WORKING@DUKE

6 7
ADDING GENDER FISCAL FITNESS MAY I HELP YOU?

2
IDENTITY Take control of your The Human Resources
Prompted by the LGBT financial planning Call Center answered
Task Force, Duke adds during Financial more than 88,000
“gender identity” to Fitness Week calls last year — get
its nondiscrimination workshops May 14 an inside look from
policy. to May 17. Susan Naylor.

N EWS YO U CA N U S E :: Vo l u m e 2 , I s s u e 4 :: May 2007

Bridging the
Communication Gap
“B
Staff from other countries learn English at Duke
eat.”
“Bet.”
“Bat.”
The three words were pronounced carefully, slowly, every sound
prolonged, every letter distinguishable.
The speakers, immigrants from Mexico, sat at a table in a balcony
above the Marketplace, the East Campus dining hall where they work for
Duke Dining Services. After pronouncing each word, the three employees
looked at Lizzy Do for approval. Her wide smile signified they said it right.
When Do, a first-year student at Duke, asked about the meaning of
the words, staff member Maria Alvarez repeated “bat” as she clasped her
hands together and swung her arms out, as though swinging a baseball bat.
Francisco Naranjo, her father, sat with her. He nodded in agreement, along
with co-worker Raul Alvarez.
The dining services employees passed the next hour talking with Do,
a tutor and coordinator of Partners for Learning, a faculty-advised student Local statistics reflect the need for a program such as Partners for
group that offers English as a Second Language and computer instruction Learning. According to the U.S. Census, Durham had 2,054 Hispanic
for Duke staff. residents in 1990; that number jumped to 17,039 in 2000.
“Partners for Learning is helping make employees more comfortable at Since last summer, group and individual tutoring sessions have been
work,” said Katheldra Pinder, director of training for the Compass Group, scheduled based on employee availability and held in work locations,
the food service vendor at the Marketplace. “Communication is key. If you usually twice a week. This semester, 16 employees took ESL lessons at
can speak to customers and the students who come here, it creates a bridge Edens Quad and the Marketplace.
of trust and encourages relationships.” Recently, Partners for Learning began an ESL pilot at the Washington-
In the 1990s, the Community Service Center at Duke ran a program Duke Inn with 25 employees, mostly from Mexico, but also from Vietnam,
similar to Partners for Learning. The program, which offered adult literacy Morocco, Liberia, China, Guatemala, Honduras and Taiwan.
classes to employees and had a student leadership component, ended in 2000. Partners for Learning is one example of the unique learning
Partners for Learning formed in 2006 with the merger of two projects opportunities available for Duke employees. From the professional school
developed by students in Professor Tony Brown’s enterprising leadership libraries and seven other library branches to guest lecturers and the
course. In starting the new employee-student literacy initiative, the founders Professional Development Institute (PDI), Duke offers many ways to
of Partners for Learning interviewed various Duke employee groups and continue learning. PDI, for example, provides assessments of employee
managers and discovered a demand among employees for ESL and
computer lessons. SEE BRIDGING THE COMMUNICATION GAP, PAGE 4

From top: Duke food services employee Raul Alvarez, left, asks first-year student and English as a Second Language tutor Lizzy Do a question
during a Partners for Learning session. Maria Alvarez and her father, Francisco Naranjo, right, listen intently. Below: first-year student and ESL
tutor Isaac Warren plays a Bob Marley song as Miriam Lopez follows the lyrics during a Partners for Learning session.

This paper consists of 30% recycled

post-consumer fiber.
LOOKING
@ DUKE
AHEAD
MAY 11 : : Farmers Market,
fresh produce, flowers and more
available from local vendors,
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in front of the
medical center store off Coal Pile
Drive and next to the walkway
connecting Duke Hospital and
Duke Clinics.
MAY 13 : : Duke 2007
Commencement, Richard
Wagoner Jr., chairman and chief
executive officer of the General
Motors Corporation, delivers
commencement address, 10 a.m.,
Wallace Wade Stadium.
JUNE 11 : : Smoker’s Lounge,
learn how QuitSmart Classes can
help you break free from
cigarettes, noon, Room 3088,
School of Nursing. Call LIVE FOR
LIFE at (919) 684-3136 (option 1)
to reserve a seat.
For more events, check the
university’s online calendar
at http://calendar.duke.edu
Highlights of
LGBT Task Force
Milestones
1989: Duke adds
“sexual preference” to
its nondiscrimination
policy
1994: Domestic partner
registration and
benefits extended to
employees
1999: Center for LGBT
Life staffed with full-
time director and
assistant director
2000: Duke Chapel
allows same-sex
marriage ceremonies
2004: Center for LGBT
Life moved to new
area, doubling its
space
2 — By Leanora Minai
Newsbriefs
Charges against lacrosse players dropped
North Carolina’s attorney general has dropped all charges against
three former Duke lacrosse players, declaring them innocent.
The attorney general, Roy A. Cooper, announced April 11 that
there was insufficient evidence to proceed on any of the charges
against David Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann. Cooper said
the cases, originally brought by the Durham District Attorney, were
“the tragic result of a rush to accuse and a failure to verify serious
allegations,” according to a statement released by Cooper’s office.
President Richard H. Brodhead welcomed the decision in the
much-publicized case, saying it “will begin a new day for all involved.”
“From the outset, I have been careful to note that these students
were entitled to the presumption of innocence and I looked to the legal
system to determine the merit of the charges,” Brodhead said. “Now,
finally, that process has given us a decision based on a thorough and
objective review of the evidence.
“This is what
we have all
needed from the
start. I trust the
State Bar’s
review will be
equally
thorough so
that we can
understand
the District Attorney’s
conduct in this case. As for Duke, while not
reliving the past year, we won’t be afraid to go back and learn
what we can from this difficult experience.”
On the evening of the attorney general’s announcement, Robert
K. Steel, chair of Duke’s board of trustees, sent a letter to members of
the Duke community expressing the board’s relief over the outcome
and its support for Brodhead.
Duke adds“gender identity”
to Equal Opportunity Policy
ooking back over the work by Duke’s lesbian, gay,
L bisexual and transgender task force, Damon Seils saw
significant milestones over the years.
Duke added “sexual orientation or preference” to its
nondiscrimination policy. Domestic partner registration
and benefits were extended to employees.
“We have a lot to be proud of,” said Seils, co-chair of
the LGBT task force and senior research analyst for DCRI,
“but we didn’t see anything we could point to regarding the
concerns of transgender people.”
Until February.
After more than a year of work by the LGBT task
force, Duke University and Health System updated its non-
discrimination Equal Opportunity Policy to include gender
identity. The addition was passed with the support of
President Richard Brodhead and Vice President for
Institutional Equity Ben Reese, and won the swift approval
of the Board of Trustees.
Gender identity refers to an individual’s deeply held
psychological identification as male and masculine or
female and feminine, or none, which may not match the
individual’s birth sex.
In Duke’s policy, the word “preference” was deleted
and the words, “gender identity,” were added. The updated
policy reads:
Duke University prohibits discrimination and harassment,
and provides equal employment opportunity without regard to race,
color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual
orientation, gender identity, sex, or age. Duke is committed to
recruiting, hiring, and promoting qualified minorities, women,
individuals with disabilities, and veterans.
Want More Info? Call Duke’s Office for Institutional Equity at (919) 684-8222
or visit www.gpac.org to read more about gender identity issues.
“There is much to learn from the events that we have lived
through, and we intend to put this learning to use,” Steel wrote. “Duke
is a great university that steps up to challenges and opportunities, and
together we will use this moment to make our community stronger.”
For more information, visit
www.dukenews.duke.edu/mmedia/features/lacrosse_incident
New payroll deduction makes using DukeCard easier
The DukeCard Office has introduced a new feature for Flexible
Spending Accounts (FLEX), the pre-paid debit feature on your
DukeCard. Faculty and staff can now enroll for online payroll deduction,
offering a convenient alternative to traveling to DukeCard offices or
mailing deposits. Those options
are still available, however.
“This is a simple, fast and
secure way to manage your
account, and it saves paper,”
said Matt Drummond,
director of the DukeCard
Office.
Faculty and staff
can use their
DukeCard to pay for
many services, including
vending snacks and food at university
and hospital eateries.
With online payroll deduction, employees can sign up to
have $10 to $100 deducted from their pay each month and deposited
into their FLEX accounts. The service is free of charge.
Employees without online access can still enroll in payroll
deduction by filling out paperwork at the DukeCard offices, Room 100
West Union Building on West Campus or Room 0100 Facilities Center
off Coal Pile Drive.
To enroll, visit www.dukecard.duke.edu or call the DukeCard
office at (919) 684-5800 for more information.
“These modifications
of our policy reinforce our
commitment to equity, fairness
and respect for all members of
the Duke community,” Reese
said. “Whether engaged in
Ben Reese
educational endeavors or
employed by the university, we seek to provide an
environment supportive of the highest educational
attainment and health care, and one that provides equal
opportunity and access.”
Duke joins 75 other colleges and universities, including
Harvard and Yale, and 177 major corporations that have
included gender identity and/or gender expression in their
policies, according to the Gender Public Advocacy
Coalition, a human rights organization in Washington, D.C.
Last summer, Duke LGBT task force members sent
President Brodhead a letter about including gender identity
in Duke’s non-discrimination policy. Seils and assistant
professor of history Felicia Kornbluh, the co-chairs, wrote
that Duke had the opportunity to take a leadership role in
supporting institutional equity and reaching out to the
transgender community. “We also believe that that the
presence of such a policy at Duke would help us to attract
the most desirable employees and students regardless of
their identity or expression,” they wrote.
For Seils and other LGBT task force members, the Board
of Trustees approval in February is yet another milestone.
“At its best, Duke recognizes people’s differences and
takes diversity and inclusiveness seriously,” Seils said. “This
policy is just a way of formalizing that.”
Editor, Working@Duke
“
Be prepared for the unexpected
ENSURE YOUR FAMILY IS PROTECTED WITH SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE INSURANCE
avid Holland is a poster child for Duke’s
supplemental life insurance benefit.
D At 38, with four children between 8 months
and 5 years old, and a stay-at-home wife, Holland said he
enrolled in the additional insurance to cover his family in
case anything happens to him.
“My primary motivation in getting the supplemental
life insurance was to make sure that the mortgage and bills
could still be paid and my wife wouldn’t be in financial
trouble,” Holland said.
I always heard that it was a good
thing to have, but I didn’t think I
could afford it until I learned about Duke’s plan.”
— David Holland
Holland, who has worked at Duke since 2000 and
manages the computer network, servers and data for the
Medical Center architect’s office, said the supplemental life
insurance is the third most important benefit he has, after
health and disability insurance.
Duke provides a basic life insurance benefit of $10,000,
and a death benefit for survivors of eligible Duke employees.
The death benefit amount is equal to one month’s pay for
each year of service for a maximum of six months pay. But
Holland said he wanted to provide his family with a greater
financial cushion. So he enrolled in supplemental life
insurance for himself and his wife last fall.
Benefits manager Bill Phillips said supplemental life
insurance may not be right for everyone. “Just ask yourself
what you would do if your income went away,” he said. “If
GAME ON!
PROGRAM OFFERS THE ULTIMATE IN VIDEO GAMING
ore than 20 years ago, Ariel Dorfman wrote an
essay for The Village Voice about video games. Upon
M publication of that essay, he paid little attention to
the video-game culture that continued to evolve over the
next two decades.
But with the Information Science & Information
Studies (ISIS) program’s impending “Game Night” held
across from his office in the John Hope Franklin Center
on a recent Wednesday night, Dorfman felt compelled to
revisit the gaming world.
“What sort of an intellectual would I be if I had this
happening in front of me and not come and take a look?”
asked Dorfman, the Walter Hines research professor of
literature and Latin American studies.
Dorfman attended part of the four-hour Game Night
and discovered video game utopia: a room with four 50-
inch, wall-mounted, high-definition televisions connected
to PlayStation 3s, Xbox 360s and PCs. A 7-foot projection
screen was hooked into a Nintendo Wii.
Game Night was launched to expose the Duke
community to ISIS, which began in 2002 to study and
create new information technologies and to analyze their
impact on science, society, art, culture, commerce and the
environment. The event showcases the Interactive
Multimedia Project Space (IMPS) space, which was built
to allow deep study of various media types and innovative
education practices.
“We're interested both in the history of games and
how they are used now and harnessing the appeal of
games to be used for serious purposes like improving
education,” said Victoria Szabo, program director for ISIS.
you’re the main bread-winner, even if you don’t have kids,
you should seriously look into the benefit.”
Holland did some research and decided to get Duke’s
supplemental life
insurance plan through
MetLife because of the
competitive rates and the
fact that he can take the
plan with him if he
changes jobs. Holland
receives $170,000 worth
of coverage for himself
and $100,000 for his wife
for $15.63 per month.
The cost of coverage is
based on the level of
coverage selected, age
and smoker status.
“Before I had it, I
felt bare and exposed,” Holland said. “I always heard that
David Holland, back row, at his home
it was a good thing to have, but I didn’t think I could
in Durham with wife, Cynthia Holland,
and their children, Alexis, far left, 5;
afford it until I learned about Duke’s plan. There’s such
Chloe, 8 months; and twins Lauren
a small amount taken out of my check every month that
and David, both 3.
I hardly notice it.”
Although he said the paperwork was lengthy and
detailed, the enrollment process was worth it because he’s
had nothing to worry about since.
“The sooner you get it, the cheaper you’re monthly
payment will be,” said Phillips, the Benefits manager. “But
the nice thing about Duke’s benefit is that it’s a group
policy, so it’s more affordable than an individual policy.”
READ
more about Duke benefits
— By Elizabeth Michalka Visit www.hr.duke.edu/benefits
Writer, Human Resources Communications
On a Wednesday in
March, from 10 p.m. to
2 a.m., gamers immersed
themselves in alternate
worlds in games such as
God of War II – where you
depict Kratos’ journey to all corners of the Earth
to defeat untold horrors in order to alter his fate –
Command & Conquer 3 – where the fate of humanity
and Earth rest on your ability to fend off a global
assault by the Brotherhood of Nod – and Madden
NFL 2007 – where players choose their favorite pro
football teams and play in head-to-head competition.
“From sports, to war simulations, to first-person
shooters – all these genres are reflected here, and that
really interests people in many ways,” said Zach Pogue,
IT Director for the Jenkins Chair in New Technologies
in Society and the popular How They Got Game ISIS
From top: Zachary Pogue, right,
course. “Video games provide us a lens to explore many
plays a video game during the ISIS
complex social realities.”
program’s Game Night at the John
Though games are popular among students, ISIS
Hope Franklin Center. Below, Neal
Myers-Perry plays Wii.
wants to include more faculty and staff members in the
experience. Dorfman said he would pass his experiences on
to colleagues. “I’m certainly going to mention this, and at
some point,” he said, “I’m probably going to write about it.”
— By Tim Candon
Working@Duke Correspondent
LEARN MORE
ISIS hosts four game nights during the academic year and will
continue in the fall. Visit www.isis.duke.edu or call program director
Victoria Szabo, (919) 668-1932, for more information. 3
 Bridging The Communication Gap
continued from page 1
needs and makes referrals to resources on and off campus. Learning
& Organization Development and Duke Continuing Studies also offer
communications, writing and computer skills classes.
“Duke is dedicated to helping provide professional development
to faculty and staff,” said Sally Allison, manager of the Professional
Development Institute. “If you recognize that you have an educational
need, whether it’s learning better communication or computer skills, there
are resources here to assist you.”
A Fa m i l y L e s s o n
On a recent day, Do, the first-year student and Partners for Learning
tutor, reviewed vocabulary words with some employees. Another tutor,
Isaac Warren, worked with three other dining employees whose English
skills are more advanced. Warren’s group included Francisco Naranjo’s two
sons, Saul and Genaro Yañez.
Warren discussed the verb “to be” and explained the construction of
words and phrases in the past tense. Near the end of the lesson, he
distributed lyrics to Bob Marley’s “Waiting In Vain” and played his guitar and
sang, while the Yañez brothers and co-worker Miriam Lopez read the lyrics.
Saul Yañez said he enjoys ESL sessions because it allows him to
practice English.
His father, Francisco Naranjo said he also appreciates the chance to
improve his English. He said he has the most difficulty because of his age
and limited education.
Francisco Naranjo, 56, has worked at Duke for 11 years and lived in
Durham for 15. He relies on his children at times to translate. He didn’t
learn to read or write until he was in his mid-30s and took classes after
work in Mexico. He studied at home late into the night.
“For me, it has been very hard to learn English because in my
childhood, I didn’t go to school, instead I had to work,” he said through
his son, Genaro Yañez.
Pinder, the director of training for the Compass Group, the food
service vendor at the Marketplace, said Partners for Learning tutors are
patient. Tutoring sessions move at the employees’ pace, and employees
decide when to progress to the next level.
“They have much passion to teach,” Francisco Naranjo said.
Mutual Benefits
Duke senior Shian Ling Keng and sophomore Jenny Terrell were the
creators of one of the class projects that became Partners for Learning.
Their original project promoted a mutual exchange of knowledge between
students and employees, which they merged with a project that focused on
offering ESL lessons to employees.

Duke senior Patricia

Agustin, center, and
fellow Partners for
Learning ESL tutor
Jordan Duran, upper
right, can’t wait to fill
their plates with food
prepared by staff
members they tutor in
Edens residence hall.

DUKE SENIOR TEACHES FROM EXPERIENCE

atricia Agustin , originally from Guatemala, knows how difficult it is to learn English, which is why she
volunteers to help employees from other countries learn the language.
P The Duke senior moved to the United States in 1992, when she was 8 years old. Learning English was often
difficult, but Agustin learned quickly.
“I can’t imagine trying to learn English as an adult,” said Agustin, 23. “When I teach, I keep my experiences in mind,
and because I know how frustrating it can be to learn English, I don’t mind reviewing things over and over again.”
Agustin teaches English to immigrants, including Duke employees, through two groups – Juntos, a service project
she founded under Latino Life Connection, and Partners for Learning at Duke.
Agustin believes her cultural background and experiences have helped employees at Duke feel comfortable
around her and relate to her, allowing for friendships. When she began tutoring Duke employees through Partners
for Learning in fall 2006, she said they were shy and quiet. But as she talked about her family and experiences, the
employees opened up to her.
“I’ve become like one of their children,” Agustin said.
Once a week, she and Partners for Learning tutor and Duke student Jordan Duran meet with four to 10
housekeepers and maintenance workers in the Edens residence hall. Agustin has a greater awareness of their struggles
to learn English and assimilate to living in the U.S.
Agustin often meets some employees outside of tutoring sessions to translate for them. She said she enjoys being
around them because when she’s homesick, they remind her of her family. They also give her advice and help,
including teaching her to cook. When the employees heard Agustin didn’t know how to cook, they threw a cooking
party. When they found out what her favorite food was, they brought it – pupusas, handmade corn tortillas stuffed
with cheese and pork, to the following week’s tutoring session.
“Connecting with people is my favorite part of tutoring,” Agustin said. “The friendships that I have formed with
them mean a lot to me. I feel like I’m going to leave a family behind here at Duke when I graduate.”
4
 Through Partners for Learning, Keng and Terrell wanted to create
mutually beneficial relationships between Duke students and staff by
providing a service through which the two communities could interact.
“I learn from them, and they learn from me,” said Genaro Yañez, who
works in the Marketplace. “They share their knowledge with us and give
something back to the community. They also learn some Spanish from us.
It makes me feel good that I share a little bit of what I know with them.”
His brother, Saul Yañez, said the tutoring encourages cultural exchange.
“Sometimes we talk about Mexico, about our culture,” he said. “When they
see us in the Marketplace, they say ‘hi’ and that makes me feel good.”
Lucy Haagen, faculty adviser for Partners for Learning, helps ensure
that tutors are well-prepared for instruction by assisting with training,
program design and university partnerships. Haagen, a lecturer in the Duke
Program in Education and former director of the Durham Literacy Center,
has incorporated Partners for Learning into her education classes.
“Partners for Learning exemplifies the best in student civic engagement
and the building of an inclusive campus culture,” Haagen said.
The program’s initial funding came through the Hart Leadership
Program. Grants also were received through Tony Brown’s class and
student fundraising efforts. (Read more about Brown on the back page).
Haagen has also recruited an advisory board for Partners for Learning
comprised of faculty, staff and administrators. She said they lend advice to
the student leaders and create sound policies and procedures to ensure the
program’s sustainability. For example, all employees are first assessed by
tutors to gauge their English proficiency, and instruction is designed to
meet goals set by both employees and supervisors.
Partners for Learning tutor and senior Patricia Agustin, originally from
Guatemala, has grown close to a group of housekeepers and maintenance
workers. Agustin said she speaks openly with the employees about her
family and experiences as an immigrant.
“They can tell when I’m having a bad day, and they ask me what’s
wrong and give me guidance,” Agustin said. “I definitely see them as
another support group for me.”
Just as Duke students Shian Ling Keng and Jenny Terrell hoped,
students and employees have formed a greater understanding of each
other.
“Partners for Learning is really about encouraging people and helping
them see new opportunities in their lives – it’s very meaningful to help
people discover things that they didn’t think they could do,” Keng said.
“Anybody can learn and improve their skills and knowledge to improve
their lives.”
— Stories and photos by Elizabeth Michalka
Writer, Human Resources Communications
Want More Info? Contact Lucy Haagen at lucy.haagen@duke.edu
or call (919) 660-3075.

Duke senior and Partners

for Learning tutor Burke
Thomas points out the
intricacies of computer
use to James Johnson,
chef manager at the
Marketplace.

“…LEARNING THINGS THAT I NEED TO KNOW AND USE ON A DAILY BASIS”

ames Johnson never needed to use a computer much until last year when changes in his department required
him to use a computer more.
J As the “front of the house manager” of the Marketplace, the East Campus dining hall, Johnson had to start
using a computer for e-mail, making and tracking food orders and printing daily menus and signs, among other things.
To help him learn the necessary computer skills, Johnson is participating in a computer class through Partners for
Learning, a student group that offers ESL and computer instruction to Duke staff. This is the first semester Partners
for Learning has offered computer lessons. Eight student tutors and 12 employees are involved with sessions held in
the Marketplace, Edens Quad, Brown Residence Hall and Keohane Quad.
“I’m learning things that I need to know and use on a daily basis,” Johnson said.
Katheldra Pinder, director of training for the Compass Group, the food service vendor at the Marketplace, said
the lessons have been helpful for Johnson, as well as food service coordinator, Saundra Bullock.
“James is more confident about working on a computer now,” Pinder said. “It’s definitely made him feel more
a part of the team.”
Johnson, who’s worked at Duke for 24 years, receives one-on-one instruction in his office from Duke senior
Burke Thomas. Thomas has helped Johnson learn how to use programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel. Johnson
is more comfortable accessing the Internet.
“I’m glad I have someone to come in here and help me right here in my office. It’s really convenient,” Johnson
said. “Burke is good about telling me to take my time and read instructions on the screen. I just want to get it done
in a hurry and rush from point A to B, but I’ve learned that you can’t always do that.”
Johnson has learned some shortcuts, though. “I’ve learned commands that are helping me to work quicker, which
is a big help,” Johnson said.
Johnson said he used to rely on co-workers to help him use his computer, but he didn’t like to take up their time.
He’s glad that he’s able to work more independently now.
5
 Presidential awards
he winners of the Presidential Award for 2006 for outstanding service were honored by President Richard H.

T Brodhead in April. The awards, the highest and most prestigious honor for Duke staff, recognize biweekly and
monthly staff members who made distinctive contributions to Duke University and Health System in the past
calendar year. Each recipient received a Presidential Medallion and $1,000 check.

Dennis Woody Dr. Yunliang Yu Marcus Butts Brooke Berson Dr. Thomas Owens Wanda Bride

Service/Maintenance Clerical/Office Support Executive Leadership

Dennis Woody
HVAC Controls Coordinator
Facilities Management Department
HVAC Shop
“In the rapidly changing field of building
automation and controls Dennis has worked
tirelessly and consistently to keep his knowledge
and ability at ‘state of the art’ pitch,” said
nominator Curtis Browning, FMD supervisor.
“I can think of no one who has rendered such
unfailing service to the university that is more
deserving of the Presidential Award.”
Managerial
Dr. Yunliang Yu
Senior Systems Programmer
Department of Mathematics
“Dr. Yu is constantly finding new ways to
improve productivity and save money for
both the Mathematics Department and the
university,” said nominator Mark Stern,
mathematics professor and chair. “He shows
excellent initiative, anticipating our needs and
constantly finding ways to improve our
computing services.”
Marcus Butts
Computing Facilities Specialist
Duke University Press
“It seems like every encounter that any of us
has with Marcus makes our work day go better,
not only in terms of getting our own work
done better and faster, but also in feeling
confident that we are part of a special team
that goes the extra mile to help each other,”
said nominator Stephen A. Cohn, director
Duke University Press.
Clinical/Professional-Non
Managerial
Brooke Berson
Director, Clinical Resource Management
Procurement
“In her passion to create the safest
environment for our patients, [Brooke] has
provided leadership to management and
oversight of the Health System product recall
process [and] created a best practice that is now
being modeled by other academic medical
centers,” said nominators Jane Pleasants,
assistant vice president for Procurement and
Supply chain, and Dr. Karen Frush, chief
patient safety officer, Health System. “Our
patients have directly benefited from Brooke’s
vigilance and dedication to their safety.”
Dr. Thomas Owens
Section Chief for Hospital Medicine and
Associate Program Director for the Internal
Medicine Residency Program
Department of Medicine
“Dr. Owens is seen by his peers and colleagues
as an effective physician champion when
looking to improve processes, enhance customer
satisfaction, improve quality, and create a safer
environment for everyone,” said nominator
Priya R. Dandekar, associate operating officer,
Duke Hospital. “He tackles what many view as
formidable tasks with vigor and in-depth
analysis, all while keeping the patient at the
center of decision-making efforts.”
Executive Leadership
Wanda Bride
Clinical Operations Director
Cardiology Nursing
Duke University Hospital
“Wanda provides the kind of leadership that
produces loyalty, trustworthiness, and respect,”
said nominator Mary Ann Fuchs, chief nursing
and patient care services manager. “Her first
priority is always the patient, but that is followed
closely by her devotion to her staff. Whether she
is heading up the Heart Walk for the hospital
each year or chairing the Friends of Nursing
Gala committee to repeated success, Wanda
works tirelessly for Duke.”

Learn to set, meet financial goals

during Financial Fitness Week
Duke staff members
browse tables for
retirement information
during a past Financial
Fitness Week at Duke. 6 www.hr.duke.edu/ffw2007 or call (919) 668-2954.
ow much do you need to save for
H retirement? How can you protect yourself
against identity theft? Do you need more or
less insurance coverage?
Contemplating these financial management
issues can be challenging.
The Duke Benefits Department in Human
Resources is available to help, and the department
is hosting the 5th annual Financial Fitness Week
from May 14 to May 17. Experts will be on hand
to answer questions during 14 different workshops
at the Searle Center, Bryan Center, Duke Raleigh
Hospital and Durham Regional Hospital.
A new workshop, “Duke Benefits: How to
Make Your Benefits Work For You,” will help
Want To Go? Make a workshop reservation at
faculty and staff assess whether they are on track to meet
financial goals. The workshop on May 14, May 15 and
May 17 will also help demystify the annual benefits statement.
“The benefits statement can seem overwhelming at
first, so we’ll look at it in bite-sized pieces to make it more
manageable,” said Bill Phillips, manager of Benefits. “We’ll
take a look at some practical ways to maximize the benefits
faculty and staff currently have and identify benefits that
they might consider in the future.”
Another workshop that will provide an overview of
financial issues is “Planning For Your Financial Future,”
which is offered May 14 and May 15 and requires a
reservation. Duke faculty and staff are encouraged to bring
family members to workshops and to make reservations
due to limited space.
— By Elizabeth Michalka
Writer, Human Resources Communications
 By the
Numbers
88,092
NUMBER OF CALLS RECEIVED
IN 2006

7,341
AVERAGE NUMBER
OF CALLS PER MONTH

4
NUMBER OF FULL-TIME STAFF
IN THE HR CALL CENTER

22,023
AVERAGE CALLS TAKEN IN
2006 BY EACH STAFF MEMBER

Who ya gonna call? IN HR CALL CENTER

90
PERCENT OF CALLS HANDLED
WITHOUT HAVING TO BE

Human Resources Call Center: TRANSFERRED

99
A Lifeline for Faculty, Staff PERCENT OF CALLERS WHO SAID
HR CALL CENTER SPECIALIST WAS

Naylor said the motivation is simple. “I love being able

KNOWLEDGEABLE AND ABLE TO
hen Susan Naylor picks up the phone and asks, ANSWER THEIR QUESTION
to help people,” she said. “We can make a big difference in
W “Human Resources, how can I help you?” she’s not
sure what she will hear next.
Naylor has heard everything from routine to bizarre.
people’s lives.”

She once had a woman come in to check on her

application for a nursing position, only to learn that her
only job qualification was that she had watched every
episode of “ER” and felt she could handle any situation.
Speed Dial
“In this job, you have to learn how to be a
Number of Calls

“
firefighter, police officer, detective and counselor,” said
Naylor, who has worked at Duke 18 years.
10000

Naylor is one of four employees who answer the

main phone line for Duke Human Resources. The
9000

group, which also includes Susan Brown, Jennifer Frazier

and Nicole Mills, is part of the Human Resources
8000

Information Center (HRIC). The HRIC was developed

in 2000 to improve access to Human Resources and
7000

response to personnel questions, requests and

transactions.
6000
2006

The volume of calls has steadily increased. Last year,

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

the call center answered more than 88,000 calls – an

Monthly volumes in the call center typically peak in July due to new hires at the beginning of the fiscal year

average of 1,833 calls per month for each staff member.

and in September due to open enrollment for benefits and the start of the fall semester.

One such call came from Latrice Dockery, a medical

Source: Human Resources

coder for Duke Hospital. Her husband recently left his

job with the state to manage group homes for troubled
youth, a change that left him without health insurance.
Dockery needed to add him to her Duke insurance.
“I received an insurance card about five days after I
talked with HR,” Dockery said. “I was impressed with the
turnaround time for getting the paperwork processed.”
While the majority of calls are from people who need
information or assistance, occasionally the call center gets
a “yeller.” Naylor, mother of two and grandmother of
four, takes those with a measure of decorum, honed
through experience.
“We get our ears chewed up good sometimes,” Naylor
said. “You learn not to take it personally. When people
start yelling, I tell them, ‘I am the person who can help
you.’ In the last 18 years, I’ve only had two people curse at
Signs of such influence are in mementos posted
around Naylor’s workstation. Among photos of her four
grandchildren is a snapshot of another child – a young girl
adopted by an employee. The employee called Naylor five
or six times prior to the adoption to ensure paperwork was
In this job, you
complete for insurance coverage. He later sent the photo have to learn
with a thank-you card.
One of Naylor’s most memorable calls came at the how to be a
end of a day, before the holidays one December. A man firefighter, police officer,
called from the emergency room. He did not have his
insurance card. Naylor stayed after her shift to provide detective and counselor.”
information to an emergency room nurse. When Naylor
returned after the holidays, she found flowers, a token
— Susan Naylor
from the man and his fiancée. After recovering from an
Human Resources
infection that led to blood poisoning, the man stopped
Information Center

me. If that happens, I tell them, ‘I will help you, but if you
start cursing, then I’m going to terminate this call.’ ”
Darlene Poole, HRIC associate director, said Duke
is fortunate to have long-tenured staff in the call center,
which receives up to 400 calls on a given day and manually
processes hundreds of benefit forms each month.
by to thank Naylor.
Because Naylor spends most of her day on the
phone, she usually lets her husband handle that
responsibility at home.
“Most of the time, he answers the phone,” she said.
“But he doesn’t always ask enough questions, especially
GOT A QUESTION?

“It takes a special person to take those phone calls when our kids call, so I still answer sometimes. But if it’s
Call (919) 684-INFO (5600) or

a telemarketer, I just hand the phone to him.”

visit www.hr.duke.edu/askhr
from 8 to 5,” Poole said “Most call centers have a high
turnover rate, but we’ve been blessed with some very
special people who do a great job and have been here
— By Paul Grantham

a long time. Staff from other areas in HR also provide

Director, Office of Communication Services

7
backup coverage for the call center as needed.”
Top: Susan Naylor, one of four call takers in the Human Resources Information
Center (HRIC), answers a caller’s question. Last year, the call center answered more
than 88,000 calls—an average of 1,833 calls per month for each staff member.
WORKING@ DUKE

“
HOW TO REACH US
Editor: Leanora Minai
(919) 681-4533
dialogue@Duke
leanora.minai@duke.edu
“What makes you feel appreciated at Duke?”

“
Director: Paul S. Grantham
(919) 681-4534
I feel very appreciated at Duke because I have some great supervisors and co-workers,
paul.grantham@duke.edu
which means that it never feels like a chore to come to work. I also admire everything
Duke does for employees, such as providing great benefits and organizing special events like
Graphic Design & Layout:
Duke Appreciation and Christmas parties. Those type of things really do make a difference.”
Paul Figuerado
Brenda Kerr
Insurance Billing Specialist, Human Resources
Photography: Elizabeth Michalka of 6 years with Duke
Human Resources Communications,
Editor Leanora Minai and Jon
Gardiner, Les Todd and Megan Morr The role of volunteers is an important tradition at Duke, so I get a lot of support from
the top down, from the administration and staff, to the actual volunteers themselves.

“
of Duke University Photography
Over the years, I’ve nominated numerous volunteers for various state and national awards, and
Support Staff: Mary Carey when they win, I feel like a proud parent. That makes me feel appreciated. Plus, I think the
and William Blackburn perks–such as the discounts that Duke employees receive from local shops–are a great way for
employees to know they are appreciated, not only by Duke, but also by the community.”
Working@Duke is published monthly
Chuck Hemric
by Duke’s Office of Communication
Manager of Volunteer Services, Sarah P. Duke Gardens
Services. We invite your 24 years with Duke
feedback and suggestions for
future story topics.
I get a lot of “thank you” notes and kudos from the people I work with and also from
Please write us at students. In our department, we observe everyone’s birthday with a birthday lunch. The
working@duke.edu or main thing, though, is job security. Unlike other companies in this day and age, you don’t
Working@Duke, Box 90496, usually hear about people getting laid off at Duke. Duke shows a lot of loyalty to employees
705 Broad St., Durham, NC 27708 who are doing a good job.”
Call us at (919) 684-4345.
Leia Wright
Send faxes to (919) 681-7926. Staff Assistant, Department of Aerospace Studies/Air Force ROTC
3 years with Duke

— By Missy Baxter
Working@Duke Correspondent

e mployee spotlight
MEET TONY BROWN, PROFESSOR AND PRESIDENT OF ROBERTSON SCHOLARS

rofessor Tony Brown thrives on empowering others. “The students make the class great; I just make it
good,” Brown said.
P “I enjoy helping people make their ideas come to
life,” he said. Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta has

“
Before Brown joined Duke, he spent 21 years in the
insurance industry, including 10 as chairman and CEO of
a company. He arrived at Duke in 1993 as a visiting lecturer
to teach a leadership course at the Sanford Institute of
Public Policy.
“It was the most exciting thing I’d ever done,” said
Brown, who is 64. “The students were great. I loved
working with them.”
Brown, with his contemporary teaching style and
unwavering energy, has made his mark at Duke. This
month, he will assume a new position as president of the
Robertson Scholars Program, a merit scholarship program
for select Duke and University of North Carolina students.
Tony Brown, professor and
worked closely with Brown and his students on various
projects related to his office. “He’s one of the most
inspiring people I know,” Moneta said. “He’s made social
entrepreneurship cool. People want to be the kind of
change agent he inspires.”
Social entrepreneurship is Brown’s trademark. He
established the Enterprising Leadership Initiative (ELI)
in the spring of 2001. Through ELI, students carry out
projects on issues such as illiteracy, health and philanthropy
to benefit the university, community and world.
Many programs have grown into nonprofit
organizations and campus institutions. Some benefit Duke
employees, like College Connection at Duke, which helps
employees and their children navigate the college

And he will continue to teach.

president of the Robertson

He launched into teaching 13 years ago because he application process, and Partners for Learning (see page 1),
Scholars Program, shares a laugh

wanted a change, and he wanted to invest in people. His which helps employees learn English and computer skills.
with students during a recent class.

first semester was so thrilling that by the next year, he was
a permanent faculty member in the Sanford Institute’s Hart
The students
Leadership Program, which includes various leadership
make the courses with an experiential learning component.
Brown is a natural teacher. In 1997, he received the
class great; I just
Howard Johnson Distinguished Teaching Award for
make it good.” undergraduate teaching excellence. Since then, accolades
— Tony Brown and accomplishments haven’t stopped. But Brown
So how has Brown motivated undergraduates to go beyond
the rigors of college life to improve the community?
“The more meaningful you make the work and the
higher you raise the bar, the more people will rise to the
challenge and accept it,” Brown said. “People don’t
complain about meaningful work.”
— By Elizabeth Michalka
Writer, Human Resources Communications

modestly says his students are the real winners.

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