The University's new executive vice president has a tall order to fill when he takes office Aug. 15.
But Tallman Trask III, who has served as executive vice president at the University of Washington in Seattle since 1987, will bring financial expertise and years of experience as a leader of a research university.
Trask was named to the post by President Nan Keohane on May 8 and was approved by the Board of Trustees at its meeting last weekend.
Keohane said she was very pleased about the University's newest acquisition. "He will clearly bring a lot of strength to the administration," Keohane said. "He's had a lot of experience in every aspect of the job, from capital budgeting and strategic analysis" to years of experience with a major medical center at the University of Washington.
As the University's chief financial officer, Trask will be responsible for overseeing the University's $1.2 billion budget, as well as supervising such areas as auxiliary services, human resources, internal auditing, public safety and facilities planning. He will replace Dr. Charles Putman, who will move to the position of senior vice president for research administration and policy, a shift announced by Keohane in January.
"There are only a handful of institutions in the country that could tempt me to leave Seattle," Trask said in a prepared statement. "Duke has emerged as one of the nation's great universities and the prospect of working there is very exciting."
Law professor Jim Cox, chair of the search committee for the position, said that one reason Trask was selected was for his ability to deal with institutional change.
"We're in a changing year in higher education," Cox said. "We wanted individuals who had had experience in an organization that had gone through some change.... This is truly an excellent hire."
Putman, who first met Trask four years ago while visiting the University of Washington, also said he was very impressed with the University's choice.
"He certainly has all the attributes we've been looking for in this position, and I think he's going to do a great job for us," Putman said. "I think he'll be a fine addition to the Duke community."
Trask will face several challenges when he takes office: adhering to the priorities of the University's long-range plan, which was adopted in September of 1994, and keeping a close financial and administrative eye on facilities projects such as the new recreational facility.
While Trask doesn't have any defined goals for the position, he said he has a few priorities. "I don't have any set agenda, and I hope I won't for a while," he said. "I'm going to start out by talking to a lot of people. You'd be surprised how many people forget to do that."
One of the biggest changes Trask will face is the transition from a public university with an total enrollment of about 34,000, to a significantly smaller private university with an enrollment of just less than 11,000.
Trask said that he is looking forward to the change and does not expect it to be too difficult. He said it will be a "considerable relief" no longer to have to deal with the state legislature and other governmental interference. "Privates have a lot more freedom to take initiative than publics do. If they see a problem, they can fix it, which is not always possible in publics," he said.
William Gerberding, president of the University of Washington, had high praise for Trask, characterizing him as "the most talented administrator I have ever known." He said he did not think Trask would have trouble with the move to Duke.
"I think he will fit in perfectly," Gerberding said. "He is remarkably well-connected and well-aware of private and public education across the country. I think the transition will be very simple for him. You're lucky to get him."
Trask received his B.A. from Occidental College in 1969, his M.B.A. from Northwestern University in 1971, and his Ph.D. in education from UCLA in 1974. He will serve as an adjunct professor of the practice of education for the University's Program in Education.
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