Working@Duke December, 2011 / January, 2012 Issue

WORKING@DUKE n NEWS YOU CAN USE n Volume 6, Issue 8 n December 2011/January 2012

INSIDE

New Hybrid Buses Hit Road Duke’s ‘Family-Friendly’ Benefits Flu Season In Its Peak

Changing Diets, Waistlines and Lives Duke’s employee wellness program helps employees reach health and fitness goals

Editor’s Note

Contents

LEANORA MINAI Leanora.Minai@duke.edu

Cover: Changing Diets, Waistlines and Lives

P

aul Figuerado is an inspiration.

The graphic designer for this publication, Figuerado has lost 70 pounds by changing his diet and making time for exercise.

I’ve watched him over the months. He pushed away fried food, choosing salad. He climbed stairs and ran races. His pant size shrunk from a 50-inch to 40-inch waist.

“Before, I was sleeping with eight pillows. I had to keep myself up because I felt a burning pain in my chest,” said Figuerado, 52. “Now I sleep with two pillows and feel like I’m on cloud nine.”

His wake-up call came in November 2010 when a doctor told him he was diabetic. After years of being a borderline diabetic, he felt disappointed in himself for not taking control sooner.

“I had to change my lifestyle,” said Figuerado, a 24-year Duke employee.

First, he turned to DukeWell, a health and wellness initiative at Duke, to learn more about diabetes. Then he reached out to Lauren Updyke in LIVE FOR LIFE for support. (For details on LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program, see Page 4).

Figuerado started by alternating between walking and running, gradually building his stamina.

Within three months in 2011 – September through November – he ran two 5Ks, a 10-mile race and a 13.1-mile half-marathon.

“When I ran my first two miles, I was out of shape and breathing heavy,” he said. “My inspiration and motivation was that Lauren had faith in me that I could do this, and I didn’t think I could.”

Wearing bib #1941, he finished the City of Oaks half-marathon in 2:23:07 on Nov. 6, 2011. “My family is proud of me,” he said.

Now 220 pounds, Figuerado wants to lose another 30 pounds to reach his weight goal.

In January, he’ll participate in Duke’s “Get Moving Challenge,” a new fitness campaign. During the challenge, which runs Jan. 23-April 1, employees compete for the most steps, most weight lost or most exercise minutes. (See Page 6 for details).

“I’m excited and ready to go,” Figuerado said.

“I hope we can all do a 5K or marathon together in the future.”

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Since LIVE FOR LIFE started at Duke in 1989, thousands of staff and faculty have participated in free or low-cost wellness benefits to get healthy, lose weight and quit smoking.

New Hybrids Hit Road Duke’s transit fleet got a stylish and sustainable upgrade in November when two, 62-foot long hybridelectric buses joined the fleet.

Duke’s ‘Family-Friendly Benefits’ Benefits continue to gain Duke recognition as a Best College to Work For by “The Chronicle of Higher Education” and a Top Family Friendly Workplace by “Carolina Parent” magazine.

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Get the shot, beat the flu bug at peak season

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Teams, individuals honored for teamwork and diversity

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Department gives back through volunteer work

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Is your department certifiable? Green, that is

2011, 2009, 2008, 2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing 2009, 2007 Bronze Medal, Print Internal Audience Tabloids/Newsletters

This paper consists of 30% recycled post-consumer fiber.

Please recycle after reading.

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Briefly

Be prepared for severe weather

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Duke holiday social is Dec. 8 Ring in the holidays with colleagues during the Duke holiday social from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 8 in the Von Canon Rooms in the Bryan Center on West Campus.

The event is open to Duke University and Duke University Health System faculty and staff.

Light refreshments will be served; music will be provided by the John Brown Jazz Quartet.

“We know that people liked the opportunity to socialize with their colleagues away from the office around the holidays,” said Gina McKoy, program coordinator in Duke Human Resources Office of Staff and Family Programs.

“We hope this event offers an informal opportunity for employees to drop in and mingle.”

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Commemorating the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile will be the keynote speaker at Duke’s 21st annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life.

Brazile will speak at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 in Duke Chapel.

Other campus events include a Million Meals food packaging service opportunity for students, staff and faculty and screening of the film, “Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin” on Jan. 13. Rustin, who organized the 1963 March on Washington, was a close advisor to King and one of few openly gay civil rights leaders in the 60s.

“Rustin was born 100 years ago this year,” said Benjamin Reese, vice president of Duke’s Office for Institutional Equity. “This documentary is an opportunity to focus the attention of our community on an influential civil rights leader whose name is often left out of our discourse.”

Get the full schedule of events at mlk.duke.edu.

Faculty and staff members are encouraged to review Duke’s severe weather policy as well as their service categories to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities if Duke declares severe weather or an emergency condition.

Job categories include essential, reserve and delayed.

Essential service employees are required to report to or remain at work; reserve service will be assigned at the time of severe weather; and delayed service employees will not report to or remain at work in severe weather.

A link to the emergency conditions policy and snow/ice priority clearing map is at emergency.duke.edu. In the event of severe weather, employees should monitor the website or call (919) 684-INFO for updates.

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Retirement vesting rules change for new employees As part of an effort to reduce costs and enhance retention, Duke has changed the vesting rules for new hires who are eligible for the Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan, the 403(b) plan funded both by Duke’s contributions and an individual’s voluntary contributions.

The change has no impact on existing faculty and staff.

The change, effective Jan. 1, 2012, will require all newly hired faculty and staff to have three years of credited service before they are vested, meaning they own Duke’s contribution to the plan. Anyone who ends employment before completing three years of credited service would forfeit Duke’s contribution.

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Duke releases annual security report The annual crime report for Duke shows slight decreases in most reported offenses from 2009 to 2010, but university officials continue to urge students, faculty and staff to partner with police to help deter crime.

“For as large as Duke is and with the number of people and the amount of activity we have on campus and the health system, these statistics really point to the fact that Duke is a safe place,” said John Dailey, chief of the Duke University Police Department. “We depend on our community to take actions to reduce the possibility of crime and to continue to report suspicious behaviors and concerns to us so we can work together to maintain this level of safety.”

The federal Clery Act requires universities to publish an annual report disclosing campus security policies and three years worth of selected crime statistics. The report is available at duke.edu/police.

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Cover Story

Members of Duke’s Run/Walk Club perform warm-up exercises. The club is part of LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program.

Changing Diets, Waistlines and Lives Duke’s employee wellness program helps employees reach health and fitness goals

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t the beginning of 2010, Jim Allen reached a crossroad in life. He weighed 235 pounds – about 40 pounds overweight – and could barely fit into his work clothes.

He was eating too many Hershey’s Kisses and mini Butterfingers and his meal portions were too large.

“I was going to make a commitment to losing weight or get rid of my clothes and buy larger sized suits and pants,” said Allen, director of Accounts Payable.

With the help of Shape Up Duke, a health and fitness challenge sponsored by LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program, Allen pledged to improve his personal fitness. Over the past two years, he lost 42 pounds and joined the Duke Run/Walk Club, another LIVE FOR LIFE initiative.

“If you’re looking to make any changes in your lifestyle, LIVE FOR LIFE is the program for employees to use because anybody

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can take advantage of what they offer,” Allen said. “Sometimes that extra motivation is all you need to get started.”

Since LIVE FOR LIFE started at Duke in 1989, thousands of staff and faculty like Allen have participated in free or low-cost wellness benefits and programming to get more active, lose weight, quit smoking and eat healthy. LIVE FOR LIVE aligns its programs to target issues that are prevalent among Duke’s workforce.

According to data submitted by Duke faculty and staff to LIVE FOR LIFE, 94 percent of employees have two or more health risks like high blood pressure, physical inactivity or obesity.

At Duke, costs for health issues such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression among employees and their dependents has grown by more than $25 million in the past two years. To help prevent diseases and chronic conditions, Duke also offers the DukeWell initiative to those enrolled in Duke Select and Duke Basic health care plans to help identify health risks.

Studies have shown that wellness benefits offered through programs like LIVE FOR LIFE make for healthier and happier employees, and that can mean savings on health insurance, experts say.

“Our goal is to provide all Duke employees with a costefficient, easy way to not just assess their health, but a way to prevent future health problems and improve overall fitness,” said Julie Joyner, manager of LIVE FOR LIFE. “It’s about creating a positive culture of health that leads to a better work environment and healthier employees.”

One ‘Step’ at a Time Nakia Hawley had a tough time finding motivation to do something about her weight – even after a doctor told her she was at risk for high blood pressure and cholesterol. A staff assistant in the Department of Ophthalmology, Hawley suffers from anemia, a condition in which the body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells and can lead to a lack of energy.

She visited with a LIVE FOR LIFE nurse in February for a HealthCheck, a free, confidential health assessment for Duke faculty and staff. The assessment measures cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and helps employees develop healthy strategies. Hawley learned that between her height and weight, her body mass index made her “obese,” according to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I had been paying attention to my weight for about four years, but I guess it was time to face the issue,” Hawley said. “It was the motivation I needed.”

Duke Emp

Health Rep loyee ort Card

Average Fe male LIVE FOR LIFE Age

Body mass inde

x

Exercise

Average Mal e LIVE Age

Body mass inde

FOR LIFE Pa rticipant

43 27 (overweight) 3 days a week

x

Exercise

Top Health Obesity

Risks of Duk

Cholesterol

Blood pressu

e Employee

NOTES:

Physical in activ

Participant

43 28 (overweight) 3 days a week

s

63 percent are ov ity

NOTES:

erweight or obese

39 percent exerci or 1 day a week se 0 33.5 percent have elevated choles terol 12 percent have el evated blood pressure NOTES:

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NOTES:

Source: LIV

E FOR LIFE

Data for the above "Duke Employee Health Report Card" is based on aggregate information voluntarily shared by employees with LIVE FOR LIFE from January 2010 to October 2011.

Nakia Hawley, left, staff assistant in the Department of Ophthalmology, talks about her health with Kenlyn Young, a leader in the Steps to Health program. Hawley used LIVE FOR LIFE to change her diet and lost about 20 pounds.

She signed up for LIVE FOR LIFE’s “Steps to Health” program, in which participants work toward quarterly measurements and predetermined health goals with the help of LIVE FOR LIFE staff.

“I started a healthier diet by getting rid of sugars and starches, drinking lots more water, and I also started exercising 30-minutes a day four days out of the week,” Hawley said.

Through programming, Hawley lost about 20 pounds and has more energy. About 800 other Duke employees also joined “Steps to Health” in 2011. Of those employees, 156 completed the program between January and October with positive results: 䡲 57 percent decreased blood pressure 䡲 87 percent decreased their cholesterol 䡲 80 percent lost weight “In the world today, it seems like if you want to be healthy, it’s so expensive,” Hawley said. “I like the fact Duke is helping employees be healthy for free.”

Calling it Quits Free programming is the reason Lisa Miller decided to quit smoking five packs of cigarettes a week.

As a member of Duke’s tobacco cessation initiative through LIVE FOR LIFE, she received free nicotine gum and lozenges that helped her kick the habit over the summer.

“Knowing that I didn’t have to pay for medication pushed me even more,” said Miller, a patient transporter with Duke University Hospital’s Patient Transport department. “People from the program even called me every other day to check on me and make sure I was OK. That was really cool.”

Tobacco cessation participants can also use CHANTIX, a tobacco cessation prescription drug, and receive counseling to discuss personal health risks and rewards of quitting.

According to LIVE FOR LIFE data, about 8 percent of Duke employees smoke cigarettes. Smoking doubles a person’s chances for coronary heart disease and stroke and increases the chance of developing lung cancer by up to 23 times over a non-smoker.

Miller said that instead of spending about $100 a month on cigarettes, she spends that money to spoil her granddaughter, Cadence, with pocket books and backpacks from Cadence’s favorite TV show, Dora the Explorer.

“This is something that you really can’t say ‘no’ to,” Miller said. “Knowing that you’ve got someone to back you up makes you really want to go for it.” >> continued on page 6 today.duke.edu/working 䡲

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Running into Shape

Susan Semonite Waters, left, talks about fruits and vegetables with Britt Farms’ Travis Hollowell at the Duke Mobile Farmers Market.

Corner the Market on Healthy Eating Susan Semonite Waters makes a quick trip to the Sarah P. Duke Gardens each week to take part in Duke’s Mobile Farmers Market.

The market is open year-round to the Duke community. This past spring and summer, more than 600 Duke community members participated in the Mobile Farmers Market. Duke also runs a traditional farmers market for six months from the spring to fall every year.

“The nice thing about having these markets isn’t just that Duke promotes and supports local agriculture, it’s the fact that they offer fresh, seasonal food that we should be eating more of,” said Elisabetta Politi, nutrition director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center.

During her four years as a member of the mobile market, Semonite Waters has grown more engaged with the food she eats, talking with local farmers about recipes for cabbage soup or the benefits of eating local eggs and milk. That curiosity has spread to her family.

“My son is 6 years old, so he’s actually grown up with this box of fruit and vegetables that shows up every week,” said Semonite Waters, assistant director of admissions for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. “I don’t open our weekly box until Connor is with me so we can pull everything out together to look at it and talk about what we can make with the produce.”

After success with Shape Up Duke, Jim Allen, the director of Accounts Payable who lost 45 pounds, wanted to keep using LIVE FOR LIFE programs to get into even better shape.

He joined hundreds of employees who gather each week during the spring and fall to exercise as part of the Run/Walk Club.

When Allen started the Run/Walk Club in 2010, he eased his way into running, walking one minute, jogging the next minute, around East Campus. Eventually, Allen improved his running enough to join the Run/Walk Club at Wallace Wade Stadium, where more advanced runners participate.

At each location, Run/Walk participants form groups according to fitness level. Each group follows plans to help participants improve fitness and lower stress.

“When you’re running Jim Allen, director of Accounts Payable, in a group, you don’t tend uses leg exercises to warm up before heading out with Duke’s Run/Walk Club. Allen has to focus on the running lost about 40 pounds through LIVE FOR because there’s a great social LIFE programs. aspect to the Run/Walk Club,” said Allen, who now runs three to four miles. “I saw the progression of my work with everyone, going from one minute of running to eight and then 10.”

To keep tabs on his exercise routine, Allen uses LIVE FOR LIFE’s free, Internet-based eHealth system, where he maintains an online journal of his workouts.

“I lost weight, have more stamina and feel better about myself,” he said. “Now I’m able to wear clothes I hadn’t been able to wear for years.” 䡲

BY BRYAN ROTH

Get Moving Challenge

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Duke staff and faculty can find the inspiration they need for better health starting in January when Duke launches the “Get Moving Challenge,” an annual program to help faculty and staff achieve health and fitness goals.

During the challenge, which runs Jan. 23 through April 1, faculty and staff can compete to see who can walk the most steps, lose the most weight or exercise the most minutes. A free pedometer will be provided to participants to

track steps.

Enrollment in the program is unlimited, although the first 2,000 employees receive a free pedometer on a first-come, first-served basis. During the Challenge, employees can form teams to compete against each other.

Participants will use an online form to log their progress.

For more information about the Get Moving Challenge, visit hr.duke.edu/getmoving. Registration will be available Dec. 1.

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go online

Learn more about LIVE FOR LIFE at hr.duke.edu/liveforlife

New hybrid buses hit the road Duke’s new hybrid buses are 62-feet long and carry up to about 130 passengers. The buses are part of Duke’s Climate Action Plan.

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uke’s transit fleet got a stylish and sustainable upgrade in November when two hybrid-electric buses joined the fleet.

The buses, which run between East and West campuses, use an electric charge to accelerate up to 18 miles per hour and low-sulfur diesel fuel for higher speeds. At 62-feet long, the buses bend in the middle like an accordion, giving the new buses an “articulated” name.

“Using buses like these means a big difference in the amount of gas we use and the greenhouse gas emissions we give off,” said Sam Veraldi, director of Parking and Transportation. “Not only that, but the buses will allow us to be more efficient by holding higher passenger loads.”

The new buses have 56 padded seats and a standing area with padded sides. Each bus has a total capacity of about 130 people and will run the C-1 and C-2 bus routes between East and West campuses every five to 20 minutes, depending on day and time. Current buses running those routes can each hold up to about 100 passengers.

Duke’s new hybrid-electric buses are created by Nova Bus, a Plattsburgh, N.Y., company that supplied similar buses for MTA New York City Transit and the University of Colorado at Boulder, among others. The total cost for Duke’s buses is about $1.8 million.

Veraldi said bringing the buses to Duke is a key part of its Climate Action Plan, which calls for a “green policy” for fleet replacement to reduce fleet emissions by 50 percent by 2050. In 2007, Duke’s fleet of vehicles – which includes buses – produced about 4,800 metric tons of carbon annually, equivalent to the carbon emissions from the total energy use of 416 American homes over one year.

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“Even though our transportation fleet only counts for about 1 percent of Duke’s overall emissions, these vehicles represent the most visible statement of Duke’s sustainable transportation intentions,” Veraldi said. “That’s why it’s important to advance the greening of our fleet, take advantage of whatever emissions gains are practical, and capitalize on the educational value of leading by example.”

With that in mind, Duke created specialized “wraps” for each bus that highlight aspects of Duke’s environmental efforts: clean energy, sustainable living, alternative transportation and the Duke Campus Farm.

“This is a great opportunity to show off Duke’s commitment to 62 feet sustainability in a very Length tangible way,” said Tavey Capps, Duke’s sustainability About 10.5 feet director. “Every visible Height effort we make has the 8.5 feet potential to inform someone Width of these issues and every reduction moves us closer About 130 to our overall goal of Rider capacity becoming carbon neutral.” 䡲

To find bus routes and information about transit at Duke, visit parking.duke.edu

By the Numbers Hybrid Buses

BY BRYAN ROTH

142 gallons Fuel capacity

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‘Family Friendly’ Duke programs support work, family life

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ames Todd received paid parental leave three times during a five-year span for the births of his sons.

Jill Foster used Duke resources to find childcare.

Tempie Fuller telecommutes to give herself flexible time with her son.

And Kellie Johnson carried her partner on her health care insurance.

These are several examples of benefits and programs that continue to gain recognition for Duke as a “Best College to Work For” by “The Chronicle of Higher Education” and a “Top Family Friendly Workplace” by “Carolina Parent” magazine.

“Duke has an enduring commitment to provide a range of services and benefits that allow employees to meet the demands of their work and family lives at many different stages,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president for administration at Duke.

In addition to traditional benefits, Duke’s offerings include other programs such as tuition assistance for employees and employees’ children and discounts for entertainment and services at businesses.

Four Duke employees share how Duke’s benefits make a difference in their lives.

“The addition of a new child is such an emotional moment,” Todd said. “I was grateful to be able to take time off to soak it up and not burn through all of my vacation each year.”

Todd has taken Duke’s paid parental leave to be with his expanding family three times since he joined Duke’s Office of News and Communications in 2005. According to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, fewer than one in five employers in the U.S. offer men paid time off after the birth of their child.

Duke’s parental leave policy provides three weeks of fully paid leave to employees who first use three weeks of accrued personal/ vacation time at home with a newborn or newly adopted child.

“Each birth has been different,” Todd said, “and I’ve cherished the time with each son.”

Choosing Child Care

Soaking Up Time With Newborns

Jill Foster, left, and husband, Matt, are seen here on vacation in California with Elijah and Michaela. Photo courtesy of Jill Foster.

James Todd enjoys time with his sons, Simeon, the infant, Samuel, 2, right, and Levi, 3. Photo courtesy of James Todd.

James Todd cuddled his 4-week old son, Simeon, against his chest and watched as his other sons stroked the infant’s soft hair.

Gazing fondly at the boys, Todd wondered how long it would be before Samuel, 2, and Levi, 3, realized Simeon was part of the family.

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Jill Foster, a staff assistant in the Department of Biology, quizzed colleagues and visited seven childcare centers during her search for a day care center for her daughter, Michaela.

“It’s a petrifying decision choosing where to leave a 3-month old,” she said. “There are so many options it is hard to know where to start.”

Foster narrowed her choices by using the Duke Child Care Partnership (DCCP). Duke partners with the Child Care Services Association to assist Triangle-area child care centers in gaining four-

Benefits and five-star NC license ratings. The partnership, which started in 2003, now has 41 centers that offer priority placement to children of Duke faculty and staff.

Foster chose First Presbyterian Day School in Durham, one of the DCCP centers, for Michaela. Three years later, Elijah, her son, joined the day school.

To make childcare more affordable, Foster enrolls in a Duke Dependent Care Reimbursement Account each year. The account allows her to pay the first $5,000 of childcare expenses with tax-free money, saving the family about $1,500 in taxes.

“We’ll keep using the reimbursement account even when Elijah leaves daycare, because we’ll still be paying for camps during school breaks,” Foster said. “And once we finish with that benefit, we’re looking forward to using Duke’s children’s tuition benefit to get them through college.”

managers to approve and monitor schedules. [For more information about whether telecommuting is right for you, please call (919) 684-2808].

Fuller drives to Duke’s Patient Revenue Management Organization office in the Research Triangle Park on Wednesdays and Fridays to attend team meetings and training sessions.

Telecommuting the other three days saves her six hours of commute time and $40 in fuel each week.

“When you are only talking to the dogs all day, it can get lonely,” Fuller said. “But it’s worth it to me to spend more time with Brock.”

Treated Like Family

Telecommuting Offers Flexibility

Kellie Johnson, right, with her partner, Laura Miller, while on vacation in Baltimore.

Photo courtesy of Kellie Johnson.

Tempie Fuller telecommutes three days a week from home. Photo courtesy of Tempie Fuller.

Three days a week, Tempie Fuller starts her Duke workday at 6:45 a.m. at a computer workstation in her living room.

After an hour of work, she logs off her computer and drives her 15-year-old son, Brock, to high school in Oxford. Soon after, she is back in her living room coding medical bills to ensure accurate reimbursement. At 3:30 p.m. she takes a break to pick up her son from school then returns to the computer until 6 p.m.

Fuller’s job duties are a good fit for telecommuting, which may be appropriate for only certain positions. Duke offers formal guidelines to support flexible work arrangements and requires

The interview at Duke was the first of five job interviews Kellie Johnson set up when she and her partner decided to move to North Carolina.

During the course of Johnson’s conversation with the hiring manager about Duke’s comprehensive benefits package, Johnson learned about the same-sex partner benefits. Johnson returned to her hotel and searched the Duke Human Resources website for more information. Duke has extended its benefits package to same-sex partners since 1994.

“My first priority was to find a position in an institution that would be the best fit for me professionally but being able to carry Laura on my health insurance was a big plus,” said Johnson, a clinical social work team leader for the Emergency Room and Inpatient Psychiatry.

Johnson’s partner now receives health care coverage through her own job. But the couple appreciates other family-friendly benefits such as the financial security of knowing that if Johnson passes away, Duke will treat her partner as a spouse for any survivor benefit. They also have a Duke Fitness Club family membership at Wilson Recreation Center.

“It’s nice to be able to exercise together,” Johnson said, “but what is really important is to be treated as a family.” 䡲

BY MARSHA A. GREEN

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For Duke’s family friendly benefits, visit hr.duke.edu/benefits/family

today.duke.edu/working 䡲

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As flu season hits peak, get protection with flu vaccine

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oy Searles can’t remember the last time she caught the flu. because the duration of a vaccination doesn’t last long enough to That’s because she’s made sure to receive a free flu protect a person through two flu seasons. vaccination from Duke each Epling said maintaining good year. This year, she was hygiene also helps protect against among the first to stop by the the flu.

Employee Occupational Health “It’s really as simple as and Wellness (EOHW) office at washing your hands and when Duke Clinic to get a flu shot. people get sick, they should stay “It works,” said Searles, home,” she said. “It’s important a staff assistant in the Global to drink lots of fluids too.”

Education Office for Searles got her flu shot in Undergraduates. “There’s no September because she didn’t want co-pay or charge, so that’s a to risk getting anyone else sick. great benefit. There’s no “It’s important for me because reason everyone shouldn’t I don’t want to spread the flu be immunized.” around campus,” she said. “I’m With December and January around a lot of students, and I have typically the height of flu season grandchildren, so I don’t want to in North Carolina, all Duke get the flu or share it.” 䡲 employees can still receive a free

BY BRYAN ROTH flu vaccination with a valid Kathe Kaufman, left, a recruitment analyst, receives a free seasonal flu DukeCard. Vaccinations are vaccination from LIVE FOR LIFE nurse Janet Stolp. Free vaccines available between 7:30 a.m. and are available for all faculty and staff.

4 p.m. Monday to Friday, with the exception of noon to 2 p.m.

Wednesdays. Vaccinations are provided in the Employee Occupational Health and Wellness office on the basement level of the Red Zone of Duke Clinic. No appointment is necessary.

About 16,500 free flu shots were administered to faculty and staff in the first two months of vaccinations. Last year, it took about four months for Duke to distribute about 16,000 doses of the seasonal flu vaccine to faculty, staff, volunteers, retirees, students and affiliates. Administrators note that a flu vaccine “blitz” for health system employees in September helped to account for this year’s faster pace of vaccinations.

“Employees who have any contact with patients need to get the flu shot in order to best protect Duke’s patients from getting the Vaccinations are available between flu,” said Dr. Carol Epling, co-director of Employee Occupational 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday (with Health and Wellness. “It’s also important for employees who don’t the exception of noon to 2 p.m. Wednesdays) work with patients to protect themselves because that will minimize the use of sick time and make sure they don’t get coworkers or in the Employee Occupational Health family members sick.” and Wellness office on the basement level This year’s vaccination provides protection from the same of the Red Zone of Duke Clinic. strains of flu as last year, including H1N1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest all people 6 months of age and No appointment is necessary. older receive a flu vaccination annually. Even if a shot was received last year, it’s recommended individuals receive a new vaccination

Get The Shot

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go online

For more about the flu, visit duke.edu/flu

Teamwork & Diversityawards

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uke honored two teams and two individuals from Duke University and Duke University Health System in November for outstanding accomplishments in the name of teamwork and diversity, two of Duke’s hallmark guiding principles.

At the university, a Teamwork Award went to a cohort that renumbered the undergraduate course catalogue. A professor who encourages entrepreneurship among under-represented minorities won the Diversity Award.

The awards recognize teams that collaborate on significant efforts that advance Duke’s mission and honor individuals who demonstrate a respect and value for differing points of view.

“I am pleased to lift up the people who have been exemplary in living out the values of teamwork and diversity at Duke,” President Richard H. Brodhead said during the award ceremony. “We celebrate in you the virtues we all aspire to.”

business development. She has also developed a national pilot, the PhD Pipeline Opportunity Program, to create programs and activities to help underrepresented minority undergraduate students prepare for doctoral studies in business disciplines.

“In her work at Duke, Reuben aims to contribute to the betterment of all humankind, with an intentional focus upon serving those who have historically suffered discrimination and disadvantage,” said nominator Ashleigh Shelby Rosette, associate professor at Fuqua. “Her classes have had a tremendously positive impact upon students, the larger Durham community and Duke University’s wider reputation.”

RUNNING OUT OF NUMBERS

ENCOURAGING ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Arts & Sciences Course Renumbering Team with team leader Ingeborg Walther (holding the plaque). Team members include Valerie Konczal, Bruce Cunningham, Philip Pope (not pictured), Harrison O’Dell Williams, James Salerno and John Campbell.

Dr. Benjamin Reese with Lucy Reuben, professor of the practice at the Fuqua School of Business.

Lucy Reuben’s students learn the illustrious history of the black-owned businesses of Durham’s Black Wall Street and bring that history to life by consulting with aspiring minority business owners in the community.

Reuben, a professor of the practice at the Fuqua School of Business, received a Diversity Award for her focus on the challenges and achievements of underrepresented minorities in entrepreneurship and business ownership. She developed the first undergraduate and graduate courses at Duke highlighting minority

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Trinity College of Arts & Sciences realized that its course numbering system was becoming a maze. Interdisciplinary courses were difficult to label because of lack of standardization between schools, and professors squeezed additional courses into the existing list by using suffixes. In 2009, Duke decided to completely overhaul the system to make it standardized across schools and more clearly indicative of course levels and sequences.

The Arts & Sciences Course Renumbering Team, led by Ingeborg Walther, associate dean for curriculum and course development, shepherded the project for two years, untangling more than 8,000 courses offered by Arts & Sciences departments and programs, the Nicholas School of the Environment, the Sanford School of Public Policy, the Pratt School of Engineering and the Graduate School.

“The enormity and complexity of this project has required multiple networks of collaboration,” said the team’s nominator, Lee Baker, associate vice provost for undergraduate education. “…the team accomplished this work without a single extra hire or temporary worker.” 䡲

To read about the awards given to Duke University Health System employees, visit hr.duke.edu/teamwork

BY MARSHA A. GREEN

today.duke.edu/working 䡲

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DUKE EMPLOYEES PREPARE MEALS FOR THE HUNGRY

K

arl Bates poured rice into a 20-gallon pot of boiling water, then stirred 28 pounds of ground beef simmering in a nearby cooker.

Behind Bates, other volunteers opened bags of flour tortillas, layering them on foil-covered trays bound for a hot oven.

“We’ll have enough rice and beans for the burritos, but we may have to go easy on the salsa,” Geoffrey Mock, editor of the Duke Today “News” section, told the crew in the kitchen.

The eight cooks in the kitchen at Urban Ministries of Durham were Duke employees who work in communications. They gather at 11 a.m. the second Sunday of each month to provide lunch for anyone who comes to eat.

“It’s a highpoint of my month,” said Bates, director of research communications in Duke’s Office of News and Communication.

“Cooking with 10-burner stoves and giant vats is a blast, and it is fulfilling to feed so many people who are sincerely grateful for it.”

Urban Ministries of Durham serves up to 300 people during each sitting, three times a day. The number of clients has increased steadily over the past several years. “About half of the people we serve are not homeless but are too poor to eat well,” said Faye Morin, volunteer coordinator for Urban Ministries. “These meals stretch their meager budgets.”

The communicators began cooking at Urban Ministries in 2008 when staff members from the Office of News and Communications replaced the annual departmental holiday feast with a service project: providing a spaghetti meal to neighbors in need.

“It was a great experience,” said Mock, He helped organize the effort. “We saw the need and wanted to continue.”

The office extended an invitation to other Duke communications professionals to join in a monthly effort.

Forrest Norman, senior writer for Duke Law School communications, got involved to combine service with collegiality.

“I’ve gotten to know some of my fellow Duke communicators better over a vat of spaghetti or chili here than on the job,” he said.

Today, 20 to 30 communicators pitch in each month to raise the $230 needed for food; up to 10 gather each month to cook and serve. The Duke communicators have served about 5,000 meals in nearly three years.

On a recent Sunday, as the hands of a clock inched toward 12:30 p.m., team members took their places at the long metal serving table, passing tortillas along for cheese, beans, rice, beef and salsa.

“The hot meal is nice because it gives a sense of normalcy in an abnormal life,” said Denise Dickenson, who ate her first meal at the shelter nine months ago. “But what you remember are the smiling faces and the feeling that people care enough to come help.” 䡲

Karl Bates stirs 25 pounds of black beans as he and colleagues from the Office of News and Communication prepare lunch for 175 people at Urban Ministries of Durham.

By the Numbers A Burrito Meal at Urban Ministries

4

• 4 0 -ounce bags of c hips

4

• 32-ounce jars of salsa

8

• volunteers

20

• pounds of rice

25

• pounds of black beans

28

• pounds of ground beef

175 20 0

• meals ser ved • burritos pre p a r e d

BY MARSHA A. GREEN

12

䡲 Working@Duke

Watch a video of the volunteer effort: j.mp/oncvolunteers

Career Tools: Tips for professional development Informational interviews help employees explore career path Laura Grisham, left, provides advice to Wanda Hall about a career in event planning.

A

s Wanda Hall prepared and packaged salads, entrees and desserts for a commencement banquet at Duke, she found herself wondering what it takes to plan big special events.

A food service staff member at Duke, Hall wanted to learn more about budgeting, menu selection and decision-making.

“I thought event planning might be something I’d like to do, but I didn’t know how to find out more,” Hall said.

Hall was accepted into the Professional Development Institute (PDI) Office Staff Development Program in January 2011. As part of her professional development, she was introduced to informational interviews.

Informational interviews allow individuals to explore different careers without the pressure of trying to land a job.

The Professional Development Institute offers information on its website, and staff can assist in finding appropriate employees for interviews.

“Informational interviews are a way to have your career goals confirmed – or not – and in the process, to expand your professional network,” said Kelly Cottrell, a professional development specialist with PDI. Through PDI, Hall connected with Laura Grisham, director of events for the

go online

Law School. On the day of her first informational interview, Hall arrived 15 minutes early and waited nervously outside Grisham’s office. Grisham greeted her with a warm, welcoming handshake.

“Relax,” Grisham told her. “This is not a job interview.”

As they settled in Grisham’s office, Hall took a deep, calming breath. Then she began to work through questions to help her determine whether it was a good idea to shift careers from cooking to event planning.

What skills should every event planner have, she asked. Grisham suggested a creative spirit and work habits that don’t include procrastination. How about the pros and cons of becoming an event planner? Grisham shared the reward she gets from organizing a smooth-running event. As for cons, she discussed the challenges of work/life balance when the job includes late-night events.

“I didn’t sugar coat anything,” Grisham said. “I gave Wanda the nuts and bolts of the job here at the Law School, and advised her to look closely at administrative assistant positions, since that’s where a lot of event planners get their start.”

Hall also met with event planners from the Duke Clinical Research Institute, Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture and the School of Engineering. She came away with an appreciation for the skills and originality needed in event management, as well as how to work within a budget.

She has found informational interviews so useful that she organized a fifth interview with a special events coordinator her sister knows.

“I’m still nervous, meeting someone for an interview,” Hall said. “But I learn something new each time.” 䡲

BY MARSHA A. GREEN

Sample Informational Interview Questions • What kind of lifestyle choices have you had to make?

• What major satisfactions do you derive from working in this field?

• What are some of the issues/problems that you must deal with in your work?

Read more about informational interviews at hr.duke.edu/interviews

today.duke.edu/working 䡲

13

Orchestrating Discounts Duke discount introduces employee’s son to cultural delights

PERQS employee discounts

North Carolina Symphony Concerts Dec. 6-10, 13-15 Holiday Pops Dec. 31 New Year’s in Vienna Jan. 7 Green Eggs & Ham (Children’s program)

Jan. 12-14 Passport to Hungary Jan. 20-22 The Music of Billy Joel

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䡲 Working@Duke

A

lex Bettger, who turns 4 in February, picked up the violin and slid a bow across the strings. His face lit up with a smile.

His mother, Janet Prvu Bettger, thinks Alex will also enjoy his first-ever children’s matinee series at the North Carolina Symphony.

“Alex has never been to an orchestral concert, so we can now use his experience as a reference point as we prepare him for the matinee in January,” said Bettger, an assistant professor of nursing at Duke.

Bettger purchased the North Carolina Symphony matinee tickets after receiving an email from PERQS, Duke’s employee discount program. The email advertised discounts of up to 30 percent.

Knowing how much she and her husband enjoy music, she immediately sent the email to her husband and suggested they explore taking Alex to at least one concert.

Within minutes, her husband called.

“Did you see that they have special matinees for kids?” he asked. “Let’s go to those.”

With the Duke discount, the children’s matinee tickets were $14 per ticket, instead of $20. The Bettgers will see “Green Eggs and Ham” in January and “Bug Songs” in March. “They sound like really interesting concerts,” Bettger said.

Other discounted performances at the North Carolina Symphony include “New Year’s in Vienna” with soprano Sari Gruber on Dec. 31. Tickets are

go online

regularly $48, or $33 with the Duke employee discount.

For the Bettger family, the PERQS discount has been a valuable resource since moving to Durham in 2009.

“We’ve lived in Toronto, Boston and Philadelphia, and we wondered what cultural attractions there would be in Durham,” she said. “Having those PERQS emails show up in the mailbox has been a

Alex Bettger, 3, with his parents, Mark and Janet Prvu Bettger. Photo courtesy of the Bettger family.

fabulous way of letting us know what our entertainment options are.”

The family has used the discount for Disney On Ice, Carolina RailHawks Soccer, Carolina Hurricanes and the Durham Bulls, all hits with Alex.

And prices continue to be a hit with Bettger.

“We used to pay $32 just to park for a concert in Boston,” she said. “Here, we can get symphony tickets for three of us for about the same price.” 䡲

BY MARSHA A. GREEN

For a full list of PERQS discounts, visit hr.duke.edu/discounts

Sustainable uke YOUR SOURCE FOR

GREEN

N E W S AT D U K E

Certifiably Green Pratt units gain ‘Green Workplace Certification’

K

athy Kay greeted conference attendees as she stood by receptacles in front of a large “TRASH” sign.

“Let me take that,” said Kay, taking a plate that contained the remains of lunch.

She separated items from the plate, placing the empty chip bag in the trash, tossing a plastic cup and utensils into a recycling bin and piling food scraps and compostable paper products into another bin.

“We tried just leaving up signs, but we found people don’t always take time to follow instructions,” said Kay, assistant manager for special events at the Pratt School of Engineering.

Kay works in the dean’s office at Pratt, which hand-sorts trash at events as part of its commitment to sustainability. The office also purchases recycled office supplies and enables energysaving printer settings.

These practices helped the office become the first unit at Duke to receive certification as a Duke Green Workplace in September. Soon after, another Pratt department, the Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics, became the second certified Duke Green Workplace.

“We have lit a little fire over here, and now it is spreading,” Kay said.

The Green Workplace Certification recognizes work areas that formally assess how they are reducing their environmental footprint.

Duke’s Office of Sustainability administers the process, which begins when a representative from a work area attends the free “Leading for Environmental Sustainability” workshop. As part of the workshop, participants receive a checklist of sustainable practices ranging from double-sided printing to using eco-friendly dishwashing soap in a break room.

A work area that can demonstrate it follows at least 40 of the checklist’s 57 items can apply for certification and permission to post the Duke Green Workplace seal in its office and on materials.

go online

Pratt School of Engineering employees Kathy Kay, left, August Burns, center, and Jim Gaston, right, sort compostable scraps from recyclable plastics during Pratt Parents Day Weekend.

The dean’s office at Pratt turned the checklist into an online survey for its 34 employees and color-coded the answers as they came in – red for not practicing, green for yes. “It was quite clear that we would easily surpass the requirement of 40 practices,” Kay said. “The answer sheet was a sea of green.”

With 46 of the 57 practices firmly under its belt, the dean’s office completed the application and received its Duke Green Workplace seal in September.

The office will survey itself again before the end of the academic year to track improvement in areas such as encouraging use of public transportation and reusable mugs.

According to Casey Roe, outreach coordinator for Sustainable Duke, 97 university and health system employees have attended the free “Leading for Environmental Sustainability” workshop since January 2011. So far, five units have received certification.

“Duke is committed to being carbon neutral by 2024, but a lot of the change will have to come from students, faculty and staff,” Roe said. “The Green Workplace Certification helps us recognize those efforts.” 䡲

BY MARSHA A. GREEN

Get Green Certified Information about the Green Workplace Certification process, including a list of certified units at Duke, is at sustainability.duke.edu.

Visit hr.duke.edu/training/workshops for details about the “Leading for Environmental Sustainability” workshop. The next one is 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 26.

today.duke.edu/working 䡲

15

WORKING@DUKE HOW TO REACH US Editor: Leanora Minai (919) 681-4533 leanora.minai@duke.edu Assistant Vice President: Paul S. Grantham (919) 681-4534 paul.grantham@duke.edu Graphic Design & Layout: Paul Figuerado (919) 684-2107 paul.figuerado@duke.edu Senior Writer: Marsha A. Green (919) 684-4639 marsha.green@duke.edu Writer/Videographer: Bryan Roth (919) 681-9965 bryan.roth@duke.edu Photography: Duke University Photography and Marsha Green and Bryan Roth of Communication Services.

Working@Duke is published every other month by Duke’s Office of Communication Services. We invite your feedback and story ideas.

Send email to working@duke.edu or call (919) 684-4345.

Don’t forget to visit the “Working@Duke” section daily on Duke Today: today.duke.edu/working

dialogue@Duke “What health or fitness goal do you want to achieve in 2012?”

“

This year’s resolution was to go running twice a week, which I’ve adhered to. In the New Year, I plan to go three times a week. Also, I’d like to eat less dairy. Tasty as it may be, cow’s milk is a strange thing for humans to consume.”

Harlan Campbell Photography and digital arts associate, Center for Documentary Studies 3 years at Duke

“

Since I’ve recently lost 14 pounds by participating in a departmental ‘Biggest Loser’ challenge, I’ve become more motivated to keep the weight off. My goal for the New Year will be to continue to improve my eating habits and workout regimen in order to increase my weight loss and reach my ultimate goal of losing 30 pounds.”

Rikkia Smith Financial analyst, Facilities Management 4 years at Duke

“

I’m trying to reduce the amount of meat I eat and eat more vegetarian meals each week. It’s not only healthier for me, but it also reduces my impact on the environment.”

David Cooley Associate for project development, Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative 2 years at Duke

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