WORKING@DUKE
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ADDING GENDER IDENTITY
Prompted by the LGBT Task Force, Duke adds “gender identity” to its nondiscrimination policy.
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N EWS YO U CA N U S E
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FISCAL FITNESS
Take control of your financial planning during Financial Fitness Week workshops May 14 to May 17.
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MAY I HELP YOU?
The Human Resources Call Center answered more than 88,000 calls last year — get an inside look from Susan Naylor.
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May 2007
Bridging the Communication Gap “B
Staff from other countries learn English at Duke eat.” “Bet.” “Bat.”
The three words were pronounced carefully, slowly, every sound prolonged, every letter distinguishable. The speakers, immigrants from Mexico, sat at a table in a balcony above the Marketplace, the East Campus dining hall where they work for Duke Dining Services. After pronouncing each word, the three employees looked at Lizzy Do for approval. Her wide smile signified they said it right. When Do, a first-year student at Duke, asked about the meaning of the words, staff member Maria Alvarez repeated “bat” as she clasped her hands together and swung her arms out, as though swinging a baseball bat. Francisco Naranjo, her father, sat with her. He nodded in agreement, along with co-worker Raul Alvarez. The dining services employees passed the next hour talking with Do, a tutor and coordinator of Partners for Learning, a faculty-advised student group that offers English as a Second Language and computer instruction for Duke staff. “Partners for Learning is helping make employees more comfortable at work,” said Katheldra Pinder, director of training for the Compass Group, the food service vendor at the Marketplace. “Communication is key. If you can speak to customers and the students who come here, it creates a bridge of trust and encourages relationships.” In the 1990s, the Community Service Center at Duke ran a program similar to Partners for Learning. The program, which offered adult literacy classes to employees and had a student leadership component, ended in 2000. Partners for Learning formed in 2006 with the merger of two projects developed by students in Professor Tony Brown’s enterprising leadership course. In starting the new employee-student literacy initiative, the founders of Partners for Learning interviewed various Duke employee groups and managers and discovered a demand among employees for ESL and computer lessons.
Local statistics reflect the need for a program such as Partners for Learning. According to the U.S. Census, Durham had 2,054 Hispanic residents in 1990; that number jumped to 17,039 in 2000. Since last summer, group and individual tutoring sessions have been scheduled based on employee availability and held in work locations, usually twice a week. This semester, 16 employees took ESL lessons at Edens Quad and the Marketplace. Recently, Partners for Learning began an ESL pilot at the WashingtonDuke Inn with 25 employees, mostly from Mexico, but also from Vietnam, Morocco, Liberia, China, Guatemala, Honduras and Taiwan. Partners for Learning is one example of the unique learning opportunities available for Duke employees. From the professional school libraries and seven other library branches to guest lecturers and the Professional Development Institute (PDI), Duke offers many ways to continue learning. PDI, for example, provides assessments of employee SEE BRIDGING THE COMMUNICATION GAP, PAGE 4
From top: Duke food services employee Raul Alvarez, left, asks first-year student and English as a Second Language tutor Lizzy Do a question during a Partners for Learning session. Maria Alvarez and her father, Francisco Naranjo, right, listen intently. Below: first-year student and ESL tutor Isaac Warren plays a Bob Marley song as Miriam Lopez follows the lyrics during a Partners for Learning session.
This paper consists of 30% recycled post-consumer fiber.
LOOKING
AHEAD @ DUKE
Newsbriefs “There is much to learn from the events that we have lived
Charges against lacrosse players dropped North Carolina’s attorney general has dropped all charges against three former Duke lacrosse players, declaring them innocent. The attorney general, Roy A. Cooper, announced April 11 that
through, and we intend to put this learning to use,” Steel wrote. “Duke is a great university that steps up to challenges and opportunities, and together we will use this moment to make our community stronger.”
MAY 11 : : Farmers Market,
there was insufficient evidence to proceed on any of the charges
For more information, visit
fresh produce, flowers and more available from local vendors, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in front of the medical center store off Coal Pile Drive and next to the walkway connecting Duke Hospital and Duke Clinics.
against David Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann. Cooper said
www.dukenews.duke.edu/mmedia/features/lacrosse_incident
the cases, originally brought by the Durham District Attorney, were “the tragic result of a rush to accuse and a failure to verify serious allegations,” according to a statement released by Cooper’s office. President Richard H. Brodhead welcomed the decision in the much-publicized case, saying it “will begin a new day for all involved.” “From the outset, I have been careful to note that these students
MAY 13 : : Duke 2007 Commencement, Richard Wagoner Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of the General Motors Corporation, delivers commencement address, 10 a.m., Wallace Wade Stadium.
The DukeCard Office has introduced a new feature for Flexible Spending Accounts (FLEX), the pre-paid debit feature on your DukeCard. Faculty and staff can now enroll for online payroll deduction, offering a convenient alternative to traveling to DukeCard offices or
were entitled to the presumption of innocence and I looked to the legal
mailing deposits. Those options
system to determine the merit of the charges,” Brodhead said. “Now,
are still available, however.
finally, that process has given us a decision based on a thorough and objective review of the evidence.
“This is a simple, fast and secure way to manage your
“This is what
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account, and it saves paper,”
we have all
said Matt Drummond,
needed from the
director of the DukeCard
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the District Attorney’s conduct in this case. As for Duke, while not reliving the past year, we won’t be afraid to go back and learn what we can from this difficult experience.” On the evening of the attorney general’s announcement, Robert
With online payroll deduction, employees can sign up to have $10 to $100 deducted from their pay each month and deposited into their FLEX accounts. The service is free of charge. Employees without online access can still enroll in payroll deduction by filling out paperwork at the DukeCard offices, Room 100
K. Steel, chair of Duke’s board of trustees, sent a letter to members of
West Union Building on West Campus or Room 0100 Facilities Center
the Duke community expressing the board’s relief over the outcome
off Coal Pile Drive.
and its support for Brodhead.
For more events, check the university’s online calendar at http://calendar.duke.edu
New payroll deduction makes using DukeCard easier
To enroll, visit www.dukecard.duke.edu or call the DukeCard office at (919) 684-5800 for more information.
Duke adds“gender identity” to Equal Opportunity Policy Highlights of LGBT Task Force Milestones 1989: Duke adds “sexual preference” to its nondiscrimination policy
1994: Domestic partner registration and benefits extended to employees
1999: Center for LGBT Life staffed with fulltime director and assistant director
2000: Duke Chapel allows same-sex marriage ceremonies
2004: Center for LGBT Life moved to new area, doubling its space
ooking back over the work by Duke’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender task force, Damon Seils saw significant milestones over the years. Duke added “sexual orientation or preference” to its nondiscrimination policy. Domestic partner registration and benefits were extended to employees. “We have a lot to be proud of,” said Seils, co-chair of the LGBT task force and senior research analyst for DCRI, “but we didn’t see anything we could point to regarding the concerns of transgender people.” Until February. After more than a year of work by the LGBT task force, Duke University and Health System updated its nondiscrimination Equal Opportunity Policy to include gender identity. The addition was passed with the support of President Richard Brodhead and Vice President for Institutional Equity Ben Reese, and won the swift approval of the Board of Trustees. Gender identity refers to an individual’s deeply held psychological identification as male and masculine or female and feminine, or none, which may not match the individual’s birth sex. In Duke’s policy, the word “preference” was deleted and the words, “gender identity,” were added. The updated policy reads: Duke University prohibits discrimination and harassment, and provides equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, or age. Duke is committed to recruiting, hiring, and promoting qualified minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.
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“These modifications of our policy reinforce our commitment to equity, fairness and respect for all members of the Duke community,” Reese Ben Reese said. “Whether engaged in educational endeavors or employed by the university, we seek to provide an environment supportive of the highest educational attainment and health care, and one that provides equal opportunity and access.” Duke joins 75 other colleges and universities, including Harvard and Yale, and 177 major corporations that have included gender identity and/or gender expression in their policies, according to the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, a human rights organization in Washington, D.C. Last summer, Duke LGBT task force members sent President Brodhead a letter about including gender identity in Duke’s non-discrimination policy. Seils and assistant professor of history Felicia Kornbluh, the co-chairs, wrote that Duke had the opportunity to take a leadership role in supporting institutional equity and reaching out to the transgender community. “We also believe that that the presence of such a policy at Duke would help us to attract the most desirable employees and students regardless of their identity or expression,” they wrote. For Seils and other LGBT task force members, the Board of Trustees approval in February is yet another milestone. “At its best, Duke recognizes people’s differences and takes diversity and inclusiveness seriously,” Seils said. “This policy is just a way of formalizing that.”
Want More Info? Call Duke’s Office for Institutional Equity at (919) 684-8222 or visit www.gpac.org to read more about gender identity issues.
— By Leanora Minai Editor, Working@Duke
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Be prepared for the unexpected ENSURE YOUR FAMILY IS PROTECTED WITH SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE INSURANCE
avid Holland is a poster child for Duke’s supplemental life insurance benefit. At 38, with four children between 8 months and 5 years old, and a stay-at-home wife, Holland said he enrolled in the additional insurance to cover his family in case anything happens to him. “My primary motivation in getting the supplemental life insurance was to make sure that the mortgage and bills could still be paid and my wife wouldn’t be in financial trouble,” Holland said.
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I always heard that it was a good thing to have, but I didn’t think I could afford it until I learned about Duke’s plan.” — David Holland
Holland, who has worked at Duke since 2000 and manages the computer network, servers and data for the Medical Center architect’s office, said the supplemental life insurance is the third most important benefit he has, after health and disability insurance. Duke provides a basic life insurance benefit of $10,000, and a death benefit for survivors of eligible Duke employees. The death benefit amount is equal to one month’s pay for each year of service for a maximum of six months pay. But Holland said he wanted to provide his family with a greater financial cushion. So he enrolled in supplemental life insurance for himself and his wife last fall. Benefits manager Bill Phillips said supplemental life insurance may not be right for everyone. “Just ask yourself what you would do if your income went away,” he said. “If
you’re the main bread-winner, even if you don’t have kids, you should seriously look into the benefit.” Holland did some research and decided to get Duke’s supplemental life insurance plan through MetLife because of the competitive rates and the fact that he can take the plan with him if he changes jobs. Holland receives $170,000 worth of coverage for himself and $100,000 for his wife for $15.63 per month. The cost of coverage is based on the level of coverage selected, age and smoker status. “Before I had it, I felt bare and exposed,” Holland said. “I always heard that it was a good thing to have, but I didn’t think I could afford it until I learned about Duke’s plan. There’s such a small amount taken out of my check every month that I hardly notice it.” Although he said the paperwork was lengthy and detailed, the enrollment process was worth it because he’s had nothing to worry about since. “The sooner you get it, the cheaper you’re monthly payment will be,” said Phillips, the Benefits manager. “But the nice thing about Duke’s benefit is that it’s a group policy, so it’s more affordable than an individual policy.” — By Elizabeth Michalka Writer, Human Resources Communications
David Holland, back row, at his home in Durham with wife, Cynthia Holland, and their children, Alexis, far left, 5; Chloe, 8 months; and twins Lauren and David, both 3.
READ more about Duke benefits Visit www.hr.duke.edu/benefits
GAME ON! PROGRAM OFFERS THE ULTIMATE IN VIDEO GAMING ore than 20 years ago, Ariel Dorfman wrote an essay for The Village Voice about video games. Upon publication of that essay, he paid little attention to the video-game culture that continued to evolve over the next two decades. But with the Information Science & Information Studies (ISIS) program’s impending “Game Night” held across from his office in the John Hope Franklin Center on a recent Wednesday night, Dorfman felt compelled to revisit the gaming world. “What sort of an intellectual would I be if I had this happening in front of me and not come and take a look?” asked Dorfman, the Walter Hines research professor of literature and Latin American studies. Dorfman attended part of the four-hour Game Night and discovered video game utopia: a room with four 50inch, wall-mounted, high-definition televisions connected to PlayStation 3s, Xbox 360s and PCs. A 7-foot projection screen was hooked into a Nintendo Wii. Game Night was launched to expose the Duke community to ISIS, which began in 2002 to study and create new information technologies and to analyze their impact on science, society, art, culture, commerce and the environment. The event showcases the Interactive Multimedia Project Space (IMPS) space, which was built to allow deep study of various media types and innovative education practices. “We're interested both in the history of games and how they are used now and harnessing the appeal of games to be used for serious purposes like improving education,” said Victoria Szabo, program director for ISIS.
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On a Wednesday in March, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., gamers immersed themselves in alternate worlds in games such as God of War II – where you depict Kratos’ journey to all corners of the Earth to defeat untold horrors in order to alter his fate – Command & Conquer 3 – where the fate of humanity and Earth rest on your ability to fend off a global assault by the Brotherhood of Nod – and Madden NFL 2007 – where players choose their favorite pro football teams and play in head-to-head competition. “From sports, to war simulations, to first-person shooters – all these genres are reflected here, and that really interests people in many ways,” said Zach Pogue, IT Director for the Jenkins Chair in New Technologies in Society and the popular How They Got Game ISIS course. “Video games provide us a lens to explore many complex social realities.” Though games are popular among students, ISIS wants to include more faculty and staff members in the experience. Dorfman said he would pass his experiences on to colleagues. “I’m certainly going to mention this, and at some point,” he said, “I’m probably going to write about it.”
From top: Zachary Pogue, right, plays a video game during the ISIS program’s Game Night at the John Hope Franklin Center. Below, Neal Myers-Perry plays Wii.
— By Tim Candon Working@Duke Correspondent
LEARN MORE ISIS hosts four game nights during the academic year and will continue in the fall. Visit www.isis.duke.edu or call program director Victoria Szabo, (919) 668-1932, for more information.
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Bridging The Communication Gap continued from page 1
needs and makes referrals to resources on and off campus. Learning & Organization Development and Duke Continuing Studies also offer communications, writing and computer skills classes. “Duke is dedicated to helping provide professional development to faculty and staff,” said Sally Allison, manager of the Professional Development Institute. “If you recognize that you have an educational need, whether it’s learning better communication or computer skills, there are resources here to assist you.”
A Fa m i l y L e s s o n
On a recent day, Do, the first-year student and Partners for Learning tutor, reviewed vocabulary words with some employees. Another tutor, Isaac Warren, worked with three other dining employees whose English skills are more advanced. Warren’s group included Francisco Naranjo’s two sons, Saul and Genaro Yañez. Warren discussed the verb “to be” and explained the construction of words and phrases in the past tense. Near the end of the lesson, he distributed lyrics to Bob Marley’s “Waiting In Vain” and played his guitar and sang, while the Yañez brothers and co-worker Miriam Lopez read the lyrics. Saul Yañez said he enjoys ESL sessions because it allows him to practice English.
His father, Francisco Naranjo said he also appreciates the chance to improve his English. He said he has the most difficulty because of his age and limited education. Francisco Naranjo, 56, has worked at Duke for 11 years and lived in Durham for 15. He relies on his children at times to translate. He didn’t learn to read or write until he was in his mid-30s and took classes after work in Mexico. He studied at home late into the night. “For me, it has been very hard to learn English because in my childhood, I didn’t go to school, instead I had to work,” he said through his son, Genaro Yañez. Pinder, the director of training for the Compass Group, the food service vendor at the Marketplace, said Partners for Learning tutors are patient. Tutoring sessions move at the employees’ pace, and employees decide when to progress to the next level. “They have much passion to teach,” Francisco Naranjo said.
Mutual Benefits
Duke senior Shian Ling Keng and sophomore Jenny Terrell were the creators of one of the class projects that became Partners for Learning. Their original project promoted a mutual exchange of knowledge between students and employees, which they merged with a project that focused on offering ESL lessons to employees.
Duke senior Patricia Agustin, center, and fellow Partners for Learning ESL tutor Jordan Duran, upper right, can’t wait to fill their plates with food prepared by staff members they tutor in Edens residence hall.
DUKE SENIOR TEACHES FROM EXPERIENCE atricia Agustin , originally from Guatemala, knows how difficult it is to learn English, which is why she volunteers to help employees from other countries learn the language. The Duke senior moved to the United States in 1992, when she was 8 years old. Learning English was often difficult, but Agustin learned quickly. “I can’t imagine trying to learn English as an adult,” said Agustin, 23. “When I teach, I keep my experiences in mind, and because I know how frustrating it can be to learn English, I don’t mind reviewing things over and over again.” Agustin teaches English to immigrants, including Duke employees, through two groups – Juntos, a service project she founded under Latino Life Connection, and Partners for Learning at Duke. Agustin believes her cultural background and experiences have helped employees at Duke feel comfortable around her and relate to her, allowing for friendships. When she began tutoring Duke employees through Partners for Learning in fall 2006, she said they were shy and quiet. But as she talked about her family and experiences, the employees opened up to her. “I’ve become like one of their children,” Agustin said. Once a week, she and Partners for Learning tutor and Duke student Jordan Duran meet with four to 10 housekeepers and maintenance workers in the Edens residence hall. Agustin has a greater awareness of their struggles to learn English and assimilate to living in the U.S. Agustin often meets some employees outside of tutoring sessions to translate for them. She said she enjoys being around them because when she’s homesick, they remind her of her family. They also give her advice and help, including teaching her to cook. When the employees heard Agustin didn’t know how to cook, they threw a cooking party. When they found out what her favorite food was, they brought it – pupusas, handmade corn tortillas stuffed with cheese and pork, to the following week’s tutoring session. “Connecting with people is my favorite part of tutoring,” Agustin said. “The friendships that I have formed with them mean a lot to me. I feel like I’m going to leave a family behind here at Duke when I graduate.”
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Through Partners for Learning, Keng and Terrell wanted to create mutually beneficial relationships between Duke students and staff by providing a service through which the two communities could interact. “I learn from them, and they learn from me,” said Genaro Yañez, who works in the Marketplace. “They share their knowledge with us and give something back to the community. They also learn some Spanish from us. It makes me feel good that I share a little bit of what I know with them.” His brother, Saul Yañez, said the tutoring encourages cultural exchange. “Sometimes we talk about Mexico, about our culture,” he said. “When they see us in the Marketplace, they say ‘hi’ and that makes me feel good.” Lucy Haagen, faculty adviser for Partners for Learning, helps ensure that tutors are well-prepared for instruction by assisting with training, program design and university partnerships. Haagen, a lecturer in the Duke Program in Education and former director of the Durham Literacy Center, has incorporated Partners for Learning into her education classes. “Partners for Learning exemplifies the best in student civic engagement and the building of an inclusive campus culture,” Haagen said. The program’s initial funding came through the Hart Leadership Program. Grants also were received through Tony Brown’s class and student fundraising efforts. (Read more about Brown on the back page). Haagen has also recruited an advisory board for Partners for Learning comprised of faculty, staff and administrators. She said they lend advice to
the student leaders and create sound policies and procedures to ensure the program’s sustainability. For example, all employees are first assessed by tutors to gauge their English proficiency, and instruction is designed to meet goals set by both employees and supervisors. Partners for Learning tutor and senior Patricia Agustin, originally from Guatemala, has grown close to a group of housekeepers and maintenance workers. Agustin said she speaks openly with the employees about her family and experiences as an immigrant. “They can tell when I’m having a bad day, and they ask me what’s wrong and give me guidance,” Agustin said. “I definitely see them as another support group for me.” Just as Duke students Shian Ling Keng and Jenny Terrell hoped, students and employees have formed a greater understanding of each other. “Partners for Learning is really about encouraging people and helping them see new opportunities in their lives – it’s very meaningful to help people discover things that they didn’t think they could do,” Keng said. “Anybody can learn and improve their skills and knowledge to improve their lives.” — Stories and photos by Elizabeth Michalka Writer, Human Resources Communications
Want More Info? Contact Lucy Haagen at lucy.haagen@duke.edu or call (919) 660-3075.
Duke senior and Partners for Learning tutor Burke Thomas points out the intricacies of computer use to James Johnson, chef manager at the Marketplace.
“…LEARNING THINGS THAT I NEED TO KNOW AND USE ON A DAILY BASIS” ames Johnson never needed to use a computer much until last year when changes in his department required him to use a computer more. As the “front of the house manager” of the Marketplace, the East Campus dining hall, Johnson had to start using a computer for e-mail, making and tracking food orders and printing daily menus and signs, among other things. To help him learn the necessary computer skills, Johnson is participating in a computer class through Partners for Learning, a student group that offers ESL and computer instruction to Duke staff. This is the first semester Partners for Learning has offered computer lessons. Eight student tutors and 12 employees are involved with sessions held in the Marketplace, Edens Quad, Brown Residence Hall and Keohane Quad. “I’m learning things that I need to know and use on a daily basis,” Johnson said. Katheldra Pinder, director of training for the Compass Group, the food service vendor at the Marketplace, said the lessons have been helpful for Johnson, as well as food service coordinator, Saundra Bullock. “James is more confident about working on a computer now,” Pinder said. “It’s definitely made him feel more a part of the team.” Johnson, who’s worked at Duke for 24 years, receives one-on-one instruction in his office from Duke senior Burke Thomas. Thomas has helped Johnson learn how to use programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel. Johnson is more comfortable accessing the Internet. “I’m glad I have someone to come in here and help me right here in my office. It’s really convenient,” Johnson said. “Burke is good about telling me to take my time and read instructions on the screen. I just want to get it done in a hurry and rush from point A to B, but I’ve learned that you can’t always do that.” Johnson has learned some shortcuts, though. “I’ve learned commands that are helping me to work quicker, which is a big help,” Johnson said. Johnson said he used to rely on co-workers to help him use his computer, but he didn’t like to take up their time. He’s glad that he’s able to work more independently now.
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Presidential awards he winners of the Presidential Award for 2006 for outstanding service were honored by President Richard H. Brodhead in April. The awards, the highest and most prestigious honor for Duke staff, recognize biweekly and monthly staff members who made distinctive contributions to Duke University and Health System in the past calendar year. Each recipient received a Presidential Medallion and $1,000 check.
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Dennis Woody
Dr. Yunliang Yu
Service/Maintenance Dennis Woody
Marcus Butts
Brooke Berson
Clerical/Office Support Marcus Butts
HVAC Controls Coordinator Facilities Management Department HVAC Shop
Managerial Dr. Yunliang Yu
Senior Systems Programmer Department of Mathematics
“Dr. Yu is constantly finding new ways to improve productivity and save money for both the Mathematics Department and the university,” said nominator Mark Stern, mathematics professor and chair. “He shows excellent initiative, anticipating our needs and constantly finding ways to improve our computing services.”
“It seems like every encounter that any of us has with Marcus makes our work day go better, not only in terms of getting our own work done better and faster, but also in feeling confident that we are part of a special team that goes the extra mile to help each other,” said nominator Stephen A. Cohn, director Duke University Press.
Clinical/Professional-Non Managerial Brooke Berson
Director, Clinical Resource Management Procurement
Wanda Bride
Executive Leadership Dr. Thomas Owens
Computing Facilities Specialist Duke University Press
“In the rapidly changing field of building automation and controls Dennis has worked tirelessly and consistently to keep his knowledge and ability at ‘state of the art’ pitch,” said nominator Curtis Browning, FMD supervisor. “I can think of no one who has rendered such unfailing service to the university that is more deserving of the Presidential Award.”
Dr. Thomas Owens
“In her passion to create the safest environment for our patients, [Brooke] has provided leadership to management and oversight of the Health System product recall process [and] created a best practice that is now being modeled by other academic medical centers,” said nominators Jane Pleasants, assistant vice president for Procurement and Supply chain, and Dr. Karen Frush, chief patient safety officer, Health System. “Our patients have directly benefited from Brooke’s vigilance and dedication to their safety.”
Section Chief for Hospital Medicine and Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program Department of Medicine
“Dr. Owens is seen by his peers and colleagues as an effective physician champion when looking to improve processes, enhance customer satisfaction, improve quality, and create a safer environment for everyone,” said nominator Priya R. Dandekar, associate operating officer, Duke Hospital. “He tackles what many view as formidable tasks with vigor and in-depth analysis, all while keeping the patient at the center of decision-making efforts.”
Executive Leadership Wanda Bride Clinical Operations Director Cardiology Nursing Duke University Hospital
“Wanda provides the kind of leadership that produces loyalty, trustworthiness, and respect,” said nominator Mary Ann Fuchs, chief nursing and patient care services manager. “Her first priority is always the patient, but that is followed closely by her devotion to her staff. Whether she is heading up the Heart Walk for the hospital each year or chairing the Friends of Nursing Gala committee to repeated success, Wanda works tirelessly for Duke.”
Learn to set, meet financial goals during Financial Fitness Week ow much do you need to save for retirement? How can you protect yourself against identity theft? Do you need more or less insurance coverage? Contemplating these financial management issues can be challenging. The Duke Benefits Department in Human Resources is available to help, and the department is hosting the 5th annual Financial Fitness Week from May 14 to May 17. Experts will be on hand to answer questions during 14 different workshops at the Searle Center, Bryan Center, Duke Raleigh Hospital and Durham Regional Hospital. A new workshop, “Duke Benefits: How to Make Your Benefits Work For You,” will help
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Duke staff members browse tables for retirement information during a past Financial Fitness Week at Duke.
faculty and staff assess whether they are on track to meet financial goals. The workshop on May 14, May 15 and May 17 will also help demystify the annual benefits statement. “The benefits statement can seem overwhelming at first, so we’ll look at it in bite-sized pieces to make it more manageable,” said Bill Phillips, manager of Benefits. “We’ll take a look at some practical ways to maximize the benefits faculty and staff currently have and identify benefits that they might consider in the future.” Another workshop that will provide an overview of financial issues is “Planning For Your Financial Future,” which is offered May 14 and May 15 and requires a reservation. Duke faculty and staff are encouraged to bring family members to workshops and to make reservations due to limited space. — By Elizabeth Michalka Writer, Human Resources Communications
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Want To Go? Make a workshop reservation at www.hr.duke.edu/ffw2007 or call (919) 668-2954.
By the
Numbers 88,092 NUMBER OF CALLS RECEIVED IN 2006 7,341 AVERAGE NUMBER OF CALLS PER MONTH
4 NUMBER OF FULL-TIME STAFF IN THE HR CALL CENTER 22,023 AVERAGE CALLS TAKEN IN 2006 BY EACH STAFF MEMBER IN HR CALL CENTER
Who ya gonna call?
90 PERCENT OF CALLS HANDLED WITHOUT HAVING TO BE TRANSFERRED
Human Resources Call Center: A Lifeline for Faculty, Staff
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Naylor said the motivation is simple. “I love being able to help people,” she said. “We can make a big difference in people’s lives.”
KNOWLEDGEABLE AND ABLE TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTION
Speed Dial
Number of Calls
hen Susan Naylor picks up the phone and asks, “Human Resources, how can I help you?” she’s not sure what she will hear next. Naylor has heard everything from routine to bizarre. She once had a woman come in to check on her application for a nursing position, only to learn that her only job qualification was that she had watched every episode of “ER” and felt she could handle any situation. “In this job, you have to learn how to be a firefighter, police officer, detective and counselor,” said Naylor, who has worked at Duke 18 years. Naylor is one of four employees who answer the main phone line for Duke Human Resources. The group, which also includes Susan Brown, Jennifer Frazier and Nicole Mills, is part of the Human Resources Information Center (HRIC). The HRIC was developed in 2000 to improve access to Human Resources and response to personnel questions, requests and transactions. The volume of calls has steadily increased. Last year, the call center answered more than 88,000 calls – an average of 1,833 calls per month for each staff member. One such call came from Latrice Dockery, a medical coder for Duke Hospital. Her husband recently left his job with the state to manage group homes for troubled youth, a change that left him without health insurance. Dockery needed to add him to her Duke insurance. “I received an insurance card about five days after I talked with HR,” Dockery said. “I was impressed with the turnaround time for getting the paperwork processed.” While the majority of calls are from people who need information or assistance, occasionally the call center gets a “yeller.” Naylor, mother of two and grandmother of four, takes those with a measure of decorum, honed through experience. “We get our ears chewed up good sometimes,” Naylor said. “You learn not to take it personally. When people start yelling, I tell them, ‘I am the person who can help you.’ In the last 18 years, I’ve only had two people curse at me. If that happens, I tell them, ‘I will help you, but if you start cursing, then I’m going to terminate this call.’ ” Darlene Poole, HRIC associate director, said Duke is fortunate to have long-tenured staff in the call center, which receives up to 400 calls on a given day and manually processes hundreds of benefit forms each month. “It takes a special person to take those phone calls from 8 to 5,” Poole said “Most call centers have a high turnover rate, but we’ve been blessed with some very special people who do a great job and have been here a long time. Staff from other areas in HR also provide backup coverage for the call center as needed.”
99 PERCENT OF CALLERS WHO SAID HR CALL CENTER SPECIALIST WAS
10000 9000 8000 7000 6000 2006
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Monthly volumes in the call center typically peak in July due to new hires at the beginning of the fiscal year and in September due to open enrollment for benefits and the start of the fall semester.
Signs of such influence are in mementos posted around Naylor’s workstation. Among photos of her four grandchildren is a snapshot of another child – a young girl adopted by an employee. The employee called Naylor five or six times prior to the adoption to ensure paperwork was complete for insurance coverage. He later sent the photo with a thank-you card. One of Naylor’s most memorable calls came at the end of a day, before the holidays one December. A man called from the emergency room. He did not have his insurance card. Naylor stayed after her shift to provide information to an emergency room nurse. When Naylor returned after the holidays, she found flowers, a token from the man and his fiancée. After recovering from an infection that led to blood poisoning, the man stopped by to thank Naylor. Because Naylor spends most of her day on the phone, she usually lets her husband handle that responsibility at home. “Most of the time, he answers the phone,” she said. “But he doesn’t always ask enough questions, especially when our kids call, so I still answer sometimes. But if it’s a telemarketer, I just hand the phone to him.”
In this job, you have to learn how to be a firefighter, police officer, detective and counselor.” — Susan Naylor Human Resources Information Center
GOT A QUESTION? Call (919) 684-INFO (5600) or visit www.hr.duke.edu/askhr
— By Paul Grantham Director, Office of Communication Services
7 Top: Susan Naylor, one of four call takers in the Human Resources Information Center (HRIC), answers a caller’s question. Last year, the call center answered more than 88,000 calls—an average of 1,833 calls per month for each staff member.
Source: Human Resources
WORKING@ DUKE
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HOW TO REACH US
dialogue@Duke
Editor: Leanora Minai (919) 681-4533 leanora.minai@duke.edu
“What makes you feel appreciated at Duke?” Director: Paul S. Grantham
I feel very appreciated at Duke because I have some great supervisors and co-workers, which means that it never feels like a chore to come to work. I also admire everything Duke does for employees, such as providing great benefits and organizing special events like Duke Appreciation and Christmas parties. Those type of things really do make a difference.”
(919) 681-4534 paul.grantham@duke.edu Graphic Design & Layout: Paul Figuerado
Brenda Kerr Insurance Billing Specialist, Human Resources 6 years with Duke
Photography: Elizabeth Michalka of Human Resources Communications, Editor Leanora Minai and Jon
The role of volunteers is an important tradition at Duke, so I get a lot of support from the top down, from the administration and staff, to the actual volunteers themselves. Over the years, I’ve nominated numerous volunteers for various state and national awards, and when they win, I feel like a proud parent. That makes me feel appreciated. Plus, I think the perks–such as the discounts that Duke employees receive from local shops–are a great way for employees to know they are appreciated, not only by Duke, but also by the community.”
Gardiner, Les Todd and Megan Morr
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of Duke University Photography Support Staff: Mary Carey and William Blackburn
Working@Duke is published monthly
Chuck Hemric Manager of Volunteer Services, Sarah P. Duke Gardens 24 years with Duke
by Duke’s Office of Communication Services. We invite your feedback and suggestions for future story topics.
I get a lot of “thank you” notes and kudos from the people I work with and also from students. In our department, we observe everyone’s birthday with a birthday lunch. The main thing, though, is job security. Unlike other companies in this day and age, you don’t usually hear about people getting laid off at Duke. Duke shows a lot of loyalty to employees who are doing a good job.”
Please write us at working@duke.edu or
Working@Duke, Box 90496, 705 Broad St., Durham, NC 27708 Call us at (919) 684-4345.
Leia Wright Staff Assistant, Department of Aerospace Studies/Air Force ROTC 3 years with Duke
Send faxes to (919) 681-7926.
— By Missy Baxter Working@Duke Correspondent
e mployee spotlight MEET TONY BROWN, PROFESSOR AND PRESIDENT OF ROBERTSON SCHOLARS
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rofessor Tony Brown thrives on empowering others. “I enjoy helping people make their ideas come to life,” he said. Before Brown joined Duke, he spent 21 years in the insurance industry, including 10 as chairman and CEO of a company. He arrived at Duke in 1993 as a visiting lecturer to teach a leadership course at the Sanford Institute of Public Policy. “It was the most exciting thing I’d ever done,” said Brown, who is 64. “The students were great. I loved working with them.” Brown, with his contemporary teaching style and unwavering energy, has made his mark at Duke. This month, he will assume a new position as president of the Robertson Scholars Program, a merit scholarship program for select Duke and University of North Carolina students. And he will continue to teach. He launched into teaching 13 years ago because he wanted a change, and he wanted to invest in people. His first semester was so thrilling that by the next year, he was a permanent faculty member in the Sanford Institute’s Hart Leadership Program, which includes various leadership courses with an experiential learning component. Brown is a natural teacher. In 1997, he received the Howard Johnson Distinguished Teaching Award for undergraduate teaching excellence. Since then, accolades and accomplishments haven’t stopped. But Brown modestly says his students are the real winners.
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Tony Brown, professor and president of the Robertson Scholars Program, shares a laugh with students during a recent class.
The students make the class great; I just make it good.” — Tony Brown
D U K E T O D AY
“The students make the class great; I just make it good,” Brown said. Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta has worked closely with Brown and his students on various projects related to his office. “He’s one of the most inspiring people I know,” Moneta said. “He’s made social entrepreneurship cool. People want to be the kind of change agent he inspires.” Social entrepreneurship is Brown’s trademark. He established the Enterprising Leadership Initiative (ELI) in the spring of 2001. Through ELI, students carry out projects on issues such as illiteracy, health and philanthropy to benefit the university, community and world. Many programs have grown into nonprofit organizations and campus institutions. Some benefit Duke employees, like College Connection at Duke, which helps employees and their children navigate the college application process, and Partners for Learning (see page 1), which helps employees learn English and computer skills. So how has Brown motivated undergraduates to go beyond the rigors of college life to improve the community? “The more meaningful you make the work and the higher you raise the bar, the more people will rise to the challenge and accept it,” Brown said. “People don’t complain about meaningful work.” — By Elizabeth Michalka Writer, Human Resources Communications
For daily news and information, visit www.duke.edu/today