President Price: Duke Moving Forward By Focusing on Priorities

In his annual address to the Academic Council, Duke President Vincent Price said the university remains focused on elevating its strengths and priorities

Duke Chapel from the air.
Photo courtesy of Duke University Marketing & Communications.

Even while tightening its belt to face the challenges of reduced federal funding, Duke continues to focus on its most important priorities – like empowering the people who comprise the university community, President Vincent Price told faculty members late last week.

In his annual address to the Academic Council, Price acknowledged hurdles like lagging public support for higher education, a precipitous decline in funding for research, and the fluid, ever-changing role AI is playing in education.

But he said he’s buoyed by Duke’s continuing and increasing emphasis on student aid; investments in faculty and resources for their work; a newly announced, $203 million investment in Durham and the Triangle; the university’s continuing work on climate issues, and many more initiatives.

And the ongoing capital campaign, MADE FOR THIS, to which more than 33,000 Duke alumni have thus far contributed a gift or pledge, is a positive sign as well, he noted.

“Empowering people, transforming teaching and learning, strengthening community, partnering with purpose and engaging our global network.” Price said. “Owing to extraordinary efforts across all five of these priorities, we are today well positioned to lead even—perhaps especially—in tumultuous times.”

Price shined light on an array of specific university initiatives and focus areas, a few of which include:

  • Duke’s continual commitment to making education accessible and affordable. The university now spends more than $200 million a year on undergraduate student financial aid, part of which funds a program for students from North and Carolina.
  • Support for faculty. The campaign has already raised more than $300 million for endowed chairs, and aims to raise $2.5 billion for faculty support, including chairs, discretionary funds, and research support. 
  • QuadEx. The new living/learning program is now fully implemented and plays a crucial rule in Duke’s ongoing work to create a community where people embrace difference, learn from disagreements, and embrace civil debate.
  • HomeGrown. The new initiative announced just last week is a $203 million investment in Durham and the broader Triangle over the next three years that will align Duke’s core business operations with the economic health of the region. That investment will come through hiring; purchasing from local businesses; construction projects and partnerships with community groups to increase housing and homeownership.
  • Climate Commitment. Duke has now expanded its waste reduction goals to include not only carbon but water, waste, food and transportation. And Duke University Health System is being incorporated into climate and sustainability goal planning for the first time, Price added.
  • Artificial intelligence. Duke needs to make sure students accustomed to instant access to unlimited information nevertheless learn and embrace deep scholarly immersion and reflection, he said, adding that the university needs to determine how to use AI and other tools to expand inquiry, rather than erode it.

Read President Price’s full remarks here.