The Board of Trustees will consider the future of higher education—and Duke’s role within it—during a retreat-style meeting this weekend.
After a Board meeting concluding mid-afternoon Friday, the Trustees will begin a retreat portion where they will hear presentations from higher education experts and discuss the changing aspects and trends of higher education. The Board, members of the administration and guest speakers will contemplate a number of developing issues in education, such as the changing role of technology, sustainable business practices for universities and the scheme of global education in the next 10 to 20 years.
Board Chair Richard Wagoner, Trinity ’75, noted questions about the quality of education and state of university funding sources—strained due to pressure on state and federal governments—as two relevant areas of discussion in higher education.
“It seems like a time when a number of forces affecting the direction of higher ed are playing out,” Wagoner said. “There is a lot more conversation around the effectiveness of education and making sure students are getting a good return on their investment for college.”
President Richard Brodhead called the Board’s retreat, which will conclude midday Saturday, an intellectual exercise for the Trustees, noting that the Trustees have been assigned advanced reading to prepare for the discussions.
“[Duke’s] day-to-day is in good shape,” Brodhead said. “But it’s important we know what we’re going to do in the [future].”
Every few years, the Board converts part of its February meeting into a retreat in order to reflect on bigger-picture trends in the context of the University or higher education, said Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations. As the fiduciaries of the University, it is important that the Trustees gain an understanding of the forces shaping higher education.
Wagoner also noted the benefits of a meeting with a broader scope, when the Board can deviate from its usual shorter term focuses.
“It’s a good chance for us to make sure we’re educated and up to date on this,” Wagoner said. “[The Board wants to] step back and say, ‘What does this mean for the University going forward?’”
The Board will hear two presentations from guest speakers about the changing face of education and the potential challenges for Duke, Wagoner said. Wayne Clough, former president of the Georgia Institute of Technology and current secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, will deliver a presentation on the evolution of universities and the state of education. Clough began his teaching career at Duke as an associate professor of civil engineering.
The second speaker is business strategy and innovation expert Clayton Christensen, Kim B. Clark professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School. Christensen has studied education extensively and recently published a book on the disruptions in education. Wagoner said the Board thought Christensen would put forth an interesting and provocative view on how the future of education may change.
The retreat will also feature panels of professors working in pedagogy at Duke, who will address questions about the growing role of technology in education, Wagoner said. There will also be a number of breakout sessions where Trustees will discuss the business model of universities with the help of experts within the administration.
“We’re going to hit a lot of interesting topics and... get down the learning curve,” Wagoner said. “Hopefully, we’re able to help the administration and think about how all this stuff looks out—not just in three to five years but also how it might impact the future 10 to 20 years.”
During its session Friday, the Board is expected to approve the tuition rate for the 2012-2013 academic year, Schoenfeld said. Tuition saw a 4.3 percent increase last year, when it was approved at $40,665 for the 2011-2012 year. The total cost of attendance at Duke—$53,905 this year—typically increases by 3 to 5 percent each year.
In other action items, the Board will vote to authorize the construction of the Environmental Hall, a 70,000 sq.-ft. addition to the Levine Science Research Center, Executive Vice President Tallman Trask said. The five-story facility will unite the faculty, administration and some classrooms of the Nicholas School of the Environment, as it will be connected to the Nicholas School’s current location in the “A” wing of the LSRC.
The Environmental Hall will cost roughly $35 million funded by central administrative funds. The exact cost of the construction will be determined after the University selects a contractor for the project in the Spring, Trask added.
Nicholas School Dean Bill Chameides declined to comment on the Environment Hall construction until after the Board’s vote.
The Board will also vote on additions to Duke’s water reclamation project and the completed chilled water plant, Trask said. The proposal will place two new chillers inside the plant in order to provide capacity in output to the new medical buildings, including the Duke Cancer Center and other upcoming facilities. The chilled water plant is funded by utility charges to units in facilities that use chilled water, he added.
There will also be a series of routine updates delivered to the Board, Schoenfeld said, including presentations on Duke Kunshan University and the Cancer Center—which opens to patients Monday. The architect selected to conduct the West Union Building renovations will also be presented for approval to the Board.
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