Tallman Trask

Tallman Trask III
EducationOccidental College (BA)

Tallman Trask III is an American former university administrator who served as the executive vice president at Duke University from 1995 to 2020.[1][2][3]

Career

Trask previously served as vice chancellor for academic administration at UCLA, and executive vice president of the University of Washington, where he was from 1987 to 1995.[4][5][6]

Duke University

Trask was appointed executive vice president in 1995.

On August 30, 2014, Trask was accused of hitting parking attendant Shelvia Underwood with his car, and calling her a “dumb, dumb stupid [n-word]".[7][8][9] The incident occurred prior to a before a Duke football game against Elon University.[10] Underwood subsequently filed a police report with the Duke University Police Department.[10]

The incident was among several listed by students as examples of Duke University's mistreatment of its workers, with a group of nine students occupying the Allen Building during a sit-in.[11][12][13] On April 4, 2016, Trask issued an apology to Underwood for hitting her, but denied the usage of the racial slur.[14][15]

In November 2018, Trask was appointed by Duke's president Vincent Price to be the university's point of contact regarding the planned Durham–Orange Light Rail Transit project.[16] Price, Trask, and Duke University Health System President and CEO A. Eugene Washington sent a joint letter to GoTriangle in February 2019, declining to sign a cooperative agreement for the light rail, and the project did not proceed.[17][18][19]

In October 2019, Trask announced his retirement.[20] In September 2025, Trask was awarded a 2025 University Medal for Distinguished Meritorious Service, Duke University's highest honor.[21]

References

  1. ↑ Arenson, Karen W. (2006-04-07). "Duke Grappling With Impact of Scandal on Its Reputation". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  2. ↑ "Duke Joins Harvard as Colleges Buy Back Credit-Crisis Debt". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 2023-12-26. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  3. ↑ Billman, Jeffrey C. (2019-12-17). "19 People of 2019: Tallman Trask III". The INDY. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  4. ↑ Staff, Duke Today (2019-10-17). "Duke Executive Vice President Tallman Trask III to Retire in 2020 | Duke Today". today.duke.edu. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  5. ↑ Plunkert, David. "Ruth Gerberding wasn't just William's wife—she was a key UW advocate and community builder". UW Magazine — University of Washington Magazine. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  6. ↑ Wick, Nancy. "Honoring the man who made the Physics-Astronomy Building a reality". UW News. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  7. ↑ Matthews, Natalie (2016-04-13). "Judge drops Duke University from parking attendant's lawsuit". WRAL.com. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  8. ↑ "Is Tallman Trask what Duke stands for?". The Duke Chronicle. 2025-09-24. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  9. ↑ Samuels, Alexandra. "Duke VP hits parking attendant with car, allegedly calls her the 'n' word". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  10. 1 2 Coad, Lily (2016-02-29). "Duke's Executive Vice President Tallman Trask hit parking attendant with car, accused of using racial slur". The Duke Chronicle. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  11. ↑ Jaschik, Scott. "Students Occupy Duke Administration Building". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  12. ↑ Lee, Laura (2016-04-08). "Duke University Students Continue Protest; Sit-In Enters Day Seven". WUNC News. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  13. ↑ Press, Associated (2016-04-04). "Duke University sit-in outside president's office enters fourth day". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  14. ↑ Jaschik, Scott. "An Apology as Duke Sit-In Continues". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  15. ↑ Staff, Duke Today (2016-04-04). "Statement from Duke's executive vice president Tallman Trask | Duke Today". today.duke.edu. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  16. ↑ Price, Vincent (November 20, 2018). "Letter from Duke University" (PDF). Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  17. ↑ Friend, Elizabeth. "Durham Leaders Look For Options As Duke Rejects Light Rail Plan". www.wunc.org. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Duke president explains light-rail decision. Feds say cost now up another $237M". heraldsun. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  19. ↑ ksc-andreas (2019-03-29). "Durham-Orange Light Rail project is dead". Carolina Journal. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  20. ↑ Tauss, Leigh (2019-10-18). "Tallman Trask III, Duke VP Who Helped Kill Light Rail and Allegedly Called Parking Attendant the N-Word, to Retire". The INDY. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
  21. ↑ Today, Courtesy of Duke (2025-09-05). "Duke to award its 'highest honor' to Tallman Trask, Anne Bass". The Duke Chronicle. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
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