A&S Development News
Duke Endowment gifts for new faculty, medical buildings
The Duke Endowment (TDE) gave $40 million to endow 12 full professorships (through matching gifts from other donors), 10 associate professorships, and 10 assistant professorships. Departments will take part in a competitive application process over a five-year period. [more] A $50 million TDE gift the largest ever received by Duke University Medical Center will help construct a medical-education facility and a cutting-edge pediatric inpatient facility. [ more ]
Pratt gift to develop courses on uncertainty
A $2.5 million anonymous gift, matched by $2.5 million from The Duke Endowment, will enable the engineering school to establish a new curriculum that encourages undergraduates to think critically about problems lacking obvious solutions. [more]
Karshes support international undergraduates
Trustee Bruce Karsh T'77 and his wife Martha created a $20 million endowment that includes $15 million for financial aid. [more]
Chair endowed to honor Reynolds Price
The Homeland Foundation gave $1.25 million toward a chair in creative writing honoring Reynolds Price. The gift will be matched by The Duke Endowment. [more]
Financial aid reform targets economic diversity
The Board of Trustees approved a new program that will offer financial aid packages designed to benefit current and new undergraduate students from low- and middle-income families. Beginning in fall 2008, families earning less than $40,000 a year will receive grants instead of loans; families earning less than $60,000 a year will pay no parental contribution. [more]
Fellowship to honor slain student
The Abhijit Mahato Memorial Fellowship will provide financial support to an international engineering graduate student, with preference given to a student from India, birthplace of the January 18 murder victim. One of Mahato's alleged killers is also accused of killing UNC-Chapel Hill student body president Eve Carson. [ more ]
Record-low acceptance rate for Class of 2012
3,342 high school students were accepted from among 20,337 regular-admission applicants. Another 472 early-decision students were accepted, for a total of 3,814 admits and an overall acceptance rate of 18.8 percent that is the lowest in Duke's history. [ more ] Dean of Undergraduate Education Steve Nowicki told The Chronicle that the numbers show that "Duke still hasn't hit a plateau of acceptance, we're still getting better and better." [ more ]
Trustees approve increases in tuition, financial aid
The board approved a 5 percent increase in undergraduate tuition and a 28 percent increase in funding from endowment for financial aid to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Provost Peter Lange said Duke has focused on lowering the cost for students from lower- and middle-income families. [ more ]
In other actions, the board:
Revised plan calls for Campus Drive development
The Board of Trustees also approved a master plan design focused on development along Campus Drive, integrating East and West Campuses. Work would begin in early 2009. [ more ]
Long-time financial aid director to retire
Jim Belvin, head of the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid for 32 years and a national leader in his field, will step down later this year.
During Belvin's tenture, the diversity of Duke's students grew significantly and the number of undergraduates receiving financial aid grew from about 25 percent to more than 40 percent of the student body. Belvin also manages graduate and professional student loans and oversees the university's student employment program. I got to be the conduit for Duke's generosity, which helped thousands of students access a Duke education, Belvin said. And that's very, very gratifying.
A committee chaired by Steve Nowicki, dean of undergraduate education, will conduct a national search for Belvin's successor. Belvin will act as a consultant until the end of 2008.
Sanford Institute names philanthropy center head
Edward Skloot was named first director of the Center for Strategic Philanthropy and Civil Society at the Sanford Institute of Public Policy..
The center's goals are to enhance the decision-making and impact of America's foundations, as well as to develop philanthropic and governmental strategies to remedy critical problems in areas such as global health, energy and the environment.
Giving to Duke Sets Second Consecutive Record
Duke University received $380,059,931 in philanthropic gifts between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007, eclipsing by approximately 11 percent the previous year’s record total of $341.9 million.
Financial Aid Initiative update
Duke’s Financial Aid Initiative, begun in December 2005, aims to raise $300 million in endowed financial aid by the end of 2008. As of April 5, more than $269.9 million had been contributed.
Duke's Endowment nears $6 billion
Duke Management Company reported a return of 25.6 percent on the university's investments in FY06-07, bringing the total endowment to $5.9 billion.