September, 2006 Working@Duke

WORKING@DUKE The Women’s Initiative

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ENROLL OR MAKE CHANGES IN YOUR HEALTH PLAN

Open Enrollment for health, dental and vision coverage begins Oct. 2.

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TAKE A BREAK

New Plaza opens, offering a campus crossroads for students, faculty and staff on West Campus.

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TALKING WITH HOF MILAM

A conversation with Duke’s vice president for Finance about payroll, the endowment and more.

N E W S YO U C A N U S E : : Vo l u m e 1 , I s s u e 6 : : S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 6

Much accomplished after three years, but work continues under President Brodhead lightly more than three years ago, Michael Holt would not have been able to take three weeks paid leave after the birth of his son.

Gwen Rogers would not have access to an annual $5,000 for tuition.

And Shirley McCauley probably would not have had the opportunity to sit down with colleagues to discuss respect in the workplace.

While each of these three employees have different roles at Duke, they share a common bond – they’ve benefited from recommendations in the 2003 report on the Women’s Initiative, a comprehensive set of findings about the climate for women at Duke.

Developed by a steering committee chaired by former Duke University President Nannerl O. Keohane, the study pointed Duke in new directions. Most of the recommendations that focused on employee benefits, training, faculty recruitment and student services have been implemented, but the momentum continues under President Richard H. Brodhead, who became Duke’s ninth president in 2004.

“Three years after the Women’s Initiative report was made public, much has been accomplished at Duke, but the issues are ongoing and demand our continuing attention and care,” Brodhead said.

“I think there is an ongoing need to have dialogue with the president to address issues related to women at Duke.”

This fall, the work of the Women’s Initiative will evolve as Brodhead convenes and chairs an advisory group that will facilitate conversations about gender issues as they relate to women at Duke. This cross-section of faculty, staff, students and alumnae will succeed the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, which was charged in 2003 with overseeing and implementing recommendations in the initial report.

“This has been an amazing, amazing experience, and many of the goals have been accomplished, but the work is ongoing,” said Donna Lisker, the Duke Women’s Center director who chaired the commission and will serve on Brodhead’s advisory group. “On the faculty side, for example, getting female professors is not done, but the key is there’s a plan to make it happen.”

Formed in 2002, the Steering Committee for the Women’s Initiative 16 women and men - met together and in working groups for a year, assessing the situation for women, crunching data and interviewing all constituencies at Duke. In its report, the committee cited work-life

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Some of the leaders behind the Women’s Initiative include Donna Lisker, director of the Women’s Center, left; Nancy Allen, vice provost for Faculty Diversity and Faculty Development; Mindy Kornberg, former assistant vice president for Human Resources; and Ann Brown, associate dean for Women in Medicine and Science at the School of Medicine.

balance, mentoring and professional development, gender and diversity and respect and communication as critical areas for progress.

Employees identified child care, parental leave, flexible work arrangements, mutual respect and equal opportunity for advancement in the workplace among their most pressing concerns.

Before the report was published, the Women’s Initiative began to touch the lives of both women and men with the announcement of a $2-million expansion of Duke’s on-site child care center, resulting in more slots for children of employees, faculty and graduate and professional students. Soon after the report, Duke introduced a three week paid parental leave for staff; guidelines for flexible work arrangements; the Duke Child Care Partnership for better access to 29 area child care centers, and most recently, a $5,000 annual employee tuition reimbursement for professional development.

“This tuition benefit will give all employees a chance to complete their education or start it,” said Gwen Rogers, a staff assistant in Women’s Studies, who will use the benefit toward a bachelor’s degree at North Carolina Central University. “When you’re paying yourself, that’s a lot of money.”

What’s ahead for the Women’s Initiative?

Brodhead said he and his leadership team will keep Duke focused on equity issues for all constituencies. “All of us have work to do in keeping gender issues visible and moving toward our goal: a world of full equality and respect for all.”

See PAGE 4 and PAGE 5 for a look inside the Women’s Initiative

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

— By Leanora Minai Working@Duke Editor

LOOKING

AHEAD @ DUKE

Newsbriefs letters to the Editor 2006 North Carolina State Fair tickets for sale Advance tickets to the 2006 North Carolina State Fair are available for purchase at Duke from September 27 to September 29. Faculty and staff who present Duke identification will pay $5 for adults and

SEPTEMBER 10 : : Family

$2 for children (ages 6 to 12), a $1 savings off the regular ticket

Day at the Nasher Museum of Art; noon to 4 p.m. Free to Duke students, faculty and staff.

Exhibit information is at www.nasher.duke.edu.

price for each group. A book of 24 ride coupons is available for $10, an $8 savings. Tickets will be sold from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations: September 27, outside Duke Hospital Atrium cafeteria; September 28, the Medical Center Human Resources office, Room 1531A Duke South, Blue Zone; and September 29,

SEPTEMBER 18 : : The Duke chapter of Phi Beta Kappa hosts an armchair discussion on “Creativity and the Contemporary University.” President Richard H. Brodhead, Pratt School of Engineering Dean Kristina M. Johnson, various professors and students take on questions such as, “Where do you find it? Is it flourishing or imperiled? How do you nurture it?” 7 p.m., Griffith Film Theater in the lower level of the Bryan Center.

Trent Hall outside the Staff and Family Programs office. Payment must be cash or check. For more on the fair, which is October 13 to October 22, visit www.ncstatefair.org.

Go wireless in Duke Gardens Two wireless computing “hot spots” have been added to Duke Gardens as part of an ongoing effort to upgrade and expand wireless service around campus. The wireless coverage “gives a more complete, robust system,” said James Nesbitt, who led the wireless expansion for Duke’s Office of Information Technology (OIT). Faculty, staff and others can work on laptops or PDAs on the

I found Ms. Minai’s recent article on the new chilled water plant informative and interesting. I’d only add that an additional benefit of providing chilled water from a central location is relief, all over the campuses, from the noise generated by individual building chillers (whether on the ground or on the roof).

Dewey Tull Lawson, Ph.D. Director, Center for Auditory Prosthesis Research Research Triangle Institute Adjunct Professor, Department of Physics Adjunct Assistant Professor in Otolaryngology Duke University

Letters to the Editor must include name and contact information. E-mail letters to working@duke.edu or mail them to Working@Duke Editor, HR Communications, Box 90496, Durham, NC 27708. Fax letters to (919) 681-7926.

south lawn adjacent to Chapel Drive, the goldfish pond and around the Terrace Café. In the future, OIT will expand the wireless

OCTOBER 1 : : Founders’ Day at Duke.

network in the Gardens with coverage in the woods adjacent to Undergraduate Admissions and around the Hanes Iris Garden.

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

Three Duke faculty receive White House honors

Duke Farmers Market season closes September 29

Three Duke faculty members have won the highest honor that the

The Duke Farmers Market will close for the season on September 29

U.S. government bestows on young scientists and engineers. Silvia

with a Harvest Festival. It will be your last pick of fresh fruit and

Ferrari, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, Jonathan

vegetables for the season until next spring. Pick up pumpkins, gourds,

Mattingly, an associate professor of mathematics, and Tannishtha

apples and mums and treat yourself to roasted corn. There will be

Reya, an assistant professor of pharmacology and cancer biology in

music, a variety of farmers and food from area restaurants. That day,

the medical school, received a Presidential Early Career Award for

employees can also sign up for the 2007 LIVE FOR LIFE Mobile

Scientists and Engineers at a ceremony in July at the White House.

Farmers Market. Look for the Duke Farmers Market from

According to the White House Office of Science and Technology

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of the Medical Center Bookstore along

Policy, the awards recognize “the most promising researchers in

the walkway between Duke Hospital and the Duke Cinic.

the nation within their fields.”

BY THE NUMBERS 413 Smokers who registered for programs or received information on cessation 57 QuitSmart Stop Smoking Kits distributed 23 Participants who completed QuitSmart classes 29 Smokers who reported quitting 30 Number of mailings of “Stop Smoking Personal Action Guide” Source: LIVE FOR LIFE, July 1, 2005 to July 17, 2006

I want to be a voice that helps to get the message out that life is better without nicotine.”

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—Johnnetta Moore

Kicking the smoking habit EMPLOYEE CITES RESOLVE AND A DUKE WELLNESS PROGRAM FOR SUCCESS ohnnetta Moore says that if she invested every dollar she spent on cigarettes, she would own a second house by now.

“I smoked at least a pack a day for 38 years,” said Moore, a student account analyst in the Duke bursar’s office. “That’s almost $200,000. It all went up in smoke.”

Moore, who kicked the habit two years ago with the help of a Duke smoking cessation program, had tried to quit many times. But she would end up reaching for a pack of Doral Menthol Lights.

An event that triggered her quitting was witnessing a cousin’s decline and death from lung cancer. Moore took a week’s vacation and smoked her last cigarette on Dec. 28, 2004.

When she returned to work, Moore contacted Jason Horay, health education manager for LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program. She told him she needed to be accountable to someone to strengthen her resolve. Horay told her about the program options, including classes and counseling sessions. He also sent her a QuitSmart Stop Smoking Kit with a 96-page guide, relaxation and self-hypnosis tape and patented cigarette substitute with adjustable draw strength. She began checking in with Horay weekly.

“Johnnetta chose the option that best fits her needs, and LIVE FOR LIFE supported her every step of the way,” Horay said. “We encourage employees to take personal initiative, as Johnnetta did, and to seek opportunities that make it easier to practice prevention and take personal responsibility for their health.”

When the urge to smoke took hold, she would walk around the East Campus wall.

Without nicotine, Moore enjoyed the taste of fresh fruit and vegetables, which led her to Johnnetta Moore walks in downtown Durham. make healthy diet changes. Her once-high blood pressure dropped 20 points, matching that of her 28-year-old son.

Moore has become a mentor to others. She was tapped by her parish nurse to assist with a cessation program at church.

And the Durham County Health Department has invited her to be trained as a health advocate.

“Prior to quitting smoking, I couldn’t walk half a block without getting tired or getting out of breath,” said Moore, who has worked at Duke since 1997. “Now, and two months after quitting, I have been able to walk several miles during my lunch hour and return to work feeling great.”

When challenges arise, Moore said she confronts them, reminding herself that if she can quit a 38-year smoking habit, she can handle anything. Said Moore, “I want to be a voice that helps to get the message out that life is better without nicotine.”

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HOW DO I GET STARTED?

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Call LIVE FOR LIFE at (919) 684-3136 and select option 1, or read more about the smoking cessation programs online at hr.duke.edu/eohs/livelife/smoking.html.

— Nancy E. Oates Working@Duke Correspondent

Duke’s health premium increase one-third national average SIGN UP FOR HEALTH, DENTAL, VISION INSURANCE OCT. 2 TO OCT. 14 uke faculty and staff are not among employees across the country who face significant increases in health insurance costs.

Duke’s premium increases for health insurance will be about one-third of the national average in 2007, said Lois Ann Green, director of Benefits. Duke premiums will increase no more than $2.50 per month for individuals, and no more than $10 per month for families next year. And, there are no increases for co-pays or deductibles for health, dental and vision insurance.

This is the big news of annual open enrollment for health benefits and reimbursement accounts. Faculty and staff can make changes or enroll in health, dental and vision benefits during open enrollment from Oct. 2 to Oct. 14.

“We were able to keep the increase in cost low with no major plan design changes due in large part to positive outcomes we have seen from our preventive health efforts,” Green said. “We are able to offer employees comprehensive coverage at a lower cost than what is available in the market or at many local and regional employers.”

Open enrollment season is an opportunity for faculty and staff to choose health, Lois Ann Green dental and vision plans that best meet their needs. Faculty and staff who want tax savings through a health care or dependent care reimbursement account must enroll separately in these plans. They do not automatically renew each year.

Next year, Duke Select premiums, which cover the majority of Duke’s health plan participants, will increase $1.50 per month for individuals; $9.50 per month for family coverage. The monthly premium increase is slightly higher for Blue Care and Duke Options, depending on coverage selected. For the second straight year, Duke Basic participants will not have a premium increase. And co-pays for all prescription drugs will not go up in 2007.

Also in 2007, an expanded provider network will be offered in Wake County for those enrolled in Duke Select and Duke Basic. This will include primary and specialty care physicians; obstetrics and most pediatric inpatient services will be provided through Rex Healthcare.

Duke also offers vision coverage and a choice of two dental plans. The nationwide vision plan provides coverage for prescription lenses and frames, contact lenses (in lieu of frames) and an annual eye exam. There will be no premium increase for the vision care plan in 2007. The premium for the more comprehensive dental plan will rise $1.33 for individuals; $4.04 for family coverage. The cost for the basic dental plan remains unchanged.

“We want to continue to mitigate the increasing cost of health care in the years to come,” Green said. “We all play an important role in achieving this goal. By understanding our personal health conditions and taking steps to improve our health and reduce risks, both our quality of life and costs of health care will benefit.”

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How To Get More Information Open enrollment packets with details about Duke’s health, dental and vision plans and how to make changes or sign up for a plan will be mailed to employees in mid-September.

Information sessions about reimbursement accounts and health, dental and vision coverage are September 25 through October 13. Find a session on the Duke Human Resources Web site at www.hr.duke.edu.

Representatives from the Duke Open Enrollment Service Center are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday from September 27 through October 13; and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 7 and October 14. Call (877) 371-9963.

— By Jen Mathot Senior Communications Strategist, Human Resources

Duke Postal employees saddle up for a driving rodeo

Duke Postal Operations

By The Numbers

INAUGURAL EVENT DRAWS CURIOUS ONLOOKERS AND CHEERS

11.8 million

earing brown suede chaps, straw cowboy hat and runner’s racing number 464 on his shirt, Duke Postal Operations Clerk David Snotherly climbed into the van.

“That’s the spirit, Dave!” shouted Lamont Pearley, a Duke Postal Operations mail sorter.

Snotherly, one of eight drivers in the inaugural Duke Postal Drivers Rodeo, hit the gas. He turned the wheel of the van right, then left, then right, snaking in and out of the line of seven orange cones.

Then he did it again, in reverse, brushing a cone or two on his return, adding time to his finish.

“Cut it hard! Cut it hard!” said Rocky Taylor, Duke Postal Operations manager.

When Taylor checked his watch, Snotherly had completed the driving accuracy course in 2 minutes, 21 seconds.

“Not bad,” said Snotherly, a 16-year Duke employee. “At least I stayed on my horsey.”

The competition, held in mid-August in the parking lots of Duke Publications off John DeLargy, a Duke Postal clerk, Kangaroo Drive and the Duke Postal Warehouse on Hillsborough Road, tested driving adjusts a side mirror on a postal van accuracy, parallel parking and dock loading and unloading. Duke Postal drivers competed before competition. in three heats in each of the van and “Big Truck” divisions and had the added pressure of not knocking a cone with a fresh egg atop.

It was a time to burn steam before the start of the academic year when the amount of mail and packages for processing increases. Duke Postal Operations delivers mail and packages to students and virtually every university and health system department at Duke. It processes nearly 12 million pieces of mail annually.

At the end of the rodeo, the proclaimed champ in both the van and big truck competitions was Postal Clerk John DeLargy, who wore black gloves and a fierce look of determination as he maneuvered the van and 50 feet long diesel box truck.

DeLargy’s total time for the three heats in each division was 3 minutes, 1 second.

He carried home a trophy and two gift certificates to Texas Roadhouse.

Total mail processed

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— By Leanora Minai Editor, Working@Duke

David Snotherly, Duke Postal clerk, weaves a van through cones. He came to the rodeo dressed in a cowboy hat and chaps.

41,605 Student parcels

1.2 million Inter-Department mail

1.5 million Magazines and journals

3.9 million First-Class letters

46 Staff members (Mail volume totals for 2004-2005)

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Highlights of Women’s Initiative Outcomes

A Look Inside Th

Work-Life Balance : : On-site Duke Children’s Campus expanded, doubling capacity for children : : Grants to 29 off-site child care centers enable parents who work at Duke to receive priority status for slots : : Child care subsidies for graduate students : : Three weeks paid parental leave for staff : : Guidelines for flexible work options established

Mentoring and Professional Development : : Annual $5,000 tuition reimbursement for faculty and staff : : Quarterly mentoring event

Parental leave benefit gives new parents time at home s Michael Holt, a network administrator with University Development, planned the arrival of his first son, he figured he would spend a week or two at home after the birth. When his vacation and sick time started to run low, he would return to work.

But a human resources representative let Holt know he had more flexibility to support his family as a new dad.

Thanks to Duke’s parental leave benefit, Holt was able to attach three weeks of paid time off to vacation and sick time he used when his son, William, was born in 2004.

“I was amazed that, as a father, I could actually get paid time off to take care of my child,” said Holt, who is 40 and has worked at Duke for three years. “I assumed it would be available only for a mother.”

The benefit, which resulted from the Women’s Initiative, provides up to three consecutive weeks of 100 percent paid leave to eligible employees who serve as a

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: : “A Guide To Managing at Duke” training program in university and health system : : New pay and performance appraisal sets goals and evaluates behavior : : Baldwin Scholars program for undergraduate women aims to support and inspire leaders

Gender and Diversity : : Faculty Diversity Standing Committee

primary caregiver. The benefit applies to both men and women following birth or adoption of a child.

Since the benefit was introduced in 2003, 927 employees have taken the paid leave. Of those, 106 were fathers; 821, mothers.

“The purpose of this leave is to provide time for bonding with the parent and child,” said Denise L. Evans, director of staff and labor relations for Human Resources.

“We recognize the importance of family commitment within our work environment.”

In addition to the parental leave benefit, other outcomes resulted from the Women’s Initiative to support employees’ balancing work and family life. For example, the creation of the Duke Child Care Partnership offers employees priority placement at 29 local child care centers; and flexible work options offer alternatives to a traditional business day, helping employees with work and home responsibilities.

For Holt, six weeks at home with his son was an unforgettable experience. He appreciated the quality time with his son outdoors, hiking in area parks.

“That extra time really allowed us to bond,” Holt said.

“Without this benefit, I never would have understood what it meant to feel the joy and responsibility of caring for my son around the clock.”

When Holt and his wife, Kathy, learned a second child was on the way, Holt applied for a second leave.

Alexander was born in May, and Holt again was able to stay home to care for the newborn.

— By Jon Goldstein Communications Director, Duke Divinity School

: : At least $1-million per year to enhance strategic hiring of women and minority faculty

t Michael Holt, a University Development network administrator, walks in Duke Gardens with wife, Kathy, and sons, William and Alexander, who was born in May.

: : Newly created position of Associate Dean for Women in Medicine and Science at the School of Medicine to increase visibility of women’s issues

Recruiting more women and minority faculty Respect and Communication : : Office for Institutional Equity develops workshop, “Enhancing Respect in a Diverse Workplace” : : Enrollment process for same-sex partner equivalent benefits streamlined so it more closely mirrors married couples

Safety and Security : : Enhanced security in hospital emergency room and psychiatric area : : Domestic violence protocol : : Installation of at least 139 light poles and upgrades to at least 85 emergency phones : : Outreach position added to Sexual Assault Support Services

On The Web To find out more about the Women’s Initiative, visit www.duke.edu/womens_initiative

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s a black scholar whose research includes diversity in organizations, Fuqua School of Business assistant professor Ashleigh Shelby Rosette says issues of diversity are frequently at the forefront of her mind when making major life decisions.

When considering whether to join the Duke faculty, Rosette asked many sources –current faculty, administrators, former Fuqua faculty and friends and mentors – about Duke’s and Fuqua’s commitment to attracting underrepresented minority and women.

“Increasing diversity amongst faculty at an elite institution like Duke is not always easy,” Rosette said.

“Although I believe there is still much work to be done in this area, the responses to my inquiries were satisfactory, and I have been quite happy with my decision.”

Rosette arrived in 2005 as Duke’s efforts to recruit and retain faculty women were gaining momentum. The Women’s Initiative report in 2003 said women were not well enough represented on the regular rank faculty and noted that the percentage of Duke assistant professors had remained stagnant over the past decade.

As a direct result of the findings, Provost Peter Lange pledged at least $1-million a year to enhance the strategic hiring of women and minorities. A Faculty Diversity Standing Committee was established. And in 2005, rheumatology and immunology professor Nancy Allen was selected as the inaugural Special Assistant to the Provost for Faculty Diversity and Faculty Development.

Allen, who came to Duke in 1978, said the university has made major strides since she joined the faculty when she was one of four women in a department of 125.

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“Looking around the university today you have a number of women in important leadership positions,” said Allen, listing Pratt School of Engineering Dean Kristina Johnson; Ashleigh Shelby Rosette Associate Dean and Director of Admissions for the School of Medicine Brenda Armstrong; and Dean of Duke Law School Katharine Bartlett, among others.

This summer, Allen was named Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity and Faculty Development.

She has long been attentive to faculty governance and diversity issues. Among her responsibilities, she is chair of the Faculty Diversity Standing Committee, comprised of faculty and administrators from the university and medical campuses. The committee compiles and analyzes data annually on recruitment, retention and promotions. It also oversaw a faculty climate survey last year.

Allen and colleagues such as Ann Brown, associate dean for Women in Medicine and Science at the School of Medicine, also coordinate promoting best practices in hiring and mentoring and work/life balance, among other matters.

“The most powerful way that a university shows it is committed to such efforts is having leadership that makes diversity a priority, from the president to the provost to the deans and department chairs,” Allen said. “And that’s what is happening at Duke.”

— By Bridget Booher Working@Duke Correspondent

he Women’s Initiative Office for Institutional Equity workshops enhance respect in the workplace n 16 years, Shirley McCauley has had four different roles at Duke. Now a patient account associate for Duke University Health System, she’s found a good fit.

“It’s a really good group of people,” McCauley said.

McCauley’s working group spent a recent Monday morning pondering ways to foster its collegiality. The group, including the supervisor, took “Enhancing Respect in a Diverse Workplace,” a workshop by the Office for Institutional Equity (OIE).

For McCauley, the workshop was a chance to discuss with her coworkers ways to acknowledge individuals’ differences.

“I had thought about a lot of the issues, but I wasn’t thinking that Duke itself was thinking about them,” said McCauley, who is 41. “It’s a big deal that they’re paying attention to things like the importance of listening.”

Since the fall of 2003, 1,735 employees have attended the Enhancing Respect training. The program, which aims to improve office culture and raise awareness of workplace interaction, was one of several programs developed as a result of the Women’s Initiative.

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When the Steering Committee for the Women’s Initiative conducted focus groups with employees, women at every level at Duke said they felt a lack of respect from colleagues, managers and others. “The problems were not extreme enough to be categorized as harassment,” said Polly Weiss, director of diversity and equity programs for OIE. “But women repeatedly described subtle ways in which they felt devalued in their work environment.”

To address this, Duke examined ways to shift the underlying climate of the workplace. In addition to the OIE workshop, Duke enhanced the annual performance management process to expand professional development planning between employees and supervisors. Duke also began for the first time to include employee behaviors in the annual performance process. The behavioral standards of performance are consistent across Duke and foster accountability for customer service, diversity, teamwork, learning and creative problem-solving.

Linda McAbee, assistant vice president for Human Resources, said these changes are indicative of Duke’s commitment to creating a respectful work climate.

“If absent a behavioral standard of performance, as long as you accomplish the results, the way in which you do it isn’t important,” McAbee said. “It doesn’t build teamwork; you don’t necessarily value inclusiveness in your performance. What we’re saying is, at Duke in terms of our mission, values and work culture, these things matter.”

— By Kelly Rohrs Public Relations Specialist Office of Public Affairs & Government Relations

t Shirley McCauley, a patient account associate for Duke University Health System, attended the “Enhancing Respect in a Diverse Workplace” workshop.

Program equips managers to support work culture goals hen Pamela Monds’ supervisor invited her to participate in “A Guide to Managing at Duke,” Monds jumped at the chance.

Monds, a senior lead clinical research associate at the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), said the professional development program has given her more confidence in her work and helped her appreciate the challenges of managing others.

“It has been very exciting for me to have these opportunities to grow at Duke,” said Monds, who took the Learning & Organization Development course in 2001. “I’m always looking for ways to provide similar opportunities to others.”

The Women’s Initiative report in 2003 promoted the expansion of “A Guide to Managing at Duke,” specifically in the academics units. Since the release of the report, 1,110 supervisors, including 362 from academic units, have participated in the program. The three-day interactive class engages managers to help them better address issues of respect, professional development and communication, which reflect findings from the Women’s Initiative.

During employee roundtables for the Women’s Initiative, women at Duke said they wanted training and educational opportunities and more responsibilities within their fields, key ingredients to job mobility.

As part of recent efforts on these fronts, Duke implemented a new tuition benefit that reimburses staff up to $5,000 per year for courses related to an employee’s job. The benefit can be used at any accredited higher education institution in North Carolina, not just at Duke. And in August, at least 200 staff members attended the first in a series of quarterly mentoring events with President Richard H. Brodhead and other Duke administrators.

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“We know that professional development is key to developing the skills and talent Duke needs for the future,” said Clint Davidson, vice president for Human Resources. “Professional development can take many forms.

It doesn’t always mean taking a class or attending a conference. In many cases, it’s getting the opportunity to serve on a committee or work on a new project. These experiences help people grow professionally. ” Pam Monds Monds was one of 200 participants from the Duke Clinical Research Institute who went through the managing program. Typically geared toward specific departments, such as DCRI, the School of Nursing or Duke Hospital, the program’s success is largely due to team synergy that develops among course participants.

“People leave the program with a sense of belonging, ownership and dedication,” said Monica Udell, director of Learning & Organization Development. “We engage people on a level where they can better understand the overall goals of their entity and their responsibilities to the greater organization.”

— By Tracey Koepke Senior Writer, Medical Center News Office

Departments that want to send a group through “A Guide to Managing at Duke” should contact their Human Resources representative. To learn more, visit hr.duke.edu/train/index.html or call (919) 613-7602.

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fter a year of drilling, dust and detours, the Plaza is open.

Grab lunch or a novel and head to this new outdoor space in the heart of West Campus to relax or meet colleagues.

The elevated Plaza is a natural gathering place for students, faculty, staff and other members of the Duke community, said Treat Harvey, the Student Affairs director of development who led fundraising for the $10 million Plaza.

“As a Duke staff member, I certainly see the Plaza as a resource for people working at Duke,” Harvey said. “There are not many places on campus where you can sit at a table in the open air and work or meet with colleagues, or just relax and eat lunch.”

The 40,000 square foot Plaza, which features mist fountains and a Brazilian hardwood walkway, was one of more than 200 construction projects managed by Duke’s Facilities Management Department (FMD) in fiscal year 2005-2006. The old 9,200 square foot walkway to the Bryan Center was demolished for a broad plaza that connects the Bryan Center, Page Auditorium and West Union.

Want to surf the Web? There’s wireless access.

Want to hear live music? Take a seat in the grass.

Want to sit under a shade tree? Pick from 13.

“Our plaza provides the best in form and function,” said Larry Moneta, vice president for Student Affairs. “The structure is in itself a wonderful piece of art, but more important will be the many activities to be featured throughout the numerous gathering spaces. I hope that students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors will enjoy its beauty and energy.”

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Take a break at

THE PLAZA

13,100 Linear feet of Brazilian hardwood for walkway

7,980 Tons of concrete

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1,280 Square feet Fescue sod

16 Number of “dark sky friendly” street lamps

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Tons of structural steel

1,130 Linear feet of stainless steel handrail

9,250 Number of concrete pavers

1,640 Number of bluestone pavers

1,210

Trees: Red Maple (6) and Lacebark Elm (7)

1 4 feet by 4 feet Duke bronze shield embedded in Brazilian hardwood walkway

$4.5 million Gift to Student Affairs earning naming rights to Plaza from Duke alumni Aubrey and Katie McClendon

Number of flagstone pavers

Designer Hargreaves Associates

Contractor D.H. Griffin Construction Company

— By Leanora Minai Editor, Working@Duke

e mployee spotlight

“

The management

skills I’ve learned here have helped me tremendously in setting up the ministry.”

—Valarie Morrow

Valarie Morrow, divinity student and senior research associate at Duke Clinical Research Institute, right, typically meets or talks with 15 to 20 people during the work day.

To learn more about The Forward House, write forwardhouse@bellsouth.net

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MEET VALARIE MORROW, DIVINITY STUDENT AND SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE AT DUKE CLINICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE home in Hillsborough represents the work, education, ambition and faith of Dr. Valarie Morrow, a senior lead clinical research associate at the Duke Clinical Research Institute.

“Forward House” is the transitional home Morrow and her husband, Nelson, bought three years ago. It is where they offer support and mentoring to the men who come to live for a year after being released from prison. Among other ministry, they teach life skills and hold Bible lessons.

“It’s hard to describe to people what it feels like to see before your eyes someone’s life change,” said Morrow, 44, mother of four.

Morrow’s passion for helping others is evident at Duke, too.

She oversees a staff of 28 research associates in the Duke Clinical Research Institute’s infectious disease group, which monitors drug trials around the world. Trials currently under her supervision include medicines to treat pneumonia, HIV and adverse effects of liver transplants.

“We’re basically the police of clinical research,” she said about her group’s mission to ensure the accuracy of drug trials.

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“I’m responsible for making sure that the morale of the group is high and to make sure that the work gets done, and you do that through relationships,” she said.

“In a typical day, I visit and talk with more than 15 to 20 people.”

The clinical research institute may seem a world apart from the Forward House, but Morrow sees connections.

“The management skills I’ve learned here have helped me tremendously in setting up the ministry,” Morrow said, citing the “A Guide to Managing at Duke” program. It taught her the difference between coaching and mentoring and how to be a better listener.

“I don’t think I would have learned these pieces in another environment, but they’re all part of the Duke environment,” she said.

Working at Duke has also given Morrow, a graduate of Duke and UNC Medical School, another avenue to pursue her passions.

With eight years at the clinical research institute, she enrolled last fall in Duke Divinity School to begin a master’s of divinity degree. She plans to take courses in the school’s Theology and Medicine program.

“People aren’t just the physical side,” Morrow said.

“A lot of health decisions, a lot of treatments are really based on people’s spiritual belief system. Duke is a wonderful place to integrate those two areas.”

— By James Todd Writer, Office of News & Communications

Q&A

EXECUTIVE

HOF MILAM : : Vice President for Finance

Most faculty and staff probably think of Finance only when they receive their paychecks. What other activities are you responsible for at Duke?

Yes, payroll is the most widely understood of my responsibilities. With paychecks to more than 30,000 faculty, staff and students depending on us, we’d better be on time and have it right. I also have responsibility for financial reporting, general accounting, paying suppliers, budgeting, cost allocations, cash management, employee travel and reimbursement, grant accounting and reporting and administrative systems management. In many of these areas, we are supporting all of Duke, including the health system. Because ours is a supporting role, it’s imperative that we minimize the cost of our service so more funds are available to support the faculty and staff who are directly engaged in education, research or patient care.

How does your area help Duke save money?

One way we do it is by creating efficiencies for processing financial transactions. We are moving more paper-based transactions and processes online through our Administrative Systems Management group. A year ago, we introduced a web-based application called iForms to process payroll and human resources transactions. It has eliminated a lot of paper, but it’s also improved how we use resources. In the past, people often had to get in their cars and drive around getting signatures on payroll action forms. Often, errors in forms were not discovered until the end of the process, requiring paperwork to be returned for correction. With iForms, documents are created, edited and routed electronically to the right people for approval. iForms saves many people lots of time. That saves Duke money.

What goes into developing Duke’s budget for the new fiscal year, which began in July?

Duke’s budgeting process is complicated because Duke is decentralized and large. Our decentralized structure is a strength because it encourages an entrepreneurial spirit among faculty and staff, but it can create budgeting challenges.

The process can be described as pulling together and balancing thousands of different checkbooks. Each grant, each construction project, each department has its own budget. Size adds further complexity. Duke’s annual operating budget is a shade over $3 billion – including both the university and health system.

Is the perception that Duke is a wealthy institution accurate?

I think it’s misleading. Certainly, we are in sound financial condition. Still, Duke is always striving to be better, and there are not enough resources to do everything. We are well positioned to improve existing programs and launch new ones, but it’s important to be selective. That’s where strategic planning enters the picture.

Our principal sources of operating revenue from year to year are tuition, fundraising, patient care services and grants from organizations like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. But as a notfor-profit, we bring in money with the intent of spending it to support and advance our missions. We’re not a corporation that exists to create wealth for shareholders.

So, over time, the checks we write for expenses tend to keep pace with our operating revenues.

We try to set aside some funds in the operating budget to enable Duke to take advantage of opportunities to improve and grow. It’s the same type of thing most people

do when they pay their bills. You spend the bulk of your paycheck on monthly bills for housing, food and utilities, but you try to put some aside for emergencies or for a down payment on a new car or home.

How does Duke budget for and invest in future needs?

Our primary source of funds to support longer-term needs comes from non-operating revenue – donations from generous alumni and foundations and the investment return on Duke’s $6 billion of endowment and other investments. Duke Management Company, a separate nonprofit organization responsible for managing the endowment, consistently ranks among the very best of university endowment managers.

Endowment can be thought of as a nest egg that is invested much like you would invest in a certificate of deposit (CD). You commit your money for a longer period of time, earn a higher return, and use that higher return on the investment to supplement your income or add to your nest egg. Duke Management Company manages $6.2 billion of university assets and uses a variety of investment strategies to earn higher returns. Last fiscal year’s return was roughly 20 percent, which we would not expect to earn year in and year out. Earning conistently solid returns not only helps support a portion of our current operations, it helps fund strategic plans for Duke’s future.

MILAM PROFILE Joined Duke: July 2003.

Duties: Oversees the central accounting, financial and reporting services for Duke.

Education: Bachelor of science degree in accounting and an MBA from Wake Forest University.

Past Experience: Senior vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer at QualChoice of North Carolina, the HMO affiliated with Wake Forest University Baptist

Medical Center. Assistant dean for planning and resource management at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Hobbies: Enjoys cooking, playing guitar and sailing. Captain of sailing charters in the Caribbean and Mediterranean and, until recently, owned a sailboat in Oriental, NC. Fun Fact: Can often be seen at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro listening to ”real” musicians.

7

WORKING@ DUKE

HOW TO REACH US Editor: Leanora Minai (919) 681-4533 leanora.minai@duke.edu

Director: Paul S. Grantham

dialogue@Duke How do you see the environment for women at Duke?

(919) 681-4534 paul.grantham@duke.edu

Graphic Design & Layout: Paul Figuerado

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

It’s a good environment, but I’m worried about when I go on maternity leave if I’m going to have enough time, what will I do financially? The three weeks that they will pay for me to be out comes after I use my own time for the first three weeks. And I definitely will not have three weeks worth of vacation and sick leave. I have to use my sick time for my appointments.”

“

Beanah Bass-Beatty Staff Specialist in the Office of Student Affairs 2 years with Duke

Support Staff: Mary Carey and William Blackburn.

Working@Duke is published monthly

by Duke’s Office of Communication Services. We welcome your feedback and suggestions for future story topics.

“

I think they have taken very positive steps for the environment for women at Duke.

It is probably something long overdue.”

Neil Vidmar Ph.D. Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology 19 years with Duke

Please write us at working@duke.edu or

Working@Duke, Box 90496, 705 Broad St., Durham, NC 27708 Call us at (919) 684-4345.

Send faxes to (919) 681-7926.

Camp Bow Wow 4310 Bennett Memorial Rd. (919) 309-4959 Durham www.mycbw.com/chapelhill

“

Fair. In all those areas, parental leave benefits, workplace workshops, child care. It has improved. I see the recruitment of women faculty increase.”

Deborah Ferettino Administrative Coordinator for Romance Studies 25 years with Duke

PERQS

— By Eddy Landreth Working@Duke Correspondent

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

Local doggy day care offers bargain rate

O

n the weekly drive to Camp Bow Wow, Spice Girl pokes her head out of the window and sniffs the air as the Ford Explorer gets closer to the day and overnight camp.

“She knows we’re in the neighborhood,” said Duke employee Joyce Arcus, who

adopted the brindle shepherd mix from the Animal Protection Society of Durham.

Spice Girl has been visiting Camp Bow Wow on Bennett Memorial Road in Durham since October when an e-mail from Duke Human Resources announced a PERQS discount of 20 percent at the boarding facility.

Arcus usually selects a package of day camp visits – 20 for $340. With the PERQS discount, she pays $272.

“I’ve used some other PERQS discounts for the Broadway shows and movies, but this one for Spice Girl and me has been most beneficial,” said Arcus, a registered nurse and patient resource manager for Duke University Health System.

On a recent Thursday, Spice Girl, who was named after the swirl of spices in Arcus’ cabinet, jumped out of the Explorer and headed straight for Camp Bow Wow’s front door.

With wagging tail and wiggling body, she greeted Camp Bow Wow director Jason Smith.

Joyce Arcus, a registered nurse and patient resource manager for Duke University Health System, bids farewell to her beloved Spice Girl on a recent Thursday at Camp Bow Wow.

This is a weekly ritual. While Arcus works, the 50-pound hound plays. Arcus used to check the Web site’s “Camper Cam” on work breaks to see if her 4-year-old bundle of energy was behaving. Not anymore.

“Spice,” said Arcus as she bid farewell to her beloved pup, “I’ll see you tonight.”

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

— By Leanora Minai Editor, Working@Duke

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

D U K E T O D AY

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