Robert Steel: The Tension Between Tradition and Tomorrow

Good afternoon. Thank you very much, President Brodhead, for that most kind introduction. I know I speak for all of those honored today when I say thank you to Duke University for our recognition, thank you to those of you in the audience for being here today, and thank you to Duke University for all that you have given to us over the years.

Founders' Day is surely an important time in the annual calendar of the university. Since 1901 we have valued this tradition, first called Benefactors' Day, then Duke University Day, and since 1948, Founders' Day. It was recorded in 1901 that Benefactors' Day was "to honor Washington Duke forever." Before I begin my remarks, let me suggest we all pause and think for just a minute about that original commitment to honor Washington Duke once again. As Robert Durden, our beloved university historian, has recounted, we know that in the late 1880s Washington Duke and his family first connected with Trinity College. In 1890 the move to Durham was made, becoming a University in 1924, and then setting the cornerstones for today's physical plant in the late 1920s. Surely it is appropriate that we again think today about the arc of this history and this generosity as we come together honoring the spirit of Washington Duke, recognize outstanding students, faculty and staff and also take the opportunity to remember those of our Duke family who left us since we last convened. I am optimistic Mr. Duke would be pleased with our convening today and the stewardship of his original investment.

This afternoon I would like to speak to you for a few minutes about a topic that has been on my mind over the last few years. I believe it has relevance and significance for a broad range of institutional situations, but for today I hope to explain to you why there is specific application to Duke University. The issue I propose for consideration is what I call in my mind, the tension that exists between tradition and tomorrow. This tension exists especially with regard to institutions with long histories and the potential for great futures. Allow me a moment to set the stage for this topic.

By tradition, I mean the values and the practices that we historically associate with institutions such as Duke University. Some of these traditions are well codified from many years ago and others have developed more recently and are a newer part of this over all body of tradition.

Now what do I mean by this offsetting tension of tomorrow? It has become increasingly clear in recent years a great history does not guarantee a special place in the future, but instead it is the combination of strong historic traditions, and a constant refreshing of those traditions coupled with the introduction of new elements, which forms the basis for the future foundation of great institutions.

Institutions that fail to adjust for the future may be less successful, and there are also examples where organizations have lost their way because of changing too quickly and losing their foundational values.

My goal today is to take this time with you to frame this discussion and provide some specific examples of those traditions from our past, which I believe will be important for our future, and also suggest what I believe are new elements that should be added so as to ensure an even brighter opportunity for our institution.

My goal is not to criticize, but to challenge as we look forward.

Two more points:

• Given the rapid rate of change of today's society, it is even more important we take the time to clearly decide what are the foundational blocks we wish to be our most important traditions. The rate of change in our world is clearly accelerating and in the years ahead the rate of change of the rate of change, I guess that is a second derivative if my calculus memory is correct, will only continue to accelerate.
• Additionally, I believe that the role of research universities has never been more important with regard to their overall position of authority and leadership in our society. The devaluation of many other historically strong institutions combined with their widely recognized preeminence gives research universities such as Duke an even more elevated position with which comes great responsibility.

So the situation to my mind is best summarized as follows:

• Our university is important and has the potential to be even more so.
• Our traditions are critical to what we are and what we can be, but some are more important than others and some assets of the past may actually be liabilities for the future.
• The future by definition is uncomfortable and unknown, but with great promise for Duke. It is also coming at us at a faster rate than ever before.

We should therefore actively review, consider, adjust, and in some cases, add to these ingredients of tradition. This is an active, but uncomfortable process, but one that warrants our attention.

So how do I think about this mix of traditions for the future? Let me offer some observations:

In some cases our long-standing traditions should be reconfirmed. We are doing the right thing, and we should continue to do it. Examples of this would include:

• Our commitment to the very best scholarship and teaching in all important areas.
• We should also similarly be committed to offering access to the best students without regard to their ability to pay. We should extend this need-blind lens to international applicants in the future.
• As our resources are limited and the privilege of the opportunity offered by Duke is extraordinary, we should be exceedingly demanding of both our faculty and our students.

In other areas we are on the right track, but we should do even better. ... in some cases, much better.

• We should be much more focused on measuring what we do than we have been historically. In his recent book, former Harvard president Derek Sok, confessed to the discomfort and difficulty of this commitment to measurement, but then concluded that this was an area where universities have not lived up to what one would expect from institutions with the word research in their names.
• Additionally, we should continue to even more actively collaborate with our neighboring institutions. While much has been done: Keohane professorships, collaborations in Latin American and Caribbean studies, Germanic studies, library resources and the Robertson scholars, we still must push hard on this opportunity. Having superior local institutions with which we can partner and collaborate is a competitive advantage for Duke.
• With regard to the globalization of the world around us, Duke has made much progress, but surely the connectedness of our planet will only increase and our commitment to preparing our students for this very different world must be steadfast. My own personal view is that the internationalization of curriculums, programs, faculty and students are more effective levers to globalization than additional physical facilities around the world.
• Technology has changed the world more than any of us would have imagined. The reality is that because of the more frequent refreshing of students than faculty, our teaching methods are not in line with the technological aptitude and standards of our students. An improvement in this area will require direct outside intervention given the realities of the different levels of comfort and skill. Assuming that we will make the right choices in a distributed way with the leadership of existing individual faculty is not realistic or responsible.
• Somewhat related to technology, is my view that we must run our institution with more transparency and openness than has been historically the case. Duke is large, significant and doing important work, and all of the members of the Duke community are even more interested in Duke today. All of these are good things. People will speculate with regard to our plans, our ambitions, and our motives, and the best antidote to potential misconceptions is more and accurate information. The decisions that have been made privately in the past must now move to a more public consideration. There are significant governance changes developing in society generally, and effectively executed stewardship of the future should be more open to stakeholders than in the past. Surely this will be uncomfortable and on occasion unpleasant, but overall worth that price.
• Lastly, let me refer to leadership. Here the challenge I make is that we target a new level of leadership that distinguishes us from our peer institutions. We are in a cohort of wonderful universities, but our goal surely should be to be outstanding among this group. By definition, outstanding means doing things that others are not. Duke Engage and our commitment to knowledge in service to society is an excellent exemplar of a new tradition that we should ensure is a critical part of Duke for the future. Congratulations to our leadership for initiating these programs. Now be bold in this area. Let me also give an example of where I would wish for us to take leadership: The issue of the price of higher education in the United States. The arithmetic of the current trajectory does not add up. Someone must take a stand, reorganize the business model and recognize that real change is required for us to fulfill our mission. This would be a terrific opportunity for Duke leadership.

Today I thank you for this wonderful recognition and also the opportunity to speak with you. I believe at Duke that we have all the ingredients for even greater success in the future. Since the first Benefactors' Day in 1901, incredible things have been accomplished at Duke, but for us to be similarly distinguished in the future, I have tried to describe a combination of traditions for the future including what we have historically done well, what we have done, but need to improve and what we haven't done and need to do.

Thank you very much.