Our Actions

We continue to recruit and support first-generation students and those from low-income backgrounds. 

We are continuing efforts to further diversify our campus, with renewed focus on recruiting students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.

Securing support for students is an evergreen priority for university fundraising. We want all Duke students have access to resources and support so that they can thrive as scholars and participate fully in the life of the university.

Update, June 2022: Financial aid and student resources will be a significant priority for the upcoming development campaign.

A new Low-Income First-Generation Engagement (LIFE) Steering Committee has been established to coordinate programmatic efforts to improve the university experience of these students.

Based on recommendations of the Hate and Bias Working Group, a dedicated Student Ombuds office was created to help undergraduate and graduate/professional students and will be expanded in the coming year as we return to campus.

Update, June 2022: During the summer of 2022, Duke will launch a combined Office of the Ombuds for faculty, staff, and students, including a dedicated ombudsperson for students.

The Office of Student Affairs and Office of Undergraduate Education have begun implementing revised recommendations of an undergraduate Hate and Bias Working Group to make that work more transparent, concrete, and responsive; graduate and professional students are undertaking similar work.

In 2021, we offered a new “Foundations of Equity” orientation program for incoming undergraduate students, which will be a part of first-year orientation in all future years.