Working@Duke Dec2007

4 7COMMEMORATINGMARTIN LUTHERKING JR.Duke hosts Januaryevents, including aspeech by the presidentof the Children’sDefense Fund.

WORKING@DUKE3

SUSTAINABLE DUKEWater conversation iscritical since weatherforecasters predict adry winter followingone of the driestsummers.

NEWS YOU CAN USE :: Volume 2, Issue 10 : : December/January 2008

This paper consists of 30% recycled

post-consumer fiber. Please recycle after reading.

2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing

2007 Bronze Medal, Print Internal Audience Tabloids/Newsletters

Flames flickered from gas burners under a large stock pot overflowingwith hot dogs. As the water reached a rolling boil, Ben Ward, anassociate professor of philosophy at Duke, quickly turned his

attention to a pot of macaroni. Moving methodically as he worked, Wardwas the epitome of efficiency in the Urban Ministries kitchen in Durham.

An award-winning pianist who teaches philosophy, Arabic andGermanic studies, Ward waved a large metal spoon as if conducting asymphony. This time, the music was a meal for 220 homeless clients.

“The main reason I enjoy volunteering is because I learn a lot fromdoing so,” said Ward, who has volunteered at the Liberty Street shelterfor 20 years. “The lessons I’ve learned make me a much different andbetter person.”

Ward is among hundreds of Duke faculty andstaff who volunteer to benefit the local community.They serve through the Duke-DurhamNeighborhood Partnership, the Volunteer Center ofDurham and other Triangle agencies. TheNeighborhood Partnership and the Volunteer Centerhelp connect people with places that need assistance.

“Volunteerism among Duke employees is aliveand well,” said Sam Miglarese, director ofCommunity Engagement for the Office ofCommunity Affairs, which oversees theNeighborhood Partnership. “Whether it is feeding thehomeless in Durham, or giving up leave time to travelto the Gulf coast to participate in the rebuilding ofNew Orleans, the Duke family is well represented.”

Across campus, Duke faculty and staff volunteerand apply knowledge in the service of society. Bob Newlin, the provost’soffice chief analyst and tech director, helps develop Web sites for faith-based humanitarian groups. Math and physics professor Ronen Plessershares scientific knowledge with public school students through an outreachprogram. And Duke’s Facilities Management Department employees buildplaygrounds at public parks and beautify school landscapes.

“Every day, I learn of another person connected to Duke giving backto the community, and that inspires me to keep doing what I do,” saidSarah Fish, director of trust and estate administration for DukeDevelopment, and board president of the Volunteer Center of Durham.“I truly believe that a lot of our world’s problems would be solved if eachperson would help at least one other person in some way. I really believeDurham is just beginning to realize its amazing potential. And Duke is ahuge part of that.”

uAs Patty Croom and Clover, a 3-month-old Labrador

mix, stepped outside the Animal Protection Society ofDurham, the timid puppy tugged at the leash.

“You can tell she isn’t used to having a collar on,”said Croom, a service representative at the DukeConsultation and Referral Center. She has volunteeredat the shelter since 1991. “This puppy, like many others,came into the shelter as a stray. Fortunately, this onealready has an adoption pending.”

Croom volunteers as an adoption counselor once amonth and serves on the board of directors and chairsof the animal control advisory committee. She is amongabout 15 Duke faculty and staff who volunteer at theshelter.

Volunteers feed, bathe, walk and care for nearly7,000 animals each year at the shelter. The facility alsoprovides low-cost rabies and microchip clinics to the

public, and educational programs to local schools and civic groups.“I think that speaks very highly of Duke to have so many caring

employees,” said Simon Woodrup, the shelter’s volunteer coordinator. “Itshows that people who work at Duke want to help the entire community.”

Croom, who has two cats and two dogs at home, said volunteeringallows her to give back to animals that have given her enjoyment.

>> See VOLUNTEERS, PAGE 5

DUKE RANKEDAMONG BESTSays who? Severalprestigious publicationsand organizationsname Duke a bestplace to work.

Giving BackDUK E FACU LT Y AND STA F F O F F E R KNOWL EDG E I N S E RV I C E TO SOC I E T Y

The mainreason I enjoy

volunteering is because Ilearn a lot from doing so.The lessons I’ve learnedmake me a much differentand better person.”

— Ben Ward

Duke Associate Professor of Philosophy

“

Ben Ward, associate professor of philosophy and associate dean for faculty programs at Duke, volunteers as a cook in the Urban Ministries kitchen in Durham.

LOOKINGAHEAD@DUKE

For more events, check theuniversity’s online calendarat http://calendar.duke.edu

Newsbriefs

2

Sierra names Duke among its 10 topeco-friendly colleges

Sierra Magazine has named DukeUniversity one of America’s Top 10 “Coolest”Schools for the efforts Duke is taking to stopglobal warming. Duke was ranked fifth in themagazine’s “10 That Get It” list, the firsttime the magazine has listed the greenestcampuses in America.

“The Blue Devils are turning green,mandating certification by the U.S. Green BuildingCouncil for all new construction, improving on campus bike trails,collecting 17 types of recyclables, and pouring money into wind andsmall hydropower projects,” Sierra Magazine says in theNovember/December issue.

Sierra Magazine has a circulation of 1.2 million readers, and is thenational magazine of the Sierra Club, the nation's oldest and largestgrassroots environmental group. Read more atwww.sierraclub.org/sierra.

United Way Duke Partnership Campaign nearing endThe United Way Duke Partnership Campaign is accepting

donations from Duke faculty and staff through Jan. 1, 2008. So far,nearly $700,000 has been donated. Each year, faculty and staff of theuniversity and health system generously support the United Way,which funds 84 agencies and 177 programs in the community thatfeed the hungry, shelter the homeless, care for the young, strengthenfamilies and serve seniors close to home. Last year, nearly 3,000 Dukefaculty and staff contributed nearly $1 million to the campaign. Formore information, and to donate online, visitwww.hr.duke.edu/unitedway.

Banjos, flute on tap for library conversation seriesFor the second year, the Duke University Libraries and the Duke

University Musical Instrument Collections are co-sponsoring a seriesof free monthly musical conversations and demonstrations that areopen to everyone. All of the events are held at Perkins Library in theBiddle Rare Book Room.

At 4 p.m. Dec. 7, William Michal Jr. will present “The Love of theBanjo.” Using audio and slides, Dr. Michal, a banjo collector, will talkabout the instrument’s history in America, particularly during the 19thand 20th centuries. The audience will hear recordings of banjo music,some made by Michal before he retired from public performance.

The next program at 4 p.m. Jan. 18 will feature Tom Moore onthe flute accompanied by harpsichordist Tracy Richardson. Moore,

who is Duke’s music librarian and director of Duke Collegium Musicum,will discuss and demonstrate the early flute; there are more than 200flutes in the Duke instrument collections.

For more information about these and other programs in theseries, visit http://dumic.org/news_events.

Duke establishes new center for engineering, energyand environment

A new center to educate students to meet the world’s energyneeds while also improving its environment is being established byDuke’s Pratt School of Engineering in collaboration with theuniversity’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences.

The Gendell Center for Engineering, Energy and the Environmentwill provide research, instruction and resources to investigate causesand solutions to complex environmental issues.

“The Gendell Center is a wonderful example of Duke’s strategyto make a difference by building on its special strengths incollaboration to address real-world problems,” said Duke PresidentRichard H. Brodhead.

The center is being named for Jeffrey and Martha Gendell ofGreenwich, Conn., who are giving $7.85 million for two new facultypositions, learning facilities and laboratory support there, as wellas another assistant professorship in the Nicholas School.

It is expected that the center will developcourses leading to a new undergraduate certificateprogram in energy and theenvironment. It also will provide a newhome where faculty, students andindustry professionals can interact,whether they are pursuing basicscientific questions or real-worldapplications on issues ranging fromatmospheric chemistry to new energy-saving ideas for homes, vehicles orworkplaces. The center is likely to be locatedinitially in Duke’s Hudson Hall and feature newclassrooms, laboratories and meeting spaces.

DECEMBER 14 : : PublicStargazing led by physics department,6 p.m., Duke Teaching Laboratory,off Cornwallis Road, 1.5 miles westof Kerley Road. Event is subject toweather. Visit www.cgtp.duke.edu/~plesser/observatory/.

JANUARY 16 : : Game Night,PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360,PlayStation: PS2, PC, Atari gamingalong with board games hosted byISIS, 9 p.m. to midnight, InteractiveMultimedia Project Space (IMPS) inthe Franklin Center, 2204 Erwin Rd.

JANUARY 20 : : Marian WrightEdelman, president of the Children’sDefense Fund, gives keynote addressat 2008 Duke University MartinLuther King Jr. celebration, 3 p.m.,Duke Chapel.

In an emergency, Duke’s staff, faculty and studentswill get information quickly and in numerous ways.Join Kemel Dawkins, vice president for Campus

Services, and Aaron Graves, associate vice president forSafety and Security, for Primetime on Dec. 11, as theydiscuss safety at Duke, and how the university communitywill be notified during an emergency. The forum is atnoon in Griffith Theater in the Bryan Center.

“This issue has been taken very seriously,” saidDawkins, who led a review of Duke’s emergency plansin coordination with President Richard H. Brodhead,Executive Vice President Tallman Trask III and othersenior leaders. “The university has devoted considerableeffort into reviewing our current procedures andidentifying best practices at other institutions. Our newplans will significantly improve our preparedness.”

Since the shootings at Virginia Tech in April,Duke has analyzed its emergency response policiesand procedures, researching best practices at otheruniversities and studying new technology andcommunications systems.

Among enhancements, Duke will invest in new,dedicated computer servers to send an alert e-mail

to all students, faculty and staff more quickly. The university is purchasinga siren and voice-announcement system to broadcast messages across campus.

Also, a special Web site – www.emergency.duke.edu – has been developed for the Duke community to learnmore about notification and the crisis communication plan. On the site, Duke community members can sign up for RSSfeeds such as the alert.rss feed that would notify subscribers after an emergency is reported. The site also will have otherfeeds for updates as an emergency unfolds.

— By Office of Communication Services

Emergency planning is focusof Dec. 11 employee forum

Letters to the Editor must include name and contact information. E-mailletters to [email protected] or mail them to Working@Duke Editor, Box90496, Durham, NC 27708. Fax letters to (919) 681-7926. Please keeplength to no more than 200 words.

LEARN MORE AT WWW.EMERGENCY.DUKE.EDU

3

Why I joined …In July, Richard Holcomb, 40,

left a job with SAS Institute inCary, a place listed for eightconsecutive years in the top 20 ofFortune magazine’s “100 BestCompanies to Work for inAmerica,” to take a job at Duke.

Holcomb, who left Duke twoyears ago for the job at SAS, cameback as a compensation systemsmanager in Human Resourcesbecause of the professionalopportunities available.

“SAS is an incredibleemployer, but the challenges at

Duke are greater for me,” he said. “I missed the dynamics of theenvironment here – the health system, the university, the diversity andcomplexity. Those are all aspects that are stimulating to my career.”

Holcomb said that while SAS receives a lot of attention for itsbenefits, he found benefits such as retirement to be better at Duke.He also appreciates other factors such as the mission of Duke, itsstability and the commitment of its leaders.

“Duke does so much to try to make the world better and is notjust driven by profit,” Holcomb said. “I want to support an institutionlike that. Duke’s leadership genuinely considers the impact of theirdecisions on staff – that’s rare in this day.”

Why I stayed …For 27 years, Esther Roseboro has

worked as a nurse at Durham RegionalHospital, which was named by AARPthis year as one of the “BestEmployers for Workers over 50.”

Roseboro’s tenure at DurhamRegional is not uncommon. Shemoved to the Ambulatory Care Unitin 1990, and is among three of thefive original employees who remain17 years later. Now 60, Roseborocredits her colleagues and theircollective commitment to making adifference among the reasons whyshe stayed.

“I have had a lot of support over the years from my co-workersand supervisors,” Roseboro said. “I even call one of my co-workersmy adopted sister. And I feel like I’m making a difference here bytaking care of patients and teaching them to take better care ofthemselves.”

Roseboro said she also appreciates the benefits at Duke.“Working here, I meet a lot of people and hear about their benefitsand insurance,” she said. “Many of them have higher co-pays anddeductibles than we do.”

Has Roseboro ever considered leaving?“I have thought about leaving before, but it was never the most

practical choice, and honestly, at this point, I don’t want to goanywhere else.”

Richard Holcomb Esther Roseboro

— Stories by Paul Grantham and Elizabeth MichalkaOffice of Communication Services

Duke recognized as a

‘best employer’

Carolina Parent� Named Duke Duke University and

Health System a top family-friendly

workplace in North Carolina.

Computerworld� Named Duke University Health

System one of top 100 information

technology (IT) places to work.

AARP� Named Durham Regional Hospital

one of 50 Best Employers for

Workers over 50 years old.

The Scientist� Named Duke University among

top 15 “Best Places to Work

in Academia.”

Says who?

In early October, Regina Miller walkedthrough the doors of the white stuccobuilding on Broad Street looking for a

job at Duke. She had just relocated toDurham from New Jersey to help her 84-year-old mother and thought of Duke firstwhen considering where to apply.

“My mother worked at Duke for about20 years,” said Miller, who has a degree inaccounting. “She swears by Duke for herhealth care. Duke is on the cutting edge forresearch, medicine and teaching, and I wantto work in that type of environment.”

For years, Duke has ranked among thebest institutions in the country for studentsand patients as a top university and hospitalwith some of the best graduate programs. Now, Duke’s name is croppingup on prestigious lists that represent a different constituency – the morethan 30,000 faculty and staff at Duke.

In 2007, Duke was named as a best place to work by severalpublications and organizations, including Carolina Parent, Computerworld,The Scientist, and the American Association of Retired Persons, amongothers. The organizations recognizing Duke represent a diverse range of

interests, from family-friendly and preventive health to theneeds of IT professionals and academic researchers.

Clint Davidson, vice president for DukeHuman Resources, said the increasing number oforganizations recognizing Duke as a best place towork is no accident. In September alone, 5,100people submitted resumes to join Duke. Pulling acolorful diagram from his files, Davidson describedthe blueprint for the organizational developmentplan he drafted soon after he arrived in 1997.

“We’ve made concerted efforts during thepast 10 years to more clearly define our values,and align our policies and reward system tosupport those values,” he said. “We’ve alsointroduced programs to help better develop ourpeople and communicate effectively.”

Davidson cited several examples of Duke’swork, including the creation of the Guiding

Principles and Blue Ribbon recognition programs; a new performancemanagement system based on behaviors and results; developmentprograms such as Managing at Duke and the Professional DevelopmentInstitute; the employee tuition assistance program; and improvements ininternal communications.

While proud of the accomplishments, Davidson said there is still workto be done.

“The fact that Duke is now included on these lists is a sign that we areon the right path and making progress,” Davidson said. “We still need tofind better ways to connect people to the goals of the institution and tocreate greater visibility and engagement with Duke’s leaders.”

LaKiesha McCray, Duke Hospital registered nurse, with son, Quinnlan Davis,

at Tutor Time day care in Durham. McCray participates in the Duke Child

Care Partnership, which was named as a family-friendly initiative in

Carolina Parent magazine.

Learn More at www.hr.duke.edu/bestemployer

4

While sitting at the kitchen table in her Durhamhome, Margaret Clarke was immersed in a livelydiscussion about the complexity of love and

nature of evil.Clarke, a School of Medicine senior complianceauditor, was among dozens of Duke faculty, staff,students and alumni participating in the Octoberonline chat about “We Need to Talk AboutKevin,” a novel by Lionel Shriver about a family incrisis.

The forum was part of DukeReads, a 600-plus member virtual book clublaunched in September by theAlumni Association, DukeUniversity Libraries and others.Deborah Jakubs, the RitaDiGiallonardo HollowayUniversity Librarian and viceprovost for Library Affairs, pickedOctober’s selection. It’s one ofseven books selected by a panel ofdistinguished Duke bibliophiles,including President Richard H.Brodhead.

“I think it’s wonderful that I was able to log on to thechat and listen on headphones while clipping pictures for aschool poster my 14-year-old son Spencer was puttingtogether on the kitchen floor,” Clarke said. “For busy people,this is a very convenient way to be part of a book club.”

DukeReads participants explore book selections, postonline comments, participate in live chats, watch videos ofprevious chats and sign-up for e-mail updates. Modeled

after similar programs at Princetonand Stanford universities,DukeReads is sparking insightfulconversations on campus – and off.

“This is a great way to involvethe entire Duke community inmultigenerational, interdisciplinaryconversations around such topics asevolutionary biology, race relationsand American culture,” said RachelDavies, Duke’s director of alumnieducation and travel who proposed the online book club.

During a live chat Jan. 9, Brodhead will offer insightsabout his selection, “The Namesake,” a multi-generationalstory of a Hindu family by Jhumpa Lahiri.

“One theme that runs through the book is how wegrow out of our origins and how we come back to them,”Brodhead said. “That is a common theme that speaks to allpeople.”

DukeReads offers an innovative way for avid bookreaders to share their passion with others, he said. “I lovethe idea that reading can bring people together,” Brodheadsaid. “That’s the purpose of this program.”

The first session of DukeReads end in April, andorganizers hope to continue the program next fall.

“DukeReads stimulates critical conversation within ourextended Duke community and represents another way tobe connected to the life of ideas at Duke, regardless oflocation,” Jakubs said.

— By Missy BaxterSeniorWriter, Office of Communication Services

Read together withDukeReads online book club

MarianWright Edelman tospeak at MLK commemoration“Now as never before is the chance offered to do something. This isa history-making epoch where we –me – the young – can be majorcharacters. Now is the time to act – to work – to sacrifice.”

Those words were written March 4, 1960, in the diaryof a twenty-year-old Spelman College student. Thediarist was Marian Wright Edelman, now president

of the Children’s Defense Fund and respected civil rightslawyer. Edelman will be the keynote speaker at Duke’sMartin Luther King Jr. celebration 3 p.m. Jan. 20, in DukeChapel.

“The Power of Youth” is the theme for this year’s Kingcelebration with events that focus on caring for childrenand how college students can bring about social reform.

In the ’60s, Edelman participated in the Civil RightsMovement, protesting segregated lunch counters inAtlanta, working for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund inNew York, advocating for poor children in Mississippi andhelping King organize the Poor People’s March onWashington. In 1973, she founded the Children’s DefenseFund with the mission of lobbying for programssupporting poor and vulnerable children. She was the firstblack woman admitted to the Mississippi bar and wasawarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

“My advice to young people is to join a cause and staywith it,” Edelman said in an e-mail interview. “When Dr.King was in the midst of the Montgomery bus boycott, hehad no idea that 10 years later he would be mobilizingmillions in a national struggle to end racial injustice, or thathe would be accepting the Nobel Peace Prize.

“Many effective social justice movements are campus-based—anti-war mobilizations, get out the vote drives,divestment in companies doing business with Sudan to aidthe oppressed in Darfur,” she said.

Ben Reese, one of the King committee co-chairs andDuke’s vice president for institutional equity, sitedEdelman’s ongoing work lobbying for policies that benefitchildren in choosing her to speak.

“Martin Luther King often spoke of creating a morejust society for future generations,” he said. “MarianWright Edelman carries forward that passion anddetermination for our children – for a society of safety,social justice and educational enrichment.”

— By James ToddWriter, Office of News & Communications

7 Books, 7 MonthsGet the latestschedule andlearn more atwww.dukereads.com.For details aboutlive book chats,select “instructions”on the top menu.

Richard H. Brodhead

Richard H. Brodhead

will offer insights Jan. 9 about his

selection, “The Namesake,” a multi-

generational story of a Hindu family.

Marian Wright Edelman

Visit http://mlk.duke.edu

Many effectivesocial justice

movements are campus-based—anti-warmobilizations, get out thevote drives, divestment incompanies doing businesswith Sudan to aid theoppressed in Darfur.”

— Marian Wright Edelman

“ The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Duke in 1964, filling Page Auditorium

and receiving a standing ovation. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES.

5

“It’s not just dogs and cats,” Croom said. “We’ve had everything fromalligators to emus in here,” she said, pointing toward two sheep inside anindoor kennel. “There are lots of other ways to help if you do not want towork with animals. We need volunteers to help with our educationcommittee, front desk and other administrative tasks.”

uAs hundreds of music fans streamed into historic Durham Athletic

Park, Ed Gomes scurried across the field to a booth filled withvolunteers selling T-shirts and memorabilia for the 20th Annual BullDurham Blues Festival.

“I’m just making sure you’ve got plenty of change before the customersget here,” said Gomes, smiling and adjusting a shoulder microphone thatconnected him with festival organizers and security.

Gomes, who oversees information systems support at Perkins Library,has served as a blues festival volunteer for many years and as chair of the2007 festival in September.

“You have an opportunity to make a difference in many areasof need by giving a bit of your time,” he said. “You get to meet somewonderful people, both the volunteers and recipients of your efforts,and it makes you feel good about your efforts at the end of the day.”

The blues festival lures big names in the music industry and about20,000 fans each year. It raises money for the St. Joseph’s HistoricFoundation, which operates the Hayti Heritage Center. Proceeds fundactivities at the center, including the Annual Martin Luther King Jr.Raise-a-Reader Fair.

“The St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation is an organization thatembraces the heritage of Hayti, a vibrant African-American communityin Durham that was unique in the South at that time,” Gomes said. “Byvolunteering, I feel like I’m helping keep Hayti’s history alive and helpingwith the community’s future, too.”

uBen Ward, the Duke professor, volunteers about four times each week

in the kitchen at Urban Ministries.Known as “Mr. Ben” to the clients at Urban Ministries, Ward

organizes special dinners for shelter clients. A few years ago, he recruitedother Duke faculty and students to organize a salmon dinner, completewith candles, floral centerpieces, and linen napkins and table cloths.

“His compassion is sincere,” said Tom Holcomb, who oversees theshelter’s food and clothing services. “One of the most impressive things isthe way he interacts with the clients. He treats them all with respect andexpresses a true interest in their lives. People like Ben really give Duke agood name.”

— By Missy BaxterSeniorWriter, Office of Communication Services

VolunteersCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Patty Croom and Clover, a 3-month-old Labrador mix, visit

with each other at the Animal Protection Society of

Durham. Croom, service representative at the Duke

Consultation and Referral Center, has volunteered at the

shelter since 1991.

Ed Gomes, who oversees information systems support at Perkins Library, adjusts a shoulder microphone

that connects him with festival organizers and security at the Annual Bull Durham Blues Festival.

Volunteer ResourcesDuke-Durham Neighborhood Par tnersh ip

Launched in 1996, the Duke-Durham NeighborhoodPartnership collaborates with public schools, government agencies,non-profit organizations and humanitarian groups to spearheadcommunity service projects in Durham neighborhoods.

Each year, more than 200 Duke staff and faculty contributetime, energy and talent through the partnership. During the pastdecade, Duke volunteers helped establish health clinics, buildaffordable housing, provide educational enrichment opportunitiesfor youth and organize crime prevention programs.

“Volunteers who want to do something totally different thantheir role at Duke can contribute in an entirely different way,” saidSam Miglarese, director of community engagement for the Officeof Community Affairs, which oversees the partnership. “We’ve gotsomething for everyone.”

Visit www.community.duke.edu or contact Sam Miglarese,[email protected], or David Stein, [email protected].

Volunteer Center of DurhamThe center’s role as a clearing house for volunteers offers an

efficient way of connecting the Duke community with more than400 agencies throughout the Triangle.

Sarah Fish, director of trust and estate administration for DukeDevelopment and board president for the Volunteer Center ofDurham, is impressed with the number of Duke employees whogive back to the community.

“The Volunteer Center makes it easy for people to make adifference,” Fish said. “People can read postings on our Web sitefrom groups seeking volunteers, and they can also participate inprograms that we sponsor.”

Visit www.thevolunteercenter.org, or call (919) 688-8977.

Tr iang le United WayThe Triangle United Way’s interactive Web portal enables

potential volunteers to find community service opportunitieswith hundreds of area agencies. Volunteers can search by usinga keyword, such as a specific field of interest, or they can completea personal profile to match them with local agencies.

The organization also seeks volunteers for community impactprograms such as Teaming for Technology, which helps bridge thedigital divide by refurbishing used computers for North Carolinafamilies.

Visit www.unitedwaytriangle.org or call (919) 463-5043.

6

It feels good tomake this for

other Duke employees …I hope this suncatcheris as special to Dukeemployees as it is to me.”

— Pam Isner

Duke Department of Pathology

“

The 2007 holiday suncatcher –designed through teamwork

This year’s Dukesuncatcher is moremeaningful than ever,

not only because of whatit represents and the workthat went into creating it,but because for the firsttime, it was designed by aDuke staff member.

“It has been anunexpected honor to be apart of this,” said PamIsner, research technicianin the Department ofPathology, the suncatcherdesigner.Isner created about

30 sketches for the 2007suncatcher before the finaldesign was selected. Thesuncatcher is the shape of a

circle with a Duke blue borderand three connected shapes in the

center in green, blue and purple. They represent teamwork,one of Duke’s guiding principles. The suncatchers arebeing distributed to 28,000 faculty and staff as a signof appreciation.

Isner will also design future suncatchers based onthe other principles: trustworthiness, respect, diversityand learning. This year marks the 10th anniversary ofthe principles, which speak to Duke’s overall goals andmission, said Monica Pallett, manager of Staff & Family

Programs, the Human Resources unit that has given thesuncatcher as a holiday gift to Duke faculty and staffsince the early 1990s.

“The guiding principles theme makes the suncatcherreally specific to Duke, and I think the beautiful designlends itself to personal interpretation,” Pallett said.“Everyone has seen something different in the design.They interpret the shapes as flowers, birds, dolphins andeven people. That really makes the suncatcher a uniquepiece of art.”

Isner, who has participated in various Duke employeeart shows, was recommended for the suncatcher project bythe Health Arts Network at Duke, also known as HAND.She first learned to work in leaded glass and stained glass18 years ago. Since then, she also learned mosaictechniques. She prefers large, intricate projects, like threedimensional works of more than 1,000 pieces, and stainedglass windows with more than 200 pieces.

Despite her experience and talent, Isner said she wasnervous about taking on the suncatcher project. It was verydifferent in size and scope than anything she has done. Shenever had her art work reproduced in a large quantity, andshe had never created a design based on a concept liketeamwork.

“It feels good to make this for other Duke employees,”Isner said. “The suncatcher really is a special thing topeople here, especially since every one is handmade ata small family business in Rhode Island. I hope thissuncatcher is as special to Duke employees as it is to me.”

— By Elizabeth MichalkaCommunications Specialist, HR Communications

Diversity AwardGregory F. DuncanAssociate Dean of Student ServicesDuke University Divinity School

In 1990, Duncan launched Project BRI(DDD)GE (Building Relationships InDurham through Duke Divinity Graduate Education). The project is a week-long, pre-orientation program for entering students that seeks to nurtureChristian outreach in Durham.

“Dean Duncan has consistently pushed the boundaries of the DivinitySchool’s student life programs, setting about deliberately to create andnurture a variety of initiatives that make diversity a way of life for all of usin our community, not only students, but also faculty, staff andadministrators…He has taught our students that the words and conceptsthey study in class…are not academic abstractions but something tobe…made real in the world.”—Nominators, Connie Mitchell Shelton and Joseph Shelton,

Co-Directors, Field Education; Cheryl Brown, Director, Admissions;Sally Bates, Chaplain; Sheila Williams, Director, Financial Aid.

Teamwork AwardThe DukeEngage Team (Zoila Airall, Betsy Alden, James Belvin, Alma Blount,Tony Brown, Sheila Curran, Susan M. Kauffman, Elaine Madison, SamMiglarese, Eric J. Mlyn, Margaret Riley, James Roberts, Cheri Ross, DavidSchaad, Lee Willard)

The DukeEngage Team comprises of 15 inter-departmental members whocreated a ground-breaking program that enables undergraduates to applyclassroom learning to addressing societal issues at home and abroad.

“The result of their work is what we now know as DukeEngage and the DukeCenter for Civic Engagement…Just within a few months of its debut, 90students have already engaged in internships in the U.S., Yemen, Tanzania,India and Kenya. Moreover, DukeEngage has come to be widely viewed as anational model for integrated service and the undergraduate experience.”—Nominator, Provost Peter Lange

Teamwork/DiversityawardsWinners of theDiversity Award and Teamwork Award for 2007 were honored by Duke University and Health System leaders during a luncheon Nov. 1. TheDiversity

Award recognizes faculty or staff members who demonstrate, through positive interactions with others, a respect and value for differing backgrounds and points of view at Duke.The Teamwork Award honors employees who collaborate and work together on a project or significant effort that advances departmental goals and/or Duke’s mission. Inaddition to university staff recognized, aDiversity Award was presented to Dr. Delbert R. Wigfall, associate professor, Pediatrics, Nephrology. Members of Duke Medicine’sClinical Research Committee Team received the Teamwork Award.

Gregory Duncan

Pam Isner

Back row, left to right: Provost Peter Lange, Elaine Madison, President Richard H. Brodhead, Sheila Curran, Susan Kauffman,David Schaad. Front row, left to right: Sam Miglarese, Betsy Alden, Eric Mlyn, Lee Willard.

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

As North Carolina experiences the worst drought inrecorded history, Duke is developing a conservationplan to reduce water consumption and has launched a

new Web site to provide students, faculty and staff withthe latest drought information and water conservation tips.

Water conservation is critical, Duke water officials say,since weather forecasters predict a dry winter followingone of the driest summers.

“We may reach the spring and summer with even lesswater than we had in 2007,” said Eben Polk, a NicholasInstitute research associate.

Duke has cut its daily water use by thousands ofgallons since the beginning of the drought, and isdeveloping a conservation plan to comply with all stages ofDurham’s water conservation ordinance. The plan willinclude reduction measures that comply with the currentStage III restrictions – enacted in September – whichinclude a target goal of reducing water use by 30 percent.

“Even before the city issued the mandatory restrictionsDuke had already begun making changes to reduce theamount of water consumed, and we are continuing to lookat all areas on campus to find additional ways to conservewater,” said John Noonan, associate vice president forDuke’s Facilities Management Department. “Duke isdetermined to stay ahead of the game on this.”

Water consumption at Duke has been reduced in avariety of ways – adjusting low-flush toilets, discontinuingpressure washing and most lawn watering, and makingoperational changes such as an adjustment at the centralchilled water plant that saves 9,000 gallons daily.

Even in the medical facilities, which account for nearlyhalf of Duke’s total annual water use, conservation is infull swing. Duke’s medical facilities are working to reduceconsumption through a variety of proposed engineeringprojects such as installing low flush toilets and recyclingwater from buildings.

One proposed project alone is expected to savemillions of gallons annually. It involves recovering coldwater from cooling units at the Nanaline Duke and Sandsbuildings, and pumping the water to Duke’s central chilledwater plant for use in the plant’s process to cool buildingsat Duke.

“We’re encouraging all employees to conserve waterwhenever they can without impacting the quality of patientcare,” said James Good, associate operating officer at DukeHospital. “During the past five years, the Health Systemhas saved a substantial amount of water that is required tooperate our facilities by engineering more efficient ways touse water. Those are the types of things that we’re lookinginto for future reductions.”

On the university campus, most automatic irrigationsystems, which account for 8 percent of Duke’s total wateruse, have been turned off. And several eateries haveswitched to disposable dinnerware, saving hundreds ofgallons daily.

Water use from fiscal year 2006 to fiscal year 2007decreased by 30 million gallons, Noonan said. “This wasdone in spite of adding additional new square footage inbuildings on campus,” he said. “Our commitment todesign environmentally-friendly buildings has resulted inmore efficient use of resources such as water.”

North Carolina’s drought is not expected to end soon.“We’d need about 24 inches of precipitation by the

end of February or about 35 by May to completely end thedrought this winter,” said Phil Badgett, a National WeatherService forecaster in Raleigh, “and the chances of thathappening are less than 4 percent.”

— By Missy BaxterSeniorWriter, Office of Communication Services

Sustainable uke

7

Every Drop CountsWater conservation at Duke

With the strengthening and expected persistence of La Niña conditions through

early 2008, the current drought outlook leaned heavily on precipitation anomalies

that typically occur during La Niña episodes. A widespread area of drought

development is expected from the southern Rockies into the southern Plains, Gulf

Coast, and Florida. Year-to-date rainfall deficits range from 15 to 20 inches in the

area of exceptional drought centered in northern parts of Alabama and Georgia.

Drought will likely persist in these areas along with the Carolinas. SOURCE: NATIONAL

OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION.

Conserve Water Now – Visit www.duke.edu/sustainability/water

WHAT YOU CAN DO� Report leaks, drippingfaucets and runningtoilets. For Universitybuildings, 684-2122;residence halls, 684-5320 (East), 684-5486(West), 684-5813(Central); medicalcenter, 684-3232.

� Turn off faucets whilewashing hands orbrushing teeth.

� Make a conscious effortto do one thing everyday at Duke to conservewater. Every dropcounts.

�NORTHCAROLINA

We’d needabout 24

inches of precipitationby the end of Februaryor about 35 by May tocompletely end thedrought this winter,and the chances of thathappening are lessthan 4 percent.”

— Phil Badgett

National Weather Service

forecaster in Raleigh

“

U.S. SEASONAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK

The scent of chicken curry filled the air as David Gastwirth studiedthe buffet at Henry’s Place, a kosher eatery in the Freeman Centerfor Jewish Life.After a nod of approval for the food appearance and diverse buffet

selection, Gastwirth, a Duke grad and research associate at the SanfordInstitute of Public Policy, took a seat and began the taste test. He dredgedfresh-baked Indian flatbread through a pool of cucumber raita, a yogurt-based sauce. He smiled and jotted a few notes: “spotless buffet,” “nicepresentation,” “friendly cashier.”

Yes, the food police are alive and well at Duke. And Gastwirth isamong them.

“My job is to check out all the cool places to eat at Duke, and letthem know what they’re doing right, and if there are things they needto improve,” Gastwirth said.

As a mystery diner with Duke Dining Services, Gastwirth is amongdozens of Duke staff, faculty and students who provide valuable feedback

about food and customer service at about two dozen eateries on the university campus.Mystery diners volunteer to rate customer service, speed of service, food quality, cleanliness, merchandising and

overall impression. In return for visiting a restaurant and completing a Customer Care Review, diners receive a free meal.“Customer service in a lot of locations has improved and menus in some locations have changed, based on feedback

and suggestions from mystery diners,” said Tammy Hope, Duke Dining’s quality assurance specialist.Duke faculty and staff members who want to become mystery diners first notify Dining Services of their interest.

They must meet with Hope to review the program before receiving an assignment that specifies location and whetherthe visit is for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Diners are only permitted to conduct one review at each eligible eatery.

“Completing the review usually only takes about 10 minutes, which is a good trade for a free meal,” Hope said.While there is no price limit for a meal, the sky is not the limit. “We tell them to eat what they would normally

eat and to be reasonable,” Hope said.Frankie Fogg, a mystery diner, said the program gives employees an incentive to explore campus.“Before I became a mystery diner, I didn’t know so many good places to eat existed at Duke,” said Fogg, a safety

technician at Duke’s Occupational Hygiene & Safety Office. “If you work close to the hospital and don’t get a chanceto explore the campus, this provides a chance to interact with people you don’t see on a consistent basis.”

— By Missy BaxterSeniorWriter, Office of Communication Services

David Gastwirth, Sanford Institute of Public Policy research associate, is a mystery diner.

I always try to help people out when they need it, and I will continue doing that. I thinkit’s important to help on a daily basis, such as when a friend or neighbor needs a ride or

when someone is broken down on the side of the road. I believe in helping when I can.”OrlandoWatsonGrounds Equipment Operator, Facilities Management Department1 year at Duke“

“How will you give back to your communityin the coming year?”

One of my goals for 2008 is to give back by helping the environment and conservingwater. The drought has truly been a reminder of how precious our community

resources are. I’m focusing on preserving the environment we all live in by being moreconscious of the water we consume, recycling and creating a ‘green’ work and homeenvironment. I’ve been shortening showers, turning off running water while brushing my teethand doing the dishes, and running only full loads of the dishwasher and the washing machine.I want to find other ways to save water next year.”Rebecca LevensonInterim Director, Jewish Life2 years at Duke

I’m a member at Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh and I’ve spent time workingwith college students at the church in the past few years. I am hoping to continue being

involved in serving the local community in other ways with my church, such as being a part of anewly developed ministry for widows. God has blessed my life in more ways than I know, and Ienjoy giving back to my community in response to that.”Sarah HintonErgonomics SpecialistOccupational & Environmental Safety1 year 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: Stewart Waller, Waller

Digital; Elizabeth Michalka, HR

Communications; and Jon Gardiner,

Les Todd and Megan Morr of Duke

University Photography

Support Staff: Mary Carey

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

D U K E TODAY For daily news and information, visitwww.duke.edu/today

— By Missy BaxterSeniorWriter, Office of Communication Services

“

Mystery diners provide valuable feedback

Want To Be AMystery Diner?• Contact Tammy Hope [email protected], call(919) 660-3926 or visitwww.dining.duke.edu

• Meet with Dining Servicesand review program & protocol

• Receive assignment, reviewform and meal voucher

• Visit the eatery duringbreakfast, lunch or dinner

• Complete and submit reviewwithin a week