WORKING@DUKE
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DUKE RANKED AMONG BEST
Says who? Several prestigious publications and organizations name Duke a best place to work.
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COMMEMORATING MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Duke hosts January events, including a speech by the president of the Children’s Defense Fund.
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SUSTAINABLE DUKE
Water conversation is critical since weather forecasters predict a dry winter following one of the driest summers.
NEWS YOU CAN USE :: Volume 2, Issue 10 :: December/January 2008
Giving Back
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Ben Ward, associate professor of philosophy and associate dean for faculty programs at Duke, volunteers as a cook in the Urban Ministries kitchen in Durham.
D U K E F A C U LT Y A N D S T A F F O F F E R K N O W L E D G E I N S E R V I C E T O S O C I E T Y “Every day, I learn of another person connected to Duke giving back lames flickered from gas burners under a large stock pot overflowing to the community, and that inspires me to keep doing what I do,” said with hot dogs. As the water reached a rolling boil, Ben Ward, an Sarah Fish, director of trust and estate administration for Duke associate professor of philosophy at Duke, quickly turned his Development, and board president of the Volunteer Center of Durham. attention to a pot of macaroni. Moving methodically as he worked, Ward was the epitome of efficiency in the Urban Ministries kitchen in Durham. “I truly believe that a lot of our world’s problems would be solved if each An award-winning pianist who teaches philosophy, Arabic and person would help at least one other person in some way. I really believe Germanic studies, Ward waved a large metal spoon as if conducting a Durham is just beginning to realize its amazing potential. And Duke is a symphony. This time, the music was a meal for 220 homeless clients. huge part of that.” “The main reason I enjoy volunteering is because I learn a lot from doing so,” said Ward, who has volunteered at the Liberty Street shelter for 20 years. “The lessons I’ve learned make me a much different and better person.” As Patty Croom and Clover, a 3-month-old Labrador Ward is among hundreds of Duke faculty and mix, stepped outside the Animal Protection Society of staff who volunteer to benefit the local community. Durham, the timid puppy tugged at the leash. The main They serve through the Duke-Durham “You can tell she isn’t used to having a collar on,” reason I enjoy Neighborhood Partnership, the Volunteer Center of said Croom, a service representative at the Duke Durham and other Triangle agencies. The Consultation and Referral Center. She has volunteered volunteering is because I Neighborhood Partnership and the Volunteer Center at the shelter since 1991. “This puppy, like many others, learn a lot from doing so. help connect people with places that need assistance. came into the shelter as a stray. Fortunately, this one The lessons I’ve learned “Volunteerism among Duke employees is alive already has an adoption pending.” and well,” said Sam Miglarese, director of Croom volunteers as an adoption counselor once a make me a much different Community Engagement for the Office of month and serves on the board of directors and chairs and better person.” Community Affairs, which oversees the of the animal control advisory committee. She is among Neighborhood Partnership. “Whether it is feeding the about 15 Duke faculty and staff who volunteer at the — Ben Ward homeless in Durham, or giving up leave time to travel shelter. Duke Associate Professor of Philosophy to the Gulf coast to participate in the rebuilding of Volunteers feed, bathe, walk and care for nearly New Orleans, the Duke family is well represented.” 7,000 animals each year at the shelter. The facility also Across campus, Duke faculty and staff volunteer provides low-cost rabies and microchip clinics to the and apply knowledge in the service of society. Bob Newlin, the provost’s public, and educational programs to local schools and civic groups. office chief analyst and tech director, helps develop Web sites for faith“I think that speaks very highly of Duke to have so many caring based humanitarian groups. Math and physics professor Ronen Plesser employees,” said Simon Woodrup, the shelter’s volunteer coordinator. “It shares scientific knowledge with public school students through an outreach shows that people who work at Duke want to help the entire community.” program. And Duke’s Facilities Management Department employees build Croom, who has two cats and two dogs at home, said volunteering playgrounds at public parks and beautify school landscapes. allows her to give back to animals that have given her enjoyment.
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>> See VOLUNTEERS, PAGE 5
2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing 2007 Bronze Medal, Print Internal Audience Tabloids/Newsletters
This paper consists of 30% recycled post-consumer fiber. Please recycle after reading.
LOOKING
AHEAD @ DUKE DECEMBER 14 : : Public Stargazing led by physics department, 6 p.m., Duke Teaching Laboratory, off Cornwallis Road, 1.5 miles west of Kerley Road. Event is subject to weather. Visit www.cgtp.duke.edu/~ plesser/observatory/. JANUARY 16 : : Game Night, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation: PS2, PC, Atari gaming along with board games hosted by ISIS, 9 p.m. to midnight, Interactive Multimedia Project Space (IMPS) in the Franklin Center, 2204 Erwin Rd.
JANUARY 20 : : Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children’s Defense Fund, gives keynote address at 2008 Duke University Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, 3 p.m., Duke Chapel.
Newsbriefs Sierra names Duke among its 10 top eco-friendly colleges Sierra Magazine has named Duke University one of America’s Top 10 “Coolest” Schools for the efforts Duke is taking to stop global warming. Duke was ranked fifth in the magazine’s “10 That Get It” list, the first time the magazine has listed the greenest campuses in America. “The Blue Devils are turning green, mandating certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for all new construction, improving on campus bike trails, collecting 17 types of recyclables, and pouring money into wind and small hydropower projects,” Sierra Magazine says in the November/December issue. Sierra Magazine has a circulation of 1.2 million readers, and is the national magazine of the Sierra Club, the nation's oldest and largest grassroots environmental group. Read more at www.sierraclub.org/sierra.
United Way Duke Partnership Campaign nearing end The United Way Duke Partnership Campaign is accepting donations from Duke faculty and staff through Jan. 1, 2008. So far, nearly $700,000 has been donated. Each year, faculty and staff of the university and health system generously support the United Way, which funds 84 agencies and 177 programs in the community that feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, care for the young, strengthen families and serve seniors close to home. Last year, nearly 3,000 Duke faculty and staff contributed nearly $1 million to the campaign. For more information, and to donate online, visit www.hr.duke.edu/unitedway.
Banjos, flute on tap for library conversation series For the second year, the Duke University Libraries and the Duke University Musical Instrument Collections are co-sponsoring a series of free monthly musical conversations and demonstrations that are open to everyone. All of the events are held at Perkins Library in the Biddle Rare Book Room. At 4 p.m. Dec. 7, William Michal Jr. will present “The Love of the Banjo.” Using audio and slides, Dr. Michal, a banjo collector, will talk about the instrument’s history in America, particularly during the 19th and 20th centuries. The audience will hear recordings of banjo music, some made by Michal before he retired from public performance. The next program at 4 p.m. Jan. 18 will feature Tom Moore on the flute accompanied by harpsichordist Tracy Richardson. Moore,
For more events, check the university’s online calendar at http://calendar.duke.edu
who is Duke’s music librarian and director of Duke Collegium Musicum, will discuss and demonstrate the early flute; there are more than 200 flutes in the Duke instrument collections. For more information about these and other programs in the series, visit http://dumic.org/news_events.
Duke establishes new center for engineering, energy and environment A new center to educate students to meet the world’s energy needs while also improving its environment is being established by Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering in collaboration with the university’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences. The Gendell Center for Engineering, Energy and the Environment will provide research, instruction and resources to investigate causes and solutions to complex environmental issues. “The Gendell Center is a wonderful example of Duke’s strategy to make a difference by building on its special strengths in collaboration to address real-world problems,” said Duke President Richard H. Brodhead. The center is being named for Jeffrey and Martha Gendell of Greenwich, Conn., who are giving $7.85 million for two new faculty positions, learning facilities and laboratory support there, as well as another assistant professorship in the Nicholas School. It is expected that the center will develop courses leading to a new undergraduate certificate program in energy and the environment. It also will provide a new home where faculty, students and industry professionals can interact, whether they are pursuing basic scientific questions or real-world applications on issues ranging from atmospheric chemistry to new energysaving ideas for homes, vehicles or workplaces. The center is likely to be located initially in Duke’s Hudson Hall and feature new classrooms, laboratories and meeting spaces.
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.
Emergency planning is focus of Dec. 11 employee forum n an emergency, Duke’s staff, faculty and students will get information quickly and in numerous ways. Join Kemel Dawkins, vice president for Campus Services, and Aaron Graves, associate vice president for Safety and Security, for Primetime on Dec. 11, as they discuss safety at Duke, and how the university community will be notified during an emergency. The forum is at noon in Griffith Theater in the Bryan Center. “This issue has been taken very seriously,” said Dawkins, who led a review of Duke’s emergency plans in coordination with President Richard H. Brodhead, Executive Vice President Tallman Trask III and other senior leaders. “The university has devoted considerable effort into reviewing our current procedures and identifying best practices at other institutions. Our new plans will significantly improve our preparedness.” Since the shootings at Virginia Tech in April, Duke has analyzed its emergency response policies and procedures, researching best practices at other universities and studying new technology and communications systems. Among enhancements, Duke will invest in new, dedicated computer servers to send an alert e-mail to all students, faculty and staff more quickly. The university is purchasing a siren and voice-announcement system to broadcast messages across campus. Also, a special Web site – www.emergency.duke.edu – has been developed for the Duke community to learn more about notification and the crisis communication plan. On the site, Duke community members can sign up for RSS feeds such as the alert.rss feed that would notify subscribers after an emergency is reported. The site also will have other feeds for updates as an emergency unfolds.
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— By Office of Communication Services
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LEARN MORE AT WWW.EMERGENCY.DUKE.EDU
‘best employer’ Duke recognized as a
Clint Davidson, vice president for Duke n early October, Regina Miller walked Human Resources, said the increasing number of through the doors of the white stucco organizations recognizing Duke as a best place to building on Broad Street looking for a work is no accident. In September alone, 5,100 job at Duke. She had just relocated to people submitted resumes to join Duke. Pulling a Durham from New Jersey to help her 84colorful diagram from his files, Davidson described year-old mother and thought of Duke first the blueprint for the organizational development when considering where to apply. plan he drafted soon after he arrived in 1997. “My mother worked at Duke for about “We’ve made concerted efforts during the 20 years,” said Miller, who has a degree in past 10 years to more clearly define our values, accounting. “She swears by Duke for her and align our policies and reward system to health care. Duke is on the cutting edge for support those values,” he said. “We’ve also research, medicine and teaching, and I want introduced programs to help better develop our to work in that type of environment.” LaKiesha McCray, Duke Hospital registered nurse, with son, Quinnlan Davis, people and communicate effectively.” For years, Duke has ranked among the at Tutor Time day care in Durham. McCray participates in the Duke Child Care Partnership, which was named as a family-friendly initiative in Davidson cited several examples of Duke’s best institutions in the country for students Carolina Parent magazine. work, including the creation of the Guiding and patients as a top university and hospital Principles and Blue Ribbon recognition programs; a new performance with some of the best graduate programs. Now, Duke’s name is cropping management system based on behaviors and results; development up on prestigious lists that represent a different constituency – the more programs such as Managing at Duke and the Professional Development than 30,000 faculty and staff at Duke. Institute; the employee tuition assistance program; and improvements in In 2007, Duke was named as a best place to work by several internal communications. publications and organizations, including Carolina Parent, Computerworld, While proud of the accomplishments, Davidson said there is still work The Scientist, and the American Association of Retired Persons, among to be done. others. The organizations recognizing Duke represent a diverse range of “The fact that Duke is now included on these lists is a sign that we are interests, from family-friendly and preventive health to the on the right path and making progress,” Davidson said. “We still need to needs of IT professionals and academic researchers. find better ways to connect people to the goals of the institution and to create greater visibility and engagement with Duke’s leaders.”
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Says who?
Carolina Parent Named Duke Duke University and Health System a top family-friendly workplace in North Carolina.
Computerworld
AARP
Named Duke University Health System one of top 100 information technology (IT) places to work.
Why I joined …
In July, Richard Holcomb, 40, left a job with SAS Institute in Cary, a place listed for eight consecutive years in the top 20 of Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work for in America,” to take a job at Duke. Holcomb, who left Duke two years ago for the job at SAS, came back as a compensation systems manager in Human Resources because of the professional opportunities available. “SAS is an incredible Richard Holcomb employer, but the challenges at Duke are greater for me,” he said. “I missed the dynamics of the environment here – the health system, the university, the diversity and complexity. Those are all aspects that are stimulating to my career.” Holcomb said that while SAS receives a lot of attention for its benefits, he found benefits such as retirement to be better at Duke. He also appreciates other factors such as the mission of Duke, its stability and the commitment of its leaders. “Duke does so much to try to make the world better and is not just driven by profit,” Holcomb said. “I want to support an institution like that. Duke’s leadership genuinely considers the impact of their decisions on staff – that’s rare in this day.”
Learn More at www.hr.duke.edu/bestemployer
Named Durham Regional Hospital one of 50 Best Employers for Workers over 50 years old.
The Scientist Named Duke University among top 15 “Best Places to Work in Academia.”
Why I stayed …
For 27 years, Esther Roseboro has worked as a nurse at Durham Regional Hospital, which was named by AARP this year as one of the “Best Employers for Workers over 50.” Roseboro’s tenure at Durham Regional is not uncommon. She moved to the Ambulatory Care Unit in 1990, and is among three of the five original employees who remain 17 years later. Now 60, Roseboro credits her colleagues and their collective commitment to making a difference among the reasons why Esther Roseboro she stayed. “I have had a lot of support over the years from my co-workers and supervisors,” Roseboro said. “I even call one of my co-workers my adopted sister. And I feel like I’m making a difference here by taking care of patients and teaching them to take better care of themselves.” Roseboro said she also appreciates the benefits at Duke. “Working here, I meet a lot of people and hear about their benefits and insurance,” she said. “Many of them have higher co-pays and deductibles than we do.” Has Roseboro ever considered leaving? “I have thought about leaving before, but it was never the most practical choice, and honestly, at this point, I don’t want to go anywhere else.” — Stories by Paul Grantham and Elizabeth Michalka Office of Communication Services
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Read together with DukeReads online book club
hile sitting at the kitchen table in her Durham home, Margaret Clarke was immersed in a lively discussion about the complexity of love and nature of evil. Clarke, a School of Medicine senior compliance auditor, was among dozens of Duke faculty, staff, students and alumni participating in the October online chat about “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” a novel by Lionel Shriver about a family in crisis. The forum was part of DukeReads, a 600plus member virtual book club launched in September by the Alumni Association, Duke University Libraries and others. Deborah Jakubs, the Rita DiGiallonardo Holloway University Librarian and vice provost for Library Affairs, picked October’s selection. It’s one of seven books selected by a panel of distinguished Duke bibliophiles, Richard H. Brodhead including President Richard H. Brodhead. “I think it’s wonderful that I was able to log on to the chat and listen on headphones while clipping pictures for a school poster my 14-year-old son Spencer was putting together on the kitchen floor,” Clarke said. “For busy people, this is a very convenient way to be part of a book club.” DukeReads participants explore book selections, post online comments, participate in live chats, watch videos of previous chats and sign-up for e-mail updates. Modeled
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Richard H. Brodhead will offer insights Jan. 9 about his selection, “The Namesake,” a multigenerational story of a Hindu family.
7 Books, 7 Months Get the latest schedule and learn more at
www.dukereads.com. For details about live book chats, select “instructions” on the top menu.
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after similar programs at Princeton and Stanford universities, DukeReads is sparking insightful conversations on campus – and off. “This is a great way to involve the entire Duke community in multigenerational, interdisciplinary conversations around such topics as evolutionary biology, race relations and American culture,” said Rachel Davies, Duke’s director of alumni education and travel who proposed the online book club. During a live chat Jan. 9, Brodhead will offer insights about his selection, “The Namesake,” a multi-generational story of a Hindu family by Jhumpa Lahiri. “One theme that runs through the book is how we grow out of our origins and how we come back to them,” Brodhead said. “That is a common theme that speaks to all people.” DukeReads offers an innovative way for avid book readers to share their passion with others, he said. “I love the idea that reading can bring people together,” Brodhead said. “That’s the purpose of this program.” The first session of DukeReads end in April, and organizers hope to continue the program next fall. “DukeReads stimulates critical conversation within our extended Duke community and represents another way to be connected to the life of ideas at Duke, regardless of location,” Jakubs said. — By Missy Baxter Senior Writer, Office of Communication Services
Marian Wright Edelman to speak at MLK commemoration “Now as never before is the chance offered to do something. This is a history-making epoch where we –me – the young – can be major characters. Now is the time to act – to work – to sacrifice.”
hose words were written March 4, 1960, in the diary of a twenty-year-old Spelman College student. The diarist was Marian Wright Edelman, now president of the Children’s Defense Fund and respected civil rights lawyer. Edelman will be the keynote speaker at Duke’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration 3 p.m. Jan. 20, in Duke Chapel. “The Power of Youth” is the theme for this year’s King celebration with events that focus on caring for children and how college students can bring about social reform. In the ’60s, Edelman participated in the Civil Rights Movement, protesting segregated lunch counters in Atlanta, working for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in New York, advocating for poor children in Mississippi and helping King organize the Poor People’s March on Washington. In 1973, she founded the Children’s Defense Fund with the mission of lobbying for programs supporting poor and vulnerable children. She was the first black woman admitted to the Mississippi bar and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. “My advice to young people is to join a cause and stay with it,” Edelman said in an e-mail interview. “When Dr. King was in the midst of the Montgomery bus boycott, he had no idea that 10 years later he would be mobilizing millions in a national struggle to end racial injustice, or that he would be accepting the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Marian Wright Edelman
Many effective social justice movements are campusbased—anti-war mobilizations, get out the vote drives, divestment in companies doing business with Sudan to aid the oppressed in Darfur.” — Marian Wright Edelman
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The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Duke in 1964, filling Page Auditorium and receiving a standing ovation. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES.
“Many effective social justice movements are campusbased—anti-war mobilizations, get out the vote drives, divestment in companies doing business with Sudan to aid the oppressed in Darfur,” she said. Ben Reese, one of the King committee co-chairs and Duke’s vice president for institutional equity, sited Edelman’s ongoing work lobbying for policies that benefit children in choosing her to speak. “Martin Luther King often spoke of creating a more just society for future generations,” he said. “Marian Wright Edelman carries forward that passion and determination for our children – for a society of safety, social justice and educational enrichment.”
Visit http://mlk.duke.edu
— By James Todd Writer, Office of News & Communications
Volunteers
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“It’s not just dogs and cats,” Croom said. “We’ve had everything from alligators to emus in here,” she said, pointing toward two sheep inside an indoor kennel. “There are lots of other ways to help if you do not want to work with animals. We need volunteers to help with our education committee, front desk and other administrative tasks.”
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As hundreds of music fans streamed into historic Durham Athletic Park, Ed Gomes scurried across the field to a booth filled with volunteers selling T-shirts and memorabilia for the 20th Annual Bull Durham Blues Festival. “I’m just making sure you’ve got plenty of change before the customers get here,” said Gomes, smiling and adjusting a shoulder microphone that connected him with festival organizers and security. Gomes, who oversees information systems support at Perkins Library, has served as a blues festival volunteer for many years and as chair of the 2007 festival in September. “You have an opportunity to make a difference in many areas of need by giving a bit of your time,” he said. “You get to meet some wonderful people, both the volunteers and recipients of your efforts, and it makes you feel good about your efforts at the end of the day.” The blues festival lures big names in the music industry and about 20,000 fans each year. It raises money for the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, which operates the Hayti Heritage Center. Proceeds fund activities at the center, including the Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Raise-a-Reader Fair. “The St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation is an organization that embraces the heritage of Hayti, a vibrant African-American community in Durham that was unique in the South at that time,” Gomes said. “By volunteering, I feel like I’m helping keep Hayti’s history alive and helping with the community’s future, too.”
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Ben Ward, the Duke professor, volunteers about four times each week in the kitchen at Urban Ministries. Known as “Mr. Ben” to the clients at Urban Ministries, Ward organizes special dinners for shelter clients. A few years ago, he recruited other Duke faculty and students to organize a salmon dinner, complete with candles, floral centerpieces, and linen napkins and table cloths. “His compassion is sincere,” said Tom Holcomb, who oversees the shelter’s food and clothing services. “One of the most impressive things is the way he interacts with the clients. He treats them all with respect and expresses a true interest in their lives. People like Ben really give Duke a good name.” — By Missy Baxter Senior Writer, Office of Communication Services
Patty Croom and Clover, a 3-month-old Labrador mix, visit with each other at the Animal Protection Society of Durham. Croom, service representative at the Duke Consultation and Referral Center, has volunteered at the shelter since 1991.
Volunteer Resources D u k e - D u r h a m N e i g h b o r h o o d Pa r t n e r s h i p
Launched in 1996, the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership collaborates with public schools, government agencies, non-profit organizations and humanitarian groups to spearhead community service projects in Durham neighborhoods. Each year, more than 200 Duke staff and faculty contribute time, energy and talent through the partnership. During the past decade, Duke volunteers helped establish health clinics, build affordable housing, provide educational enrichment opportunities for youth and organize crime prevention programs. “Volunteers who want to do something totally different than their role at Duke can contribute in an entirely different way,” said Sam Miglarese, director of community engagement for the Office of Community Affairs, which oversees the partnership. “We’ve got something for everyone.” Visit www.community.duke.edu or contact Sam Miglarese, sam.miglarese@duke.edu, or David Stein, dstein@duke.edu.
Vo l u n t e e r C e n t e r o f D u r h a m
The center’s role as a clearing house for volunteers offers an efficient way of connecting the Duke community with more than 400 agencies throughout the Triangle. Sarah Fish, director of trust and estate administration for Duke Development and board president for the Volunteer Center of Durham, is impressed with the number of Duke employees who give back to the community. “The Volunteer Center makes it easy for people to make a difference,” Fish said. “People can read postings on our Web site from groups seeking volunteers, and they can also participate in programs that we sponsor.” Visit www.thevolunteercenter.org, or call (919) 688-8977.
Tr i a n g l e U n i t e d Wa y
The Triangle United Way’s interactive Web portal enables potential volunteers to find community service opportunities with hundreds of area agencies. Volunteers can search by using a keyword, such as a specific field of interest, or they can complete a personal profile to match them with local agencies. The organization also seeks volunteers for community impact programs such as Teaming for Technology, which helps bridge the digital divide by refurbishing used computers for North Carolina families. Visit www.unitedwaytriangle.org or call (919) 463-5043.
Ed Gomes, who oversees information systems support at Perkins Library, adjusts a shoulder microphone that connects him with festival organizers and security at the Annual Bull Durham Blues Festival.
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Teamwork/Diversityawards Winners of the Diversity Award and Teamwork Award for 2007 were honored by Duke University and Health System leaders during a luncheon Nov. 1. The Diversity Award recognizes faculty or staff members who demonstrate, through positive interactions with others, a respect and value for differing backgrounds and points of view at Duke. The Teamwork Award honors employees who collaborate and work together on a project or significant effort that advances departmental goals and/or Duke’s mission. In addition to university staff recognized, a Diversity Award was presented to Dr. Delbert R. Wigfall, associate professor, Pediatrics, Nephrology. Members of Duke Medicine’s Clinical Research Committee Team received the Teamwork Award.
Gregory Duncan
Diversity Award Gregory F. Duncan
Associate Dean of Student Services Duke University Divinity School
Back row, left to right: Provost Peter Lange, Elaine Madison, President Richard H. Brodhead, Sheila Curran, Susan Kauffman, David Schaad. Front row, left to right: Sam Miglarese, Betsy Alden, Eric Mlyn, Lee Willard.
In 1990, Duncan launched Project BRI(DDD)GE (Building Relationships In Durham through Duke Divinity Graduate Education). The project is a weeklong, pre-orientation program for entering students that seeks to nurture Christian outreach in Durham.
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Dean Duncan has consistently pushed the boundaries of the Divinity School’s student life programs, setting about deliberately to create and nurture a variety of initiatives that make diversity a way of life for all of us in our community, not only students, but also faculty, staff and administrators…He has taught our students that the words and concepts they study in class…are not academic abstractions but something to be…made real in the world. —Nominators, Connie Mitchell Shelton and Joseph Shelton, Co-Directors, Field Education; Cheryl Brown, Director, Admissions; Sally Bates, Chaplain; Sheila Williams, Director, Financial Aid.
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Teamwork Award
The DukeEngage Team (Zoila Airall, Betsy Alden, James Belvin, Alma Blount, Tony Brown, Sheila Curran, Susan M. Kauffman, Elaine Madison, Sam Miglarese, Eric J. Mlyn, Margaret Riley, James Roberts, Cheri Ross, David Schaad, Lee Willard) The DukeEngage Team comprises of 15 inter-departmental members who created a ground-breaking program that enables undergraduates to apply classroom learning to addressing societal issues at home and abroad.
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The result of their work is what we now know as DukeEngage and the Duke Center for Civic Engagement…Just within a few months of its debut, 90 students have already engaged in internships in the U.S., Yemen, Tanzania, India and Kenya. Moreover, DukeEngage has come to be widely viewed as a national model for integrated service and the undergraduate experience. —Nominator, Provost Peter Lange
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The 2007 holiday suncatcher – designed through teamwork his year’s Duke suncatcher is more meaningful than ever, not only because of what it represents and the work that went into creating it, but because for the first time, it was designed by a Duke staff member. “It has been an unexpected honor to be a part of this,” said Pam Isner, research technician in the Department of Pathology, the suncatcher designer. Isner created about 30 sketches for the 2007 suncatcher before the final design was selected. The suncatcher is the shape of a circle with a Duke blue border and three connected shapes in the center in green, blue and purple. They represent teamwork, one of Duke’s guiding principles. The suncatchers are being distributed to 28,000 faculty and staff as a sign of appreciation. Isner will also design future suncatchers based on the other principles: trustworthiness, respect, diversity and learning. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the principles, which speak to Duke’s overall goals and mission, said Monica Pallett, manager of Staff & Family
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Pam Isner
It feels good to make this for other Duke employees … I hope this suncatcher is as special to Duke employees as it is to me.” — Pam Isner Duke Department of Pathology
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Programs, the Human Resources unit that has given the suncatcher as a holiday gift to Duke faculty and staff since the early 1990s. “The guiding principles theme makes the suncatcher really specific to Duke, and I think the beautiful design lends itself to personal interpretation,” Pallett said. “Everyone has seen something different in the design. They interpret the shapes as flowers, birds, dolphins and even people. That really makes the suncatcher a unique piece of art.” Isner, who has participated in various Duke employee art shows, was recommended for the suncatcher project by the Health Arts Network at Duke, also known as HAND. She first learned to work in leaded glass and stained glass 18 years ago. Since then, she also learned mosaic techniques. She prefers large, intricate projects, like three dimensional works of more than 1,000 pieces, and stained glass windows with more than 200 pieces. Despite her experience and talent, Isner said she was nervous about taking on the suncatcher project. It was very different in size and scope than anything she has done. She never had her art work reproduced in a large quantity, and she had never created a design based on a concept like teamwork. “It feels good to make this for other Duke employees,” Isner said. “The suncatcher really is a special thing to people here, especially since every one is handmade at a small family business in Rhode Island. I hope this suncatcher is as special to Duke employees as it is to me.” — By Elizabeth Michalka Communications Specialist, HR Communications
Sustainable uke YO U R
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U.S. SEASONAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK
NORTH CAROLINA
WHAT YOU CAN DO
With the strengthening and expected persistence of La Niña conditions through early 2008, the current drought outlook leaned heavily on precipitation anomalies that typically occur during La Niña episodes. A widespread area of drought development is expected from the southern Rockies into the southern Plains, Gulf Coast, and Florida. Year-to-date rainfall deficits range from 15 to 20 inches in the area of exceptional drought centered in northern parts of Alabama and Georgia. Drought will likely persist in these areas along with the Carolinas. SOURCE: NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION.
Every Drop Counts Water conservation at Duke s North Carolina experiences the worst drought in recorded history, Duke is developing a conservation plan to reduce water consumption and has launched a new Web site to provide students, faculty and staff with the latest drought information and water conservation tips. Water conservation is critical, Duke water officials say, since weather forecasters predict a dry winter following one of the driest summers. “We may reach the spring and summer with even less water than we had in 2007,” said Eben Polk, a Nicholas Institute research associate. Duke has cut its daily water use by thousands of gallons since the beginning of the drought, and is developing a conservation plan to comply with all stages of Durham’s water conservation ordinance. The plan will include reduction measures that comply with the current Stage III restrictions – enacted in September – which include a target goal of reducing water use by 30 percent. “Even before the city issued the mandatory restrictions Duke had already begun making changes to reduce the amount of water consumed, and we are continuing to look at all areas on campus to find additional ways to conserve water,” said John Noonan, associate vice president for Duke’s Facilities Management Department. “Duke is determined to stay ahead of the game on this.” Water consumption at Duke has been reduced in a variety of ways – adjusting low-flush toilets, discontinuing pressure washing and most lawn watering, and making operational changes such as an adjustment at the central chilled water plant that saves 9,000 gallons daily. Even in the medical facilities, which account for nearly half of Duke’s total annual water use, conservation is in full swing. Duke’s medical facilities are working to reduce consumption through a variety of proposed engineering projects such as installing low flush toilets and recycling water from buildings.
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One proposed project alone is expected to save millions of gallons annually. It involves recovering cold water from cooling units at the Nanaline Duke and Sands buildings, and pumping the water to Duke’s central chilled water plant for use in the plant’s process to cool buildings at Duke. “We’re encouraging all employees to conserve water whenever they can without impacting the quality of patient care,” said James Good, associate operating officer at Duke Hospital. “During the past five years, the Health System has saved a substantial amount of water that is required to operate our facilities by engineering more efficient ways to use water. Those are the types of things that we’re looking into for future reductions.” On the university campus, most automatic irrigation systems, which account for 8 percent of Duke’s total water use, have been turned off. And several eateries have switched to disposable dinnerware, saving hundreds of gallons daily. Water use from fiscal year 2006 to fiscal year 2007 decreased by 30 million gallons, Noonan said. “This was done in spite of adding additional new square footage in buildings on campus,” he said. “Our commitment to design environmentally-friendly buildings has resulted in more efficient use of resources such as water.” North Carolina’s drought is not expected to end soon. “We’d need about 24 inches of precipitation by the end of February or about 35 by May to completely end the drought this winter,” said Phil Badgett, a National Weather Service forecaster in Raleigh, “and the chances of that happening are less than 4 percent.”
Report leaks, dripping faucets and running toilets. For University buildings, 684-2122; residence halls, 6845320 (East), 684-5486 (West), 684-5813 (Central); medical center, 684-3232.
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Turn off faucets while washing hands or brushing teeth. Make a conscious effort to do one thing every day at Duke to conserve water. Every drop counts.
We’d need about 24 inches of precipitation by the end of February or about 35 by May to completely end the drought this winter, and the chances of that happening are less than 4 percent.” — Phil Badgett National Weather Service forecaster in Raleigh
— By Missy Baxter Senior Writer, Office of Communication Services
Conserve Water Now – Visit www.duke.edu/sustainability/water
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WORKING@ DUKE
HOW TO REACH US Editor: Leanora Minai (919) 681-4533 leanora.minai@duke.edu Assistant Vice President: Paul S. Grantham (919) 681-4534 paul.grantham@duke.edu Graphic Design & Layout: Paul Figuerado Photography: Stewart Waller, Waller Digital; Elizabeth Michalka, HR Communications; and Jon Gardiner, Les Todd and Megan Morr of Duke University Photography Support Staff: Mary Carey
Working@Duke is published monthly by Duke’s Office of Communication Services. We invite your feedback and suggestions for future story topics. 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.
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dialogue@Duke “How will you give back to your community in the coming year?” I’m a member at Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh and I’ve spent time working with college students at the church in the past few years. I am hoping to continue being involved in serving the local community in other ways with my church, such as being a part of a newly developed ministry for widows. God has blessed my life in more ways than I know, and I enjoy giving back to my community in response to that.”
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Sarah Hinton Ergonomics Specialist Occupational & Environmental Safety 1 year at Duke
I always try to help people out when they need it, and I will continue doing that. I think it’s important to help on a daily basis, such as when a friend or neighbor needs a ride or when someone is broken down on the side of the road. I believe in helping when I can.”
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Orlando Watson Grounds Equipment Operator, Facilities Management Department 1 year at Duke
One of my goals for 2008 is to give back by helping the environment and conserving water. The drought has truly been a reminder of how precious our community resources are. I’m focusing on preserving the environment we all live in by being more conscious of the water we consume, recycling and creating a ‘green’ work and home environment. I’ve been shortening showers, turning off running water while brushing my teeth and doing the dishes, and running only full loads of the dishwasher and the washing machine. I want to find other ways to save water next year.”
Rebecca Levenson Interim Director, Jewish Life 2 years at Duke
— By Missy Baxter Senior Writer, Office of Communication Services
Mystery diners provide valuable feedback he scent of chicken curry filled the air as David Gastwirth studied the buffet at Henry’s Place, a kosher eatery in the Freeman Center for Jewish Life. After a nod of approval for the food appearance and diverse buffet selection, Gastwirth, a Duke grad and research associate at the Sanford Institute of Public Policy, took a seat and began the taste test. He dredged fresh-baked Indian flatbread through a pool of cucumber raita, a yogurtbased sauce. He smiled and jotted a few notes: “spotless buffet,” “nice presentation,” “friendly cashier.” Yes, the food police are alive and well at Duke. And Gastwirth is among them. “My job is to check out all the cool places to eat at Duke, and let them know what they’re doing right, and if there are things they need to improve,” Gastwirth said. As a mystery diner with Duke Dining Services, Gastwirth is among David Gastwirth, Sanford Institute of Public Policy research associate, is a mystery diner. dozens of Duke staff, faculty and students who provide valuable feedback about food and customer service at about two dozen eateries on the university campus. Mystery diners volunteer to rate customer service, speed of service, food quality, cleanliness, merchandising and Want To Be A overall impression. In return for visiting a restaurant and completing a Customer Care Review, diners receive a free meal. Mystery Diner? “Customer service in a lot of locations has improved and menus in some locations have changed, based on feedback • Contact Tammy Hope at and suggestions from mystery diners,” said Tammy Hope, Duke Dining’s quality assurance specialist. tammy.hope@duke.edu, call Duke faculty and staff members who want to become mystery diners first notify Dining Services of their interest. (919) 660-3926 or visit They must meet with Hope to review the program before receiving an assignment that specifies location and whether www.dining.duke.edu the visit is for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Diners are only permitted to conduct one review at each eligible eatery. “Completing the review usually only takes about 10 minutes, which is a good trade for a free meal,” Hope said. • Meet with Dining Services While there is no price limit for a meal, the sky is not the limit. “We tell them to eat what they would normally and review program & protocol eat and to be reasonable,” Hope said. • Receive assignment, review Frankie Fogg, a mystery diner, said the program gives employees an incentive to explore campus. form and meal voucher “Before I became a mystery diner, I didn’t know so many good places to eat existed at Duke,” said Fogg, a safety • Visit the eatery during technician at Duke’s Occupational Hygiene & Safety Office. “If you work close to the hospital and don’t get a chance breakfast, lunch or dinner to explore the campus, this provides a chance to interact with people you don’t see on a consistent basis.”
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• Complete and submit review within a week
D U K E T O D AY
— By Missy Baxter Senior Writer, Office of Communication Services
For daily news and information, visit www.duke.edu/today