Dr. Jean Spaulding, vice chancellor for health affairs, is set to resign today after election to the Board of the Duke Endowment.
"It came about when the Endowment asked Tuesday of this week if I would consider being a trustee," Spaulding said. "I, of course, said Oabsolutely.'"
Spaulding, whose experience at Duke dates to the 1960s, will participate in the trustees' February meeting.
"It was a difficult [decision] in that I have many long-term friendships going back to the 1960s at Duke," said Spaulding, who is stepping down from her position to avoid a potential conflict of interest.
As one of four vice chancellors under Dr. Ralph Snyderman, Spaulding, who has served in that capacity since 1998, was responsible for issues of women's health, health within the Duke-Durham community and for the underprivileged with less access to health care. Spaulding helped create Promising Practices, a program that serves residents of Durham County.
In a Wednesday letter to top Duke administrators, Snyderman announced Spaulding's departure.
"I think over the past four years, Jean has had a major impact on the Medical Center," Snyderman said. "The initiatives she helped foster and develop will continue to add benefit to the quality of life of people in Durham."
Snyderman said that in the interim, Promising Practices will continue and expand its operations with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gary Stiles overseeing the project. Snyderman said over the next few months his leadership team will assess how best to replace Spaulding.
"It is not our plan currently to refill this position," he said. "We need to be thinking about Promising Practices, but at the current time, we have not had enough time to think about this and I don't know that we will be replacing Jean."
Spaulding was the first black woman admitted to the School of Medicine in the 1960s. Since 1977, she has operated a private psychiatric practice in Durham which she hopes to expand. Before her position as vice chancellor, Spaulding served on the Duke Board of Trustees from 1993 to 1997.
In addition, Spaulding has a wealth of experience on both corporate and non-profit boards. Past activities have included service on the boards of the Durham County Hospital Corporation, the North Carolina Museum of History, the Durham Symphony and the North Carolina School of the Arts. She is also a member of the board of directors for Wachovia Bank of North Carolina.
Spaulding said those positions, in addition to her knowledge about higher education as a Duke Trustee and writing grants as a Medical Center administrator, will help her in her new role with the Duke Endowment.
The Duke Endowment--which is separate from the University--was founded by James B. Duke in 1924. The Endowment is one of the nation's largest private foundations. The Endowment, based in Charlotte, paid for the original construction of Duke's campus and has contributed over $700 million to the school since.
Dr. William Anlyan, Medical Center chancellor emeritus, as well as John Hope Franklin, professor emeritus of history, both serve on the 15-member board. Former University vice president Juanita Kreps, who served under President Jimmy Carter as secretary of commerce from 1977-79, also sits on the board.
David Roberson, director of communications for The Duke Endowment, said members potentially sit on the board for life. The board meets about 10 times per year and approves every grant.
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