hr.duke.edu/benefits
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OIT handles 100,000 help requests a year A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT IT HELP REQUESTS
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n today’s technology-infused workplace, computers and phones are essential tools of almost every. When they don’t work as expected, productivity suffers. Duke staff, faculty and students submit nearly 100,000 IT help requests each year on topics from email and software to network connectivity and computer viruses. Here’s a look at what happens behind the scenes when a Duke user needs IT help: The Office of Information Technology’s Service Desk provides front-line support, fielding more than 7,500 phone calls, emails, chat requests and Top Photo: John Shaw, analyst with the Duke Office of Information Technology, fields a customer walk-up visitors to the Link in Perkins Library every call. Bottom Photo: Kirk Bostwick, analyst with Duke's Office of Information Technology, helps month. An analyst in OIT’s call center creates a troubleshoot a computer issue with President Richard H. Brodhead. “ticket” for every request so it can be tracked in Support@Duke, a system that also includes a The Support@Duke system – which was implemented this knowledge base of resolutions to common problems. About spring, replacing an older issue-tracking tool – offers new 70 percent of incoming “tickets” are resolved with that first capabilities for tracking issues across the campus and health system, call, according to OIT Service Desk manager Paula Batton. Batton said. “This system makes it easier to identify bottlenecks and areas If the issue can’t be resolved with that first call, the ticket is where we can improve service,” she said. “We also can access the “escalated,” or assigned to a different group that handles system and view details about a ticket from mobile devices, so if an desktop support. An analyst in that group follows up with the analyst is nearby, we can go right to the customer and help.” customer, either on the phone or in person, to get additional President Richard H. Brodhead recently got some help from details and troubleshoot the issue. OIT when he accidentally deleted changes he made to a major If that group still can’t resolve the issue, the ticket is escalated talk. OIT was able to recover the changes he had made to the document. again to an IT group that specializes in that area. Those analysts “I bet I’m like a lot of people across the university: I use try to replicate the issue and occasionally reach out to the vendor computers all day long, but when a problem arises, I need help,” (such as Microsoft or Cisco) for further assistance. Once the Brodhead said. “I’m enormously grateful for the competent, issue is resolved, the desktop support group lets the user know. cheerful assistance I always get from OIT.” BY CARA BONNETT
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Working@Duke
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Get Help: To contact OIT’s Service Desk, visit oit.duke.edu/help or call (919) 684-2200
Sustainable uke YOUR SOURCE FOR
GREEN
N E W S AT D U K E
Overall Water Use Drops as Duke Population Rises
S
ince 2006, Duke has of its highest water consuming reduced its overall use of buildings across the university to water by nearly 200 million identify sources of environmental gallons – a 30 percent and financial savings. decrease in consumption. After the water audit review It’s impressive considering is completed, extra efforts will be that in the past six years, Duke has made to educate Duke community added an additional 500,000 members on water-saving square feet of building and natural techniques. Capps, Duke’s space and hundreds of additional sustainability director, said that students. Duke plans to expand water “Our continued focus on conservation aspects of its green conservation and efficiency is not building guidelines, which requires only beneficial to the campus but all new construction and major to our surrounding community as renovations to achieve certification well,” said Tavey Capps, Duke’s in Leadership in Energy and Crews with Duke’s Facilities Management Department use reclaimed water to care sustainability director. Environment Design (LEED) by for grass and flowers around campus. “Even with the significant the U.S. Green Building Council. that chiller plant uses about 40 million reductions we have achieved over the past “We’ll assess where we can have the gallons of non-potable water from alternative few years, Duke is still the largest water largest impact and focus on strategies that sources to produce chilled water to cool customer in the city of Durham.” include operational elements such as campus buildings, labs and hospital areas. Duke has incorporated numerous bathrooms and labs as well as further “Students, faculty and staff can even ways to conserve and use water, such as education of the campus community on help us maintain sustainable practices storage cisterns located across campus their personal impact,” Capps said. “Because by reducing unnecessary water use and that hold as much as 150,000 gallons of the consistent drought we’ve seen in reporting things like leaking faucets,” recent years and the importance of this of rainwater to be reused for watering said Steve Palumbo, energy manager for resource, it’s imperative to keep responsible athletic fields and landscapes. Facilities Management. water use a priority.” Upcoming projects like a water Duke is stepping up efforts to cut reclamation pond on the fringe of West BY BRYAN ROTH water use, Palumbo said. This summer, Campus will allow Duke to pump water Duke performed water audits on some from the pond to one of Duke’s nearby chilled water plants to be used in the production of chilled water for cooling and Every Drop Counts dehumidifying campus and medical buildings. Duke officials expect the initiative Report leaks, dripping faucets and running toilets — a dripping faucet wastes will significantly decrease the amount of more than 600 gallons a year; a running toilet, more than 131,000 gallons. potable water use on campus. University buildings: (919) 684-2122 The reclamation pond, which will take Residence halls: (919) 684-5320 (East), (919) 684-5486 (West), about a year to complete after its spring 2013 (919) 684-5813 (Central); start, is in addition to what Duke’s West Medical Center: (919) 684-3232 Campus Chiller Plant already accomplishes:
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Learn more about Duke sustainability at sustainability.duke.edu
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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 Senior 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 “With construction and renovations taking place across campus, what’s your favorite place (old or new) at Duke?”
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My favorite spot is the Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. I love that the space is open to everyone and maintained by so many volunteers. To me, the Discovery Garden is thrilling because it’s such a great resource for teaching kids to be thoughtful of where our food comes from and how to be better stewards. I love that the barn is repurposed from old timber. It’s such an exciting space.” William Niver Admissions officer, University Admissions 1 year at Duke
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I love the Central Campus pool. I have a 9-year old son who loves the water. It’s nice that there is such a diverse group of people there, too. It’s fun to mingle with everyone. Last summer, we spent almost every day there. It’s also a good place to have lunch because the Devil’s Bistro or Uncle Harry’s is right there. You can grab some food, sit outside and eat lunch.” Lila Edwards Emergency communications officer, Duke Police 4 years at Duke
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For me, it’s the Lemur Center. In 2011, there was a fair amount of construction but now new animal buildings are finished that allow you to see the animals better from improved vantage points. It’s just a great place to visit.” Keith Morris Learning & Organization Development practitioner, Learning & Organization Development 3 years at Duke
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