Working@Duke April, 2011 Issue

4 73

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TOTAL COMPENSATIONYour salary and benefitscomprise your totalcompensation. Dukespent $1.8 billion lastyear on pay, andanother $425 million to maintain benefits.

Cassandra Taylor sat at her kitchentable with a notepad, budgetspreadsheet and stack of quarterly

retirement account statements at theready. Her mission: squeeze more moneyout of her budget for retirement.

“I ran the numbers up and downand back and forth a couple of times,jotting down figures so I could comparescenarios,” said Taylor, who has workedat Duke three years as a Duke CreditUnion financial guidance counselor.

After an evening of numbercrunching, Taylor concluded she couldraise her monthly retirementcontribution from 3 to 4 percent usingthe money she saves on fuel bycommuting in a hybrid, not an SUV.

“It also meant pulling back on otheritems like eating out,” she said, “but I amwilling to forego some luxuries now in orderto have a comfortable retirement later.”

Taylor’s decision to increase herretirement contribution bucks a nationaltrend indicating that fewer people are saving for retirement. According to aJanuary survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, U.S. workers aremore pessimistic about their chances for a comfortable retirement. More thana quarter (27 percent) of 1,258 workers say they are "not at all confident"about retirement, up from 22 percent in 2009 and 2010, and the highestlevel ever measured in the 21-year history of the survey.

This belt-tightening is reflected at Duke with some faculty and staffputting away less in their retirement plans in recent years. Decisions likethese have likely contributed to a majority of Americans saying they areeither a little or far behind financially in preparing for retirement.

Financial experts recommend that any retirement plan include threecomponents: social security, an employer’s plan and an employee’s personalsavings. Combined, these components should replace between 75 and 85percent of pre-retirement income to maintain the same standard of living

during retirement. At Duke, faculty andstaff can take advantage of Duke’sbenefits to help them obtain this level of financial security.

“Even during challenging times, it isimperative that we each keep the goal ofadequately contributing to our retirementsavings as one of our highest priorities,”said Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president forDuke Human Resources.

Taylor values Duke’s contribution toher 403(b) retirement plan. “It’s like freemoney,” she said. But she won’t let up onher goal to gradually increase hercontribution from her monthly pay to the annual maximum of $16,500.

“If we get a raise this year, the firstthing I’ll do is check the payrollcalculator on the HR website and see if Ican afford to increase my contribution to5 percent or maybe higher,” she said. “Ijust feel it is imperative that I keep savingfor retirement.”

Working@Duke offers a look at howfive employees are planning for retirement:

START EARLYRetirement is decades away for Kristen Lee, 31, but she’s already

planning for it. “I’m at the time of my life when I need to figure out my long-term

goals and dreams, and having a comfortable retirement is part of that,” saidLee, a clinical trials specialist at the Duke Clinical Research Institute.

When Lee started working at Duke in 2002 after college, she was morefocused on immediate financial goals. “I’ve seen some of my older relativeshaving a hard time making ends meet during retirement,” she said. “I don’twant to repeat some of those patterns.”

N E W S Y O U C A N U S E : : V o l u m e 6 , I s s u e 3 : : A p r i l 2 0 1 1

Are yousaving

enough?

SUSTAINABLE DUKE Duke Campus Farm, afull-scale educationalfarm, blooms on anacre in the Duke Forestoff Friends SchoolRoad.

Cover image: Cassandra Taylor, a Duke Credit Union financial guidance counselor,

crunches numbers to squeeze more money out of her budget for retirement.>> See ARE YOU SAVING ENOUGH? PAGE 5

Duke’s Retirement Plans

Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan. A 403(b) planfor monthly-paid faculty and staff who can makevoluntary pre-tax contributions. Duke contributes to the accounts of all eligible faculty and staff.

Employees’ Retirement Plan. A pension plandesigned to provide hourly-paid staff with aguaranteed monthly income at retirement, paidentirely by Duke.

Savings for Retirement Plan. A 403(b) plan forhourly-paid staff members who can make voluntarypre-tax contributions. (Duke does not contribute tothis plan).

For more information about Duke’s retirementbenefits, visit hr.duke.edu/retirement

ARE YOU A SMARTCOMMUTER?Less than 5 percent of Duke’s registeredcommuters usealternative transit;options exist to share a ride.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DUKE’S BENEFITS NOW TO OBTAIN FINANCIAL SECURITY IN RETIREMENT

New season at Duke Farmers Market

When the Duke Farmers Marketopens up for its 11th season this month, faculty and staff will have a new way to enjoy locally-grown

produce – a free recipe booklet with meals that can bemade from goods purchased at the market.

The market, which runs April 15 to Sept. 23, willfeature about a dozen farmers and vendors selling produceand goods such as sweet potatoes, whole grain rolls andflowers. There will also be weekly drawings from farmersfor free goods.

“We’re very excited to start anew season,” said Diana Monroe, ahealth education specialist for LIVEFOR LIFE, Duke’s employeewellness program and organizer ofthe farmers market. “Finding localfruits and vegetables doesn’t getmuch easier than when the farmerscome to you.”

Holding raffles and offeringthe recipe booklet are part of LIVEFOR LIFE’s effort to promote theconsumption of more fruits andvegetables. In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionlisted North Carolina as the tenth-most obese state in the UnitedStates with only 25 percent of

adults eating at least two servings of fruit a day, comparedwith 33 percent across the country.

“Getting fruits and vegetables into your diet –especially locally grown ones that often come from farmsthat don’t use lots of pesticides – can only be a positivechange,” Monroe said. “We hope that with all the variety

of colorful and freshproduce, faculty andstaff will takeadvantage of themarket.”

Elise Pangborn,a researchcoordinator withDuke’s ClinicalResearch Unit, hasbeen a weekly visitorto the farmersmarket for 10 years.

“I like the ideathat the produce I’mbuying is local, so it’spicked the morningI buy it instead ofsitting on a truck,train or boat beforegetting here,”Pangborn said.

In addition to farm-fresh produce, employees can alsobuy special gifts for colleagues.

During Duke Appreciation in May, faculty and staffcan give produce away through the “MARKET-GRAM”program. Vendors will sell special arrangements of flowers,fruits, coffee beans and other products as MARKET-GRAM specials priced from $3 to $12. Employees whopurchase an item can then pick up from the LIVE FORLIFE table a free MARKET-GRAM bookmark gift tag withmessages like “You’re a peach” and “Working at Duke withyou is sweet.”

— By Bryan RothWriter, Office of Communication Services

Primetime with President Brodhead in April On April 27, Duke University President Richard H. Brodhead willaddress faculty and staff during the next Primetime forum. Brodheadwill offer an update on the “state of the university,” including anupdate on Duke’s financial status and Duke’s plans for globalexpansion. The event will begin at noon; thelocation, which was being finalized at presstime, will be posted at hr.duke.edu/primetime.

Employees are encouraged to submitquestions for Brodhead through thePrimetime website at hr.duke.edu/primetime.The event will be webcast live, but those whoRSVP and attend in person will be enteredinto a drawing for lunch with Brodhead.

Plant sale at Duke Gardens April 30 The Sarah P. Duke Gardens and other local vendors will sell hundredsof plants, trees, shrubs and garden-related gift items during the springplant sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 30.

“Spring is an exciting time of year, which makes us all giddy toget out in the garden and plant,” said Jason Holmes, a curator andhorticulturist at Duke Gardens who helps manage the sale. “Amongother things, we’ll be selling lots of perennials that are well suited tospring gardens in the Triangle region.”

The gardens staff and members of the Durham County MasterGardeners will also be available to offer free gardening advice. The saleis open to the public, with free admission. Faculty and staff who becomenew Duke Garden members on or before April 29 get a discount onmembership and special admission to the preview sale on April 29.

Website created for Japan relief;Provost’s lecture on ‘Interpreting Disaster’Duke has set up a website [japanrelief.duke.edu] as a clearinghousefor information and resources related to Duke’s response to thedisaster in Japan.

The site includes travel restriction updates, related Duke newsitems, information about relief efforts and events, and a list ofresources for members of the Duke community who may be affectedby events in Japan. To suggest items for the site, please contact LauraBrinn at (919) 681-8975.

In addition, Damien Cave, a correspondent for The New YorkTimes, will present on “Interpreting Disaster” during the final lectureof 2010-11 Provost’s Lecture Series, “Natural Disasters and HumanResponses,” on April 11.

Cave will discuss how reporters tackle the challenges oftraumatic stories – how they get to where they need to be, how theychoose which stories to tell and how they are impacted by what theyexperience. From 2008 to 2010, he served as the newspaper’s Miamibureau chief. In addition to covering the earthquake in Haiti, Cave’scoverage of Florida ranged widely from recession, politics, veteransand out-of-control bunnies.

The lecture is at 5 p.m. in the Social Sciences Building, Room 139.Learn more at provost.duke.edu/speaker_series.

Deadline for reimbursement receipts April 15April 15 is the deadline for submitting Health and Dependent CareReimbursement Account receipts from 2010. Faculty and staff mustsubmit all receipts by April 15 for services provided from Jan. 1through Dec. 31, 2010 to receive reimbursement. Receipts can bescanned and submitted as attachments to an e-mail or submittedonline. Learn more at hr.duke.edu/reimbursement.

Sustainability efforts gain gold Duke’s efforts toward environmental sustainability have been rated“Gold” by a new rating system from the Association for theAdvancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

Like the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)system for buildings, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & RatingSystem (STARS) gives ratings of Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Dukehas earned a Gold rating with a score of 65.74 from an evaluation ofthree main categories – Curriculum and Research; Operations; andPlanning, Administration and Engagement.

Duke received recognition for sustainable dining initiatives such astrayless dining, recycled content napkins and composting. Transportationdemand management programs, such as carpool matching,telecommuting and bicycle sharing also increased Duke’s score.

“Our participation in STARS will allow us to better assess wherewe have room to improve our sustainability efforts on campus as wellas how we compare to our peer institutions,” said Tavey Capps, Duke’ssustainability director.

Newsbriefs

2

Letters to the Editor must include name and contact information. E-mail letters to [email protected] or mail them to Working@Duke Editor, Box 90496, Durham, NC 27708. Fax letters to (919) 681-7926. Please keep length to no more than 200 words.

For more Duke Farmers Market information, visit hr.duke.edu/farmersmarket

LEANORA [email protected]

L ynn Ball, a certified benefitsspecialist who will present to Dukeemployees during Financial Fitness

Week in May, suggests finding a way to increase your retirement savingscontribution by 1 percent each year.

“One of the biggestmisconceptions is that you don’t haveenough money to save,” Ball said.“People think if they can’t save a lot, itisn’t worth saving at all. That is just sowrong. Even a small amount, savedconsistently, will make a huge differenceover 25 or 30 years.”

In preparation for Financial FitnessWeek, which is May 23-27, this month’sissue of Working@Duke includes usefulinformation to help employees plan forretirement and understand their totalcompensation at Duke.

In the cover story, “Are you savingenough?” we talk with financial expertslike Ball and take a look at how five Dukeemployees are saving for retirementthrough Duke’s benefits. You’ll learn howDuke employee Cassandra Taylor istrying to squeeze more money out of herbudget for retirement, and how anotherstaffer, Betty Jones, dipped into herretirement savings and is now trying to reposition herself for retirement.

“Start early,” said SylvesterHackney, associate director of DukeBenefits. “Whenever we talk withpeople who are about to retire, the onething they say is they wish they startedsaving earlier.”

By early May, you will receive a“Personal Benefits Statement” in themail detailing your salary and benefits atDuke. Give the statement a good look toensure you are on target to maintainyour current lifestyle in retirement.

Editor’sNote

Want to go?11 a.m to 2 p.m. every

Friday from April 15 to

July 15 and every other

Friday from July 29 to

September 23.

Duke Farmers Market runs April 15 to Sept. 23.

The Duke Farmers Market is located

off Research Drive between the

Nanaline H. Duke and Bryan

Research buildings.

3

Learn how to read your personal benefits statement as part of our “DIY” video series. Visit youtube.com/workingatduke

The university has balanced budgetary challenges from the economicdownturn by only providing $1,000 lump-sum payments to staffmaking $50,000 or less in 2009 and $80,000 or less in 2010.This year, the university will provide performance-based pay increases

for eligible employees. Despite not increasing base pay last year, Dukespent an additional $34.7 million to maintain benefits as part of the totalcompensation package for employees.

A study by the Society for Human Resources Management in late2009 indicated that 39 percent of companies were either “very likely” or“somewhat likely” to reduce or change benefit offerings in early 2010. AtDuke, keeping base pay flat again last year avoided about $22 million inadditional costs, a trade-off that helped fund the additional investment inbenefits.

“Over the past few years, as we’ve tried to reduce the universitybudget by $100 million, we faced the challenge of investing in salaries orin benefits, and we chose to maintain our investment in our benefits,” saidKyle Cavanaugh, vice president for Human Resources. “We are pleasedthat this year, we can once again offer the option for performance-basedmerit increases, but this is a balancing act that we will continue to face infuture years.”

Labor costs comprise approximately 60 percent of Duke’s operatingbudget. For every dollar of wages an employee receives, Duke invests 20 to25 cents on programs such as medical, life insurance, retirement programsand other benefits such as tuition assistance. Last year, Duke spent a totalof $425 million to maintain its benefits package.

The value of these benefits is recognized by many employees at Dukeand is frequently cited as a primary reason why employees choose to workand continue their careers at Duke.

Terry Witting, aprogram coordinator,has worked atDuke for 22 years.She said she valuesmore from Dukethan just themonthly pay. Thechildren’s tuitionbenefit has allowedher daughter toattend PeaceCollege withoutstudent loans.

“My youngestdaughter goes toPeace, and Dukepays a little over$10,000 each

semester – that is tax-free money for us,” Witting said. “When I thinkabout not getting a raise last year, I think about not paying $20,000 a yearfor her to go to school. I don’t do a lot of complaining.”

Working at a world-class institution is also a draw for manyemployees. Tracyene Charles, a library assistant at Perkins Library, said ahighlight of her 12 years at Duke has been working on a vibrant campus.She loves the beauty of the gardens, free access to thousands of libraryresources and the steady stream of students. “I’m 46, but the students helpkeep me young,” she said. “I constantly learn about new technologies, newfashions, new movies. It is a wonderful perspective to be exposed to.”

Charles appreciates the deliberate way Duke addressed trimmingexpenses and efforts to avoid large-scale layoffs. “I didn’t get too upsetabout not having a raise for a while because I assume that means there are still people out there who have a job,” she said.

Job security is high on the list of things Michelle L. Taylor isthankful for, along with family-friendly benefits that make her life as a single parent easier. “It is good to know that Duke allows me to taketime off for my children’s doctor and dental appointments,” said Taylor,a health information management clerk for the Duke Eye Center ofWinston Salem.

As Duke continues to offer competitive pay and comprehensivebenefits while managing rising costs, Cavanaugh encourages employeesto educate themselves about benefits connected to their job. “I want ourfaculty and staff community to understand the options Duke provides tohelp them protect their health, plan for retirement, protect their lovedones and to balance their work and family lives,” he said.

— By Marsha A. GreenSenior Writer, Office of Communication Services

Your total compensation at Duke

We arepleased

that this year, wecan once again offerthe option forperformance-basedmerit increases, butthis is a balancingact that we willcontinue to face in future years.”

— Kyle CavanaughVice president for Human Resources

“

76%

9%

7%

6%

1%

1%

Salary

Health Insurance/Employee Health Services

Retirement Plan Contribution

Social Security/GovernmentPrograms

Disability Insurance/Group LifeInsurance

Educational Assistance

Each employee’s total compensation package is unique, based on individual choices. To highlight elements that comprise total compensation, the chart above represents whata total compensation package might look like for a typical employee.

Source: Duke Human Resources

Understanding your net worth at DukeTotal compensation describes Duke’s investment in each employee

as more than just a paycheck. Duke spent approximately $1.8 billion lastyear on salaries and wages and kicked in an additional $425 million tomaintain its benefits package. The benefits each employee uses may differ, but Duke typically invests between 20 to 25 cents in benefits forevery $1 of wages.

The chart below shows an example of what a typical employee’s totalcompensation might consist of. In late April or early May, your personalbenefits statement will arrive at your home. Check your personalizedstatement for a complete picture of your total compensation at Duke.

What you’re saying on

Facebook

Since starting work at Duke in 1997,Hannah Arps has commuted in avariety of ways: walking, biking and

sharing the ride by car or bus.With one car for the family, Arps has

always made an effort to use sustainable,alternative transportation through Duke.She’s currently one of nearly 400registered bicycle commuters and amongabout 900 members at Duke who use theZipcar car-sharing service on campus.

“I like that I can keep an extra car offthe road for environmental reasons,” saidArps, manager with the Office ofTechnology Services in the College of Arts& Sciences. “If you’re in a position to walkor bike, it’s also nice to be able to buildthat exercise into your daily routine.”

With limited parking spaces but highdemand and a growing customer base,Duke wants to reduce by 6 percent thenumber of single occupancy vehiclescoming to campus by 2012. That meansremoving about 1,600 parking permitsfrom distribution to the Duke community.

“It’s important for the Dukecommunity to choose alternative transitoptions to reduce vehicles on and aroundcampus and minimize Duke’s carbonfootprint,” said Brian Williams, Duke’stransportation demand coordinator.

“It’s all part of Duke’s effort to go carbonneutral.”

As of Jan. 1, figures show that Dukestudents, faculty and staff own about27,000 permits for parking at Duke, whileonly 1,300 community members travel toDuke using an alternative option likebiking, riding a bus or sharing a car ride.With less than 5 percent of Duke’sregistered commuters using alternativetransportation, Williams is working toeducate campus commuters to changetheir behavior and not drive alone.

As an incentive, students, faculty and staff who bike, carpool or join avanpool receive up to 24 free dailyparking passes, in addition to other perkslike an emergency ride home throughTriangle Transit.

“Even though free parking or reducedpermit rates are great ways to save money,the real savings come in when you factorin what you spend on fuel and lose intime,” Williams said. “If you live morethan 15 minutes away from Duke, you’relikely to pay $20 to $30 a week in fueland lose more than two hours spentbehind the wheel.”

— By Bryan RothWriter, Office of Communication Services

Most Duke communitymembers commute alone,

by car

4

Jim Fernandes knows about the importance of exercise and healthy living. That’s why he participated in last year’sSmartCommute Challenge, an annual spring campaign

to encourage commuters to not drive alone to work or class. As part of the campaign last April, Fernandes pedaled

12-miles between his home near Research Triangle Park to his office on West Campus as often as his schedule allowed.

“I like to challenge myself, and it sounded like fun,” saidFernandes, a physical therapist in Duke’s Department ofPhysical and Occupational Therapy. “Why not save a little gas and help the environment too?”

The SmartCommute Challenge, which runs April 1 toJune 1, is coordinated by GoTriangle andSmartCommute@rtp to help reduce traffic andimprove air quality. Participants can sign up forraffles for prizes like gift cards and join special eventseach week through mid-May.

The aim is to get Triangle area residents to try analternative commute by riding a bus, carpooling,vanpooling, teleworking, biking, walking or riding anelectric scooter. Duke offers various incentives forcommunity members who use alternativetransportation, including, among other perks, up to 24 free parking passesand discount bus passes. For more information, visit parking.duke.edu.

Along with Fernandes, slightly more than 10,000 Triangle residentsparticipated in the SmartCommute Challenge last year, cutting 3.4 millionpounds of carbon dioxide – the equivalent carbon emissions of 85Americans for an entire year.

“The Smart Commutechallenge isn’t a big commitment –it’s trying new ways to commute tosee which one works best for you,”said Brian Williams, Duke’stransportation demand coordinator.“You’ll likely save money and gettime back in your day.”

Both those aspects – time andmoney – were found to be growingconcerns for commuters recentlyby the Texas TransportationInstitute at Texas A&M University.A recent study shows that stop-and-go traffic cost the averageTriangle driver 22 gallons of gas and 25 extra hours in traffic in2008 and 2009.

In addition to Fernandes, Duke employee Molly Starback

participated in last year’s SmartCommute Challenge. Starbackcommutes to Duke by bus from Chapel Hill to her office on West Campusbecause it puts time back in her day.

“I don’t really like driving that much, so I prefer to take the bus so I canread and don’t have to deal with traffic,” said Starback, director of the Officeof Postdoctoral Services. “Riding the bus gives me time to read for pleasureor get started on the day’s work before I get in the office.”

— By Bryan RothWriter, Office of Communication Services

Challenge yourself to sharethe ride in transit campaign

Join the SmartCommute Challenge at smartcommutechallenge.org

Bike

Zipcar

DATA/TTA public transit

Vanpool/carpool/rideshare

377

601

322

889

Less than 5 percent of Duke’s registered commuters use alternative

transportation. Learn more about alternative transportation at

parking.duke.edu.

Riding a bus is just one way Duke

faculty and staff can participate in the

annual SmartCommute Challenge.

Learn about alternative transportation

options at parking.duke.edu.

Number of Duke community memberspracticing an alternative commute

5

As a bi-weekly paid employee, she is eligible for a pension throughthe Employees’ Retirement Plan. But she knows she should saveadditional money.

To start planning, Lee recently attended a Duke Credit Union seminar,where she learned about the power of time: the sooner one begins saving,the more time money has to grow.

By saving $44 from each paycheck from age 31 until retirement in anaccount that earns 5 percent interest, an employee can create a nest egg of$100,000. Waiting until age 40 to start saving means an employee willneed to contribute approximately $78 from each paycheck to reach thatsame $100,000 goal.

Lee isn’t contributing yet but wants to start saving $1,000 a year inDuke’s Savings for Retirement Plan 403(b) account to help ensure she hassufficient retirement income to maintain her standard of living. “I know I need to get into the habit of saving more,” she said.

STICK TO YOUR SAVINGS GOALSOn his first day as a Duke employee 11 years ago, Todd Blandford,

signed paperwork to contribute a portion of his paycheck to his Facultyand StaffRetirement Plan403(b) account.

“I was in my30s and had onechild,” saidBlandford, 42,director ofalumni anddevelopment IT systems. “Irealized I neededto get myfinancial house in order.”

Now, with two children progressing through elementary and middleschool, Blandford faces a challenge of saving for college and retirement. “I try to fund retirement first and college second, but I’m not putting asmuch as I think I should toward college,” he said.

Lynn Ball, a benefits specialist and former keynote speaker at Duke’sFinancial Fitness Week, said Blandford’s dilemma is common.

“One of the hardest things for the average working person to do is toconsistently put themselves first,” she said. “But the reality is, reducingyour contributions or dipping into your savings – even for your kid’s sake –will make it hard to meet your retirement goals.”

To help plan, Blandford scheduled a meeting with a Fidelityrepresentative who works with Duke employees at no charge. “He assuredme I was doing the right thing in making sure my wife and I are on trackfor retirement before saving for college,” Blandford said.

EVALUATE ANNUALLYIn 2009, Cassandra Taylor, the financial guidance counselor at the

Duke Credit Union, grimaced after opening her quarterly investmentstatements withcolumns ofnegativenumbers. “I sawall those lossesand wondered ifI should pull outof the market,”she said.

Taylorremained in themarket, and theexperience taughther abouttolerance for risk.“I can still befairly aggressivein the market because I know I have plenty of years before retirement tomake up any losses,” said Taylor, 43.

Most financial advisors suggest investing more conservatively asindividuals get older. This requires regularly monitoring your mix ofinvestments to ensure it still reflects the amount of risk one is willing totolerate, said Sylvester Hackney, associate director of Benefits at Duke.

“People shouldn’t wait until there is a market crisis to evaluate theirplans,” Hackney said. “If they are afraid of the market, they might considerchanging their investment strategy to something less risky but not reducetheir savings rates. Saving something is always better than saving nothing.”

To help employees set goals, Duke’s five retirement vendors offerindividual retirement consultations at no charge.

KNOW YOUR RETIREMENT NEEDSStephen Harper, has been investing his savings since his great aunt

gave him 15 shares of stock in American Home Products when he turned 12. “I learned to

read theinvestment pagesbefore I couldlegally drive,”said Harper, 68,business managerfor the Center forCognitiveNeuroscience.But now hespends as muchtime thinkingabout futureexpenses as hedoes investing.

“To really plan for retirement, you’ve got to know your lifestyle, whatfeeds your soul,” he said. “Then you have to figure out the best way toafford it.”

Lynn Ball, the benefits specialist, said getting a clear picture ofretirement costs is important for people within 10 to 15 years ofretirement. “I advise people to take a good hard look at reality – nocovering up the eyes like at a scary movie,” she said.

Harper isn’t in a hurry to retire, but he and his wife spend someevenings discussing retirement costs such as health insurance and homemaintenance. They’ve also laid the groundwork for continuing activitiesthey enjoy in retirement. “We have a lifetime National Park membershipwe expect to use a lot,” Harper said.

IT’S NEVER TOO LATEBetty Jones dipped into her personal retirement savings during two

bouts of unemployment before she joined Duke eight years ago. Now sheis concernedabout havingenough money tomaintain herstandard of livingwhen she retires.

“When Iwent to aretirementseminar lastspring, it was areal eye-opener torealize how far Iwas from where Ineed to be when it comes to savings,” said Jones, 54, a staff specialist inAlumni Affairs.

Jones devised a plan for the next decade to position herself for a morecomfortable retirement. She found a seasonal part-time job, increased hercontribution to the Duke Savings for Retirement Plan 403(b) account andvowed to meet regularly with a financial representative.

“I wish I had saved more when I was younger,” she said. “But I’mputting as much back as I can into retirement now. I figure it is never toolate to start saving more.”

— By Marsha A. Green Senior Writer, Office of Communication Services

Are you saving enough? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Retirement 101• Examine your Personal Benefits Statement. Learn how muchretirement income you can expect from Duke’s retirement plans.

• Review your contributions. Review your retirement accountbalances and make changes to your contribution rate.

• Set up a retirement consultation. Meet with one of Duke’s fiveretirement vendors.

• Attend a free seminar. Register for a retirement planning seminarwith the Duke Credit Union [dukefcu.org] or learn about investmentoptions at a Duke Human Resources seminar.

Visit hr.duke.edu/retirement for more information.

I was in my30s and had

one child. I realized Ineeded to get myfinancial house inorder.”

— Todd BlandfordDirector, Alumni and

development IT systems

“

If we get araise this

year, the first thing I’lldo is check the payrollcalculator on the HRwebsite and see if Ican afford to increasemy contribution to

5 percent or maybe higher.” — Cassandra Taylor

Financial guidance counselor, Duke Credit Union

“

To reallyplan for

retirement, you’vegot to know yourlifestyle, what feedsyour soul. Then youhave to figure out thebest way to afford it.”

— Stephen HarperBusiness manager, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience

“

I wish I hadsaved more

when I was younger…I figure it is never toolate to start savingmore.”

— Betty JonesStaff specialist, Alumni Affairs

“

Visit hr.duke.edu/retirement for more information

6

Whether they’re analyzing stock marketvolatility or exploring the humangenome, researchers across Duke turn

to John Pormann to help them access high-performance computing resources to crunchmassive datasets.

Pormann, director of Duke’s ScalableComputing Center, is using new energy-efficient hardware to expand Duke’scomputing power, while controlling energyconsumption and cutting costs. The changescould result in $100,000 in savings per yearand avoid the need for expensive renovationsto Duke’s data center.

Pormann manages the Duke SharedCluster Resource (DSCR), which helpsresearchers across a range of fields, fromchemistry, physics and engineering tobiology, sociology and economics.

Growing demand has put increased pressure on the computingcluster, housed in a 1950s-era building on West Campus.

“The building was definitely not designed to serve as a data center,”Pormann said. “With more than 700 servers in operation, we werenearing the limits of power and cooling. We’d like to stay where we are,but it’s imperative as we expand our computing power that we keep ourpower and cooling resources constant.”

With state-of-the-art servers and processors, Pormann found a way to expand the cluster by providing better processing performance andlarger memory capacity to save about $100,000 a year in power costs.

“Our researchers need a combination of raw compute power and high memorycapacity to run increasingly large andcomplex workloads,” Pormann said. “Withbetter processing performance, they cantackle more complex problems or run moreanalyses in less time than before.”

For instance, researchers can see greaterdetail in engineering simulations, includemore data in bioinformatics calculations andstudy the interactions of more cells in eachcomputational biology simulation, he said.

They also can do more for less.“Researchers use grant money to

fund purchases, and it’s our job to selecthardware that will deliver the greatestperformance for their investment,”Pormann said. “In some cases, each new

server enables researchers to do the work ofeight or more previous-generation servers. They are getting much greaterperformance for their money.”

The next step is to automate the process of powering off unused servers. “An idle machine still uses more than 100 watts,” Pormann said. “Our

systems should be capable of powering machines down automatically sosomeone doesn’t have to push buttons 24/7. The cluster runs at an averageutilization of 70 percent, so powering off the unused machines could saveanother $20,000 per year.”

— By Cara BonnettManaging Editor, News & Information

Office of Information Technology

Duke staffer finds way to save $100,000 in power costs

As the number of staff acrossDuke’s libraries shrank by 30positions during the economic

downturn, Duke University Librariesseized an opportunity to deliver newand more efficient services in anincreasingly digital age.

Deborah Jakubs, universitylibrarian and vice provost for libraryaffairs, said that vacancies created byDuke’s voluntary early retirementincentive offered the “freedom toreassess and combine positions orresponsibilities into new positions” to support the growing demand fordigital services and expandedpartnerships.

“President Richard Brodhead oncenoted that the Libraries are charged notonly with preserving the legacy of thepast, but also for reaching as far aspossible into the future to anticipatewhat will be needed,” Jakubs said.“The spectrum of our responsibilities is growing broader.”

From customer service to digitalacquisitions, statistics illustrate thetransformation of Duke UniversityLibraries during the past several years.

For example, walking up to thePerkins reference desk for assistance hasgiven way to e-mail, instant messaging,and text messaging. For the first time,

virtual requests for assistancein Perkins last year (13,946)exceeded the number of in-person requests (12,921).And the number ofquestions received throughinstant messaging has grownfrom 299 when it wasintroduced seven years agoto 8,400 last year.

Acquisitions also reflectthe growing trend toward digital access.Of about 80,000 journals purchased bythe library, fewer are now acquired inprint. For instance, 79 percent of allpublic policy journals received last yearare electronic, compared to 8 percentfour years ago.

“Our goal is to make it easier forpeople to access the information anddata they need,” Jakubs said. “We’vecreated services that some may noteven be aware they can get. Forexample, through the Library ServiceCenter, we scan on demand and e-mailprint journal articles so faculty andstudents don’t need to physically come and find them.”

Duke University Libraries alsohave more than 300,000 e-booksavailable and have been ordering more“shelf-ready” books, which go quicklyto the stacks, reducing costs for

binding and staff time and resources tocatalogue them.

“By moving to shelf-ready books,we can shift staff from cataloging tocreating metadata for our growingdigital collections,” Jakubs said.

Despite the transformation, thephysical space of a library still plays animportant role at Duke, and servicesare expanding, Jakubs said.

“More students are coming to thelibrary and staying longer,” she said.“We are adapting services to providesupport for student and facultyresearch, such as assistance with dataand GIS tools and resources. Ourprimary resources and specialcollections continue to draw classes,students, and visiting scholars.”

— By Paul S. GranthamAssistant vice president, Office of

Communication Services

Savings in theStacks$75,000

Consolidated commercialbinding and changed

workflow

$23,000Reduced public computingsince most students have

laptops

$40,000Reduced staff and free

public printing

$31,000Shifted more non-Librarianrecruiting functions to Duke

HR

$25,000Jointly funding position with

UNC Libraries

Recession spurs library to reinvent itself

Duke University Libraries was among the first in the country to

circulate e-readers.

John Pormann, director of Duke’s Scalable Computing Center, is using new

energy-efficient hardware to save in power costs.

Y O U R S O U R C E F O R G R E E N N E W S A T D U K E

Sustainable uke

7

Learn more about the Duke Campus Farm and volunteering atsites.google.com/site/dukecampusfarm

What was once an empty acre of grass-covered earthhas been dug, tilled, planted and now resemblessomething else – farmland.

A former undergraduate class project has bloomed into a sustainable learning opportunity for Duke students,faculty and staff: the first Duke Campus Farm. The goal isto create a full-scale educational farming facility that growsand sells produce that ends up on plates of students andemployees at campus eateries without heavy use ofpesticides or fertilizers.

“Our goal for this firstyear is simply to use ourone acre as best we can togrow local vegetables,” saidEmily Sloss, a 2010 Dukegraduate who’s workingpart-time as the farm’sproject manager.“Everything we grow willget into Duke dining hallsas a fresh, local alternativeto what people areotherwise eating.”

Student and employeevolunteers return to thefarm this month to plantnew crops and harvest others, like kale, chard, radishes andbeets. In addition to growing and selling produce locally,the farm builds community around students, faculty andstaff. Any member of the Duke community can volunteerwith the farm.

“As a student, I never interacted with employeesoutside of their jobs, so it’s great to be out there doing thistogether,” Sloss said.

The idea for a campus farm arose from a class taughtby Nicholas School of the Environment’s visiting assistantprofessor Charlotte Clark. To fund the initial work on thefarm, Sloss secured grants, including one through theOffice of the Executive Vice President.

Once produce is harvested, it will go straight from theDuke Campus Farm to the East Campus Marketplace andWest Campus Great Hall to be used in dishes served at

both locations. Duke’s food vendor, Bon Appétit, will buyall produce from the farm.

“If we can help create a way for people at Duke tolearn how to farm, there’s no greater reward than that,” saidNate Peterson, director of operations for Bon Appétit. “Notonly are we able to purchase local food from a Duke-ownedfarm, but then that food is being bought by Duke consumersand that money is going back into Duke. It doesn’t getmore local than that.”

Ben Riseling, weboperations manager forDuke’s Office of News & Communications,participated in the firstfarm work day inNovember. Having grownup on farms in upstateNew York and Kentucky,Riseling didn’t hesitate tovolunteer after readingabout the work day inSustainable Duke’s weeklynewsletter.

“I thought it was anabsolutely appropriatedefinition of what Duke’s

sustainability commitment means,” Riseling said. “The fact that there’s a local place where students andemployees can grow their own food that will be served on campus is huge.”

If the Duke Campus Farm meets certain goals – likelogging at least 500 total work hours with volunteers – thefarm could expand beyond one acre. Up to nine more acres are available at the farm site.

“Our hope is to see it grow into a great educationalopportunity for students, faculty and staff,” Sloss said. “Ayear ago, this wasn’t considered a possibility and now we’replanting vegetables into the ground.”

— By Bryan Roth Writer, Office of

Communication Services

Duke Campus Farmgrows relationships

Don’t Miss!Become asustainability leaderin your workplacewith "Leading forEnvironmentalSustainability," aworkshop offeredthrough SustainableDuke.

The free trainingcovers:

• Sustainabilityefforts at Duke

• Personal changes to reduceenvironmentalfootprints at work

• Starting and leadinga "green team"

• Performing anenvironmental auditof a workplace

The workshop is 1:30

to 4:30 p.m. April 28.

For more information

or to register, visit

hr.duke.edu/sustainabletraining

Ben Riseling, left, a web operations manager at Duke, hauls dirt as part of the

inaugural Duke Campus Farm work day.

Students, faculty and staff work together to maintain the Duke Campus Farm, which will grow a variety of produce to be sold to Duke’s food vendor, Bon Appetit. The

food will then be used in Duke eateries.

PERQSEMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS

ook, it’s smoking!” exclaimedBarbara Due as she pulled ahandmade bow drill back and forth

to twirl a wooden spindle and start afire through friction. She leaned closerto investigate.

“The spindle is smoking at the wrongend,” she told her husband, Steve, andlaughed. “I think we need to try again.”

Due, business manager for the Centerfor Human Genetics, and her husbandlearned the art of making fire without a match at a two-hour class offered at the Piedmont Wildlife Center inFebruary. The not-for-profit organization,situated between Durham and ChapelHill, fosters healthy connections amongpeople, wildlife and nature through campsand classes for children and adults.

Through PERQS, Duke’s employeediscount program, faculty and staff pay$10 per adult class (normally $15) andmay bring additional guests for $5(normally $10). The wildlife center’sWeekend Nature Program for adultsoffers two-hour classes on naturalhistory and outdoor survival skills

such as primitive cooking and plant identification.

The Dues have used the PERQSdiscount at the center nearly everyweek during the fall and winter forclasses about animal tracking, ediblewild plants and wildflowers.

“Steve and I love to be out in nature,and these classes have been reallyhelpful in getting us to see things thatwe’ve never noticed before andteaching us new skills,” Barbara said.

Although the Dues didn’t succeed instarting a fire during the workshop,they took their newly created bow drillhome and tried again the followingevening at home.

“We got the right end to smoke athome, but since we didn’t have a tinderbundle made we stopped there,” shesaid. “We plan to collect materials for atinder bundle from the woods sometimesoon and do the whole thing for real.”

Over the past year, the Dues havegotten to know fellow Duke employeeIngrid Lalik, a web administrator for

the Duke Clinical Research Institute, at the classes.

When Lalik discovered the PERQSdiscount at Piedmont Wildlife Centerlast fall, she was so excited she calledthe center’s office and signed up forevery weekend class offered.

“I love being outdoors, and it is a realconfidence booster to learn basic lifeskills that people don’t normally learnin today’s environment,” Lalik said.“Now, when I walk the track aroundEast Campus, I’ll see something like a decimated pine cone and realize I am looking at the leftovers of asquirrel’s meal.”

— By Marsha A. GreenSenior Writer,

Office of Communication Services

View the full list of PERQS discounts at

hr.duke.edu/discounts

DUK E TODAY For daily news and information, visitduke.edu/today

I have a Fidelity retirement fund through Duke, and I save toward that quite aggressively.My wife and I also try to focus on cost savings for everyday things to pay off debt faster.

We clip coupons, and we save at stores when we go shopping so then we can put more moneyinto our savings or retirement accounts.”Bernard SmithAssistant director of residence halls operations, Residence Life and Housing Services

3 years at Duke

“

“What are you doing to save for retirement?”

I’ve got a 403(b) set up that I contribute to through twodifferent retirement companies. I put in 15 percent of

my pay right now. I’ve also got money in CDs, money marketsand an IRA. When I leave Duke, I want to be able to leave anddo what I want to do. I’m making sure of that.”Charity TutenBenefits specialist, Human Resources6 years at Duke

My husband just retired from a federal government job, buthis retirement plan is very different from what I have, so I’m

still trying to save. What I’ve been doing each year is add one morepercent of my salary into my fund until I reach a maximum. I justwant to save up enough to be able to pay my bills and enjoy myself.”Theresa ShouseBusiness manager, Department of Sociology30 years at Duke

dialogue@DukeHOW TO REACH US

Editor: Leanora Minai

(919) 681-4533

[email protected]

Assistant Vice President:

Paul S. Grantham

(919) 681-4534

[email protected]

Graphic Design & Layout:

Paul Figuerado

Photography: Bryan Roth and

Marsha Green of the Office of

Communication Services and Duke

University Photography.

Working@Duke is published monthly

by Duke’s Office of Communication

Services. We invite your

feedback and suggestions for

future story topics.

Please write us at

[email protected] or

Working@Duke, Box 90496,

705 Broad St., Durham, NC 27708

Call us at (919) 684-4345.

Send faxes to (919) 681-7926. “

WORKING@DUKE

— By Bryan RothWriter, Office of Communication Services

“Got astoryidea?

[email protected]

or Call681-4533

Join the Facebook fan page for Working@Duke atfacebook.com/workingatduke

Upcoming Classesat the PiedmontWildlife Center

April 24Primitive Cooking

May 8Ways of the Herbs

May 22Wild Edible Plant Walk

May 28Language of the Birds

Steve and Barbara Due learn the art of makingfire without a match.

For a schedule of Piedmont Wildlife Center classes, visitpiedmontwildlifecenter.

wordpress.com

”L

Learn about wildlife, survival at Piedmont Wildlife Center