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University Policies

Accreditation

Duke University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, doctorate, and professional degrees. Contact SACSCOC at sacscoc.org or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Duke University.

Clery Act

Information that the university is required to make available under the federal Clery Act is available by visiting the Records Division, Duke University Police Department, 502 Oregon Street, Durham, NC 27708, or by calling (919) 684-4602. See police.duke.edu/news-stats/clery for more details.

Duke’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Excellence, Diversity, and Inclusion: A statement by the faculty, Provost, and President

To achieve our mission and meet the needs of a rapidly changing world, Duke strives to create a climate of collaboration, creativity, and innovation within and across disciplines. Our success depends upon the robust exchange of ideas – an exchange that flourishes best when the rich diversity of human knowledge, perspectives, and experiences is heard. We nonetheless acknowledge that our policies and practices have often failed to ensure equality of participation within our community. Our renewed commitment and responsibility to one another is articulated in the following statement.

Duke University Community Commitment

Because diversity is essential to fulfilling the university’s mission, Duke is committed to building an inclusive and diverse university community. Every student, faculty, and staff member —whatever their race, gender, age, ethnicity, cultural heritage or nationality; religious or political beliefs; sexual orientation or gender identity; or socioeconomic, veteran or ability status—has the right to inclusion, respect, agency and voice in the Duke community. Further, all members of the University community have a responsibility to uphold these values and actively foster full participation in university life.

Duke Community Standard

Duke University is a community dedicated to scholarship, leadership, and service and to the principles of honesty, fairness, respect, and accountability. Citizens of this community commit to reflect upon and uphold these principles in all academic and nonacademic endeavors, and to protect and promote a culture of integrity. 

To uphold the Duke Community Standard:

  • I will not lie, cheat, or steal in my academic endeavors;

  • I will conduct myself honorably in all my endeavors; and

  • I will act if the Standard is compromised.

Students' Obligation to Act with Respect to the Duke Community Standard

The Duke Community Standard (DCS) stresses the commitment that students share with all members of the community to enhance the climate for honesty, fairness, respect, and accountability at Duke University. Students affirm their commitment to foster this climate by signing a pledge that includes taking constructive action if they witness or know about behavior they perceive to be inconsistent with the DCS, which may include violation of university policies. Although there are no disciplinary sanctions associated with the failure to act, students are nonetheless expected to take action to do something as a responsibility of membership in the Duke community.

The university recognizes that it is not always easy to act in these situations, but several alternatives are available to suit a student's level of comfort and confidence. These alternatives are not mutually exclusive.

  • Speaking directly with the individual exhibiting the behavior, both to gain clarity about the situation and to inform the individual about the concern.

  • Publicly calling attention to the behavior as it is occurring.

  • For incidents involving social behaviors, alerting residence hall, Student Affairs, or other university staff. The information provided will give staff an opportunity to address the matter informally or through appropriate formal channels.

  • For cases involving academic integrity, alerting the instructor that cheating may be occurring in the course. This alert can be in any form, including anonymous notification, and the reporting student will not be identified. The information provided will allow the faculty member to consider corrective measures, in consultation with the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, and to address the topic with the class or suspected student(s).

  • Directly alerting staff in the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards at (919) 684-6938 or conduct@duke.edu, who will confer with the faculty member involved, if an academic issue, or with the reporting student(s), strategizing next steps. Maintaining the confidentiality of the source is possible, but may limit the extent of action that can be taken.

For current regulations, refer to the The Duke Community Standard in Practice: A Guide for Students.

Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99, is a federal law that guides the release of students’ education records, of which disciplinary records are a part.

Duke University adheres to a policy of compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The policy (1) permits students to inspect their education records, (2) limits disclosure to others of personally identifiable information from education records without students' prior written consent, and (3) provides students the opportunity to seek correction of their education records where appropriate.

For additional information about FERPA, see ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html. For Duke's full FERPA policy, visit registrar.duke.edu/student-resources/family-educational-rights-and-privacy-act-ferpa.

Nondiscrimination Statement

Duke is committed to encouraging and sustaining a learning and work community that is free from prohibited discrimination and harassment. The institution prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status, in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid, employment, or any other institution program or activity. It admits qualified students to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students.

Sexual harassment and sexual misconduct are forms of sex discrimination and prohibited by the institution. Duke has designated the Vice President for Institutional Equity and Chief Diversity Officer as the individual responsible for the coordination and administration of its nondiscrimination and harassment policies. The Office for Institutional Equity is located in Smith Warehouse, 114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Bay 8, Durham, North Carolina 27708. Phone: (919) 684-8222.

Questions or comments about harassment or discrimination can be directed to one of the following administrators in the Office for Institutional Equity.

Discrimination in employment or educational programs and activities:

Cynthia Clinton, AVP Harassment and Discrimination Prevention and Compliance
Title IX Coordinator
Office for Institutional Equity
114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Bay 8
Durham, NC 27708
(919) 684-8222

Sex discrimination in educational programs or activities:

Adrienne Allison, Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Students, Equal Opportunity Compliance Investigator
Office for Institutional Equity
114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Bay 8
Durham, NC 27708
(919) 684-8222

Additional information, including the complete text of Duke’s Policy on Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment and Related Misconduct and appropriate complaint procedures, may be found here. For further information visit the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, or call 1-800-421-3481.

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