NewsBriefs

Duke, IUOE Local 465 reach contract agreement

The University negotiated a last-minute deal with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 465 Monday. The IUOE extended its contract three years and received a pay raise of 2.75 percent the first year and 3 percent each of the next two years. Local 465 has roughly 120 members who work in the skilled trades at Duke. The negotiations had been ongoing for three weeks, but came to a resolution at 11:58 p.m. Monday, two minutes before the previous contract was scheduled to expire.

DSchool of Medicine grabs fifth-most funding from NIH

The School of Medicine scored a fifth-place finish in the Nation Institutes of Health's annual rankings of money given to medical schools in fiscal year 2003. The school saw its grant money increase more than 20 percent over last year, the highest leap among the nation's 20 top-ranked institutions. The department of medicine led the school, garnering more than $100 million of NIH money out of a $305.4 million Duke total. This finish marks the highest ranking Duke has earned since 1973.

DDuke Police to eliminate abandoned bicycles

In an effort to cut down on errant bicycles on campus, the Duke University Police Department will tag bikes that appear abandoned. If an owner does not remove the bike or contact a Duke Police Property Technician within 14 days of tagging, the bike will be taken to Surplus and Salvage. If the bike is not claimed after 60 days, it will be sold or destroyed. Bikes with missing parts, substantial rust or rotted tires will be immediately sent to Surplus and Salvage for disposal.