Working@Duke December, 2009 / January, 2010 Issue

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SHAPE UP DUKE Register for a 12-week employee health competition to walk the most steps, lose the most weight or exercise the most minutes.

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FREE FUN Looking for something to do? Duke offers many free arts, culture, sports and other campus activities to engage mind and body.

SUSTAINABLE DUKE Duke has a plan that includes projects and other recommendations to become climate neutral by 2024.

NEWS YOU CAN USE :: Volume 4, Issue 9 :: December 2009/January 2010

Parents’ Peace of Mind Nancy and Kevin Shambley celebrate their first Christmas with sons Jackson, left, and Ross, right. The family used Duke's parental leave benefit when the adoption of Jackson and Ross became official in 2008.

DUKE’S PARENTAL LEAVE BENEFIT SUPPORTS NEEDS OF EMPLOYEES AT WORK, HOME ancy and Kevin Shambley wanted children Human Resources. “It’s a priority to support since they married more than eight years Duke’s employees in a way that allows them to It’s an ago, but doctors said it probably wouldn’t balance their personal and professional goals, happen. Still, they tried to get pregnant for six which makes their work and home life more enormous years. rewarding.” transition taking Lucky for them, two boys came along and Employees may be eligible for up to a new child into changed their lives. They hadn’t considered 12 weeks of unpaid leave under the Family adopting kids until their pastor at Liberty Medical Leave Act after giving birth or a family and Baptist Church in Durham pointed them in the adopting children. The Duke benefit allows acquiring a new direction of Ross and Jackson, 3-year old twins. eligible employees to use their accrued paid family member – The choice was easy. time off – as well as three additional weeks “I was able to put the hurt and of paid leave – toward the 12 weeks. especially for the first time … to have disappointment of not being able to have my Denise Evans, executive director of Duke some time to devote to that adjustment own children aside and that was such a good Staff and Labor Relations, said one of the key physically and emotionally is crucial.” feeling,” said Nancy Shambley, an administrative parts of Duke’s benefit, which is available to — Lisa Berlin assistant with Duke HomeCare and Hospice. a natural parent, same sex partner or a new Research Scientist, “I was able to concentrate on the happiness that adoptive parent, is that 100 percent of an Duke’s Center for Child and Family Policy I knew was waiting for us.” employee’s pay is covered while they use the The Shambleys welcomed Ross and Jackson parental leave benefit. Other employers may into their home as foster parents in August offer four to six weeks off but often at a lower 2007, and when their adoption became official in June 2008, Nancy used percentage of pay, she said.

Duke’s Parental Leave Benefit to bolster her relationship with her sons.

“Most places will say how many weeks you get, but you have to ask the “That time I had a off just solidified our relationship and helped to next question of how much pay you receive,” Evans said. “The best part show Ross and Jackson that they were ours, they live with us and they’re about Duke’s benefit is you’re able to have that time with your child, and our children,” she said. “That’s when it became real clear to them that we you’re not worrying about pay during that period.” got to be their mommy and daddy.”

That time is an important part of caring for a child, said Lisa Berlin, During any month, Duke averages about 20 employees who use the a research scientist with Duke’s Center for Child and Family Policy.

Parental Leave Benefit, which provides three weeks of full base pay to “It’s an enormous transition taking a new child into a family and eligible university and health system staff – either female or male – who are acquiring a new family member – especially for the first time,” Berlin said. considered the primary caregiver in their families during the leave period.

“I think that to have some time to devote to that adjustment physically and The benefit is one of many family-friendly perks that has garnered Duke a emotionally is crucial.” spot as a top employer in North Carolina by Carolina Parent magazine for Berlin added that the first year of parent-child interaction has proven eight consecutive years, as well as being named a “Great College to Work to be pivotal in a child’s development, socially and emotionally. With that For” by The Chronicle of Higher Education in 2008 and 2009. time together, children are able to enhance their cognitive development and “We aim to help support the needs of our employees both in their learn social skills. In a case like the Shambleys, who adopted, Berlin said work lives and their family,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president for that it can be even more important to have parental leave.

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>> See PARENTS’ PEACE OF MIND, PAGE 8 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.

Editor’s Note LEANORA MINAI Leanora.Minai@duke.edu

Newsbriefs Research Drive will open spaces in nearby PG-II, LaSalle Street, Hock Plaza and Circuit Drive — parking lots that are currently sold out.

The new seven-level garage, which will be considered for a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designation, will have reserved parking spaces for low emission vehicles, as well as other eco-friendly aspects.

There is currently a waiting list for spaces in the garage. Inquiries may be made by sending e-mail to tranpark@notes.duke.edu.

Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.

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p for a fitness challenge in 2010?

Join the Office of Communication Services in registering for Shape Up Duke, a new team-based exercise, pedometer steps and weight loss competition.

Shape Up Duke is a 12-week program that will help faculty and staff reach health and fitness goals in a team environment. In groups of five to 11, participants invite, challenge, track results, set goals and motivate coworkers through a robust website, shapeupduke.com.

Each participant, led by a captain, selects one, two or all of these categories: weight loss, exercise minutes and pedometer steps. To protect privacy, only the participant sees his or her own weight. Team standings are calculated and published online at points in the competition.

Over here in Communication Services, we’re throwing down the gauntlet with a team led by Paul Grantham, assistant vice president. I’m in because I want to get moving more with pedometer steps.

“I wanted our group to do more than write about programs such as Shape Up Duke,” Grantham said. “I want us to engage in them and help lead by example. We challenge any other group at Duke to try and beat us. Ultimately, we will all win with better health.”

There are perks and prizes. Each participant receives a startup kit with a pedometer, log book and Shape Up Duke blue wristband.

Registration begins Dec. 14 at shapeupduke.com; the competition kicks off Jan. 4.

Don’t miss the article below for more information. And let the competition begin.

Duke will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s life with a series of events in mid-January, including a free concert by the African Children’s Choir on Jan. 18.

The concert is at 2 p.m. in Page Auditorium. Priority seating will be given to Durham Public School students. Plans for the keynote speaker in Duke Chapel are being finalized.

Get the schedule of events for the 2010 commemoration at mlk.duke.edu.

letters to the Editor

Ring in the holidays with employee singers Duke Human Resources invites Duke faculty and staff to celebrate the holidays Dec. 18 with vocal performances by Duke's own employees in Duke Chapel.

The celebration, “Sharing our Joy,” will consist of two half-hour performances by Duke employees, selected by audition. Human Resources will host a hot beverage and cookie reception outside of the Chapel before and after each performance. The first performance will begin at noon, the second at 1 p.m.

Check hr.duke.edu for details, including names of performers.

Year-end financial paperwork reminders Faculty and staff enrolled in health or dependent care reimbursement accounts for 2009 have until Dec. 31 to use all of the money in their accounts, or forfeit it. Reimbursement claims must be submitted by April 15, 2010.

Also, keep in mind: payroll deductions for health and dependent care reimbursement accounts for 2010 begin in January, and payroll deductions for 2010 medical, dental and vision benefits begin in December.

For employees yearning to get an early start on Uncle Sam paperwork, W-2 forms for 2009 will be distributed to department addresses by Jan 27, 2010. Employees who have recently moved or are planning to leave Duke in any capacity should update their address at Duke@Work (hr.duke.edu/selfservice) or by calling (919) 684-5600.

The “Battling the Bulge” story in the October Working@Duke is fantastic. The feature is informational; it certainly details the many programs at Duke available for employees. It also explains the institutional importance of employee weight reduction and improved workforce health.

The employee stories were inspirational. The Bruce Farley story and photo with son Wade were especially touching. Using real work-in-progress employee photos reinforced the information and added to the inspiration of the stories. This is the best feature that I’ve read in Working@Duke.

Carolyn Strong Turner Funding Specialist Office of Research Support Letters to the Editor must include name and contact information. E-mail letters to working@duke.edu or mail them to Working@Duke Editor, Box 90496, Durham, NC 27708.

Fax letters to (919) 681-7926. Please keep length to no more than 200 words.

Eco-friendly parking garage set to open A 1,900-space parking garage will open on campus by January, giving employees more parking options and reducing some waiting lists. The opening of Research Drive Garage by the corner of Erwin Road and

‘Shape Up Duke’ New employee team health competition encourages exercise ob Annechiarico tries to walk every day. This winter, he’ll have extra motivation.

This month, Annechiarico, a regular with the Run/Walk Club through LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program, intends to sign up for Shape Up Duke, a new 12-week competition. During Shape Up Duke, faculty and staff form teams to see who walks the most steps, loses the most weight and exercises the most minutes.

By exercising as part of a Run/Walk Club team, Annechiarico stays motivated to walk the Al Buehler Trail at least twice a week. He’ll apply the same concept of teamwork in January when Shape Up Duke, also sponsored by LIVE FOR LIFE, kicks off.

“There are days you say ‘I don’t want to do this,’ but the group is going, so you want to support each other,” said Annechiarico, director of Cancer Center Information Systems. “We reinforce each other to do it.”

Registration for Shape Up Duke begins Dec. 14 at ShapeUpDuke.com.

To take part, faculty and staff are invited to form teams of five to 11 coworkers or find colleagues for a team through a forum on the website.

After registering, each participant receives a package with a digital pedometer, exercise and results logbook and a Shape Up Duke wristband in Duke blue. Participants also receive a pass for up to five free visits to selected local fitness facilities.

“We’re excited to kick-off Shape Up Duke and give employees a new way to focus on their health, which is a priority at Duke,” said Julie Joyner, manager for LIVE FOR LIFE. “We can’t wait to see how much fun people have working together to reach their goals.”

Once Shape Up Duke starts Jan. 4, teams compete in three categories: weight loss, exercise minutes and pedometer steps. Each team can participate in one, two or all categories.

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Over the 12 weeks, Tiwatha Godley, nursing care assistant and health unit coordinator in participants ambulatory surgery, lost 100 pounds with Duke employee wellness programs. exercise alone or with teams, monitoring progress by logging results on the Shape Up Duke website. All results must be reported on a regular basis through the website or by calling (877) 614-7160. At the end of the program, winning teams from each category receive Shape Up Duke T-shirts.

To encourage competition, teams can select “rivals” for competition and track team results on the Shape Up Duke website. Duke Raleigh Hospital has already challenged Durham Regional Hospital.

“I think that people can be fairly competitive and this will help them not only to do well for themselves, but Duke too,” said Doug Vinsel, CEO of Duke Raleigh Hospital. “If you have people working with you toward a goal, there’s healthy peer pressure that can help you achieve anything.”

— By Bryan Roth Writer, Office of Communication Services

Want to shape up with Duke?

Go to ShapeUpDuke.com

Financial times at Duke in 2009 he year began with restricted salary Because Duke counts on increases and a vacancy management disbursements from the endowment to initiative and ended with an early make up 15 to 20 percent of its annual retirement incentive offer to nearly 200 $2 billion budget, the dramatic decline salaried (monthly-paid) staff. substantially decreases Duke’s revenues.

Each month of 2009 brought efforts Still, Duke leaders said the endowment to close the university’s estimated $125 is strong and noted that over 10 years, million budget shortfall created by the its assets earned an average of 10.1 market downturn in 2008. Collectively, percent per year.

Duke’s efforts yielded results: more than “Over the past decade, we have 400 positions were shed from the payroll done substantially better than the through early retirements and scrutiny of standard market indices,” said Hof the need to fill vacant positions. This, in Milam, vice president for finance and addition to careful management of treasurer. “Over this past year, everyone overtime, saved $20 to 25 million in suffered losses. We have not done compensation-related expenses. as badly as the general market or some Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president for of our peers. We are investing for Human Resources, said these efforts will In 2009, Duke’s economic situation was the topic of two Primetime employee forums. the long term.”

The university’s endowment, whose values appear in the chart in the above photograph, help mitigate the potential for large-scale has been affected by the market meltdown. The drop in value will be felt for several University deans and department layoffs later. directors are already planning Duke’s years because Duke averages the value over a three-year period to determine how much money is available from the endowment for operating expenses.

“This is a scenario we’re working budget for the 2011 fiscal year. That aggressively to avoid,” he said. “That’s the budget goes to the Board of Trustees for whole purpose of having these systematic processes of reducing the number approval in May 2010. But since Duke uses a three-year average of the of positions before we have to deploy anything like that.” endowment’s value on Dec. 31 to calculate disbursements, administrators By mid December, the university will know how much more it will won’t know the exact amount of money coming from the endowment until save in payroll expenses after 198 monthly-paid staff members decide around late January. whether they will accept the latest retirement incentive.

Milam said Duke is watching the markets closely and hoping the rise “We have made substantial progress, and are about where we expected in the endowment value that took place in late summer will continue. to be at this time, but there is plenty more to do,” said Tallman Trask III, But he cautions against planning on a quick recovery. executive vice president.

“Because of the three-year averaging formula we use for determining The squeeze on Duke’s finances comes primarily from the drop in endowment distribution,” he said, “operating budgets will be seeing Duke’s endowment value. During fiscal year 2009, which runs from July declining endowment income for the next two to three years.”

2008 through June 2009, the endowment incurred an investment loss of — By Marsha Green 24.3 percent, losing $1.7 billion in value. The market value was $4.4 billion Senior Writer, Office of Communication Services at the end of June 2009.

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Teamwork/Diversityawards Winners of the Teamwork Awards and the Diversity Awards for 2009 were honored at a luncheon in November.

These awards, which President Richard Brodhead describes as “casting a spotlight on values that we hold dear,” highlight individuals who demonstrate a respect and value for differing points of view and to teams that collaborate on significant efforts that advance Duke’s mission

Diversity Award Sucheta Mazumdar Associate Professor of History For 15 years, Professor Sucheta Mazumdar has provided a social and academic center for Asian American students at Duke. She mentors Chinese student groups Sucheta Mazumdar and is an adviser for the master’s program in the Asian Pacific Studies Institute. She offers courses such as “Asians in the Americas: From 9th Street to Main Street” in which students research minority enterprise in Durham and present their findings to fraternities, public schools and libraries. She also organized a book drive at Duke that delivered 20,000 books to Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami. As an activist and academic, Mazumdar is well known at City Hall for her efforts to improve city services in her neighborhood.

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In every way one can think, Sucheta Mazumdar has worked to bring Asian Americans into the mainstream of Duke University academic life and Durham community life.

—Nominator, Sarah Deutsch, professor, Department of History

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The Diversity Award winner for the Health System was Dr. Laura M. DeCastro, honored for her leadership of the Adult Sickle Cell Center.

The Fitzpatrick East Data Center Planning, Design and Construction Team received the 2009 Teamwork Award.

Teamwork Award Fitzpatrick East Data Center Planning, Design and Construction Team In 2005, the data centers for the university and health system each needed new space. In an exceptional spirit of cooperation, a team of 31 individuals from various departments planned, designed and found funding to build a shared data center, rather than continue with separate facilities. The project required sustained teamwork: two information technology departments agreed on common policies and vendors; two financial teams coordinated funding and accounting procedures; and two facilities management groups agreed on design and support.

The new data center, completed in August 2009, covers 12,250 square feet in the Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences, and has enough power and redundancy to guarantee 99.982 percent reliability.

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More than anything else, I believe the people who worked on this project have created an environment for sharing of best practices, open dialogue and respect for each other’s opinions that will help Duke perform at its best, and that is the true value of teamwork.

—Nominator, Tracy Futhey, CIO and vice president, Office of Information Technology

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The Teamwork Award winner for the Health System was the Customer Service Team of the Davis Ambulatory Surgical Center, honored for their successful efforts to improve patient satisfaction.

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Benefits of Working at Duke

Free fun rom the soaring architecture of the Duke Chapel to telescopes tucked away in the forest, Duke offers a wealth of arts, culture, sports and other activities to engage your mind and body.

Here are Working@Duke’s top picks for fun that won’t cost a dime. If you get to the end clamoring for more activities, check out the “Free Fun” photo album on facebook.com/workingatduke for other ideas.

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1. Take a walk on the wild side

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Each month, Sarah P. Duke Gardens offers a one-hour “walk on the wild side” in the H.L. Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, nestled in the southeast corner of the gardens.

The tour covers a different topic each month, from invasive species to what makes a native plant native.

“The Blomquist Garden is designed to feel as if you are walking through a wild landscape, but it is interpreted and labeled like a living museum,” said Stefan Bloodworth, tour leader and garden curator.

Join the walk at the visitor center at 11 a.m. on the first Thursday of the month, rain or shine. For topics, visit blomquistgarden.blogspot.com.

2. See a play Talented Duke theater majors write, direct or perform plays as part of their senior projects each year. And you’re invited to attend for free.

From Feb. 11-13, students will perform “Stories from Medellin” and from Feb. 25-27, “Two Small Bodies.” Shows are at 8 p.m., and seating is first-come, first serve in the Brody Theater on East Campus.

“Students are encouraged to be bold, sexy, outrageous, dangerous,” said Jay O’Berski, a drama professor who regularly attends student productions. “This makes the perfect no-cost gamble for a night out at Duke.”

More information is at theaterstudies.duke.edu/productions.

3. Explore virtual worlds Looking for an out-of-this-world experience? Head over to the weekly open house at the Duke Immersive Virtual Environment (DiVE).

DiVE is a small room with computer-generated displays on walls, ceiling and floor that create a three-dimensional world. Stereo goggles and a special wand help immerse visitors in worlds that react to where they look, step and reach.You can enter an imaginary kitchen, designed by psychologists to test stress levels, for a timed exercise involving searching for lost keys. Soon you’ll be carefully stepping over virtual toys on the floor and flinching when virtual soup cans tumble out after you open a cupboard.

“The more time you spend in the DiVE, the more you forget that you aren’t seeing real things,” said Holton Thompson, associate in research for the Visualization Technology Group.

The open house is 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. every Thursday in room 1667A of the Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences. No reservations are needed.

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Take a break from coveting basketball tickets and cheer for winter and spring Blue Devil athletes in fencing, tennis, track and swimming. Competition is fierce, with athletes such as Becca Ward, winner of the 2008 Olympic bronze medal in fencing.

“We have some terrific student-athletes representing Duke University with a great record of team and individual accomplishments,” said Jon Jackson, associate director of athletics/university and public affairs at Duke.

For more sports, visit goduke.com.

5. Listen to jazz Fencing matches are among the nine free Duke spectator sports.

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Steve Nowicki, dean of undergraduate education and professor of biology, has studied birdsong for years. But on many Wednesday nights, he taps his toes to a different tune – jazz at the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture.

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4. Cheer on the Blue Devils

Steve Nowicki, dean of undergraduate education and professor of biology, enjoys a front row seat during jazz at the Mary Lou Center for Black Culture.

at Duke Music, led by John Brown, director of Duke’s jazz program and leader of the John Brown Quartet, fills the center from 9:30 p.m. to past midnight most Wednesdays.

“It is a wonderful, informal way to spend an evening mingling with other music lovers,” said Nowicki, as he applauded a vigorous sax solo on a recent evening. “You get undergrads and grad students, Duke folks and community folks – people of every color and age.”

Music in the Mary Lou resumes in January. Visit mlw.studentaffairs.duke.edu to learn more.

Cinema lovers won’t want to miss the films and film series shown by Screen/Society, which hosts screenings of challenging and thought-provoking domestic and international films.

“We raise cultural literacy and show challenging films that push the envelope,” said Hank Okazaki, exhibition programmer for Duke’s Program in the Arts of the Moving Image.

The first film in January will be “Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film.” The four-hour film, shown in two parts, explores Warhol’s astonishing artistic output between 1940 and 1987. Part one will show Jan. 21 at the Nasher Museum auditorium; part two is Jan. 28. Show times are 7 p.m.

For a list of films, visit fvd.aas.duke.edu/screensociety/schedule.php.

Duke’s Screen/Society will feature “Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film” in January.

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7. Stargaze in Duke Forest

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6. Watch a free movie

Spend an evening with the stars at the Duke Physics Department’s Teaching Observatory in Duke Forest.

Ronen Plesser, associate professor of physics, organizes public stargazing opportunities several Fridays each month. Depending on the time of year, he may introduce you to Jupiter’s moons, the colors of a binary star system or giant rings of cosmic gas through the 10-inch telescopes.

“My favorite telescope object is the great nebula in Orion,” Plesser said.

“There are so many things going on there. You can almost see the processes of star birth.”

Public stargazing is subject to weather conditions. To confirm dates, times and directions, visit cgtp.duke.edu/~plesser/observatory.

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8. Visit Duke’s Smart Home

The Home Depot Smart Home is the world’s first LEED Platinum “live-in” laboratory and the centerpiece of the Duke Smart Home program. On weekends, visitors can tour this unique residence hall and learn about new technologies and sustainable living, including solar power, plants on the roof, and water cisterns.

“I really liked the smart lights that turn on when someone comes into the room,” said Alessandro Mangiafico, 11, who toured the house with his parents, who are Duke employees.

The Smart Home is on Faber Street off Swift Avenue. Visit smarthome.duke.edu for tour dates, times and directions.

9. Enrich your mind with a lecture Does the digital revolution create new knowledge or just make us work harder?

Find out Jan. 19 during a talk by Lynn Hunt, professor of history at UCLA. Hunt’s lecture is part of the Duke Provost’s Lecture Series for 2009-10 focusing on the Historical Record in the Digital Age. Duke averages 15 to 20 public lectures each week. Visit calendar.duke.edu to find a lecture.

10. Visit UNC If you can’t find enough to do at Duke, hop on the Robertson Scholars bus for a free, non-stop trip to UNC-Chapel Hill.

The Robertson Bus runs to and from Duke’s West Campus bus stop and UNC’s Morehead Planetarium every day (including weekends) during the academic year.

Check bus schedules at robertsonscholars.org.

By Marsha Green, Senior Writer, Office of Communication Services

Paula and Paolo Mangiafico and son, Alessandro, learned more about sustainable living during a tour of Duke’s Home Depot Smart Home.

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Skip the mall F I N D H O L I D AY G I F T S AT D U K E S T O R E S ith the holiday season here, Duke community members searching for the perfect gift don’t need to travel far – Duke features one of the top five campus stores in the country.

Duke University Stores stocks plenty of unique products for any taste or style – even furry pets. So, what better way to spread Duke cheer than with a Duke collectible like a 4-foot tall removable vinyl wall graphic of the Blue Devil or Coach K? “There are so many gift possibilities at Duke for people of all tastes

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that faculty and staff are sure to find something friends or family would enjoy among the tens of thousands products we sell,” said Jim Wilkerson, director of trademark licensing and stores operations. “With such a wide selection right on campus, it’s a big convenience for employees to get some shopping done.”

Here are some items in the Bryan Center’s University Store that caught the attention of Working@Duke. But don’t stop here. Go to dukestores.duke.edu for more clothes and products.

1 Mini Duke Chapel and Cameron Indoor Stadium sculptures $69.95 and $95, respectively If you or someone you know can’t get enough of Duke, why not bring part of the university home? Each sculpture is a detailed replica of the iconic Duke buildings, down to the stained glass windows of the Chapel and championship banners hanging in Cameron.

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Duke BlueDevilhead $29.95 These foam caps are becoming a staple of college athletic events around the country and sit atop your head, keeping it warm at Duke athletic events. Buying from the University Stores also saves you $5 compared to foamheads.com.

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Spirit Fingerz gloves $19.95 These one-size-fits-all gloves feature mini pom-poms at the end of each finger – perfect for any Duke fan looking to add more pep to their cheers.

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School House Tote

$45 Founded by Duke alumna Rachel Weeks, School House is a “people friendly” collegiate outfitter that only makes clothes and accessories through a factory in Sri Lanka that pays its workers a living wage. Sales of products help to support the factory.

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Duke felt pennant $4.95 A perfect decoration that hangs just about anywhere – office, home or inside your car. While the University Store features pennants of all the ACC member schools, there are a few versions of Duke pennants, including one with a basketball and another with the university shield.

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6 See more gift ideas at facebook.com/workingatduke

— By Bryan Roth Writer, Office of Communication Services

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Duke to become climate neutral by 2024 uke has released a plan to become climate neutral by 2024, a date that coincides with the 100th anniversary of James B. Duke signing provisions that established the institution.

The university developed the Climate Action Plan as part of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, which President Richard H. Brodhead signed in 2007.

“Duke has long been a major center for the study of the environment, and we are committed to being a leader in best practices in responding to climate change,” Brodhead said. “There are many uncertainties in this field, so we will continue to assesses our progress and change our plan as needed as we go forward. But it’s time to get moving toward this important goal.”

Executive Vice President Tallman Trask III and Dean William Chameides of the Nicholas School of the Environment led the effort to develop the plan, which inventories Duke’s greenhouse gas emissions and offers recommendations for reducing or mitigating Duke’s footprint through the year 2050.

The university’s current inventory represents about 300,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, most of which come from energy and transportation, including commuter travel, air travel and the campus bus fleet.

“The reductions require that we make smarter choices about energy use, transportation, and other facts of daily life,” Brodhead said. “We must challenge ourselves to be more thoughtful about our habits and imaginative about needed changes.”

Among other recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the university would replace 10 campus buses with hybrid buses and discontinue the use of coal by

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renovating the East Campus steam plant with natural gas boilers and initiating the conversion of West Campus steam plant away from coal.

Duke will mitigate the impact of emissions it cannot reduce by investing in “carbon credits” through a new initiative that will serve as a catalyst for projects that will provide academic opportunities and reduce or sequester greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere.

“Duke’s plan will specifically target regional offsets rather than distant ones,” Trask said. “This will help us address our carbon footprint as well as improve the local environment and quality of life here in North Carolina.”

Operationally, Duke has made significant strides to become more energy efficient by cutting its expected coal consumption by 70 percent and meeting standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system.

“We have already made significant investments and improvements in energy efficiency by developing and renovating as many LEED-certified buildings as any other university in the country,” Trask said. “We will continue to advance these institutional efforts as resources become available.”

To symbolize Duke’s ongoing commitment to sustainable environmental practices, recycling and water conservation, the Cameron Crazies, Duke’s enthusiastic student fans, wear green shirts emblazoned with the slogan BLEED BLUE, LIVE GREEN, during the Jan. 31, 2008, men's basketball game in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

How you can help ■ Turn off computer when not

in use.

■ Set up power management

Cut your computer’s carbon footprint

features like “sleep” mode/disable screen savers.

■ Buy Energy Star-compliant

rom switching desktop computers to “sleep mode” when idle to consolidating clusters of servers, Duke is exploring new ways to save energy and money through “green” computing.

Green IT, which includes power usage and computer purchasing and disposal, has the potential to contribute significantly to Duke’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2024.

“Everyone has a computer, and we’re all using more and more technology,” said Tavey McDaniel Capps, Duke’s director of environmental sustainability. “IT is a significant contributor to energy use on campus, and sustainable computing is a way both to reduce costs and reduce our environmental footprint.”

The university has about 20,000 office and lab computers, 5,300 servers and 5,100 printers and mobile devices, not including student and faculty computers.

The average desktop PC wastes nearly half the energy it consumes as heat, which translates to higher electric bills and increased greenhouse

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gas emissions. Setting up power management features on one computer can save nearly half a ton of carbon dioxide and more than $60 a year in energy costs.

In addition to educating employees about green computing practices, the university also is investigating ways to boost the energy efficiency of its IT infrastructure, including consolidating server rooms across campus.

“For servers, cooling is actually a significant part of the cost,” said Jeff Chase, a Duke computer science professor. “How the room is set up, how the cooling system is provisioned – those things really matter. We’re

also tracking energy usage to find ways to get the most bang for the buck out of the hardware.”

Reusing old computers also minimizes waste. Last year, Duke donated more than 1,500 refurbished computers to local public schools and nonprofits.

On other fronts, virtualized computing and web and videoconferencing solutions enable telecommuting and online meetings, which also have “green” benefits, said John Board, associate CIO and associate professor of electrical and computer engineering.

“It’s a happy coincidence that many of the design decisions we’re considering making from a costsaving point of view also make wonderful sense in terms of green computing,” Board said.

“Technologies have converged to make cost savings and sustainability complimentary choices, not competing choices.”

— By Cara Bonnett Managing Editor, News & Information, Office of Information Technology

PCs or laptops, which use 15 to 25 percent less energy.

■ Unplug from phantom

power. Computers use electricity even when turned off or in standby mode.

■ Set default print settings

to double-sided.

Want to learn more about Green IT? Attend the Learn IT @ Lunch discussion,“Using Technology to Be Green and $ave Green,” from noon to 1 p.m. Jan. 27 in the RENCI Conference Room, OIT Telecommunications Building. For details: www.oit.duke.edu/ training/

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Stay informed about sustainablility at duke.edu/sustainability

WORKING@ DUKE

HOW TO REACH US Editor: Leanora Minai

dialogue@Duke

(919) 681-4533 leanora.minai@duke.edu Assistant Vice President:

“What are some low-cost or free activities you like to take advantage of at Duke?”

Paul S. Grantham (919) 681-4534 paul.grantham@duke.edu Graphic Design & Layout: Paul Figuerado Photography: Bryan Roth, Office

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A low cost thing to do would be going to the Lemur Center, that’d be fun. I’m also going to volunteer at the Intensive Care Unit at Duke Hospital as a patient liaison. You talk with doctors and help patients and families by getting them blankets or updating them on patient statuses, things like that.”

Jennifer Copeland Coordinator of events, Sarah P. Duke Gardens 8 months at Duke

of Communication Services; and Duke University Photography.

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by Duke’s Office of Communication Services. We invite your feedback and suggestions for future story topics.

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There are a lot of things to do, but I like to check out the events calendar on Duke Today and see if there are free seminars or lectures around campus. I also like to get information from campus life programs that are open to everyone and go to the Lilly Library to borrow DVDs for free.”

Yoko Hisano Program coordinator, International House 1 year at Duke

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I like to go to plays and musical performances on campus.

There are all sorts of things you can do. Even though I really like the surfing, skateboarding and extreme sports culture, it’s nice to be able to get out and enjoy some of the plays, which I’ve found I really like. The Duke Gardens offer quite a bit too.”

working@duke.edu or Call

681-4533

Todd Allen Senior painter, Facilities Maintenance Department 3 years at Duke — By Bryan Roth Writer, Office of Communication Services

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Parents’ Peace of Mind CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “It can be a more abrupt transition for both the child and parents because you don’t have nine months of a pregnancy,” she said. “It can obviously be traumatic for a child to move in with a new caregiver, but parents also need some kind of protected time to respond to the transition of becoming a caregiver.”

That advice isn’t just for adopting parents. James Todd, a senior writer and multimedia producer with the Office of News and Communications, said that his schedule and routine changed drastically with the birth of his sons Levi in 2007 and Samuel in 2008. He said it was important to get time off to adjust and make sure his family got the care and attention they deserved.

“It was great because I was able to welcome an entirely new human being into our family, get to know them and get to build that love and trust,” Todd said. “But the best part was it was in a way that was flexible and not pressured After Nancy and Kevin Shambley welcomed Ross and Jackson into their home in August 2007, the family took a vacation because I had that time off.” to Myrtle Beach, SC, where they enjoyed fair rides at Nostalgia Pavilion Park at Broadway at the Beach.

For Nancy Shambley, the Duke administrative assistant, “I got to play full-time mom during my leave, which was fantastic,” the time off allowed her to take sons Ross and Jackson to visit family she said. “I was the face that they saw in the morning and when they went members in Durham and Raleigh, get them enrolled to play T-ball and go to bed at night. For me to have that time off and to be able to grow that to a local swimming pool.

“I knew I could go to spend time with them and it would be OK because relationship meant they got the attention they craved and needed, and I I didn’t have to worry about work or money,” she said. “I was cementing that was more than willing to give it to them.”

— By Bryan Roth relationship and working on things that we wouldn’t be able to.”

Writer, Office of Communication Services Ross and Jackson, who are now 5, liked having their mom around because it meant they got home cooked meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ross said it was “cool” to have his mom at home, and Jackson was glad he could get all the macaroni and cheese he could eat.

Shambley said she was just happy to have one important change happen – getting to hear her kids use the word “mommy” every day.

Learn more about Duke’s parental leave benefit at

hr.duke.edu/parental_leave

D U K E T O D AY

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