Duke Federal Relations: The Duke Digest

The Duke Digest - March 11, 2011

In Today's Issue:

$80 Million Gift to Rebuild Historic Duke
Duke CFO Survey: Outlook Rosier, But Inflation a Worry
Duke Expert: Higher Gas Prices Incentive for Alternative Energy, Bad for Economy

$80 MILLION GIFT TO REBUILD HISTORIC DUKE
An $80 million gift from The Duke Endowment of Charlotte, N.C., will transform Duke University's student union and renovate two other landmark facilities that benefit the Duke and Durham communities, Endowment chairman Neil Williams announced Monday.

The grant from The Duke Endowment is the largest single philanthropic gift in the university's history and in the Endowment's 87 years.

Read More:
$80 Million Gift from Duke Endowment Will Remake Duke's Student Union, Other Landmark Facilities (DukeNews)

DUKE CFO SURVEY: OUTLOOK ROSIER, BUT INFLATION A WORRY
Chief financial officers in the U.S. have a more optimistic outlook about the economy, with robust growth expected in earnings and capital spending. Overall employment is expected to grow slowly, though some job categories are in strong demand. However, an uptick in inflation would pose notable risks for many firms.

These are some of the findings of the most recent Duke University/CFO Magazine Global Business Outlook Survey. The quarterly survey, which concluded March 3, asked 854 CFOs from a broad range of global public and private companies about their expectations for the economy.

Read More:
CFO Survey: Outlook Rosier, But Inflation a Worry (Fuqua.duke.edu)

OPINION: HIGHER GAS PRICES INCENTIVE FOR ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, BAD FOR ECONOMY
Thomas J. Nechyba, professor of Economics and Public Policy, says:

"In a long-run sense, higher gas prices would be good in that it would provide the incentives for innovation to alternative energy sources. In fact, most economists would favor substantial taxes on gasoline and oil-based fuel in general that would unleash market-based innovation that addresses the long-term environmental and energy challenges the country faces.

"In the short run, however, higher gasoline prices disproportionately impact the most vulnerable families and put in place obstacles to the fledgling economic recovery."