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Comments Sought for Regular Review of VP Tim Walsh

Professor Tom Nechyba to chair review committee

A university committee is seeking comments as part of a regular performance review of Vice President for Finance Tim Walsh. Reviews of senior administrators are typically conducted in the fourth year of a five-year term, and the results complied in a confidential report. This will be the first such review for Walsh, who has served in his current post since 2011.

Executive Vice President Tallman Trask asked Tom Nechyba, professor of economics and public policy, to chair the committee.  Other members are: James Anton (Fuqua School of Business), Kelly Brownell (Sanford School of Public Policy), Scott Greenwood (Duke University Alumni Association), Kate Hendricks (Office of University Counsel), Billy Newton (School of Medicine), John Noonan (Facilities), and Ann Pelham (Board of Trustees).

Walsh joined Duke in 2004 as assistant vice president and controller. In 2011, he was promoted to vice president for finance, where he oversees an array of accounting, reporting and financial functions, including the treasury, budgeting, procurement, real estate, stores and licensing, administrative systems, research costing and compliance, auxiliaries finance and controller's functions.

At Duke, Walsh has, among other things, co-chaired efforts to streamline core financial and administrative processes that support the university's international activities; chaired the Research Administration Continuous Improvement (RACI) initiative, which promotes the efficient and effective administration of Duke's $800 million research enterprise; and overseen the implementation of monthly reporting processes that provide greater transparency of the university's comprehensive financial performance to executive administrators and trustees.

An important part of the review process is the gathering of opinions from the university’s many constituencies.  Comments on performance and suggestions for the future are important to the committee’s work. Communication should include the nature of interactions with Walsh and his team so that the committee can best understand the context of the comments. 

The committee will discuss responses and a summary will be included in the written report to the executive vice president. The committee will hold all communication in strict confidence.

Comments should be submitted by May 1. Please send any communications to:

Tom Nechyba, ChairWalsh Review CommitteeBox 90030Durham, North Carolina 27708admin-review@duke.edu