Gates Foundation gift to fund sciences
Board of Trustees approves construction
The Board of Trustees gave final approval in May for the construction of the $97 million Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences. Trustees gave preliminary approval to three other projects, including an $80 million multidisciplinary sciences building, a $25 to 30 million addition to the Washington Duke Inn and a $12 million addition to the Sanford Institute of Public Policy. The program in bioinformatics and genome technology also received a green light, as did the new Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and the University's $1.221 billion budget for the 2003 fiscal year, a 4.4 percent increase over the current year's budget.
DUHS orders layoffs
The Duke University Health System announced the elimination of 300 positions in response to budgetary pressures caused by the elimination of government reimbursements and higher health care costs. The first 100 of the job cuts were announced in June.
Snyderman nets top pay
Dr. Ralph Snyderman, chancellor of health affairs and Duke University Health System president and CEO, was the highest paid University employee for the 2000-2001 fiscal year, according to Internal Revenue Service 990 tax forms released in May. Snyderman received more than $674,000 in his expense account and other allowances
Provost approves financial aid recommendations
Provost Peter Lange informed Duke Student Government officials in June that the University will heed the group's March report's recommendations to eliminate the car policy and establish a universal housing rate. The financial aid office currently deducts 35 percent of the car's value from a student's aid, unless the car is worth less than $3,000 or is older than five years.
Community Standard approved
The Arts and Sciences Council and the Engineering Council approved the new Community Standard -- intended to simplify and unify the University's honor code and Fundamental Standard
Undergraduate yield stalls, Graduate School's climbs
Although undergraduate application numbers set a record high this year and Duke's acceptance rate was the lowest in school history, matriculation yield remained a stagnant 43.4 percent for the Class of 2006. Just over 33 percent of those matriculating listed themselves as a member of a minority group when applying, about the same as last year. However, the Graduate School's incoming class of 630 students will be its largest and most selective ever. The school accepted a lower percentage of applicants this year than ever before, offering admittance to just under 20 percent of the pool.
Student Affairs administrators, RCs hired
Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta filled numerous spots in the newly re-structured Division of Student Affairs. Zoila Airall, director of institutional diversity at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, was named the new assistant vice president of campus life. Sheila Curran, currently at Brown University, will fill the year-long vacancy of the Career Center's directorship. Student Affairs also named the University's first residence coordinators
Administrators named
The Freeman Center for Jewish Life announced the hiring of Jonathan Gerstl, an experienced fundraiser, as its new executive director. Dr. Robert Cook-Deegan was selected as director of the Center for Genome Ethics, Law and Policy. Dr. Edward Halperin was named vice dean for education and academic affairs and vice dean for clinical affairs of the School of Medicine.
Student insurance rates increase
Blue Cross Blue Shield will continue to provide health insurance for students next year, although premiums will increase by 11 percent and reimbursement rates will decrease by 10 percent.
Police begin radar patrols
The Duke University Police Department instituted new patrols equipped with radar to catch speeders. Duke police began using radars to monitor speeding drivers across campus.Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
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