INC NEWS - Duke shouldn't use neighborhood partnership asPRtool(Indy Weekly)

Thu Apr 20 11:21:56 EDT 2006

I also have to believe that each one of us, plays a part in having pride in 
what we do, whether it's being a neighborhood advocate,  a downtown 
promotor, a Duke relations officer or from the Durham Convention and 
Visitors Bureau.

But trying to second guess the motives for why a person has the job 
responsibilities, personal motivation or volunteer energy in activism for 
their cause counters the higher moral issue that we all respect the 
differences we bring to the table and trust (as Reyn suggests) that we're 
all doing it in good faith.

When Duke first initiated the neighborhood partnership back in the last 90's 
there was a mutual feeling of that trust and good faith.

Over the years as the Duke-Durham Campaign raised hundreds of thousands of 
dollars to support stronger communities around Duke it demonstrated that it 
was willing to put money where it's real heart is.   Duke has proven that it 
can take those physical dollars and leverage them with their administrative 
and collective partners in creating an even greater benefit to our 
neighborhoods sometimes to the point of 6x to 10x with 'in-kind' 
contributions.

That's not small change!

Seeing the many community programs and elementary school improvements that 
resulted in these actions demonstrates to me (and many others) that Duke 
should indeed feel proud of the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership.

Just because John Burness has the job responsibilities he has doesn't 
seperate him from the fact that he indeed does represent Duke,  and as such 
has every right to mention the Partnership as an example of what Duke does 
for it's community in a positive light when asked by a reporter to give an 
example.

Mike Shiflett

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Reyn Bowman" <Reyn at Durham-cvb.com>
To: "Tom Clark" <tomc at nc.rr.com>; "'Reyn Bowman'" <Reyn at Durham-cvb.com>; 
"'John Schelp'" <bwatu at yahoo.com>; <inc-list at DurhamINC.org>; 
<TownGown at yahoogroups.com>
Cc: "'Richard Brodhead'" <richard.brodhead at duke.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2006 8:51 PM
Subject: Re: INC NEWS - Duke shouldn't use neighborhood partnership 
asPRtool(Indy Weekly)

> Good points and as schelp hopefully knows I wasn't dismissing his point 
> entirely .  I just think with all our differences we need to trust we're 
> all in good faith.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Tom Clark" <tomc at nc.rr.com>
> To: "'Reyn Bowman'" <Reyn at Durham-cvb.com>; "'John Schelp'" 
> <bwatu at yahoo.com>; "inc-list at DurhamINC.org" <inc-list at DurhamINC.org>; 
> "TownGown at yahoogroups.com" <TownGown at yahoogroups.com>
> Cc: "'Richard Brodhead'" <richard.brodhead at duke.edu>
> Sent: 4/19/06 6:17 PM
> Subject: RE: INC NEWS - Duke shouldn't use neighborhood partnership as 
> PRtool(Indy Weekly)
>
> Reyn,
>
> "Logical" for whom?  Just because Duke puts those two jobs in Burness'
> portfolio, doesn't mean it's good for the community, or even good for 
> Duke.
>
> I take Schelp's point to be precisely that if you mix the jobs of 
> community
> affairs liason (trying to recruit and work with partners towards mutually
> beneficial ends) and public relations officer (communicator, aka 'spin
> doctor,' think 'Scott McClellan') you're asking for trouble, or at least
> ambiguous communications that reflect the two very different jobs--which 
> is
> exactly what we keep getting from Duke.
>
> It would have been fine for Burness to refer the reporter to people 
> involved
> with the Neighborhood Partnership for testimony as to Duke's record or
> intentions.  Nothing wrong with Duke saying 'talk to so-and-so, they'll 
> tell
> we do good.'  But unless I'm asked personally and specifically about a 
> given
> situation, if I'm a partner with Duke, I begin to feel like Duke is 
> working
> with me for the purpose of showing off their good intentions, rather than
> aggressively accomplishing the task we've agreed to do together.
>
>
> TC
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Reyn Bowman
> Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2006 4:48 PM
> To: John Schelp; inc-list at DurhamINC.org; TownGown at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: INC NEWS - Duke shouldn't use neighborhood partnership as
> PRtool(Indy Weekly)
>
> You may be correct John but what we don't know is what question the
> reporter posed to John and in what context.  I suspect he was asked
> something about Duke's relationship with the community and in that
> context it was appropriate to give an example.
>
> John's job is public and community affairs which transcends but includes
> public relations.  He's poured his heart and soul into the neighborhood
> projects and I believe his motives go to substance as well as good will.
> So they logical in his portfolio.
>
> Reyn Bowman
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org]
> On Behalf Of John Schelp
> Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2006 4:32 PM
> To: inc-list at DurhamINC.org
> Subject: INC NEWS - Duke shouldn't use neighborhood partnership as PR
> tool(Indy Weekly)
>
> Talkback: PR Tool
> Independent Weekly, 19 April 2006
>
> When negative press coverage of the Duke lacrosse
> story first hit the national stage, a Washington Post
> reporter got my number from a local reporter and
> called to ask about Duke's Neighborhood Partnership
> Initiative.
>
> When asked what prompted such a question in the
> context of the serious allegations in this story, the
> reporter said he had spoken with Duke Senior Vice
> President for Public Relations, John Burness, who
> lauded the partnership and provided the reporter with
> a link to its website.
>
> Duke University should not have used the neighborhood
> partnership as a PR tool in its damage control
> efforts.
>
> The fact that the partnership initiative functions as
> an extension of Duke's PR department raises questions
> about whether or not it is a genuine partnership. The
> events of recent weeks have been painful and
> difficult, evoking strong emotions and exposing many
> tensions and divisions within and between the Duke and
> Durham communities.
>
> Genuine partners engage in dialogue and express their
> feelings freely. So long as Duke continues to
> understand and use partnership neighborhoods as
> extensions of its PR office, true and full partnership
> isn't possible.
>
> And that, it seems, is both the point and the problem
> with having the Neighborhood Partnership Initiative
> located in Duke's PR office.
>
> John Schelp
> Durham
>
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