Student Life

Duke offers two residential apartment facilities in which graduate and professional students live. These facilities are within short walking distance of university bus service. All apartments are air-conditioned, fully furnished and utilities (heating/cooling, electricity, water, internet) are included. Each complex has a swimming pool for residents' use, and the Central Campus Apartments also feature basketball and tennis courts. Licenses to occupy space in these facilities are issued for the academic year. The rental rates vary depending upon the apartment type assigned. Please contact Residence Life and Housing Services at housing@studentaffairs.duke.edu.

Requests for Duke University housing may be submitted after you have been admitted and have returned the official acceptance form. Students may apply online at http://rlhs.studentaffairs.duke.edu. Space is limited, and all students who intend to request housing are encouraged to apply early. In recognition of the special needs of newly accepted international students, priority for assignment to graduate and professional student housing will be awarded to those students arriving from abroad on student visa status.

Duke Community Housing is an off-campus rental housing resource for graduate students. Staff members are available to answer questions concerning housing needs and maintain a database of rental properties, accessible via the Internet at http://www.communityhousing.duke.edu. For more information, contact Duke Community Housing at (919) 684-6711 or e-mail: communityhousing@duke.edu.

Graduate students are welcome to dine on campus at any Duke Dining Services facility. Dining Services provides cafeterias, ethnic and fast food restaurants, delis, snack bars, bagel shops, authentic Kosher food, and a juice bar at the Wilson Recreational Facility on West Campus. The unique campus restaurants and cafés offer options sure to satisfy your taste preferences. A complete and up to date list of dining options offered by Duke Dining Services is available online, http://auxweb.duke.edu/Dining/locations.html.

On West Campus, dine at The Great Hall (West Union Building), a food court offering a great deal of variety in one location. The Loop Pizza Grill (West Union Building) offers gourmet salads, California- and Chicago-style pizza, and burgers. Subway serves submarine sandwiches and Ed'y ice cream. Pauly Dogs (located on the plaza outside The Loop) offers hot dogs, soft drinks, and assorted snacks. Chick-fil-A (West Union Building) offers the traditional menu served at Chick-fil-A restaurants, in addition to burritos made by The Cosmic Cantina. Alpine Bagels & Brews (West Union Building) and The Alpine Atrium, (Bryan Center) offer bagels, assorted coffees, fresh-squeezed orange juice, smoothies and salads/desserts. The Armadillo Grill (Bryan Center) offers a wide variety of Tex-Mex options. Our 24-hour McDonald's (Bryan Center) features a full menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We also have operations in the Law School (the Café at Duke Law) that offer sandwiches, hot and cold beverages, grab-and-go entrees, pastries and bagels. In the Sanford Institute for Public Policy the Sanford Deli offers a typical deli-style menu. Tommy's and The Bella Union (McClendon Tower in Keohane Quad): Tommy's, Duke's own Q-Shack, serves BBQ, ribs, and other southern favorites. The Bella Union serves coffee, assorted hot and cold beverages, pastries and ice cream. Quenchers Juice Bar (Wilson Center) offers refreshing smoothies, energy drinks, and fresh fruit to complement your healthy lifestyle. The Perk (Perkins Library) is a traditional coffee bar offering a wide variety of coffees, sandwiches and pastries. The Terrace Café (Duke Gardens) serves hot and cold beverages, sandwiches, salads, and gourmet desserts.

On East Campus, visit The Marketplace (East Union Building), and select from a wide variety of choices including pasta, pizza, deli, rotisserie, grill and salad bar stations. Trinity Café (East Union Building) has a diverse selection of quality coffees, pastries, salads and snacks.

On North Campus (Trent), Grace's Café offers a variety of American and authentic Chinese cuisine.

On Research Drive, Blue Express (Levine Science Research Center) offers hot and cold sandwiches and entrees, snacks, desserts and drinks. Twinnie's (Ciemas-Pratt), our Irish Pub, offers gourmet salads, sandwiches, and beer on tap.

Food purchases may be made in one of three ways: cash, a dining account (food points), or a flexible spending account. The dining and flexible spending accounts are the preferred tender methods, as they allow students to make purchases on campus by accessing a prepaid account carried on the student identification card, or DukeCard. Information about DukeCard accounts is available from the DukeCard Office, (919) 684-5800, and online, http://dukecard.duke.edu.

Further information about campus dining facilities and dining plan options is available from Duke Dining Services, 029 West Union Building, Box 90898, Durham, NC 27708-0898, (919) 660-3900. Stay up to date with the latest in Dining news by visiting our Web site, http://dining.duke.edu/. We look forward to serving your dining needs soon!

Student Disability Access Office. Duke University is prepared to make reasonable academic adjustments and accommodations to allow students with disabilities full participation in the same programs and activities available to students without disabilities. The Student Disability Access Office (SDAO) assists students who are enrolled in the Graduate School. In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a student must have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as, but not limited to, hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, performing manual tasks, walking, caring for oneself, and learning. Substantially limited refers to an impairment that prevents an individual from performing a major life activity or significantly restricts the condition, manner, or duration under which an average person can perform a major life activity.

Students requesting accommodations under the provisions of the ADA (e.g. academic, housing) must contact the Director of the Student Disability Access Office at (919) 668-1267 or (919) 668-1329 (TTY) to explore possible coverage. Receiving accommodations or special assistance in high school, at another college or university or from a testing agency does not necessarily qualify an individual for the same accommodations and/or assistance at Duke University.

The vice-president for Institutional Equity is the designated compliance officer for the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The compliance officer can be reached at (919) 684-2222.

Student Health Center. The Student Health Center (SHC) is the primary location for healthcare services including general medical care, nutrition counseling, laboratory, pharmacy, travel and immunization clinics, and allergy/immunotherapy clinic. Most services are covered by the Student Health Fee (see below). Radiology studies, prescription drugs, some laboratory tests, and all specialty services received at the SHC are not covered by the Fee. The SHC is located on Flowers Drive in the Duke Clinic complex (Duke South, sub-basement, Orange Zone). Medical services are provided by board-certified faculty physicians and by physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and resident physicians under faculty supervision. Students are seen by appointment, (919) 681-WELL, M,T,Th,F from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and W from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Limited walk-in services are also available on a daily basis. An Acute Care Clinic is held on weekends. Nurse advice is available at all hours when the SHC is closed. See http://healthydevil.studentaffairs.duke.edu/ for more information.

Students are encouraged to use the Student Health Center as their portal of entry to other health resources, including the specialty clinics within the general community and Duke University Health System. This helps with coordination of care. In the event of an oblivious life-threatening emergency, students should go directly to the Emergency Department. If necessary, Duke Police (911 or (919) 684-2444) provides on-campus transportation to the Emergency Department.

Health Promotion. Health Promotion services are designed to to encourage students to identify the benefits of and need for healthy lifestyle choices, through promotion of comprehensive mind/body wellness. Topics include fitness assessment, nutrition, alcohol and other drug usage, eating and body image concerns, sexual activity and sexually transmitted diseases, stress management, and others. See the Healthy Devil Online at http://healthydevil.studentaffairs.duke.edu for more information.

Student Health Physical Therapy. The Student Health Physical Therapy Consultation Service is located in the Student Health Center. A physical therapist is available weekday afternoons when undergraduate classes are in session. Students are seen by appointment to assess exercise-related problems and to outline short-term treatment plans, aid recovery, and help prevent re-injury. For more comprehensive physical therapy, students are referred to local consultants.

Student Health Fee. All currently enrolled full-time students and part-time degree candidates are assessed a mandatory Student Health Fee each semester. This covers most services delivered within Student Health. Students not enrolled in the University for medical, judicial, or personal reasons are not eligible to pay the health fee or receive services normally covered by the Fee. The Health Fee may be waived under certain conditions. A waiver can be granted if the student resides more than 50 miles away from campus and does not come to campus for research or other academic activity for the entire semester. Students studying at the Duke Marine Lab are not eligible for waiver. Duke employees and spouses of employees who are also students may request wavier. An optional summer health fee for students not enrolled in summer sessions is also available.

Student Medical Insurance Plan (SMIP). Health insurance is essential to protect against the high cost of unexpected illnesses or injuries which require hospitalization, surgery, or the services of specialists outside of Student Health. Therefore, all full-time and part-time degree seeking candidates who are in programs that require payment of the health fee are required to have insurance. For those who do not have insurance, Duke University sponsors a plan (SMIP) designed with students needs in mind. The SMIP provides protection 24 hours per day during the 12-month term of the policy of each student insured and is specifically designed to complement the coverage provided by the Fee. Students are covered on and off campus, at home, while traveling between home and school, and during interim vacation periods. Coverage for the student's spouse and dependent children also may be purchased. The charge for the SMIP will appear on the tuition bill and may be waived only by providing proof of adequate insurance coverage. Certain restrictions apply, for more information, see http://healthydevil.studentaffairs.duke.edu. Enrollment in the Duke SMIP is mandatory for J1/F1 visa holders.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides a range of excellent counseling and psychiatric services to address the acute emotional and psychological difficulties of students. The professional staff is composed of psychologists, clinical social workers, and psychiatrists experienced in working with college students. They provide evaluation and brief counseling/ psychotherapy for a wide range of concerns, including college adjustment, self-esteem and identity, family relationships, academic performance, and intimacy and sexuality. While students' visits with counselors are usually by appointment, emergencies are addressed when they arise.

Each semester, CAPS offers counseling groups and personal growth workshops focusing on enhanced self-understanding and coping strategies. These have been offered for second generation Americans; African-American students; students completing dissertations, students with eating disorders; and gay, lesbian, and bisexual students. Other groups and workshops have addressed such topics as eating and body image concerns, emotional regulation, meditation, and perfectionism.

The staff is available to the university community for consultation regarding student development and mental health. CAPS' staff work with campus personnel, including administrators, faculty, student health staff, religious life staff, resident advisors, and student groups, in meeting mental health needs identified through such liaisons. Staff members are also available to lead workshops and discussion groups on topics of interest to students.

CAPS, consistent with professional ethics and the North Carolina law, maintains a policy of strict confidentiality concerning information about each student's contact with CAPS. If a student desires information to be released, written authorization must be provided. CAPS' services are covered by the student health fee. There are no additional costs for these services. For more information, see the Web site at: http://caps.studentaffairs.duke.edu, or call (919) 660-1000.

The Career Center. All Career Center services are available to Duke graduate students for the assessment and revision of career objectives and the search for experiential and employment opportunities to match their interests and expertise. Career-related information and advice are available whether they plan academic or other professional employment or do not yet have a firm plan for how they will use their Duke master's or PhD credential. Services for graduate students include one-on-one confidential counseling, workshops for practical skill development, and special events to connect with employers and alumni. Career Center counselors encourage new graduate students to begin early to plan a successful transition to the workplace and to develop skills for navigating its challenges. For details, see the graduate student section of the Career Center's Web site at: http://career.studentaffairs.duke.edu.

The Office of Graduate Student Affairs. The central mission of Graduate Student Affairs (GSA) is to enhance the quality of graduate student life by working closely with individual students, student organizations, faculty, and other campus offices. The aim is to provide a broad array of programs on issues related to graduate student life such as health, child care, safety, housing, mentoring, and professional development.

Graduate Student Affairs is committed to helping students become active participants in the Duke University community. This office has a particular role in establishing support services that address the specific needs of students from different ethnic backgrounds, international students, gay and lesbian students, students with disabilities, women, and other groups. At the same time, we recognize that each student is an individual, who, while maturing intellectually, is also developing personally and professionally. The office is located at 2111 Campus Drive, (919) 684-2056, Web site: http://www.gradschool.duke.edu/student_life/.

Cocurricular Activities. Graduate students at Duke University are welcome to use such university recreational facilities as swimming pools, tennis courts, the golf course, and gyms. They may also affiliate with the choral, dance, drama, music, and religious groups. They may become junior members of the American Association of University Professors and may affiliate with Phi Beta Kappa and social fraternities.

A full program of cultural, recreational, and religious activities is presented by the Duke University Campus Ministry, the Duke University Union, the Office of Student Activities, and recreational clubs. The Duke University Union sponsors a wide range of programs through its committees, which are open to all segments of the campus community. Included are touring Broadway shows; rock, jazz, and pop concerts; speakers; films; a film-making program; the largest fully student-run television station in the country; art exhibits in three galleries; and a broad program in crafts located in Southgate Dormitory and the Bryan University Center. The Aquatic Center, Central Campus pool, and East Campus Gymnasium pool are available to students, faculty, and staff families. The handball, racquetball, squash, and tennis facilities and the weight rooms on East and West Campus are also available. Interested students may participate in softball and other team sports.

The University Center complex includes the Bryan University Center, which houses the Information Center, two drama theaters, a film theater, lounges, stores, meeting rooms, games room, an art gallery, and other facilities; the West Union, which includes dining facilities; and Flowers Building, which includes student publications, Page Auditorium, and the university box office.

Inquiries should be directed to the Recreation Office, 105 Card Gymnasium; Duke Chapel; the Duke University Union, Bryan University Center; or the Office of Student Activities, Bryan University Center.

Full information regarding the scheduling of major events and programs for the entire year can be found on the Duke University online event calendar (http://calendar.duke.edu), and in the Duke Chronicle, published each Monday through Friday during the fall and spring and each Thursday during the first summer session.

The Center for Multicultural Affairs supports the campus in addressing the academic and socio-cultural needs of African, Asian, Latino, and Native American students, and conducts diversity education programs for the general student body. In addition, the Center offers the campus community a number of multimedia resources for programming and research purposes that cover a wide array of multicultural topics. Reservable space is available in the center for clubs and organizations to meet, as well as space where individual students can study and relax. The staff also provides technical support to individuals and organizations planning multicultural, racial, and ethnic specific events. The interests and cultural programming activities of student organizations are of major importance to the center. Dedicated to making diversity and community essential aspects of the Duke experience, the Center collaborates with other campus agencies to offer unique educational programs designed to explore the complex dynamics of creating an inclusive campus. For more information, visit the Web site: http://mcc.studentaffairs.duke.edu/.

The Community Service Center. The Community Service Center (CSC) is a clearinghouse for volunteer and community service activities available to students, faculty, and employees. Through the center, members of the Duke community can become involved with student service groups and Durham area agencies doing everything from tutoring and mentoring, caring for people with AIDS, and serving meals at local homeless shelters, to befriending senior citizens. The Community Service Center also sponsors speakers, special events, volunteer training sessions, and many other programs. In these ways, the CSC strives to raise awareness of contemporary social issues, support civic engagement, and strengthen partnerships between Duke University and Durham. Visit the center's Web site at csc.studentaffairs.duke.edu.

International House. International House serves as the center of co-curricular programs for internationals and U.S. Americans interested in other cultures and peoples. As part of the Division of Student Affairs, the mission of International House is: (1) to assist internationals and their families with orientation and acclimation; (2) to enhance cross-cultural interaction through programming and community outreach, and (3) to provide advocacy and support for the Duke international community. In 2006-2007, there were approximately 2,020 international students from 117 countries enrolled at Duke. Programs include an intensive orientation program at the beginning of the academic year; the International Friends Program that pairs internationals with local families to provide friendship and cross-cultural learning; Duke Language Partners that pairs internationals with U.S. Americans for weekly conversation and language exchange; Speakers' Panorama that arranges for internationals at Duke to present their countries to local organizations and schools; Cross-Cultural Training for groups interested in developing awareness and skills needed to manage cultural diversity at both interpersonal and organizational levels; and the International Association, a student-run group that sponsors culture nights, trips, sports, teams, and an annual campus-wide International Festival. In addition to student services and programs, International House also assists arriving international faculty and other visiting scholars with acclimation services. Orientations and assistance for scholars available Monday-Friday at 1:30 p.m. For more information, contact Carlisle Harvard, Director, (919) 684-3585, Box 90417, Durham, NC 27708; e-mail: ihouse@duke.edu; Web site: http://www.ihouse.studentaffairs.duke.edu/.

The Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Life. The mission of the Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Life (Center for LGBT Life) is to provide education, advocacy, support, mentoring, and space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, questioning, and straight-allied students, staff, and faculty at Duke, as well as alumni/ae and members of neighboring communities. Through its services, the Center for LGBT Life presents educational, cultural, and social opportunities for all students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae to challenge intolerance promote affirmation thus creating a more hospitable campus climate. Among its many purposes, the Center offers: (1) a safe space to discuss issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression; (2) a friendly and comfortable location for LGBT persons and allies to socialize and discuss issues affecting the community; (3) a place for groups of students both undergraduate and graduate to meet and organize; (4) a resource center and library; (5) a place to work for advocacy on matters that relate to the Duke campus; and (6) a broad array of educational programming aimed at diverse audiences in and around the university. For more information, visit: http://lgbt.studentaffairs.duke.edu.

The Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture. The African American undergraduate student presence at Duke University began in 1963 when the University desegregated the campus with the admission of five African Americans. Over the next twenty years, the growing Black student population at Duke continued to advocate for the addition of faculty, staff, programs, and services to both represent and address the many and complex issues that emerged as a result of rising visibility on the University campus. Artist in Residence Mary Lou Williams was a strong mentor and educator of students at Duke from 1977 until her death in 1981, and as a result, Duke University's Center for Black Culture has borne her name since its dedication in September 1983.

The Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture is critically concerned with issues of race and the impact of social difference at the individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels. Through lectures, performances, exhibits, and informal gatherings, the Mary Lou Williams Center strives to foster an appreciation for and increase knowledge of the peoples, histories, and cultures of the African Diaspora and its many contributions to the world. Located on the second floor of the West Union Building, the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture was relocated and newly renovated in 2003. It is a beautiful facility with oak paneled walls, grand windows, an exquisite baby grand piano, and an ever-expanding collection of photography and art on the walls that serves to visually represent Black culture at Duke University and beyond.

Among our services and resources is the lending library, which is a collection of more than 1,000 books, DVDs, audio resources, and other culturally relevant materials that may be borrowed by members of the Duke community. We also offer individual student counsel and advising to Black graduate, professional, and undergraduate organizations to assist with their leadership development and programming.

We welcome all who want to engage with and be empowered by a greater understanding of the Black experience, to view the Mary Lou Williams Center as their home away from home. To learn more, visit http://mlw.studentaffairs.duke.edu/.

The Women's Center. The Women's Center works to promote the full and active participation of women in higher education at Duke by providing advocacy, support services, referrals, and educational programming on gender-related issues. Women's Center programs and services address a wide variety of issues, including leadership, safety, harassment, health, campus climate concerns, personal and professional development, and the intersection of gender with race, class, and sexual orientation. The center seeks to assess and respond to the changing needs of the university community, to raise awareness of how gender issues affect both women and men on campus, and to serve as an advocate for individuals and groups experiencing gender-related problems, such as sexual harassment or gender discrimination. Duke's office of Sexual Assault Support Services is also housed in the Women's Center. The Women's Center is currently located in its temporary home on Central Campus at 306 Alexander Ave. We will move back to our permanent location in 126 Few Fed, across the traffic circle from the Allen Building, in January 2009. For more information call (919) 684-3897 or visit the Web site at: http://wc.studentaffairs.duke.edu.

Graduate and Professional Student Council. The Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC) is the representative body for students of Duke's seven graduate and professional schools. The Council selects graduate students for membership on university committees, oversees election of the graduate and professional Young Trustee, and coordinates social and community service events and activities throughout the year. Representatives of each department and officers of the Council are selected annually, but Council meetings and participation in most Council events are open to all students. The Council's electronic weekly publication, GPSCNews, is automatically distributed to all students. Visit the GPSC Web site at: http://gpsc.duke.edu/ to find more information on activities, connect with other graduate and professional students through the GPSC Forums, and learn more about other graduate student groups. E-mail GPSC (gpsc@duke.edu) to learn how you can be involved as a representative.

Religious Life. The Duke University Chapel, open from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m., provides a magnificent setting for daily prayer and meditation. In addition, a variety of worship experiences are provided throughout the week including the university service of worship at 11:00 A.M. each Sunday, noonday prayer each weekday during term, and choral vespers each Thursday at 5:15 P.M. The one hundred and fifty-voice Chapel Choir is open by audition to all interested singers. Duke Campus Ministry invites graduate students to participate in the various religious life groups. Contact the Office of Dean of the Chapel or the assistant dean of the Chapel, Duke Chapel, for further details. For more information on Duke Chapel and the variety of Religious Life opportunities on campus, please visit, http://www.chapel.duke.edu, or call (919) 684-2909.

Jewish Life at Duke is comprised of the Freeman Center for Jewish Life and the Rubenstein-Silvers Hillel. The Freeman Center provides a home for Jewish life on campus while the Rubenstein-Silvers Hillel provides exciting and innovative programming throughout the Duke community. The combination works to foster and enrich Jewish life through social, educational, religious, and cultural activities. A pluralistic approach to Judaism assures that all Jews, regardless of denomination, feel welcome in the building and at programs. Kosher dinners are served during the week at Henry's Place in the Heyman Dining Hall at the Freeman Center and are available at other times by special arrangement. For more information, contact Jewish Life at Duke, Box 90936, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708; telephone, 919-684-6422; e-mail, jewishlife@duke.edu; Web site, http://jewishlife.studentaffairs.duke.edu.

2008-09 Bulletin of the Duke University Graduate School

2008-09 Bulletin of the
Duke University Graduate School