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Steel says dual role not issue 3 dean searches
continue on pace
Some question Board chairs gov't position by
Adam Eaglin THE CHRONICLE
by
Adam Eaglin
THE CHRONICLE
When Robert Steel, chair of Duke’s Board of Trustees, was sworn in as undersecretary of the treasury for domestic finance Oct. 10, he accepted one of the highest-ranking financial positions in Washington. Since his appointment, however, a number of Washington commentators have begun to raise concerns about the potential conflict of interest in Steel’s roles at Duke and in the capital—concerns that Steel and other University officials said Saturday are not a major issue. Steel, Trinity ’73, reiterated that he would remove himselffrom any of the Board’s financial proceedings that potentially could cause a conflict of interest with his new government position. “I resigned and recused myself from everything involving [Duke University Management Company],” he said. “I have agreed to not be involved in anything connected to fundraising.” Both Steel and President Richard Brodhead said when Steel received the nomination from President George W. Bush Sept. 6, Steel made it clear to all relevant officials—including personnel at the White House, the Treasury, the Office of Government Ethics and the Senate Finance Committee —
The process of appointing new deans for the Fuqua School of Business and the School of Law is on track as committees at both schools near the end of their national searches, officials confirmed Monday. “I’m really pleased with the progress on those searches,” Provost Peter Lange said. Dean search committee officials from the schools confirmed that they would nominate three candidates each to Lange and President Richard Brodhead by mid-December. The provost and the president will then make a final decision using the recommendations from each committee. Officials declined to comment, however, on specific candidates who are under consideration. In addition to the searches un-
derway at Fuqua and the law school, Lange said a search committee will be formed later this month to fill the vacancy left by William Schlesinger, dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, who announced his decision to step down Nov. 27. The departures of Schlesinger, Law School Dean Katherine Bardett and Fuqua Dean Douglas Breeden will be effective June
2007. The law school’s search committee has currently winnowed down its number of possible candidates to “under half a dozen,” said James Cox, Brainerd Currie Professor of Law and chair of the law school dean search committee. Christine Moorman, T. Austin Finch Senior Professor of SEE DEAN SEARCHES ON PAGE 6
JIANGHAI HO/THE CHRONICLE
Robert Steel, chair of the Board, recently was appointed to a Treasury Dept. post. that he would only accept the nomination if he could keep his role at Duke. “When Mr. Steel first mentioned to me that this was a possibility, the first thing that he told me was that he had told everyone, along every step of
the way, that he intended to continue his commitment here,” Brodhead said. “And if that was incompatible with the appointment, they should simply let him know and he would SEE STEEL ON PAGE 4
dean, Fuqua
dean, law school
dean, Nkh School
Pratt to open design Mogul Turner speaks studio in Southgate on environment, U.N. Facility aims by
to
bridge engineering, A&S divide
Adam Nathan
THE CHRONICLE
Students in the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences will soon have a new opportunity to gain insight into the world of
engineering. A new design studio—opening in January in Southgate Dormitory—is
aimed
at
fostering collaboration between students in the Pratt School of Engineering and those in Trinity, as well as providing space for a new Pratt curricular requirement.
“The new design studio is a terrific project and should help introduce all students to the joy of making things,” Pratt dean Kristina Johnson wrote in an e-mail. Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs, said he initially approached Pratt administrators last summer to build a new workspace that will bridge the academic gap between engineering and the arts and sciences. “I suggested that Pratt consider an East Campus presence to showcase the school and enable non-engineers to get a sense of engineer lifestyle,” Moneta wrote in an e-mail. “I wanted to bring the science of engineering out of the boundaries of SEE PRATT STUDIO ON PAGE 6
Eugene Wang THE CHRONICLE
by
Media mogul and philanthropist Ted Turner spoke Monday about issues ranging from die United Nations to his private bison herd in a lighthearted atmosphere at the Fuqua School of Business. Turner, the founder of CNN and former owner of the Adanta Braves, discussed his investment in sustainable-development projects as well as the necessity of personal responsibility in solving problems. “[This generation] needs to focus on doing the smart things and not doing the dumb things. If we do that, we’ve got it covered,” Turner said. “We make it together or we go down together, it is that simple.” On the issue of the environment, Turner SEE TURNER ON PAGE 8
LAURA BETH DOUGLAS/THE CHRONICLE
Media giant TedTurner spoke Monday about topics ranging from his personal bison herd to the U.N.