• Embed Doc
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
4
7
COMMEMORATINGMARTIN LUTHERKING JR.
Duke hosts Januaryevents, including aspeech by the presidentof the Children’sDefense Fund.
 WORKING
@
DUKE
3
SUSTAINABLE DUKE
Water 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% recycledpost-consumer fiber. Please recycle after reading.2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing2007 Bronze Medal, Print Internal Audience Tabloids/Newsletters
F
lames flickered from gas burners under a large stock pot overflowing  with hot dogs. As the water reached a rolling boil, Ben Ward, anassociate professor of philosophy at Duke, quickly turned hisattention to a pot of macaroni. Moving methodically as he worked, Ward was 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 of Durham 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 of Community Engagement for the Office of Community 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 of New 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 back to 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.”
u
 As Patty Croom and Clover, a 3-month-old Labradormix, stepped outside the Animal Protection Society of Durham, 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 among about 15 Duke faculty and staff who volunteer at theshelter. Volunteers feed, bathe, walk and care for nearly 7,000 animals each year at the shelter. The facility alsoprovides low-cost rabies and microchip clinics to thepublic, 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 volunteering allows her to give back to animals that have given her enjoyment.
>> See
VOLUNTEERS
,
PAGE 5
DUKE RANKEDAMONG BEST
Says who? Severalprestigious publicationsand organizationsname Duke a bestplace to work.
GivingBack
DUKE FACULTY AND STAFF OFFER KNOWLEDGE IN SERVICE TO SOCIETY
The mainreason I enjoyvolunteering is because Ilearn a lot from doing so.The lessons I’ve learnedmake me a much differentand better person.”
— Ben WardDuke 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.
 
LOOKING
AHEAD
@
DUKE
For more events, check theuniversity’s online calendarat http://calendar.duke.edu
News
briefs
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 at
www.sierraclub.org/sierra
.
United Way Duke Partnership Campaign nearing end
The United Way Duke Partnership Campaign is acceptingdonations 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, visit
www.hr.duke.edu/unitedway
.
Banjos, flute on tap for library conversation series
For the second year, the Duke University Libraries and the DukeUniversity 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.
I
n an emergency, Duke’s staff, faculty and students will get information quickly and in numerous ways. Join Kemel Dawkins, vice president for CampusServices, and Aaron Graves, associate vice president forSafety and Security, for Primetime on Dec. 11, as they discuss safety at Duke, and how the university community  will 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 new plans 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-mailto all students, faculty and staff more quickly. The university is purchasing a 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-mail letters to working@duke.edu 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 ATWWW.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 of Fortune magazine’s “100 BestCompanies to Work for in America,” 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 atDuke 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 why she 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 by taking care of patients and teaching them to take better care of themselves.”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 mostpractical 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 andHealth System a top family-friendlyworkplace in North Carolina.
Computerworld
Named Duke University HealthSystem one of top 100 informationtechnology (IT) places to work.
AARP
Named Durham Regional Hospitalone of 50 Best Employers forWorkers over 50 years old.
The Scientist
Named Duke University amongtop 15 “Best Places to Workin Academia.”
 
Says who?
I
n early October, Regina Miller walkedthrough the doors of the white stuccobuilding on Broad Street looking for ajob at Duke. She had just relocated toDurham from New Jersey to help her 84-year-old mother and thought of Duke first when 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 hospital with some of the best graduate programs. Now, Duke’s name is cropping up 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, among others. 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 of organizations recognizing Duke as a best place to work 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’s work, 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 work to 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 ChildCare Partnership, which was named as a family-friendly initiative inCarolina Parent magazine.
Learn More at
www.hr.duke.edu/bestemployer
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...