Working@Duke December, 2010 / January, 2011 Issue

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SNOW REMOVAL PLAN

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Crews will clear prioritydesignated Duke roads, parking lots, bus stops and pedestrian paths to building entrances.

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FEEL LIKE A MILLION Registration for the new 12-week health and fitness challenge begins Dec. 13. Participants accrue virtual money by competing in five areas.

SUSTAINABLE DUKE Signs are posted near elevators and in bathrooms and kitchens as part of a campaign to promote eco-friendly behavior.

NEWS YOU CAN USE :: Volume 5, Issue 10 :: December 2010/January 2011

Charting Your Duke Career DUKE EMPLOYEES SHARE ADVICE ABOUT CAREER, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT DUKE wo and a half years after joining Duke as a financial analyst in the positions. The Duke Leadership Academy identifies and develops mid-to senior-level leaders for broader responsibilities. Duke also offers training department of anesthesiology, Janeka Jenkins realized she had only a at no or low cost, and tuition reimbursement for career-related courses at vague idea of next steps in her career. “I didn’t know anybody else at accredited North Carolina institutions. Duke who had moved on from this sort of job,” she said. Sally Allison, assistant director of recruitment and manager of the Three months ago, Duke’s Professional Development Institute Professional Development Institute, said that while Duke offers many helped Jenkins arrange a 30-minute informational interview with the options to enhance skills, employees should not blindly accept the notion associate director of financial and payroll services who began her career that success is defined only by a promotion. “Sometimes a at Duke as an accounting specialist. lateral move or new responsibilities can be a great career On the day of the interview, Jenkins calmed her move because you acquire new skills,” she said. Sometimes a nerves by remembering the meeting wasn’t a job “Professional development is a process, not an event.” interview. “I was just going to be asking about how lateral move or Working@Duke offers these tips for making the most she advanced her career,” she said. new responsibilities can of career opportunities at Duke in 2011 and beyond. Jenkins left the meeting with advice on gaining be a great career move experience and encouragement to consider Dukespecific training to position her competitively. “It was Be a go-to person because you acquire good to hear advice from someone further up the Ryan Smith, program new skills. Professional career ladder,” Jenkins said. director for student and alumni development is a process, By exploring career options within Duke, career services at the Fuqua Jenkins is bucking a trend. A March survey reported School of Business, said good not an event.” in the Wall Street Journal revealed that the recession performance is a key driver of a — Sally Allison has discouraged employees from actively considering career. Assistant Director of advancement outside or within their organization. “A slow economy can be a Recruitment/Manager of More than half of the 1,100 employees polled in the great time to use the resources Professional Development Institute U.S. in late 2009 indicated they didn’t see a clear available at Duke and elsewhere path for advancement; 44 percent said they had no to prepare for where you want to Ryan Smith plans to look for a new job because job stability was more important than be when the economy perks up,” he said. advancement. He recommended staying alert to While a tough economy has tightened up hiring, it has not drastically department needs and filling gaps. “If people are turning to you for help, dampened internal movement of Duke employees. In the 2009-10 fiscal they are more likely to think of you when opportunities arise,” he said. year, 4,232 moved to new roles within Duke University and Health System – about one of every eight employees. Most internal movement involved Map your career lateral transfers and level upgrades. During a workshop at Duke, Helen Faison listed her goal of a job with “There are enormous opportunities for people who perform at high more writing and analysis and imagined ways to tweak her current job to levels to grow and develop at Duke,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president bring that goal within reach. for Human Resources. “When you look at where you want to spend a large A program assistant in the Robertson Scholars Program, Faison shared portion of your work career, Duke is a top choice.” her ideas with her supervisor and came away with a project analyzing Duke’s commitment to professional development spans all levels of employees. The Professional Development Institute offers programs like >> See CHARTING YOUR DUKE CAREER, PAGE 4 Office Staff Development to prepare employees for entry-level clerical

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2009, 2008, 2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing 2009, 2007 Bronze Medal, Print Internal Audience Tabloids/Newsletters

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

Newsbriefs Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.

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hat will the new year bring for you? Popular resolutions may include losing weight, quitting smoking or saving money. What about your career? In this issue of Working@Duke, we dedicate the cover and pages 4 and 5 to career and professional development at Duke. The package includes 10 tips for enhancing your career as well as the personal stories on page 5 of staff members who weathered other recessions. While a tough economy has tightened up hiring, it has not dampened internal movement of Duke employees. In the 2009-10 fiscal year, 4,232 moved to new roles within Duke University and Health System. Most internal movement involved lateral transfers and level upgrades. If you want to sharpen your skills or position yourself for a new job at Duke, be sure to read the 10 tips that begin on the cover page with the article, “Charting Your Duke Career.” Among the tips are being a go-to person, mapping your career and networking. “A slow economy can be a great time to use the resources available at Duke and elsewhere to prepare for where you want to be when the economy perks up,” said Ryan Smith, program director for student and alumni career services at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. I’d love to hear your thoughts about this month’s issue. Please send comments or other story ideas to working@duke.edu. ••• Last month, I reported that I was running the Rex Healthcare Half Marathon, which is part of Raleigh’s City of Oaks Marathon. I finished my first 13.1-mile run without stopping. My chip time: 2:08:40, resulting in a 508th place finish among 1,277 female runners.

Duke will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s life with a series of events in mid-January, including a screening of the documentary film Freedom Riders on Jan. 14. Producer Laurens Grant will be available for a discussion following the film, which chronicles the efforts of civil rights activists challenging racial segregation on interstate buses and trains in 1961. “Remembering Martin Luther King Jr. and also the Freedom Riders is an opportunity to focus the attention of our community on their courage and sacrifice and to consider how their struggle is applicable to current issues of equity and social justice,” said Benjamin Reese, vice president for Institutional Equity at Duke. Get the schedule of events, including the keynote speaker, for the 2011 commemoration at mlk.duke.edu.

If you’re missing the conversation on Facebook, we’ll post a few snippets here each month – but please join and jump in at facebook.com/workingatduke.

Ring in the holidays with music and treats Duke Human Resources invites Duke faculty and staff to celebrate the holidays Dec. 16 at a reception and musical event in Duke Chapel. The celebration, “A Season of Joy,” begins at 11:30 a.m. with desserts and hot beverages served on the Duke Chapel lawn, to the accompaniment of the Chelsea Chimes Hand Bell Choir. From noon to 12:30 p.m., the students from the Durham School of the Arts will perform in the Chapel. Visit hr.duke.edu for more information.

Stay up to date with Durham news website Get news about Durham delivered with just one click. The Durham News Service website, launched in July by the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, offers updates on breaking news, Durham’s food and music scenes, events and new businesses. It also includes a link to blogs by local writers. “Think of it like a mini-CNN but focused on Durham,” said Sam Poley, director of marketing and communications for the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau. “For folks who live or work in Durham, it gives quick access to all the things that make Durham great.” Visit the website [durhamnewsservice.com] to learn more and sign up for e-mail alerts or RSS feeds for various sections of the site.

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.

Severe weather plan outlines priorities for snow, ice removal ast winter featured several snowfalls, including one that dropped as much as 10 inches of snow in the Triangle area. If the region is hit this winter, Duke will be ready and wants the community to stay safe and understand what to expect. Duke has revised its snow and ice removal plan that focuses on clearing Duke roads and designated priority parking lots, bus stops and pedestrian paths to building entrances. As part of the plan, the university and health system have been organized into precincts, allowing for shared responsibilities in providing efficient snow and ice removal by clearing priority areas first. “Our plan is to divide and conquer because it’s not possible to clear the entire campus in a short period of time,” said John Noonan, associate vice president for Facilities Management, which, along with Parking and Transportation, Engineering and Operations and Residence Life and Housing Services, developed the revised plan. There are more than 46 miles of sidewalks at Duke and hitting all to remove snow or ice in short order is not possible, officials said. Crews will focus on main campus (West, Central and East) and Duke-owned off campus properties. Priorities for clearing include Duke-owned roadways, priority parking

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Duke groundskeeper Elvis Holden shovels snow from in front of Duke Chapel after a snow storm in February 2010 dumped as much as 10 inches on locations in Durham.

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lots, garage entrances, bus stops and priority sidewalks to two primary building entrances. A map of priority areas to be cleared is at emergency.duke.edu. With 1.6 million square feet of Duke-owned roads and 4.1 million square feet of parking, students and employees should expect priority areas to be done first during harsh weather. The start time for clearing a wintry mix is dependent on weather patterns and individual storms and the amount of accumulation. For a moveable snowfall of about three inches, it will take crews four to six hours after precipitation ends to clear priority sidewalks and roadways. For bigger storms, clearing priority areas could take eight or more hours. Since no storms are alike, it’s impossible to have a uniform amount of time to clear all priority areas of campus, Noonan said. Community members are encouraged to allow more travel time, wear appropriate footwear for walking on snow or ice and to keep in mind that even if a walkway is cleared, the surface may still be wet and slippery. “During the winter, when we regularly deal with freezing temperatures, it’s very important that people not expect completely dry pavement,” Noonan said. “Even if crews are able to clear snow or ice down to the pavement, melting and refreezing will most likely occur.” — By Bryan Roth Writer, Office of Communication Services

Win an iPad Do you know which of Duke’s 46 miles of sidewalks are a priority for clearing when it snows? Test your knowledge of the snow and ice priority map with a short quiz. You could win an iPad or other prizes. Visit

hr.duke.edu/winterquiz

Sign up to receive DukeALERT text messages and review the Severe Weather Policy and map of priority areas at emergency.duke.edu


Earn virtual money in ‘Feel Like a Million’ fitness challenge Registration begins Dec. 13 ast year Brian Shepherd shaped up with Duke peers. In the new year, he hopes to feel like a million bucks. LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program, will sponsor “Feel Like a Million,” a 12-week health and fitness challenge from Jan. 10, 2011 to April 4. “I’m very eager about signing up for the new program,” said Shepherd, a monitor technician in the Duke Hospital Emergency Department. He lost 21 pounds during Shape Up Duke. “Over the summer, I fell off my workout routine, but I know I’ll be working out every day during the program because I’ve got more motivation.” As part of last year’s challenge, Shepherd was among more than 2,200 Duke faculty and staff who collectively lost more than 7,000 pounds in Shape Up Duke, the individual and team competition to see who could lose the most weight, walk the most steps or exercise the most minutes. Faculty and staff can register for the new challenge – Feel Like a Million – as an individual or team beginning Dec. 13. Participants accrue virtual money by competing in five areas: “Moving Matters” for daily exercise; “Food to Fuel” for a healthy diet; “Better Balance” for sticking to a schedule; “On Purpose” for keeping an exercise journal and writing a personal statement;

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and “Potpourri” for getting enough hours of sleep and more. By self-reporting exercise and other action online, participants earn virtual dollars to become a virtual millionaire. To reach a goal of $1 million, participants need to average about $12,000 a day. Money is accumulated through a variety of actions, such as $5,000 for exercising at least 30 minutes, or $3,000 for getting seven to nine hours of sleep. Participants can get a $100,000 boost at the beginning of the program by completing a personal mission statement. Julie Joyner, manager of LIVE FOR LIFE, said the virtual money earned can’t be spent on anything but acts as a motivational tool. “It’s especially convenient because it focuses on broad lifestyle choices, so even if someone doesn’t exercise, they can earn money for getting enough sleep or eating vegetables,” Joyner said. Prizes will be awarded to the top three individual and team money earners at the end of Feel Like a Million. Anyone who participates and earns $330,000 each month receives free LIVE FOR LIFE dollars. LIVE FOR LIFE dollars are Monopoly-style money that can be used to buy merchandise at the LIVE FOR LIFE store. — By Bryan Roth Writer, Office of Communication Services

Learn more and register at hr.duke.edu/million

Test your WageWorks wisdom D uke faculty and staff who enrolled in a Health Care Reimbursement Account through WageWorks are able to save money by using pre-tax dollars to pay for health care expenses. There’s also the convenience of paying for eligible health care expenses with the Health Care Card provided by WageWorks. Test your knowledge of using the account and card with this quiz.

1 I can use my WageWorks card to pay for services from dentists, doctors, chiropractors, podiatrists, opticians, Medco mail order, Duke pharmacies and hearing aid specialists. True or False

2 The WageWorks card is the only way I can access money from my Health Care Reimbursement Account. True or False

3 I should throw away my WageWorks card on December 31, or when I’ve used up all the money in my account. True or False

4 I can order extra WageWorks cards for my spouse or eligible dependents for free. True or False

5 Beginning Jan. 1, 2011, I will be able to purchase over-the-counter medications with my WageWorks card. True or False

6 If I have money left in my health care reimbursement for 2010, I can use it to purchase over-the-counter medicines until Dec. 31, 2010. True or False

7 I have until April 15, 2011 to submit claims for the money in my account for 2010. True or False

8 If I use a WageWorks card, I don’t need to keep receipts. True or False

Answers: 2. False: You can also pay for expenses out-of-pocket and submit a “Pay Me Back” claim form and receipts by fax, mail or online to get reimbursed. 1. True: You can use your card for these and other eligible health care services if the merchant accepts a Visa® debit card. The list of eligible expenses is at hr.duke.edu/reimbursement (select Health Care Account, What’s Covered).

5. False: The Affordable Care Act (passed as part of health care reform) requires that as of Jan. 1, 2011, the purchase of any over-the-counter drug or medicine (such as Claritin, Advil and Robitussin) requires a doctor’s prescription before it can be reimbursed. With this new law, you may not use your WageWorks card to purchase over-the-counter drugs and medicines – even with a 4. True. You can have cards issued by accessing your account at hr.duke.edu/reimbursement

8. False: Save every receipt. Even if your WageWorks card is accepted as payment, you could be asked later to verify the expense as eligible. 7. True: You forfeit any money left in your 2010 account after April 15, 2011, and any money left in your 2011 account after April 15, 2012. Eligible health care expenses must be incurred by Dec. 31 of the plan year. 6. True

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3. False: Your WageWorks card is valid for three years, as long as you continue to re-enroll in a health care reimbursement account during each annual open enrollment period at Duke.

prescription. However, you can still be reimbursed through a Pay Me Back claim form accompanied with the receipt and doctor’s prescription.

For more information on Health Care Reimbursement Accounts, visit hr.duke.edu/reimbursement


Charting your Duke career CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

8 Sharpen Your Skills vignette surveys and writing a report identifying trends. “It’s the sort of project I enjoy, and it also contributes to our department,” Faison said. Jackie Podger, who led the workshop offered by Duke’s Learning and Organization Development, said putting goals in writing is important. “It can help identify small steps to take now, and larger gaps in your skill set that need to be addressed,” she said.

3 Communicate with your manager Do you share short and long-term career goals? Sally Allison, of Duke’s Professional Development Institute, said employees should make professional development an ongoing conversation with supervisors. “Don’t keep them in the dark about your desire for new skills and opportunities,” she said. Kathy Tobin, an administrator in the Division of Cellular Therapy, encourages employees on her team to return to school or get additional training. “I would rather have an employee who opens themselves up to new learning opportunities and advances in three years than someone who doesn’t have the drive but stays with me 10 years,” she said.

4 Stretch beyond department borders Kirsten Nicholas, associate director of Duke’s student career center, said employees should collaborate with other departments to get a job done. This, she said, can be as simple as attending an informal lunch to share ideas or asking another department to help publicize an event. “Learning what other departments can offer can help your team and forge a brand for yourself as someone who brings value to the university,” she said.

5 Join a group of professionals Lora Griffiths, a post-award analyst with the Office of Sponsored Programs, attends brown-bag lunches sponsored by the Office of Research Administration to share work tips and regulatory news. “There is so much you can learn from your peers at Duke,” she said. “Why not learn from others’ mistakes and successes?” Some professional campus groups include Duke Toastmasters Club for public speaking skills, the annual Duke Tech Expo for IT professionals and the Professional Development Institute’s monthly book club.

6 Find a mentor Michael Saunders found a mentor in Robert Crouch, who works in the Office of Institutional Equity. They meet once a month to discuss everything from how to address conflict, to what potential career paths lie ahead for Saunders. “I feel like a sponge, soaking up his experience,” said Saunders, an administrative assistant in the Searle Center, and participant in Duke’s First Time Supervisor program. Michael Saunders, right, meets with Duke mentor, Robert Crouch, to review his resume and career plans. Ryan Smith, the career counselor at Fuqua, said mentors serve as advocates. “If they know your work well,” he said, “they can praise your work to other people and raise your visibility.”

7 Build a Web presence Networking is fundamental to advancing a career. Today, social media tools like LinkedIn make it easier. More than 6,000 employees at Duke University and Health System maintain professional profiles on LinkedIn, an online community that, among other features, allows users to connect with professionals and build a network for expertise and advice. While online tools are popular, Smith cautioned against relying solely on the web. “Ultimately you need to get out from behind your desk and meet people,” he said. “Networking is a contact sport.”

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Terry Banfich organized a group viewing of a training video with Lynda.com to help learn a new e-mail program. Duke employees have access to more than 500 tutorials through the Lynda.com online training library at no charge. “The tutorial was easy to watch during lunch, and it sparked a good discussion among ourselves about best practices around email,” said Banfich, a trainer/analyst for University Development IT. Duke also offers other cost-effective ways to enhance skills. The Office of Information Technology, Learning & Organization Development and the Center for Instructional Technology provide certain training at no charge. Duke’s Financial Certification Program offers a certified payroll representative track and a financial systems specialist track for employees with financial responsibilities. Employees involved in the grant management process have access to the Research Administration Academy and Research Administration Institute. Employees also can tap into $5,250 in tuition reimbursement annually for career-related courses through the Employee Tuition Assistance Program. “The world we live in changes so frequently that whether you are in a trade job, academic support or a managerial job, there are constantly new tools, technologies and processes to learn,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, the vice president for Duke Human Resources.

9 Dig into Duke’s jobs site Each month, Duke offers “Your Career at Duke,” a workshop to guide employees through applying for jobs at Duke. The workshop focuses on Duke’s jobs website (hr.duke.edu/jobs) and helps participants learn how to set up automatic job searches and upload resumes and cover letters. In a recent workshop, C.T. Woods-Powell, education and training coordinator for the Professional Development Institute, told participants to read job descriptions from bottom up. “The bottom is where you’ll find the minimum requirements needed to be competitive,” she said. She also recommended customizing a resume with key words from the description since Duke uses an automated program that scans and sorts resumes. The jobs website also features a new “internal candidates” portal that lists all positions, including those that are only open to current employees.

bk Have an elevator pitch ready Are you able to answer succinctly when someone asks, “What do you do?” An “elevator pitch” – brief enough to be told while travelling two floors – should focus on talents, descriptions of successful projects and future goals, said Jackie Podger, from Learning & Organization Development. “You never know when you’ll have an opportunity to market your talents,” she said, “even if you aren’t actively job searching.” — By Marsha A. Green Senior Writer, Office of Communication Services

Professional Development and Career Resources Training (hr.duke.edu/training) Classes and workshops offered by Learning & Organization Development and other departments Professional Development/Career Track (hr.duke.edu/training/programs) Professional Development Institute, Financial Certification Program, other Duke-specific programs Development/Support Resources (hr.duke.edu/training/resources) Information on mentoring and transfer resources Office of Information Technology training (oit.duke.edu/comp-print/training) Links to Lynda.com, Learn IT @ Lunch and other training opportunities Duke’s job site (hr.duke.edu/jobs) Open positions, job descriptions for most positions at Duke and an “internal candidate” portal that allows current employees to view all positions


A Look Back: Employees find work, success despite recessions ecord numbers of job applications have been submitted to Duke – a sign of the times as unemployment in North Carolina hovers near 10 percent, even after the worst recession since the Great Depression is officially over. The latest economic crisis isn’t the only time Duke and its employees weathered a financial storm. Faculty and staff hired during previous downturns have spent long careers at Duke and enhanced their professional lives despite working through tough times.

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Early 1980s When Quita Marshall was laid off as a payroll clerk for Mead Containers in Butner in 1980, she wasn’t the only person looking for a new job. After the gas and energy crises, jobs were tough to find with national unemployment at about 8 percent. She signed up for a job-placement program through the City of Durham, which placed her at Duke Hospital as a data terminal operator. By pushing herself to continually learn new things like medical terminology, she turned the job at Duke into a 30-year career. “I took a lot of classes during work hours when I started at the hospital, but sometimes I went after work or even on Saturdays,” said Marshall, now a payroll administrator and communications analyst for Duke’s Corporate Payroll Services. “I wanted to learn as much as I could, so I just took classes whenever I could.”

Duke Police Lt. Shannan Tiffin, right, greets a child as part of a Duke Police community outreach program for students and local residents.

“Even if you have to start over, it’s important to look at your career long term,” said Tiffin, now a lieutenant with the Duke University Police Department. “I asked myself, ‘is working in a lab something I’ll be happy with and is it something I can enjoy for 30 years?’ ” She applied to be a police officer with Duke police, where she started her new career in 1999. She said she wanted to work in law enforcement because of daily interaction with the public and her interest in public service. Tiffin was promoted to first sergeant in 2002 and became a lieutenant in 2006. She credited her commitment to education as a big reason for her ability to grow professionally. She stays up-to-date on law enforcement news and policies and earned a master’s degree from Capella University in emergency management. She’s currently working toward a doctorate in the same field from Capella, an accredited online university. She plans to use Duke’s tuition reimbursement benefit toward the degree. “It’s important for me to always know what’s new and what’s going on in my field, whether it’s formally in a collegiate setting or informally,” Tiffin said. “Self improvement has been helpful for my career, but it’s also important for me to improve as a person.”

Early 2000s

Quita Marshall, right, payroll administrator and communications analyst for Corporate Payroll Services, works with payroll specialist Michelle Robinson, as they navigate payroll software.

Marshall spent hours in classes learning computer skills like how to use Quattro, a spreadsheet program. She also took accounting classes and worked to stay up-to-date on medical news and terms. She worked her way laterally through the Health System before enhancing her skills through Duke classes to take on more job responsibilities. She left a position as a staff specialist in the nursing department to join Corporate Payroll in 1996. But she didn’t stop learning because it was important for her to add something new to her work every day. “Anything that payroll offered me I would take,” Marshall said. “I think that when you walk through the door each day, you need to think, ‘what am I going to learn today?’ ” Marshall said her experiences prove that lateral moves are just as beneficial as promotions because working on different projects and meeting new people enhance a person’s personal and professional skills. “If you’re not constantly learning, a job is going to become boring and you won’t do your best,” she said. “I’ve been in this payroll position for more than 14 years now, and I still learn something new every day.”

Early 1990s As oil prices spiked in the summer of 1990, the U.S. economy took a hit. That prevented Shannan Tiffin from obtaining an officer-rank position with the Marine Corps or Air Force after graduating from Radford University in Virginia. Tiffin wanted a medical position as an officer with one of the military branches, but the military was only offering positions to enlisted members. That led Tiffin to apply at Duke, where she became a medical technologist with the Division of Hematology. After nine years and lateral movement within the health system, Tiffin wanted a new job that better fit her personality and would allow her to regularly interact with people outside her department.

Rich Kless saw fewer job opportunities from a shrinking economy with the bust of the “dot-com bubble” in 2000. At the time, he was performing various contract work for theater companies and film studios in Wilmington as a carpenter, sound technician and stunt extra. “There wasn’t much film or theater work happening, and I had actually started work restoring historic houses to keep a check coming in,” said Kless, who started at Duke in 2001 and works as stage operations supervisor for Event Management. “I started putting out feelers because it was tough finding regular work and wound up finding a full-time job at Duke doing something I love to do.” Thankful to have a regular-paying job, Kless moved to Durham and started as a senior stage technician before moving to his current role in 2003. To make himself more valuable, Kless became a jack of all trades, working on carpentry and the lighting and sound systems in Griffith and Reynolds theaters in the Bryan Center. Kless said he was able to land his job at Duke because of networking. He previously met members of Duke’s Theater Studies department from his work in Wilmington’s theater scene. “I was never really big at networking until right before I came to Duke,” Kless said. “But I found that people are always willing to help out somebody else. Networking has even helped me since I Rich Kless, stage operations supervisor for Event Management, runs started here. I’ve a light-check from a booth in Reynolds Theater in the Bryan Center. gotten to know people from other departments like Athletics.” Kless has also made an effort to learn new lighting systems that swivel and move like lighting used at rock concerts. It’s a long way from repairing old houses, he said. “Spending another summer on hot roofs doing renovations was not something I was looking forward to,” Kless said. “I was thrilled to death to be at Duke.”

— By Bryan Roth Writer, Office of Communication Services

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Teamwork/Diversityawards Winners of the Teamwork Awards and Diversity Awards for 2010 were honored at a luncheon in November. These awards recognize individuals who demonstrate a respect and value for differing points of view and recognize teams that collaborate on significant efforts that advance Duke’s mission. The awards highlight two of the guiding principles that create excellence at Duke. “We honor these people not because they have an exclusive monopoly on these virtues,” said President Richard H. Brodhead, “but because they illustrate, at such a high level, the virtues we understand need to be embodied everywhere.”

DIVERSITY AWARD David Walmer, associate professor of reproductive endocrinology and fertility and member of the Duke Global Health Institute, was honored for his work to improve health care in Haiti.

The DART Analysis Team with President Richard H. Brodhead, far left.

David’s commitment to this project has been unwavering. The example he provides encourages countless others to do the same. — Nominators, Dennis Clements, senior advisor for the Duke Global Health Institute and Michael Merson, director, Duke Global Health Institute

Jacqueline Terrell, staff assistant for the Research Network on Racial and Ethnic Inequality, Sanford School of Public Policy, was recognized for ensuring local access to the intellectual life of Duke. She helped develop the annual Black Scholars Essay competition and a two-week summer research camp for local youth.

She has put forth yeoman’s work to make sure that all of Durham knows that they are welcome and wanted at Network events. — Nominator, William A. Darity Jr., professor of public policy, African and African-American studies and economics

TEAMWORK AWARDS Data Management Solutions Team: informal group from Duke Medicine who help researchers completing small-scale projects gather and manipulate data efficiently and securely.

Diversity Award winners Jacqueline Terrell, second from left, and David Walmer, second from right, with President Richard H. Brodhead, far left, Benjamin Reese, center, and Kyle Cavanaugh, far right.

When members of this group accept the responsibility of managing data for the project, they allow the researcher to focus on the research itself. Their work goes to the heart of the research mission. — Nominator, Steve Woody, associate chief information officer for Duke Health Technology Solutions

DART Analysis Team: nine University staff members who analyze the possibilities inherent in hundreds of suggestions to help close a $100 million budget gap. The team conducted more than 200 interviews and reviewed reams of data to help identify and support potential savings for the university, ranging from early retirement incentives to computer purchasing programs. So far, the University has been able to achieve $60 million of the $100 million needed to reduce the budget by 2012.

The impact of early DART initiatives and other cost savings and revenue generating measures has been substantial … The DART Analysis Team played a key role in helping Duke realize these significant savings quickly and for the years ahead. — Nominators, Provost Peter Lange and Executive Vice President Tallman Trask III

Do you know Nominate a colleague for the 2010 Presidential Award, the highest award given to Duke employees. someone presidential? Nominations are accepted until Feb. 18, 2011. For nomination forms, visit hr.duke.edu/presidential

Experimenting with the iPad for workplace productivity T

Armetta Hamlett, staff assistant in residence hall operations, records needed repairs on an iPad as Linda Schlabach, senior supervisor of housekeeping, inspects a mattress in a room.

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o learn whether the iPad could be the next major workplace productivity enhancer, Duke employees in the Division of Student Affairs gave the devices a test spin this fall. Twenty participants in Student Affairs’ “iPad experiment” were chosen to represent a range of technical abilities and job responsibilities. The program kicked off with two training sessions in August and continued with monthly brown-bag lunch sessions. “We were interested in how the iPad might improve our work processes and our interaction with students,” said Tim Bounds, director of Information Technology Services in Student Affairs. Employees found interesting – and unexpected – uses for the lightweight iPad, which blends the connectivity and portability of a wireless phone with the power and flexibility of a laptop. Armetta Hamlett, staff assistant in housekeeping operations for Residence Life and Housing Services, used the iPad’s voice-to-text dictation

feature while assessing residence hall room conditions. “When we’re out in the field, a housekeeping supervisor can dictate notes and e-mail them directly to the RLHS service office, to let them know if there’s a hole in the wall that needs painting, for example,” Hamlett said. “It would save a lot of paperwork.” On-call residence coordinators and deans also used an iPad in place of a 110-page binder, containing protocols and materials necessary to respond to a student emergency. Electronic versions of emergency protocol manuals on the iPad are easier to keep up-to-date – crucial for the division’s nine-page spreadsheet of contact phone numbers. “I’m not a technology person at all, but the iPad has been invaluable – much more portable and easier to use,” said Christine Pesetski, assistant dean for off-campus and mediation services. Employees who work in digital media and event management found the iPad useful as a system controller, from audio mixing to monitoring live streaming events and even as a mobile teleprompter for video production when out of the studio.

“Running a teleprompter in the field usually involves a lot more gear to move around and set up, and there are many more places where the process can break down,” said Scott Wells, who manages Duke Media Services’ studio operations. The iPad is also a tool in meetings for looking up a student’s course schedule during academic advising or sharing a career development resource at an event. “It can be awkward to share a computer screen, but it’s easy to pull up documents and share on the iPad,” Bounds said. Employees will return the iPads and share their findings with all staff in Student Affairs at the end of the semester. Bounds said Student Affairs plans to repeat the experiment this spring. “Experimenting is how you learn,” Bounds said. “Everybody wants to play with cool things. We want to let people play and be productive.” — By Cara Bonnett Managing editor, News & Information Office of Information Technology

Visit the Student Affairs site studentaffairs.duke.edu/ipad


Sustainable uke YO U R

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A Sign of Sustainable Times Signs posted around campus are part of a campaign to promote eco-friendly behavior Joe Gonzalez, associate abs Wise has a new excuse dean for Residence Life and to take the stairs instead of Housing Services, said the the elevator now that she reaction he’s seen from students knows every elevator ride of just has been overwhelmingly a few seconds uses enough energy positive and students have to recharge her cell phone. even alerted him when signs go “It’s kind of neat that I can missing because they want to save that much energy by just make sure they stick around. taking the stairs,” said Wise, “Improving sustainable associate director of the Office behaviors among residents of Undergraduate Scholars and is something we feel is very Fellows. “I like that it’s better for important and hope the my health and the environment.” positive reaction we’ve heard Wise learned that bit of Katherine Grant, a graduate student who volunteers with Students turns into a positive impact,” sustainable trivia from a series for Sustainable Living, posts a sticker above a sink in the Duke Gonzalez said. “They’ve of signs posted around Smith Divinity School break room. definitely been noticed by Warehouse and other buildings students and visitors to A sign posted by faucets lets at Duke. Created by Students for campus like parents.” passersby know that for every one Sustainable Living and Sustainable In fact, the signs were featured minute the tap is running, they’re Duke, the university’s sustainability on a sustainability-themed blog at using 2.5 gallons water. Another by office, the signs are posted near ecokaren.com after first-year student copiers alerts people that on average, elevators and in bathrooms and move-in. When a mother was each American uses 730 pounds of kitchens as part of a campaign to impressed with Duke’s commitment paper each year, an amount as high promote eco-friendly behavior. to sustainability, she posted pictures as a 40-feet tall tree. All signs are Signs range in shape from the size and commentary about the signs. She printed on recycled plastic with of a business card to a paperback said that a sign with facts like how eco-solvent inks. book cover. During the fall semester, students much water is used during a minute “Duke has committed to become carbon neutral by 2024, and we can’t began posting in six buildings: Smith of hand washing or showering is impactful because it gives a good do that without the help of employees Warehouse, Levine Science Research visualization that translates to Center, Fitzpatrick Center for who are willing to change their something tangible. Interdisciplinary Engineering, behavior and begin to take steps to “Signage, if done right, is one Medicine and Applied Sciences, reduce their own individual carbon of the best ways to educate people,” Divinity School, Bryan Center and footprint at Duke,” said Casey Roe, said Karen Lee, author of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental outreach coordinator for Sustainable ecokaren blog. “Signs with tips, facts Policy Solutions’ houses on Campus Duke. “We hope these signs will and do’s and don’ts are something Drive. Signs will continue to be remind employees about how they people can sink their teeth into.” can lessen their carbon footprint while posted this year and have been up in residence halls since August. — By Bryan Roth also saving the university money by Writer, Office of conserving energy, water and paper.”

Tips on the Signs Every minute of a shower uses the equivalent of 12 bottles of water

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Communication Services

Visit duke.edu/sustainability

Heating water accounts for 90 percent of the energy used to wash clothes Each American generates an average of 4.5 pounds of waste every day Operating a TV uses the same amount of energy as up to 30 compact fluorescent light bulbs

7


WORKING@ DUKE

HOW TO REACH US Editor: Leanora Minai

dialogue@Duke

(919) 681-4533 leanora.minai@duke.edu

“What is your New Year’s resolution?”

Assistant Vice President: Paul S. Grantham (919) 681-4534 paul.grantham@duke.edu Graphic Design & Layout: Paul Figuerado

I don’t want or hope for anything for myself. I would just like for the job market to get better so the economy can get better for everybody. But, if there’s a lot less unemployment and a lot more people have jobs, we could have more business at the post office.”

Eric Reid Postal Clerk II, Duke Postal Operations 18 years at Duke

Photography: Bryan Roth and Marsha Green of the Office of Communication Services and Duke University Photography.

Working@Duke is published monthly by Duke’s Office of Communication Services. We invite your feedback and suggestions for future story topics.

I want to go back to graduate school for international education. I eventually want to work with refugee and international families to get their children into college. I’ve done volunteer work that showed me how it can be difficult for these families to get their kids into university, so I’d like to make a difference for them.”

Shena Sanchez Staff assistant, Office of Assessment Professional Development Programs 2 years at Duke

Please write us at working@duke.edu or

Working@Duke, Box 90496, 705 Broad St., Durham, NC 27708 Call us at (919) 684-4345. Send faxes to (919) 681-7926.

I want to be more generous of my time and resources to help people who need it – my friends, family, whomever. I just want to remember to act when I see a moment of need in someone’s life.”

Got a story idea? Write

working@duke.edu or Call

681-4533

Ben Phillips Senior program coordinator, Trinity College Office of Academic Deans 7 years at Duke

— By Bryan Roth Writer, Office of Communication Services

Join the Facebook fan page for Working@Duke at facebook.com/workingatduke

Dial up discounts on mobile phones, service S

For more information, visit oit.duke.edu, select “Phone Services For Faculty and Staff” and check under “Wireless Phones.” Check out all the PERQS savings at

hr.duke.edu/discounts

uzanne Finley’s 11-year old daughter, Gracie, whooped for joy when she unwrapped her birthday present last summer: a hot pink Verizon Razzle cell phone with a bottom section that swivels to reveal music player controls and a keyboard for texting. “She really wanted a cool phone when she entered middle school, and the Razzle fit the bill,” said Finley, a clinical research coordinator II in the Department of Orthopaedics. The phone fit the bill in another sense, too. Finley saved about 15 percent on the phone and the service plan by using the discount offered to Duke faculty and staff. Employees are eligible for a variety of discounts on Verizon phones, as well as 15 percent off Verizon monthly plans of $35 or more and 25 percent off accessories. AT&T Wireless and Sprint/Nextel also offer discounts to Duke employees. Finley started using Duke’s Verizon discount two years ago after reading about the savings in Working@Duke. She was already

D U K E T O D AY

planning to switch mobile plans to obtain better reception near her home in Cedar Grove, but the Duke discount was an added bonus. “I saved over $100 on just the phones, in addition to the discount on the monthly plan,” she said. Finley also used the 15 percent Verizon discount on monthly rates to add her mother-in-law to the family plan. “Now she has a phone when she goes out to get the mail, or goes out Suzanne Finley and her daughter, Gracie, enjoy their phones shopping,” Finley said. “We purchased with a Duke discount. Photo is courtesy of Kellie Finley, 7. feel a lot more comfortable knowing she can reach us.” “I didn’t even have to show my A few weeks after Gracie’s Duke ID,” Finley said. “When I gave birthday, Finley and her daughter them our account number, they stopped in the Verizon store in automatically gave us the discount. Burlington to outfit Gracie with It was that easy.” headphones and a pink and green — By Marsha A. Green Senior Writer, Office of carrying case. Even though she hadn’t Communication Services been to that store, Finley received the 25 percent Duke discount for accessories.

For daily news and information, visit duke.edu/today


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