4 7

TOTAL COMPENSATION ARE YOU A SMART SUSTAINABLE DUKE

3
Your salary and benefits COMMUTER? Duke Campus Farm, a
comprise your total Less than 5 percent full-scale educational
compensation. Duke of Duke’s registered farm, blooms on an
spent $1.8 billion last commuters use acre in the Duke Forest
year on pay, and alternative transit; off Friends School
another $425 million options exist to share Road.
to maintain benefits. a ride.

N EWS YO U CA N U S E : : Vo l u m e 6 , I ss u e 3 : : A p r i l 20 1 1

Are you
saving
enough?
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DUKE’S BENEFITS NOW TO OBTAIN FINANCIAL SECURITY IN RETIREMENT
assandra Taylor sat at her kitchen

C
during retirement. At Duke, faculty and
table with a notepad, budget Duke’s Retirement Plans staff can take advantage of Duke’s
spreadsheet and stack of quarterly benefits to help them obtain this level
retirement account statements at the Faculty and Staff Retirement Plan. A 403(b) plan of financial security.
ready. Her mission: squeeze more money “Even during challenging times, it is
for monthly-paid faculty and staff who can make
out of her budget for retirement. imperative that we each keep the goal of
voluntary pre-tax contributions. Duke contributes
“I ran the numbers up and down adequately contributing to our retirement
and back and forth a couple of times, to the accounts of all eligible faculty and staff. savings as one of our highest priorities,”
jotting down figures so I could compare said Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president for
scenarios,” said Taylor, who has worked Employees’ Retirement Plan. A pension plan Duke Human Resources.
at Duke three years as a Duke Credit designed to provide hourly-paid staff with a Taylor values Duke’s contribution to
Union financial guidance counselor. guaranteed monthly income at retirement, paid her 403(b) retirement plan. “It’s like free
After an evening of number entirely by Duke. money,” she said. But she won’t let up on
crunching, Taylor concluded she could her goal to gradually increase her
raise her monthly retirement Savings for Retirement Plan. A 403(b) plan for contribution from her monthly pay
contribution from 3 to 4 percent using hourly-paid staff members who can make voluntary to the annual maximum of $16,500.
the money she saves on fuel by “If we get a raise this year, the first
pre-tax contributions. (Duke does not contribute to
commuting in a hybrid, not an SUV. thing I’ll do is check the payroll
“It also meant pulling back on other this plan).
calculator on the HR website and see if I
items like eating out,” she said, “but I am can afford to increase my contribution to
willing to forego some luxuries now in order For more information about Duke’s retirement 5 percent or maybe higher,” she said. “I
to have a comfortable retirement later.” benefits, visit hr.duke.edu/retirement just feel it is imperative that I keep saving
Taylor’s decision to increase her for retirement.”
retirement contribution bucks a national
trend indicating that fewer people are saving for retirement. According to a Working@Duke offers a look at how
January survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, U.S. workers are five employees are planning for retirement:
more pessimistic about their chances for a comfortable retirement. More than
a quarter (27 percent) of 1,258 workers say they are "not at all confident" START EARLY
about retirement, up from 22 percent in 2009 and 2010, and the highest Retirement is decades away for Kristen Lee, 31, but she’s already
level ever measured in the 21-year history of the survey. planning for it.
This belt-tightening is reflected at Duke with some faculty and staff “I’m at the time of my life when I need to figure out my long-term
putting away less in their retirement plans in recent years. Decisions like goals and dreams, and having a comfortable retirement is part of that,” said
these have likely contributed to a majority of Americans saying they are Lee, a clinical trials specialist at the Duke Clinical Research Institute.
either a little or far behind financially in preparing for retirement. When Lee started working at Duke in 2002 after college, she was more
Financial experts recommend that any retirement plan include three focused on immediate financial goals. “I’ve seen some of my older relatives
components: social security, an employer’s plan and an employee’s personal having a hard time making ends meet during retirement,” she said. “I don’t
savings. Combined, these components should replace between 75 and 85 want to repeat some of those patterns.”
percent of pre-retirement income to maintain the same standard of living

Cover image: Cassandra Taylor, a Duke Credit Union financial guidance counselor, >> See ARE YOU SAVING ENOUGH? PAGE 5
crunches numbers to squeeze more money out of her budget for retirement.

2009, 2008, 2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing This paper consists of 30% recycled
2009, 2007 Bronze Medal, Print Internal Audience Tabloids/Newsletters post-consumer fiber. Please recycle after reading.
 Editor’s
Note
LEANORA MINAI
Leanora.Minai@duke.edu
L
ynn Ball, a certified benefits
specialist who will present to Duke
employees during Financial Fitness
Week in May, suggests finding a way
to increase your retirement savings
contribution by 1 percent each year.
“One of the biggest
misconceptions is that you don’t have
enough money to save,” Ball said.
“People think if they can’t save a lot, it
isn’t worth saving at all. That is just so
wrong. Even a small amount, saved
consistently, will make a huge difference
over 25 or 30 years.”
In preparation for Financial Fitness
Week, which is May 23-27, this month’s
issue of Working@Duke includes useful
information to help employees plan for
retirement and understand their total
compensation at Duke.
In the cover story, “Are you saving
enough?” we talk with financial experts
like Ball and take a look at how five Duke
employees are saving for retirement
through Duke’s benefits. You’ll learn how
Duke employee Cassandra Taylor is
trying to squeeze more money out of her
budget for retirement, and how another
staffer, Betty Jones, dipped into her
retirement savings and is now trying
to reposition herself for retirement.
“Start early,” said Sylvester
Hackney, associate director of Duke
Benefits. “Whenever we talk with
people who are about to retire, the one
thing they say is they wish they started
saving earlier.”
By early May, you will receive a
“Personal Benefits Statement” in the
mail detailing your salary and benefits at
Duke. Give the statement a good look to
ensure you are on target to maintain
your current lifestyle in retirement.
Want to go?
11 a.m to 2 p.m. every
Friday from April 15 to
July 15 and every other
Friday from July 29 to
September 23.
The Duke Farmers Market is located
off Research Drive between the
Nanaline H. Duke and Bryan
Research buildings.
2 Writer, Office of Communication Services
Newsbriefs
Primetime with President Brodhead in April
On April 27, Duke University President Richard H. Brodhead will
address faculty and staff during the next Primetime forum. Brodhead
will offer an update on the “state of the university,” including an
update on Duke’s financial status and Duke’s plans for global
expansion. The event will begin at noon; the
location, which was being finalized at press
time, will be posted at hr.duke.edu/primetime.
Employees are encouraged to submit
questions for Brodhead through the
Primetime website at hr.duke.edu/primetime.
The event will be webcast live, but those who
RSVP and attend in person will be entered
into a drawing for lunch with Brodhead.
Plant sale at Duke Gardens April 30
The Sarah P. Duke Gardens and other local vendors will sell hundreds
of plants, trees, shrubs and garden-related gift items during the spring
plant sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 30.
“Spring is an exciting time of year, which makes us all giddy to
get out in the garden and plant,” said Jason Holmes, a curator and
horticulturist at Duke Gardens who helps manage the sale. “Among
other things, we’ll be selling lots of perennials that are well suited to
spring gardens in the Triangle region.”
The gardens staff and members of the Durham County Master
Gardeners will also be available to offer free gardening advice. The sale
is open to the public, with free admission. Faculty and staff who become
new Duke Garden members on or before April 29 get a discount on
membership and special admission to the preview sale on April 29.
Website created for Japan relief;
Provost’s lecture on ‘Interpreting Disaster’
Duke has set up a website [japanrelief.duke.edu] as a clearinghouse
for information and resources related to Duke’s response to the
disaster in Japan.
The site includes travel restriction updates, related Duke news
items, information about relief efforts and events, and a list of
resources for members of the Duke community who may be affected
by events in Japan. To suggest items for the site, please contact Laura
Brinn at (919) 681-8975.
Letters to the Editor must include name and contact information. E-mail letters to working@duke.edu or mail them to Working@Duke Editor,
Box 90496, Durham, NC 27708. Fax letters to (919) 681-7926. Please keep length to no more than 200 words.
New season at Duke Farmers Market
hen the Duke Farmers Market
W opens up for its 11th season this month, faculty
and staff will have a new way to enjoy locally-grown
produce – a free recipe booklet with meals that can be
made from goods purchased at the market.
The market, which runs April 15 to Sept. 23, will
feature about a dozen farmers and vendors selling produce
and goods such as sweet potatoes, whole grain rolls and
flowers. There will also be weekly drawings from farmers
for free goods.
“We’re very excited to start a
new season,” said Diana Monroe, a
health education specialist for LIVE
FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee
wellness program and organizer of
the farmers market. “Finding local
fruits and vegetables doesn’t get
much easier than when the farmers
come to you.”
Holding raffles and offering
the recipe booklet are part of LIVE
FOR LIFE’s effort to promote the
consumption of more fruits and
vegetables. In 2010, the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
listed North Carolina as the tenth-
most obese state in the United
States with only 25 percent of
adults eating at least two servings of fruit a day, compared
with 33 percent across the country.
“Getting fruits and vegetables into your diet –
especially locally grown ones that often come from farms
that don’t use lots of pesticides – can only be a positive
change,” Monroe said. “We hope that with all the variety
For more Duke Farmers Market information, visit hr.duke.edu/farmersmarket
In addition, Damien Cave, a correspondent for The New York
Times, will present on “Interpreting Disaster” during the final lecture
of 2010-11 Provost’s Lecture Series, “Natural Disasters and Human
Responses,” on April 11.
Cave will discuss how reporters tackle the challenges of
traumatic stories – how they get to where they need to be, how they
choose which stories to tell and how they are impacted by what they
experience. From 2008 to 2010, he served as the newspaper’s Miami
bureau chief. In addition to covering the earthquake in Haiti, Cave’s
coverage of Florida ranged widely from recession, politics, veterans
and out-of-control bunnies.
The lecture is at 5 p.m. in the Social Sciences Building, Room 139.
Learn more at provost.duke.edu/speaker_series.
Deadline for reimbursement receipts April 15
April 15 is the deadline for submitting Health and Dependent Care
Reimbursement Account receipts from 2010. Faculty and staff must
submit all receipts by April 15 for services provided from Jan. 1
through Dec. 31, 2010 to receive reimbursement. Receipts can be
scanned and submitted as attachments to an e-mail or submitted
online. Learn more at hr.duke.edu/reimbursement.
Sustainability efforts gain gold
Duke’s efforts toward environmental sustainability have been rated
“Gold” by a new rating system from the Association for the
Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
Like the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
system for buildings, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating
System (STARS) gives ratings of Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Duke
has earned a Gold rating with a score of 65.74 from an evaluation of
three main categories – Curriculum and Research; Operations; and
Planning, Administration and Engagement.
Duke received recognition for sustainable dining initiatives such as
trayless dining, recycled content napkins and composting. Transportation
demand management programs, such as carpool matching,
telecommuting and bicycle sharing also increased Duke’s score.
“Our participation in STARS will allow us to better assess where
we have room to improve our sustainability efforts on campus as well
as how we compare to our peer institutions,” said Tavey Capps, Duke’s
sustainability director.
of colorful and fresh
produce, faculty and
staff will take
advantage of the
market.”
Elise Pangborn,
a research
coordinator with
Duke’s Clinical
Research Unit, has
been a weekly visitor
to the farmers
market for 10 years.
“I like the idea
that the produce I’m
buying is local, so it’s
picked the morning
I buy it instead of
sitting on a truck,
train or boat before Duke Farmers Market runs April 15 to Sept. 23.
getting here,”
Pangborn said.
In addition to farm-fresh produce, employees can also
buy special gifts for colleagues.
During Duke Appreciation in May, faculty and staff
can give produce away through the “MARKET-GRAM”
program. Vendors will sell special arrangements of flowers,
fruits, coffee beans and other products as MARKET-
GRAM specials priced from $3 to $12. Employees who
purchase an item can then pick up from the LIVE FOR
LIFE table a free MARKET-GRAM bookmark gift tag with
messages like “You’re a peach” and “Working at Duke with
you is sweet.”
— By Bryan Roth
Your total compensation at Duke
he university has balanced budgetary challenges from the economic
Understanding your net worth at Duke
T downturn by only providing $1,000 lump-sum payments to staff
making $50,000 or less in 2009 and $80,000 or less in 2010.
This year, the university will provide performance-based pay increases
Total compensation describes Duke’s investment in each employee
as more than just a paycheck. Duke spent approximately $1.8 billion last
for eligible employees. Despite not increasing base pay last year, Duke year on salaries and wages and kicked in an additional $425 million to
spent an additional $34.7 million to maintain benefits as part of the total maintain its benefits package. The benefits each employee uses may
compensation package for employees. differ, but Duke typically invests between 20 to 25 cents in benefits for
A study by the Society for Human Resources Management in late every $1 of wages.
2009 indicated that 39 percent of companies were either “very likely” or The chart below shows an example of what a typical employee’s total
“somewhat likely” to reduce or change benefit offerings in early 2010. At compensation might consist of. In late April or early May, your personal
Duke, keeping base pay flat again last year avoided about $22 million in benefits statement will arrive at your home. Check your personalized
additional costs, a trade-off that helped fund the additional investment in statement for a complete picture of your total compensation at Duke.
benefits.
“Over the past few years, as we’ve tried to reduce the university
budget by $100 million, we faced the challenge of investing in salaries or
in benefits, and we chose to maintain our investment in our benefits,” said
Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president for Human Resources. “We are pleased
that this year, we can once again offer the option for performance-based
merit increases, but this is a balancing act that we will continue to face in
future years.”
Labor costs comprise approximately 60 percent of Duke’s operating
budget. For every dollar of wages an employee receives, Duke invests 20 to 76% Salary
25 cents on programs such as medical, life insurance, retirement programs
Health Insurance/
and other benefits such as tuition assistance. Last year, Duke spent a total 9% Employee Health Services
of $425 million to maintain its benefits package.
The value of these benefits is recognized by many employees at Duke Disability Insurance/Group Life
7% Retirement Plan Contribution 1% Insurance
and is frequently cited as a primary reason why employees choose to work
and continue their careers at Duke. Social Security/Government Educational Assistance
6% 1%
Terry Witting, a Programs
program coordinator,

“
Each employee’s total compensation package is unique, based on individual choices.
has worked at To highlight elements that comprise total compensation, the chart above represents what
We are a total compensation package might look like for a typical employee.
Duke for 22 years.
pleased She said she values
Source: Duke Human Resources

that this year, we more from Duke

than just the What you’re saying on
can once again offer
the option for
monthly pay. The
children’s tuition
Facebook
performance-based benefit has allowed
merit increases, but her daughter to
attend Peace
this is a balancing College without
act that we will student loans.
continue to face in future years.” “My youngest
daughter goes to
— Kyle Cavanaugh
Peace, and Duke
Vice president for Human Resources
pays a little over
$10,000 each
semester – that is tax-free money for us,” Witting said. “When I think
about not getting a raise last year, I think about not paying $20,000 a year
for her to go to school. I don’t do a lot of complaining.”
Working at a world-class institution is also a draw for many
employees. Tracyene Charles, a library assistant at Perkins Library, said a
highlight of her 12 years at Duke has been working on a vibrant campus.
She loves the beauty of the gardens, free access to thousands of library
resources and the steady stream of students. “I’m 46, but the students help
keep me young,” she said. “I constantly learn about new technologies, new
fashions, new movies. It is a wonderful perspective to be exposed to.”
Charles appreciates the deliberate way Duke addressed trimming
expenses and efforts to avoid large-scale layoffs. “I didn’t get too upset
about not having a raise for a while because I assume that means there
are still people out there who have a job,” she said.
Job security is high on the list of things Michelle L. Taylor is
thankful for, along with family-friendly benefits that make her life as
a single parent easier. “It is good to know that Duke allows me to take
time off for my children’s doctor and dental appointments,” said Taylor,
a health information management clerk for the Duke Eye Center of
Winston Salem.
As Duke continues to offer competitive pay and comprehensive
benefits while managing rising costs, Cavanaugh encourages employees
to educate themselves about benefits connected to their job. “I want our
faculty and staff community to understand the options Duke provides to
help them protect their health, plan for retirement, protect their loved
ones and to balance their work and family lives,” he said.
— By Marsha A. Green
Senior Writer, Office of Communication Services

3
Learn how to read your personal benefits statement as part of our “DIY” video series.
Visit youtube.com/workingatduke
 Most Duke community
members commute alone,
by car
Number of Duke community members
ince starting work at Duke in 1997,

S
Hannah Arps has commuted in a
variety of ways: walking, biking and
sharing the ride by car or bus.
With one car for the family, Arps has
always made an effort to use sustainable,
alternative transportation through Duke.
She’s currently one of nearly 400
registered bicycle commuters and among
about 900 members at Duke who use the
Zipcar car-sharing service on campus.
“I like that I can keep an extra car off
the road for environmental reasons,” said
Arps, manager with the Office of
Technology Services in the College of Arts
& Sciences. “If you’re in a position to walk
or bike, it’s also nice to be able to build
that exercise into your daily routine.”
With limited parking spaces but high
demand and a growing customer base,
Duke wants to reduce by 6 percent the
number of single occupancy vehicles
coming to campus by 2012. That means
removing about 1,600 parking permits
from distribution to the Duke community.
“It’s important for the Duke
community to choose alternative transit
options to reduce vehicles on and around
campus and minimize Duke’s carbon
footprint,” said Brian Williams, Duke’s
transportation demand coordinator.
“It’s all part of Duke’s effort to go carbon practicing an alternative commute
neutral.”
As of Jan. 1, figures show that Duke
students, faculty and staff own about
Bike
27,000 permits for parking at Duke, while
only 1,300 community members travel to
Duke using an alternative option like
biking, riding a bus or sharing a car ride.
377
With less than 5 percent of Duke’s
registered commuters using alternative
transportation, Williams is working to
educate campus commuters to change Zipcar
their behavior and not drive alone.
As an incentive, students, faculty
and staff who bike, carpool or join a
vanpool receive up to 24 free daily
889
parking passes, in addition to other perks
like an emergency ride home through
Triangle Transit. Vanpool/carpool/rideshare
“Even though free parking or reduced
permit rates are great ways to save money,
the real savings come in when you factor
in what you spend on fuel and lose in
322
time,” Williams said. “If you live more
than 15 minutes away from Duke, you’re
likely to pay $20 to $30 a week in fuel DATA/TTA public transit
and lose more than two hours spent
behind the wheel.”
— By Bryan Roth
Writer, Office of Communication Services
601
Less than 5 percent of Duke’s registered commuters use alternative
transportation. Learn more about alternative transportation at
parking.duke.edu.

Challenge yourself to share

the ride in transit campaign
im Fernandes knows about the importance of exercise “The Smart Commute

J and healthy living. That’s why he participated in last year’s

SmartCommute Challenge, an annual spring campaign
to encourage commuters to not drive alone to work or class.
challenge isn’t a big commitment –
it’s trying new ways to commute to
see which one works best for you,”
As part of the campaign last April, Fernandes pedaled said Brian Williams, Duke’s
12-miles between his home near Research Triangle Park to transportation demand coordinator.
his office on West Campus as often as his schedule allowed. “You’ll likely save money and get
“I like to challenge myself, and it sounded like fun,” said time back in your day.”
Fernandes, a physical therapist in Duke’s Department of Both those aspects – time and
Physical and Occupational Therapy. “Why not save a little money – were found to be growing
gas and help the environment too?” concerns for commuters recently
The SmartCommute Challenge, which runs April 1 to by the Texas Transportation
June 1, is coordinated by GoTriangle and Institute at Texas A&M University.
SmartCommute@rtp to help reduce traffic and A recent study shows that stop-
improve air quality. Participants can sign up for Riding a bus is just one way Duke and-go traffic cost the average
raffles for prizes like gift cards and join special events faculty and staff can participate in the Triangle driver 22 gallons of gas
annual SmartCommute Challenge.
each week through mid-May. Learn about alternative transportation
and 25 extra hours in traffic in
The aim is to get Triangle area residents to try an options at parking.duke.edu. 2008 and 2009.
alternative commute by riding a bus, carpooling, In addition to Fernandes,
vanpooling, teleworking, biking, walking or riding an Duke employee Molly Starback
electric scooter. Duke offers various incentives for participated in last year’s SmartCommute Challenge. Starback
community members who use alternative commutes to Duke by bus from Chapel Hill to her office on West Campus
transportation, including, among other perks, up to 24 free parking passes because it puts time back in her day.
and discount bus passes. For more information, visit parking.duke.edu. “I don’t really like driving that much, so I prefer to take the bus so I can
Along with Fernandes, slightly more than 10,000 Triangle residents read and don’t have to deal with traffic,” said Starback, director of the Office
participated in the SmartCommute Challenge last year, cutting 3.4 million of Postdoctoral Services. “Riding the bus gives me time to read for pleasure
pounds of carbon dioxide – the equivalent carbon emissions of 85 or get started on the day’s work before I get in the office.”
Americans for an entire year. — By Bryan Roth
Writer, Office of Communication Services

4
Join the SmartCommute Challenge at smartcommutechallenge.org
Are you saving enough? To help employees set goals, Duke’s five retirement vendors offer
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 individual retirement consultations at no charge.

As a bi-weekly paid employee, she is eligible for a pension through
the Employees’ Retirement Plan. But she knows she should save
additional money.
To start planning, Lee recently attended a Duke Credit Union seminar,
where she learned about the power of time: the sooner one begins saving,
KNOW YOUR RETIREMENT NEEDS
Stephen Harper, has been investing his savings since his great aunt
gave him 15 shares of stock in American Home Products when he turned 12.
“I learned to

“
read the
the more time money has to grow. investment pages
By saving $44 from each paycheck from age 31 until retirement in an
To really
before I could
account that earns 5 percent interest, an employee can create a nest egg of plan for legally drive,”
$100,000. Waiting until age 40 to start saving means an employee will retirement, you’ve said Harper, 68,
need to contribute approximately $78 from each paycheck to reach that business manager
same $100,000 goal.
got to know your
for the Center for
Lee isn’t contributing yet but wants to start saving $1,000 a year in lifestyle, what feeds Cognitive
Duke’s Savings for Retirement Plan 403(b) account to help ensure she has your soul. Then you Neuroscience.
sufficient retirement income to maintain her standard of living. “I know have to figure out the But now he
I need to get into the habit of saving more,” she said. spends as much
best way to afford it.” time thinking
STICK TO YOUR SAVINGS GOALS — Stephen Harper about future
On his first day as a Duke employee 11 years ago, Todd Blandford, Business manager, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience expenses as he
signed paperwork to contribute a portion of his paycheck to his Faculty does investing.
and Staff “To really plan for retirement, you’ve got to know your lifestyle, what

“
Retirement Plan feeds your soul,” he said. “Then you have to figure out the best way to
I was in my 403(b) account. afford it.”
“I was in my Lynn Ball, the benefits specialist, said getting a clear picture of
30s and had 30s and had one retirement costs is important for people within 10 to 15 years of
one child. I realized I child,” said retirement. “I advise people to take a good hard look at reality – no
needed to get my Blandford, 42, covering up the eyes like at a scary movie,” she said.
director of Harper isn’t in a hurry to retire, but he and his wife spend some
financial house in alumni and evenings discussing retirement costs such as health insurance and home
order.” development maintenance. They’ve also laid the groundwork for continuing activities
— Todd Blandford IT systems. “I they enjoy in retirement. “We have a lifetime National Park membership
Director, Alumni and realized I needed we expect to use a lot,” Harper said.
development IT systems to get my
financial house IT’S NEVER TOO LATE
in order.” Betty Jones dipped into her personal retirement savings during two
Now, with two children progressing through elementary and middle bouts of unemployment before she joined Duke eight years ago. Now she
school, Blandford faces a challenge of saving for college and retirement. is concerned
“I try to fund retirement first and college second, but I’m not putting as about having

“
much as I think I should toward college,” he said. enough money to
Lynn Ball, a benefits specialist and former keynote speaker at Duke’s maintain her
I wish I had
Financial Fitness Week, said Blandford’s dilemma is common. standard of living saved more
“One of the hardest things for the average working person to do is to when she retires. when I was younger…
consistently put themselves first,” she said. “But the reality is, reducing “When I
your contributions or dipping into your savings – even for your kid’s sake – went to a
I figure it is never too
will make it hard to meet your retirement goals.” retirement late to start saving
To help plan, Blandford scheduled a meeting with a Fidelity seminar last more.”
representative who works with Duke employees at no charge. “He assured spring, it was a — Betty Jones
me I was doing the right thing in making sure my wife and I are on track real eye-opener to Staff specialist, Alumni Affairs
for retirement before saving for college,” Blandford said. realize how far I
was from where I
EVALUATE ANNUALLY need to be when it comes to savings,” said Jones, 54, a staff specialist in
In 2009, Cassandra Taylor, the financial guidance counselor at the Alumni Affairs.
Duke Credit Union, grimaced after opening her quarterly investment Jones devised a plan for the next decade to position herself for a more
statements with comfortable retirement. She found a seasonal part-time job, increased her

“
columns of contribution to the Duke Savings for Retirement Plan 403(b) account and
negative If we get a vowed to meet regularly with a financial representative.
numbers. “I saw raise this “I wish I had saved more when I was younger,” she said. “But I’m
all those losses putting as much back as I can into retirement now. I figure it is never too
and wondered if year, the first thing I’ll late to start saving more.”
I should pull out do is check the payroll
— By Marsha A. Green
of the market,” calculator on the HR Senior Writer, Office of Communication Services
she said.
Taylor website and see if I
remained in the can afford to increase
market, and the my contribution to Retirement 101
experience taught
her about
5 percent or maybe higher.” • Examine your Personal Benefits Statement. Learn how much
— Cassandra Taylor retirement income you can expect from Duke’s retirement plans.
tolerance for risk.
“I can still be Financial guidance counselor, Duke Credit Union • Review your contributions. Review your retirement account
balances and make changes to your contribution rate.
fairly aggressive
in the market because I know I have plenty of years before retirement to • Set up a retirement consultation. Meet with one of Duke’s five
retirement vendors.
make up any losses,” said Taylor, 43.
Most financial advisors suggest investing more conservatively as • Attend a free seminar. Register for a retirement planning seminar
with the Duke Credit Union [dukefcu.org] or learn about investment
individuals get older. This requires regularly monitoring your mix of
options at a Duke Human Resources seminar.
investments to ensure it still reflects the amount of risk one is willing to
tolerate, said Sylvester Hackney, associate director of Benefits at Duke.
Visit hr.duke.edu/retirement for more information.
“People shouldn’t wait until there is a market crisis to evaluate their
plans,” Hackney said. “If they are afraid of the market, they might consider
changing their investment strategy to something less risky but not reduce
their savings rates. Saving something is always better than saving nothing.”
5
Visit hr.duke.edu/retirement for more information
 Recession spurs library
to reinvent itself
s the number of staff across
Savings in the
Stacks A Duke’s libraries shrank by 30
positions during the economic
downturn, Duke University Libraries
seized an opportunity to deliver new
$75,000 and more efficient services in an
Consolidated commercial increasingly digital age.
binding and changed Deborah Jakubs, university
workflow librarian and vice provost for library
affairs, said that vacancies created by
$23,000 Duke’s voluntary early retirement
incentive offered the “freedom to
Reduced public computing
reassess and combine positions or
since most students have
responsibilities into new positions”
laptops
to support the growing demand for
digital services and expanded
$40,000 partnerships.
Reduced staff and free “President Richard Brodhead once
public printing noted that the Libraries are charged not
only with preserving the legacy of the
past, but also for reaching as far as
$31,000 possible into the future to anticipate
Shifted more non-Librarian what will be needed,” Jakubs said.
recruiting functions to Duke “The spectrum of our responsibilities
HR is growing broader.”
From customer service to digital
$25,000 acquisitions, statistics illustrate the
transformation of Duke University
Jointly funding position with
Libraries during the past several years.
UNC Libraries
For example, walking up to the
Perkins reference desk for assistance has
given way to e-mail, instant messaging,
and text messaging. For the first time,
virtual requests for assistance
in Perkins last year (13,946)
exceeded the number of in-
person requests (12,921).
And the number of
questions received through
instant messaging has grown
from 299 when it was
introduced seven years ago
Duke University Libraries was among the first in the country to
to 8,400 last year.
circulate e-readers.
Acquisitions also reflect
the growing trend toward digital access. binding and staff time and resources to
Of about 80,000 journals purchased by catalogue them.
the library, fewer are now acquired in “By moving to shelf-ready books,
print. For instance, 79 percent of all we can shift staff from cataloging to
public policy journals received last year creating metadata for our growing
are electronic, compared to 8 percent digital collections,” Jakubs said.
four years ago. Despite the transformation, the
“Our goal is to make it easier for physical space of a library still plays an
people to access the information and important role at Duke, and services
data they need,” Jakubs said. “We’ve are expanding, Jakubs said.
created services that some may not “More students are coming to the
even be aware they can get. For library and staying longer,” she said.
example, through the Library Service “We are adapting services to provide
Center, we scan on demand and e-mail support for student and faculty
print journal articles so faculty and research, such as assistance with data
students don’t need to physically and GIS tools and resources. Our
come and find them.” primary resources and special
Duke University Libraries also collections continue to draw classes,
have more than 300,000 e-books students, and visiting scholars.”
available and have been ordering more
“shelf-ready” books, which go quickly — By Paul S. Grantham
Assistant vice president, Office of
to the stacks, reducing costs for Communication Services

Duke staffer finds way to

save $100,000 in power costs
hether they’re analyzing stock market “Our researchers need a combination

W volatility or exploring the human

genome, researchers across Duke turn
to John Pormann to help them access high-
of raw compute power and high memory
capacity to run increasingly large and
complex workloads,” Pormann said. “With
performance computing resources to crunch better processing performance, they can
massive datasets. tackle more complex problems or run more
Pormann, director of Duke’s Scalable analyses in less time than before.”
Computing Center, is using new energy- For instance, researchers can see greater
efficient hardware to expand Duke’s detail in engineering simulations, include
computing power, while controlling energy more data in bioinformatics calculations and
consumption and cutting costs. The changes study the interactions of more cells in each
could result in $100,000 in savings per year computational biology simulation, he said.
and avoid the need for expensive renovations They also can do more for less.
to Duke’s data center. “Researchers use grant money to
Pormann manages the Duke Shared fund purchases, and it’s our job to select
Cluster Resource (DSCR), which helps hardware that will deliver the greatest
researchers across a range of fields, from John Pormann, director of Duke’s Scalable Computing Center, is using new performance for their investment,”
chemistry, physics and engineering to energy-efficient hardware to save in power costs. Pormann said. “In some cases, each new
biology, sociology and economics. server enables researchers to do the work of
Growing demand has put increased pressure on the computing eight or more previous-generation servers. They are getting much greater
cluster, housed in a 1950s-era building on West Campus. performance for their money.”
“The building was definitely not designed to serve as a data center,” The next step is to automate the process of powering off unused servers.
Pormann said. “With more than 700 servers in operation, we were “An idle machine still uses more than 100 watts,” Pormann said. “Our
nearing the limits of power and cooling. We’d like to stay where we are, systems should be capable of powering machines down automatically so
but it’s imperative as we expand our computing power that we keep our someone doesn’t have to push buttons 24/7. The cluster runs at an average
power and cooling resources constant.” utilization of 70 percent, so powering off the unused machines could save
With state-of-the-art servers and processors, Pormann found a way another $20,000 per year.”
to expand the cluster by providing better processing performance and — By Cara Bonnett
larger memory capacity to save about $100,000 a year in power costs. Managing Editor, News & Information
Office of Information Technology

6
Sustainable uke
YO U R S O U R C E F O R G R E E N N E W S AT D U K E

Duke Campus Farm

grows relationships
Students, faculty and staff work together to maintain the Duke Campus Farm, which will grow a variety of produce to be sold to Duke’s food vendor, Bon Appetit. The
food will then be used in Duke eateries. Don’t Miss!
hat was once an empty acre of grass-covered earth both locations. Duke’s food vendor, Bon Appétit, will buy Become a

W has been dug, tilled, planted and now resembles

something else – farmland.
A former undergraduate class project has bloomed
all produce from the farm.
“If we can help create a way for people at Duke to
learn how to farm, there’s no greater reward than that,” said
sustainability leader
in your workplace
with "Leading for
into a sustainable learning opportunity for Duke students, Nate Peterson, director of operations for Bon Appétit. “Not Environmental
faculty and staff: the first Duke Campus Farm. The goal is only are we able to purchase local food from a Duke-owned Sustainability," a
to create a full-scale educational farming facility that grows farm, but then that food is being bought by Duke consumers
workshop offered
and sells produce that ends up on plates of students and and that money is going back into Duke. It doesn’t get
through Sustainable
employees at campus eateries without heavy use of more local than that.”
pesticides or fertilizers. Ben Riseling, web Duke.
“Our goal for this first operations manager for The free training
year is simply to use our Duke’s Office of News covers:
one acre as best we can to & Communications,
• Sustainability
grow local vegetables,” said participated in the first
Emily Sloss, a 2010 Duke farm work day in efforts at Duke
graduate who’s working November. Having grown • Personal changes
part-time as the farm’s up on farms in upstate to reduce
project manager. New York and Kentucky, environmental
“Everything we grow will Riseling didn’t hesitate to footprints at work
get into Duke dining halls volunteer after reading
as a fresh, local alternative about the work day in • Starting and leading
to what people are Sustainable Duke’s weekly a "green team"
otherwise eating.” newsletter. • Performing an
Student and employee Ben Riseling, left, a web operations manager at Duke, hauls dirt as part of the “I thought it was an environmental audit
volunteers return to the inaugural Duke Campus Farm work day. absolutely appropriate of a workplace
farm this month to plant definition of what Duke’s
new crops and harvest others, like kale, chard, radishes and sustainability commitment means,” Riseling said.
beets. In addition to growing and selling produce locally, “The fact that there’s a local place where students and The workshop is 1:30
the farm builds community around students, faculty and employees can grow their own food that will be served to 4:30 p.m. April 28.
staff. Any member of the Duke community can volunteer on campus is huge.”
with the farm. If the Duke Campus Farm meets certain goals – like
“As a student, I never interacted with employees logging at least 500 total work hours with volunteers – the For more information
outside of their jobs, so it’s great to be out there doing this farm could expand beyond one acre. Up to nine more or to register, visit
together,” Sloss said. acres are available at the farm site.
The idea for a campus farm arose from a class taught “Our hope is to see it grow into a great educational hr.duke.edu/
by Nicholas School of the Environment’s visiting assistant opportunity for students, faculty and staff,” Sloss said. “A sustainabletraining
professor Charlotte Clark. To fund the initial work on the year ago, this wasn’t considered a possibility and now we’re
farm, Sloss secured grants, including one through the planting vegetables into the ground.”
Office of the Executive Vice President. — By Bryan Roth
Once produce is harvested, it will go straight from the Writer, Office of
Duke Campus Farm to the East Campus Marketplace and Communication Services
West Campus Great Hall to be used in dishes served at
7
Learn more about the Duke Campus Farm and volunteering at
sites.google.com/site/dukecampusfarm
WORKING@ DUKE

HOW TO REACH US
Editor: Leanora Minai
dialogue@Duke
(919) 681-4533
leanora.minai@duke.edu “What are you doing to save for retirement?”
Assistant Vice President:
Paul S. Grantham
(919) 681-4534

“
paul.grantham@duke.edu
I have a Fidelity retirement fund through Duke, and I save toward that quite aggressively.
My wife and I also try to focus on cost savings for everyday things to pay off debt faster.
We clip coupons, and we save at stores when we go shopping so then we can put more money
Graphic Design & Layout:
into our savings or retirement accounts.”
Paul Figuerado
Bernard Smith
Assistant director of residence halls operations,
Photography: Bryan Roth and Residence Life and Housing Services

Got a
Marsha Green of the Office of 3 years at Duke
Communication Services and Duke
University Photography.

“ story
My husband just retired from a federal government job, but
Working@Duke is published monthly
his retirement plan is very different from what I have, so I’m
by Duke’s Office of Communication still trying to save. What I’ve been doing each year is add one more
Services. We invite your percent of my salary into my fund until I reach a maximum. I just

idea?
feedback and suggestions for want to save up enough to be able to pay my bills and enjoy myself.”
future story topics. Theresa Shouse
Business manager, Department of Sociology
Please write us at 30 years at Duke
working@duke.edu or Write
Working@Duke, Box 90496, working@duke.edu

“
705 Broad St., Durham, NC 27708 I’ve got a 403(b) set up that I contribute to through two
Call us at (919) 684-4345. different retirement companies. I put in 15 percent of
or Call
Send faxes to (919) 681-7926. my pay right now. I’ve also got money in CDs, money markets 681-4533
and an IRA. When I leave Duke, I want to be able to leave and
do what I want to do. I’m making sure of that.”
Charity Tuten
Benefits specialist, Human Resources
6 years at Duke
Join the Facebook fan
page for Working@Duke at
— By Bryan Roth facebook.com/workingatduke
Writer, Office of Communication Services

Upcoming Classes
PERQS
E M P LOY E E D I S CO U N TS
at the Piedmont
Wildlife Center
April 24 Learn about wildlife, survival
Primitive Cooking
May 8
at Piedmont Wildlife Center
Ways of the Herbs
May 22
L
” ook, it’s smoking!” exclaimed
Barbara Due as she pulled a
handmade bow drill back and forth
to twirl a wooden spindle and start a
Wild Edible Plant Walk
fire through friction. She leaned closer
to investigate.
May 28
“The spindle is smoking at the wrong
Language of the Birds end,” she told her husband, Steve, and
laughed. “I think we need to try again.”
Due, business manager for the Center
for Human Genetics, and her husband
learned the art of making fire without
For a schedule of Piedmont a match at a two-hour class offered
Wildlife Center classes, visit at the Piedmont Wildlife Center in
piedmontwildlifecenter. February. The not-for-profit organization,
situated between Durham and Chapel
wordpress.com
Hill, fosters healthy connections among
people, wildlife and nature through camps
and classes for children and adults.
Through PERQS, Duke’s employee
discount program, faculty and staff pay
$10 per adult class (normally $15) and
may bring additional guests for $5
View the full list of (normally $10). The wildlife center’s
Weekend Nature Program for adults
PERQS discounts at
offers two-hour classes on natural
hr.duke.edu/discounts history and outdoor survival skills
such as primitive cooking and
plant identification.
The Dues have used the PERQS
discount at the center nearly every
week during the fall and winter for
classes about animal tracking, edible
wild plants and wildflowers.
“Steve and I love to be out in nature,
and these classes have been really
helpful in getting us to see things that
we’ve never noticed before and
teaching us new skills,” Barbara said.
Although the Dues didn’t succeed in
starting a fire during the workshop,
they took their newly created bow drill
home and tried again the following
evening at home.
“We got the right end to smoke at
home, but since we didn’t have a tinder
bundle made we stopped there,” she
said. “We plan to collect materials for a
tinder bundle from the woods sometime
soon and do the whole thing for real.”
Over the past year, the Dues have
gotten to know fellow Duke employee
Ingrid Lalik, a web administrator for
Steve and Barbara Due learn the art of making
fire without a match.
the Duke Clinical Research Institute,
at the classes.
When Lalik discovered the PERQS
discount at Piedmont Wildlife Center
last fall, she was so excited she called
the center’s office and signed up for
every weekend class offered.
“I love being outdoors, and it is a real
confidence booster to learn basic life
skills that people don’t normally learn
in today’s environment,” Lalik said.
“Now, when I walk the track around
East Campus, I’ll see something like
a decimated pine cone and realize
I am looking at the leftovers of a
squirrel’s meal.”
— By Marsha A. Green
Senior Writer,
Office of Communication Services

For daily news and information, visit

D U K E T O D AY duke.edu/today