August, 2007 Working@Duke

WORKING@DUKE

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SUSTAINABLE DUKE

Executive Vice President Tallman Trask discusses how Duke makes a difference by fostering environmentally friendly and socially responsible practices.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

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GET OUT FOR LUNCH

Duke Dining Services offers 33 campus eateries, ranging from organic menu options to international fare and American staples.

Vo l u m e 2 , I s s u e 6

HOME-BUYING SEMINARS

Get help navigating the home-buying process from the Duke University Federal Credit Union, which conducts free workshops.

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August 2007

Cure for Health Care?

Results Show Duke Prospective Health Pays Off aydean Cannada is afraid of following in her family’s footsteps.

Her grandmother died from a stroke, her mother died from colon cancer and her brother died from lung cancer.

Despite her family medical history, Cannada, a phlebotomy technician at Lincoln Community Health Center, could not sustain improvements to her health.

“My doctor told me many times to exercise and lose weight to decrease my risk, but I didn’t listen,” said Cannada, a borderline diabetic.

As she approached 60 – the age her brother passed away – she felt a nagging anxiety to make long-term changes to avoid her relatives’ fate. But she didn’t take action until she read an article about Duke Prospective Health.

Since participating in the benefit, Cannada has lost 20 pounds, and she’s eating healthier and walking regularly. She finally feels like she’s on a promising path. Her story is one of many across Duke that reflects the success of a program launched in 2004 to identify and reduce health risk behaviors.

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Bucking the System

In the early 2000s, health care costs across the country began to increase annually by double-digit percentages and most employers began reducing benefits or shifting greater portions of the expense to employees.

Duke took a different path, and in 2004, invested $2 million in Duke Prospective Health, which offered an alternative to the traditional approach to health care.

“Historically, health care has focused on treating diseases after they develop, but Prospective Health helps identify and treat risk factors before they develop through an individualized approach to healthier living,” said Lois Ann Green, director of Benefits.

Preliminary clinical results appear to reflect the personal successes of participants such as Cannada. During the first two years of Prospective Health, individuals in the high-risk group, people who typically have the

Top: Faydean Cannada, a phlebotomy technician at Lincoln Community Health Center, holds a photograph of her mother, Genovia Cates, left, and brother, Murphy Cates, right. A photograph of her grandmother, Ethel Crabtree, sits on the window ledge. They passed away due to health conditions. Cannada participates in the Duke Prospective Health benefit to help improve her health.

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

highest medical costs, had a 3.5 percent decrease in medical costs. This saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses for health insurance plans paid for by Duke and employee premiums.

Duke has also seen reductions in the number of emergency room visits and the length of hospital stays during the first two years of the program. Such indicators are helping Duke keep its medical costs, and thus its premiums for health insurance, well below national and regional trends.

For example, last year, Duke’s average health care cost per employee was $5,298, compared to the national average of $7,498, according to Hewitt Associates, a human resources consulting firm.

“Financially, we basically broke even with our initial investment in Prospective Health, and we think the program offers even greater

>> See HEALTH, PAGE 7

Average Health Care Cost Per Employee $8,000 $7,000 $6,000 $5,000 $4,000 $3,000 $2,000 $1,000 $0 2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Source: Duke Human Resources and Hewitt Associates

Duke

National

The average cost in 2006 for medical claims per Duke employee was $5,298, most of which is covered

by Duke. The cost was more than $2,000 below the national average of $7,498 per employee that year. Faculty, staff and their family members who have taken steps to reduce health risks through Duke Prospective Health have helped keep Duke's cost for health insurance below national and regional trends.

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

LOOKING

AHEAD @ DUKE AUGUST 14 : : “Are You Ready?” Tobacco cessation resource information, sponsored by LIVE FOR LIFE, noon to 12:30 p.m., Duke Hospital, Room 1308.

AUGUST 22 : : Convocation for new undergraduate students, 11 a.m.; graduate and professional school students, 4 p.m., Duke Chapel.

SEPTEMBER 9 : : Family Day at the Nasher Museum of Art, live entertainment, make-and-take crafts, self-guided gallery hunts and more, noon to 4 p.m., free and open to all, courtesy of UBS Financial Services.

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For more events, check the university’s online calendar at http://calendar.duke.edu

Newsbriefs Working@Duke wins awards

Duke lectures, more available through Apple’s iTunes

Working@Duke, the university’s primary internal print publication, won two national awards over the summer from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the premier professional association for educational advancement professionals.

Working@Duke received the 2007 gold medal Circle of Excellence Award for Periodical Staff Writing for Internal Audiences, and the 2007 bronze medal Circle of Excellence Award for Print Internal Audience Tabloids and Newsletters.

In another competition, the publication was a finalist for four Lawrence Ragan Recognition Awards, which annually recognizes the best in employee communications. Working@Duke received honorable mention for Best Story Package and an Award of Excellence for Best HR Story/Newsletter. The publication also was a finalist for Grand Prize for Best Employee Newsletter, won by RBC Financial Group.

Launched in March 2006, Working@Duke replaced two major printed publications and is mailed monthly through campus mail to 18,000 faculty and staff with a few thousand available in news racks at the health system and other campus areas.

Internet users can download — at no charge — lectures, music, news and more from Duke University via the Duke on iTunes U site.

The site can be entered from www.itunes.duke.edu.

Examples of available material include an address by former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young on Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, reflections on leadership by Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and short news videos on the latest scientific findings at Duke.

“Conversations and creative work are an important part of the vibrant intellectual life here on campus, and that’s what you’re seeing on this site,” said Provost Peter Lange, the university’s top academic officer. “Making these materials public in a format that’s convenient for curious but busy people is a way for Duke to put the knowledge generated here in service to a wider audience.”

Audio and video files downloaded from the site can be played on a user’s computer or transferred to an iPod or other compatible digital player. Download iTunes software for free from Apple’s Web site, www.apple.com/itunes/download.

Additional ATMs, new office for Duke federal credit union Duke University Federal Credit Union is consolidating its Morreene Road and Guess Road offices into one new office at Erwin Square, 2200 W. Main Street.

The 18,000 square foot main office at Erwin Square will open in late fall and include an expanded lobby with Internet kiosk, coffee bar, ATM and coin machine.

In addition to the new office, the Duke federal credit union has added a full-service ATM to Perkins Library on West Campus and another ATM near Starbucks in the American Tobacco Campus, adjacent to the Durham Bulls ballpark.

“Our members are telling us that they need more ATMs,” said Credit Union CEO Lee Fogle. “Almost 95 percent of credit union transactions are now done remotely via debit cards, ATMs and the Internet. This trend has lessened the need for branches and has heightened the need for technology.”

Prepare for severe weather With hurricane season underway, Duke faculty and staff are encouraged to review the severe weather/ emergency conditions policy. To ensure continuous operations during these conditions, all jobs are categorized into one of three service levels:

Essential Service: employees are required to report to or remain at work.

Reserve service: employees will be assigned at the time of severe weather.

Delayed service: employees will not report to or remain at work in the case of severe weather.

Supervisors should confirm the service category assignment, review the department’s plan for severe weather and emergency conditions and explain work expectations based on the assigned service designation for the job with all staff. Visit www.hr.duke.edu/weather for more information.

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.

“One of the world’s great universities…”

This is a place famous for teaching, famous for research, famous for patient care.”

— President Richard H. Brodhead

President Richard H. Brodhead greets faculty and staff during the Primetime employee forum June 19 in Griffith Theater.

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uke University President Richard H. Brodhead told employees in June that they are an important reason behind Duke’s prestigious reputation among diverse audiences from Durham to Singapore.

“You work at one of the world’s great universities,” Brodhead said to more than 200 employees gathered in Griffith Theater. “This is a place famous for teaching, famous for research, famous for patient care. This is a famous place, but it only has the reputation it has because every single person who works here in every capacity tries to live up to that high standard.”

The 60-minute conversation during Primetime, the third in a series of quarterly employee forums with Duke senior administrators, also included a question-and-answer session.

Brodhead discussed Duke’s plans, such as the construction of Central Campus and expansion of Duke Hospital, and how these will enhance Duke’s value to the community.

He noted Duke has more than 29,000 employees and is the third largest private employer in the state behind Food Lion and Wal-Mart.

Brodhead’s remarks came June 19, a day after a settlement with the lacrosse players declared innocent in April. Brodhead did not discuss the lacrosse case in detail but noted that he spent months last year answering media questions and confronting inaccurate portrayals of Duke

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and Durham, such as those depicting all Duke students as wealthy and Durham as impoverished.

“You’re scratching your head and you’re saying, ‘this describes the student body that is almost 40 percent minority and 45 percent on financial aid?’ ” he said. “This describes the city that has all the social complexity and vivacity that I experience every day around here?”

Brodhead singled out former N.C. Central University Chancellor James Ammons for helping the community cope and said Duke employees worked together to help heal the community.

Brodhead connected Duke and Durham, noting that more than half of Duke’s employees live in Durham County. He said he is proud of the “air of service” that extends beyond Duke and into Durham with volunteerism that boosts the quality of life for residents and at-risk students.

After his opening remarks, Brodhead answered questions from employees.

Campus work culture was on the mind of Melanie Mitchell, assistant director for the Kenan Institute for Ethics. She asked, “If you could change one thing at Duke to improve the campus climate for staff that wouldn’t cost a cent, what would it be?”

“The best thing that could happen at the university is to just make the habit of realizing that work is done by actual people and that you can actually find that person and express some appreciation for it,” Brodhead said, adding that sharing wisdom and knowledge is another costfree change.

LISTEN TO BRODHEAD’S TALK AT

— By Missy Baxter Working@Duke Correspondent

WWW.ITUNES.DUKE.EDU

Sustainable uke YO U R

S O U R C E

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Tallman Trask, Executive Vice President, inside the French Family Science Center.

s we plan for campus growth, our goal is for Duke to become a nationwide leader in sustainability.

We can each make a difference in creating a sustainable world by fostering environmentally friendly and socially responsible practices. We embrace this at Duke.

All of our individual decisions – whether to recycle, use public transportation or build with energy-saving features, for example – can conserve vital resources, protect our environment, and have a lasting impact on our community and our world. Sustainable practices seek to make a positive difference in the economic, social and environmental systems that affect future generations.

Each month, Working@Duke will highlight the many efforts of our students, staff and departments to illustrate how our community is preserving, protecting and enhancing our environment through policies, operations, research and community outreach.

In 2004, we created Duke’s first full-time sustainability coordinator position to assist with long-term planning, and to be a resource for our campus community. The next year, the university and health system signed an environmental policy, committing Duke to leadership in environmental research and education, environmentally responsible operations and environmental stewardship in the community.

The list of Duke’s sustainability accomplishments is long. We are the fifth largest university purchaser of green power. We run about 80 campus fleet vehicles with alternative fuels. We collect 17 different types of recyclables, diverting more than 1,200 tons annually from the landfill.

We participate in many community service programs, including the Durham Neighborhood Partnership, which enriches conditions at nearby schools and neighborhoods.

I am particularly proud of our work in designing and constructing low-energy, resource-efficient buildings, as well as our efforts creating environmentally sustainable dining services and innovative storm water management.

Since 2003, Duke has been committed to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building standard. Seventeen buildings are either LEED certified or registered for certification. One of our newest buildings, the French Family Science Center (a contender

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for a national silver rating in energy and environmental design), features local and recycled materials, two green roofs comprised of vegetation, soil, gravel and water-tight insulation, and plumbing fixtures that save two million gallons of water annually.

In addition, Duke eateries purchase organic food when possible, and our primary food service vendor buys locally grown produce and seafood caught or farmed in ways that do no harm.

Another of our sustainability achievements includes Duke’s Wetland Assessment Management Park (SWAMP).

This 14-acre restored site is designed to help protect water quality by controlling storm runoff from Duke’s campus and 1,200 surrounding acres of Durham.

Duke’s focus on sustainability will grow in the years ahead. We will encourage interdisciplinary education and research on environmental topics. And as we redevelop Central Campus, we’ll work to preserve and protect the natural environment. We’ll design buildings that conserve energy and minimize our environmental footprint.

It is important to recognize that Duke’s sustainability efforts are not the product or sole responsibility of one office. We have many champions at Duke and need more.

We greatly appreciate our students, who have advocated for policies and initiatives, including green purchasing, green power purchases and the annual eco-olympics competition on East campus.

Sustainability is part of how we do business today, and we are committed to seeking new ways to protect our campus, Durham’s neighborhoods and our environment for generations to come.

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D U K E

Got A Sustainably Story?

Influence others — Write us at

working@duke.edu

Want More?

Visit www.duke.edu/ sustainability

From top: Kelly Peak, a Nicholas School of the Environment & Earth Sciences graduate student, distributes free energy efficient light bulbs during Duke’s 2007 Earth Day festival. At right, Emily Warren, of Piedmont Biofuels, discusses the benefits of fueling a vehicle with cleaner burning biodiesel. Bottom: Members of the Duke community celebrate Earth Day at the festival on the West Campus Plaza.

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Out To INFO BITES • Giorgios Hospitality Group, caterer and owner of six Triangle-area restaurants, including Parizade in Durham, is the new cafe vendor at the Nasher Museum of Art. Faculty and staff can pay for meals with a DukeCard.

Enroll in the Flexible Spending Account (FLEX), the pre-paid debit feature on your DukeCard at www.dukecard.duke.edu, or visit a DukeCard office.

Faculty and staff who show their DukeCard and pay with cash, check or with FLEX, receive a 10 percent discount at some eateries.

(Limitations may apply; check the Dining Services Web site for details.)

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Got a hankering for Indian food? Sitar serves up traditional fare from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday in the Great Hall on West Campus.

urned out on the bologna and cheese sandwich you bring for lunch?

Forgo that brown bag, get out of the office and experience one of Duke’s 33 eateries, many of which feature healthy and organic options that fit into most budgets. Duke Dining Services and its vendors offer patrons everything from Mediterranean and Asian fare to bagels, burritos and made-to-order pasta dishes.

“Duke Dining Services is not your typical dining program,” said Jim Wulforst, director of Duke Dining. “We pride ourselves in having an extraordinary range of vendors and menus that change based on the wants and needs of our customers.”

Here’s a sampling of some offbeat campus eateries to tempt your taste buds:

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The Refectory Cafe

The aromas wafting up the Duke Divinity School stairs from The Refectory Cafe are heavenly. It’s the comforting scent of its “hot, healthy and homemade” meals prepared by Bon Vivant Catering. This ‘green’ cafe uses as many local vegetables, eggs and other items as possible. Usually, the only trash is your recycled paper napkin. China plates and stainless steel flatware are the order of the day, used at Duke in the 1940s. Homemade oatmeal – coarse ground whole oats – is available for breakfast. And vegetarian and vegan offerings abound, but chicken pot pie and shrimp gumbo satisfy meat and seafood lovers, too. Lunch goers can usually pick from a daily special and award-winning chili and soups, wraps and more from several dollars to around $7.95.

Lenore Ramm, left, a Duke graduate and applications specialist at the Center for Lenore Ramm, a Duke graduate and applications Technology, eats at the Refectory in the Divinity School once or twice a specialist at the Center for Instructional Technology, eats Instructional week, usually with Neil Prentice, right, director of social sciences IT services. at the Refectory once or twice a week, usually with Neil Prentice, manager of social sciences information technology services. They enjoy the delicious specials every week, but they are delighted when their favorites are featured. Prentice gets the shepherd’s pie; Ramm orders sopa de polla, a Mexican-inspired chicken casserole, washed down with sweet tea.

“It’s got chicken and sour cream and tortilla chips, and it’s very mushy, and that sort of appeals to me,” Ramm said. “You can get extra toppings, but I usually find it doesn’t need anything extra.”

The Perk at the von der Heyden Pavilion

We pride ourselves in having an extraordinary range of vendors and menus that change based on the wants and needs of our customers.”

— Jim Wulforst Duke Dining Director

This coffeehouse next to Perkins Library has glass walls and arches that echo Duke’s architecture.

Overstuffed chairs and small tables draw students, faculty and staff with laptops. This spot is comfortable with wood-slat floors and a high ceiling, punctuated by beehive-shaped lamps. Faculty and staff find it a good spot for a fast, light lunch by Saladelia Cafe.

The menu includes packaged-to-go salads and signature sandwiches such as chicken salad, falafel wraps and hummus with pita bread. Pita sandwiches and wraps are around $3.99 to $5.99. Fruit cups and juices are available, as are teas, coffee drinks and sweet snacks.

The Perk at the von der Heyden Pavilion next to Perkins Library serves packaged-to-go Dawn Hall, an advertising salesperson for The salads and signature wraps prepared by Saladelia.

Chronicle, enjoys the Greek chicken spinach wrap.

“I’ve been very pleased each time I’ve eaten lunch at The Perk,” she said. “I seek healthy and fresh dining options on campus, and I’m happy to have found both there.”

Like the Refectory Cafe, The Perk at the von der Heyden Pavilion is in the “Winner’s Circle,” a recognition developed by N.C. Prevention Partners, for healthy dining. >> See LUNCH, PAGE 5

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Lunch!

Grace’s Cafe

The dining room at Grace’s Cafe, which features Asian cuisine, is rather tranquil. Hums and buzzes from kitchen appliances and clanks of pots and pans are barely audible in the dining area, making Grace’s a quiet spot to grab a quick bite.

Menu items range from pot stickers and General Tso’s chicken to egg drop soup and Moo Goo Gai Pan to American staples like the cheeseburger. If you missed the most important meal of the day, Grace’s serves breakfast any time. There are also items for the health Trey Turner, assistant clinical professor for the School of Nursing, conscious, including steamed vegetables with chicken. selects items from Grace’s Cafe in Trent Drive Hall.

The cafe prides itself on quality food and service, reasons that keep Donnie Painter among its clientele.

“The food is great, and the service is great,” said Painter, who works in Apartment Operations. “You can call it in.

They’ll tell you it’ll be ready in about 10 minutes, and it will be.”

Twinnie’s

Location, location, location the old real estate axiom goes, and Twinnie’s Irish Pub has just that.

Twinnie’s corner in the Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine, and Applied Sciences, or CIEMAS building, draws students, faculty and staff alike. Chicken or vegetable pitas are grilled before serving, giving them a crispy exterior. There’s a daily hot special, such as chicken curry, and soups. Prices are around $4.25 to $6, and fresh coffee is always available.

“First of all, it’s convenient,” said Ron Stubbs, who recently walked next door from the Pratt School of Engineering, where he works as a systems programmer, for lunch to-go. “They have some good sandwiches. The chicken pita’s good. Almost everything is good. I’d recommend anything.”

A smattering of tables and booths are outside the restaurant’s service area. You can watch the hustle and bustle of campus life, but there are also private spots, if that’s what you crave. The restaurant has two wallmounted plasma televisions, and one typically carries cable news or sporting events, so you can catch up with the rest of the world while taking a break from yours.

Jack Haddad, manager of Twinnie’s in the Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Around the end of August, Twinnie’s pours Medicine, and Applied Sciences, or CIEMAS building, serves customers.

Guinness, Yuengling and Bass every weekday after 4 p.m.

For All Duke Dining Eateries & Hours Go to www.dining.duke.edu or visit the Dining office, 029 West Union Bldg. on West Campus.

Pauly Dogs

The hot dog cart on the West Campus Plaza is not your typical stand. These dogs bark in dozens of different languages.

Want crumbled potato chips and barbecue sauce on a kosher beef hot dog? You’ve got it. Looking for horseradish and bacon bits on a chicken pup? Look no further. Craving soy sauce and sauerkraut on a veggie dog? It’s there, along with classic Italian sausage on a bun.

At Pauly Dogs, you can bite into a Sabrett, topped with your choice of 36 toppings, including three different hot sauces, roasted garlic and pepperoni. The stand posts a list of “Top 12” combos. The list includes The Andrew (potato salad, bacon, yellow mustard, ranch dressing and Old Bay seasoning); The Bomb Fire (chili, jalapenos, crushed cherry peppers, shredded cheese and Tabasco); and The Yankee (sauerkraut and spicy mustard).

Prices start around $2.50. On a sunny day, grab a dog, take a seat on the Plaza, and let the office slip away for a few minutes.

— By Leanora Minai, Tim Candon and Debbie Moose Working@Duke Paul Konstanzer, owner of Pauly Dogs on the West Campus Plaza, offers more than 24 free toppings on his hot dogs.

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ABC’s Of Home-Buying DUKE UNIVERSITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION OFFERS TIPS FOR SMOOTH PROCESS hen Irene and Riley Watkins decided to build a new home in Durham County, they scoured magazines to find the ideal floor plan and decor, such as carpet, wall colors and kitchen countertops.

“We’re hoping to be in our new home by Christmas, and we want everything to go smoothly while it’s being built,” said Irene Watkins, a staff specialist with Facilities Management.

Her husband, Riley Watkins, a construction worker, knows enough about the homebuilding industry to make sure that the 2,150-square-foot house is constructed well. Yet, the couple wasn’t sure where to turn for advice on the most important part of the puzzle – financing their dream home.

“Building a house is a big decision, and we don’t want to make any mistakes, especially about the mortgage,” Irene Watkins said. “Making sure we do the money part right is crucial. That’s probably our biggest worry right now.”

The Watkins say their concerns about adjustable mortgage rates, private mortgage insurance and other aspects of homebuying have been eased after attending a free home-buying seminar with the Duke University Federal Credit Union.

During the June seminar, Scott Baker, a mortgage lending officer, provided pointers for about a dozen members of the Duke community.

“The housing market and interest rates are volatile right now, which is why it is more important than ever to know all the facts,” Baker told participants. “The key thing to remember is that you have to do your homework before buying a home because the only person who is going to look out for your best interest is you.”

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— By Missy Baxter Working@Duke Correspondent

QUICK TIPS

1. Check realtor or lender credentials, ask for references. “Keep in mind, a realtor who represents the seller will have the seller’s interest in mind more than your interest,” said Scott Baker of the Duke Federal Credit Union.

Locate a buyer’s agent to help negotiate.

2. Set a realistic budget, calculate the monthly mortgage. A mortgage calculator and other resources are available at http://www.dukefcu.org/financial center_hb.html 3. Request a free credit report, implement steps to improve your credit score.

Close old credit card accounts before applying for a mortgage.

4. Save money, do your homework. Talk to several lenders, compare costs and interest rates and negotiate a better deal.

5. Get a home inspection; make your offer contingent on it.

DUKE CREDIT UNION HOME-BUYING SEMINARS Sept. 10 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Teer House Sept. 25 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Searle Center Scott Baker

For other dates or to register online, visit www.dukefcu.org and select “seminar sign-up” or send e-mail to scottie.dowdy@duke.edu or call (919) 684-6704 ext. 365.

e mployee spotlight MEET SYLVIA LIM, A TRUE MOVER AND SHAKER he silver coins on Sylvia Lim’s hip scarf were like jumping beans, ricocheting around her hips. Their jingle-jangle sounded like a quick-paced tambourine.

The coins stood out against Lim’s black outfit, as light flashed off them, creating a platinum glow around her hips and accentuating her movements.

She swayed like a snake, using her arms to frame her body. Following the drum beat, she pulled her chest and abdomen in and out and then quickly shimmied around in a circle, hips shaking and undulating simultaneously.

Her belly dancing is impressive – considering at one time, Lim couldn’t walk. When she was a teenager, Lim was hit by a car. She spent a year in a wheelchair and on crutches. Now at 39, Lim is an experienced dancer and a visiting scholar in the Department of Cultural Anthropology.

While learning to walk again, Lim became fascinated with how the body moves – an interest that’s helped her as a dancer. Being able to isolate body parts and fine-tune movements was beneficial in ballet, flamenco, salsa and now, belly dancing.

Lim, who earned her doctorate degree at Duke, discovered belly dancing three years ago when a friend introduced her to Middle Eastern and Indian films that

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Sylvia Lim, a visiting scholar in the Department of Cultural Anthropology, teaches belly dancing to members of the Duke community in the International House.

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included belly dancing. She was puzzled by the moves, even with 15 years of dance experience.

Her fascination for movement drove her to take a belly dancing class. Lim learned that most hip shimmies are spurned by knee movements. Unlike other dances, belly dancing has a free-form style.

“I got hooked on it,” Lim said. “I used to be very uptight about my dance form and was always checking myself in a mirror; with belly dance, the movements are more organic and come from within.”

She feels a burst of energy through her whole body when she belly dances. It makes her feel alive and reminds her of how wonderful it is to be able to move her limbs.

“Even after all these years, I’m just so happy and energized every time I dance,” she said.

To help others experience that energy, Lim began teaching women about a year-and-a-half ago. Her next campus session begins Aug. 28.

“She’s a natural teacher and dancer,” said Lisa Giragosian, assistant director of programs at the International House. She’s taken Lim’s belly dance classes for about a year. “Her face radiates as she’s teaching.”

Lim breaks down movements for her students, so they understand the mechanics. She enjoys helping women express themselves through dance.

“It’s my job to cull out their grace,” Lim said. “To draw it out of them and see that spark in their eye is the greatest thing.”

— By Elizabeth Michalka Writer, Human Resources Communications

Want To Shimmy? Sylvia Lim’s next belly dancing class begins Aug. 28. Classes are 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in

Room 210, Bivins Building on East Campus. The six-week session is $72. Registration is required by Aug. 21. To register, e-mail Lim at khadro.sylvia@gmail.com.

HEALTH

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potential,” Green said. “Still, the greatest success is the difference in the quality of life this program is having for our faculty, staff and their family members.”

Prospective Health, which is part of Duke Select/Duke Basic health coverage, offers participants the tools to take an active role in either maintaining or improving their overall health and well-being. Using a Health Risk Assessment and past medical claims data, Prospective Health identifies participants at the greatest risk for developing chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes.

The program then groups individuals into one of three categories: high risk, moderate risk and low risk.

Participants are directed to health programs, and in some cases, a dedicated health care manager, to reduce risks or better manage their conditions. Participants with higher risk factors receive higher levels of support. For instance, high-risk participants receive regular support from care managers, who, in some cases, work with the individual’s primary care physician and clinical team to help participants reach their goals.

pressure and heart disease for 13 years, got winded walking from her car to her office. She became frustrated and reached out for help. With Timberlake’s support, Branche broke her goals into manageable steps, taking stairs instead of the elevator and parking farther from buildings.

“She also told me to reward myself, which was great because as a mother, I think of my family, and not always myself,” Branche said. “The first reward I gave myself was a nice new pair of New Balance sneakers.”

Now, 15 pounds lighter and with stable blood pressure, Branche hopes to get off some medications with undesirable side-effects that have also been a financial burden.

Team Effort

Timberlake’s role as a care manager is part of a larger and more coordinated system of support offered through Duke Prospective Health.

Dr. Peter Jacobi, the medical director for the program, said that at the center of the team is the participating staff or faculty member or family member. The participant is surrounded by a support network including physicians, Prospective Health care managers and coaches, including service-providers like LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee health promotion program.

Jacobi

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Giving people access to a team of health care professionals leads to better outcomes.”

Armentha Branche, left, gets her blood pressure checked during a recent visit with Peggy Robinson, a Duke physician assistant and assistant clinical professor.

One Life at a Time

Cannada and other Prospective Health participants attribute the positive changes in their lives to the level of personal attention received through the program.

During her first call to Prospective Health, Cannada was paired with health care manager Alene Timberlake, a registered nurse. Timberlake helped identify Cannada’s health risks and goals. Then Timberlake worked with her to get her goals into manageable and measurable pieces.

Timberlake provided Cannada with exercise and nutrition advice and told her about other resources at Duke. Timberlake encouraged Cannada to maintain her medical follow-ups and necessary tests with her primary care physician. The new link between Cannada and her doctor kept everyone on the same page and held everyone accountable.

Cannada said she learned to read food labels and realized how many unhealthy foods she was eating. She reduced the amount of sugar in her diet and began walking regularly and doing strength-building exercises.

“When I called Duke Prospective Health, Alene Timberlake started working with me right away,” Cannada said. “She held me accountable in a way that my doctor couldn’t because I only saw him once or twice a year. I knew I had to report to Alene at least once a month.”

Cannada said that regular phone and e-mail contact forged an important relationship that helped her make life changes.

Armentha Branche, an administrative assistant in Social Work, also found encouragement through Timberlake. Branche, who struggled with high blood

— Dr. Peter Jacobi Medical Director Duke Prospective Health

“I believe strongly in the concept that different people need different levels of intervention for success and that giving people access to a team of health care professionals leads to better outcomes,” Jacobi said.

For Prospective Health participant Ron Banks, the optimal level of intervention included a combination of facts, care manager encouragement and family.

“As a scientist and a veterinarian, I need a lot of information to help me make decisions,” said Banks, director of the Office of Animal Welfare Assurance. “I wouldn’t take the time to search for health information myself, but having it sent to me from a trusted source – my care manager – was very helpful.”

Banks brings his wife to Prospective Health seminars about topics that affect him such as hypertension. His wife’s involvement has been critical in keeping him committed to the program. When he first joined Prospective Health last year, his blood pressure measured about 150 over 95. After losing 22 pounds and increasing exercise, modifying his diet and balancing work with relaxation, his blood pressure dropped to 115 over 70.

At 51, Banks said he was able to change behavior and improve his health due to gradual and sustainable changes.

“Dramatic changes usually result in dramatic failures,” he said. “Taking regular and small steps toward a clear goal is a more sustainable process. For example, it would be hard to give up fried foods. But it’s easier to trim back – that’s what they asked me to do.”

Did You Know?

• Duke Prospective Health is available at no additional cost to more than 30,000 Duke faculty, staff and covered dependents enrolled in Duke Basic or Duke Select health plans.

• You receive a $25 Harris Teeter gift card for completing a Health Risk Assessment.

• After completing a health risk assessment, you are entered in a monthly drawing for a $250 prize package – such as a gift certificate to a day spa, a six-month membership to a local gym and gift certificates to Whole Foods and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

• Qualifying participants who maintain contact with their care manager at least once a month for three consecutive months receive a $100 credit toward a prescription drug co-payment.

• The most important things you can do to prevent disease and be healthy are be tobacco free, physically active and eat a healthy diet.

Want to Get Started?

Visit www.dukeprospective health.org and complete an online Health Risk Assessment, or call 1-888-279-9445.

— By Elizabeth Michalka and Paul Grantham Human Resources Communications

7

WORKING@ DUKE

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dialogue@Duke

HOW TO REACH US Editor: Leanora Minai

“If you could change one thing at Duke to improve the campus climate for staff that wouldn’t cost a cent, what would it be?”

(919) 681-4533 leanora.minai@duke.edu Assistant Vice President: Paul S. Grantham

One way to improve the campus culture would be to expand the mentoring opportunities for graduate students and professionals to work with undergraduates. Mentoring programs offer a way for grad students, faculty and staff to share their knowledge with undergrads. In return, the undergrads keep the grad students and researchers updated about everything that’s happening on that side of campus.”

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(919) 681-4534 paul.grantham@duke.edu Graphic Design & Layout: Paul Figuerado

Suzanne Sikes Project Director, Raising Interest in Science Education 5 years at Duke

Photography: Jon Gardiner, Les Todd and Megan Morr of Duke University Photography

I think giving people a pat on the back when they do a good job would be a great way to boost morale on campus.”

“

Support Staff: Mary Carey and William Blackburn

Working@Duke is published monthly

Got A Story Idea

Antonio King Projects Assistant, Duke Lemur Center 8 years at Duke

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

Telling employees that they’re doing a good job seems like an easy way to me.”

Zach Crew Summer Assistant, Duke Forest

Call us at (919) 684-4345.

Send faxes to (919) 681-7926.

PERQS

North Carolina Zoo Hours through Oct. 31: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

— By Missy Baxter Working@Duke Correspondent

Write

working@duke.edu Call

(919) 681-4533

E M P LOY E E D I S CO U N TS

www.nczoo.org

P

Duke negotiates reduced rates and discounts on hundreds of products and services as an employee benefit.

To learn more about PERQS or to join the mailing list for discount e-mail alerts, visit www.hr.duke.edu/discounts.

hillip Grosshans and his wife use the Duke discount whenever the family visits the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro.

They save $2 on each ticket, so with a family of four, that’s an extra $8 in their pocket.

“I think of it as a free couple of bags of popcorn for my two girls,” said Grosshans, assistant director in the office of research support at Duke.

His daughters, Lily June, 3, and Vivian, 2, enjoy the meerkat and polar bear displays but really, just about any exhibit enthralls the girls.

“Both of the girls love the sea lions,” he said. “In the ‘underwater’ display, they will run back and forth trying to chase them. We just have a really great zoo for North Carolina, and I love taking my children to enjoy it.”

Regular zoo admission is $10 for adults, $6 for children ages 2 to 12.

With PERQs, the Duke employee discount, adults pay $8, children cost $4.

“I’m always happy for the buck or two I save,” Grosshans said.

“Individually, it’s not much, but it adds up as I use them over the course of the year. The North Carolina Zoo can be a bit expensive for two adults and two kids, and we go at least twice a year.”

Zoo tickets are available for purchase from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Thursday at Staff & Family Programs in 154 Trent Hall off Trent Drive. Tickets are also sold from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays in Duke South, Room 1527, Blue Zone. Please note the health system office is closed from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and only cash is accepted at both sale locations.

Something to consider: On Aug. 11 and Aug. 12, the North Carolina Zoo is hosting “ZooCool.” Patrons enjoy cold treats in the summer heat as they observe how the animals stay cool.

— By Leanora Minai and Sylvia Pfeiffenberger Working@Duke

D U K E T O D AY

Vivian Grosshans, front, with her sister, Lily June Grosshans, and mother, Joanne Grosshans, during a recent visit to the NC Zoo in Asheboro.

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