Nearly 13,000 Duke University staff, faculty, and students responded to the April 2021 Duke Campus Survey, which was first announced in President Price’s Juneteenth message in 2020. The survey included questions designed to develop an understanding of the current state of the campus climate and to identify areas of concern and priorities as we move forward in our racial equity work.
The survey will be repeated and refined over the coming years to track our progress as a community and refocus efforts where they are needed most. These regular surveys and the data they produce will help us track progress across Duke and hold administrators accountable for creating a more welcoming, supportive, and just environment now and into the future.
As President Price said in his message to the community, the results of the survey are telling, and some are deeply troubling. The findings show that different members of our community experience a very different Duke. More than half of Black, Hispanic, Asian, female, and LGBTQ+ members of the Duke community report having experienced microaggressions in the past year. Underrepresented members of the community are less satisfied relative to their white counterparts with opportunities for advancement.
To be clear, these findings point to a climate that is unacceptable, and we remain resolutely committed to changing the culture at Duke for the better.
Duke has organized a wide range of activities dedicated to addressing inequities in hiring, learning, career and professional advancement, access to opportunities and resources, community engagement, patient care and research. To accelerate this progress, partner efforts are underway in organizations like the Duke Racial Equity Advisory Council (REAC) and in units like the Offices for Faculty Advancement and Institutional Equity.
The dashboard below includes the items from the 2021 Survey that were determined to be related to the work of the REAC subcommittees. This page does not reflect the full scope of the survey questions and results. You can also learn more about the 2021 Survey and find answers to frequently asked questions.
12,751 Responses
34,466 invited to participate
Response Rates
40%
Faculty
53%
Staff
24%
Students
Diversity in Unit Leadership
Recommendations for advancing diversity in leadership will be led by the Racial Equity Advisory Council Infrastructure & Policies subcommittee.
Duke has committed to expanding diversity and inclusion at the unit leadership level as we seek to draw on diverse pools of talent.
How satisfied are you with the racial and ethnic diversity of unit/department/program leadership?
The charts below show the percentage of respondents representing different ethnic groups who said they were satisfied or very satisfied.
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Diversity in Faculty
Recommendations for advancing diversity in faculty will be led by the Racial Equity Advisory Council Infrastructure & Policies subcommittee.
Duke has committed to diversify its faculty to enrich our teaching, research, and engagement missions. We are investing in faculty hiring and development and in confronting discrimination and bias that undermine our values and goals.
How satisfied are you with the racial and ethnic diversity of the faculty?
The charts below show the percentage of respondents representing different ethnic groups who said they were satisfied or very satisfied.
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Commitment to Promoting Women
Recommendations to improve advancement opportunities for women will be led by the Racial Equity Advisory Council Infrastructure & Policies subcommittee.
Duke is committed to building a community that uplifts women faculty, students, and staff and all gender identity groups.
How satisfied are you with Duke’s commitment to promoting women?
The charts below show the percentage of respondents who said they were satisfied or very satisfied. “Male” and “Female” were used for the purposes of this survey—learn more in the Campus Survey FAQ.
Female
Male
Opportunities for Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Groups
The Racial Equity Advisory Council Campus Climate & Assessment subcommittee will use this data to identify gaps to inform education and training opportunities.
Duke is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all members of the Duke community.
I feel that the opportunities for underrepresented minorities are at least as good as those for members of majority groups.
The charts below show the percentage of respondents representing different ethnic groups who said they agree or strongly agree.
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Programs Focused on Diversity
The Racial Equity Advisory Council Education & Training subcommittee will examine how the institution engages in racial equity work through the academic curriculum and related instruction.
Duke is committed to advancing training and education for all and becoming a global educational and research leader in racial equity.
In the past year, how often have you attended programs focused on diversity?
The charts below show all respondents of the community who have attended an event.
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Seeking Out Education
The Racial Equity Advisory Council Education & Training subcommittee will examine how the institution engages in racial equity work through the academic curriculum and related instruction.
Duke is committed to providing information on microaggressions and discrimination and supporting faculty, staff, and students who seek to educate themselves on these issues.
In the past year, how often have you educated yourself about microaggressions and discrimination?
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Expression of Views
The Racial Equity Advisory Council Campus Climate & Assessment subcommittee will analyze this issue and work with the community to make sure people are comfortable expressing their views.
Duke is committed to fostering an environment that supports the ability to constructively express one’s point of view and helps enrich our debates around important topics, which is paramount in cultivating diverse ideas and perspectives to promote in search of the best outcomes.
I feel comfortable expressing my views without fear of negative consequences.
The charts below show the percentage of respondents representing different ethnic groups who said they agree or strongly agree.
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Criteria for Advancement
The Racial Equity Advisory Council Communication subcommittee will work to find ways to better convey criteria for advancement and related policies.
Duke is committed to defining and communicating the criteria used for advancement and promotion, which is essential to increasing transparency, clarity, and creating equitable outcomes in advancement.
I feel the criteria for advancement/promotion are clearly communicated.
The charts below show the percentage of respondents representing different ethnic groups who said they agree or strongly agree.
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Fair Compensation
Recommendations to improve equity in compensation will be led by the Racial Equity Advisory Council Infrastructure & Policies subcommittee.
Duke is committed to advancing salary equity across racial, ethnic, and gender backgrounds and identities.
I feel that I am underpaid for my work.
The charts below show the percentage of respondents representing different ethnic groups who said they agree or strongly agree.
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Experiencing Microaggressions
The Racial Equity Advisory Council Campus Climate & Assessment subcommittee will analyze data on microaggressions and work with the community to make progress on strategies to address the campus climate.
Duke strives to eliminate all forms of discrimination. Survey respondents reported experiencing microaggressions in the past year—particularly members of underrepresented populations.
In the past year, how often have you experienced microaggressions?
Female
Male
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Experiencing Discrimination
The Racial Equity Advisory Council Campus Climate & Assessment subcommittee will analyze data on discrimination and recommend appropriate actions to remediate the issue.
Duke strives to eliminate all forms of discrimination. Survey respondents reported experiencing overt discrimination in the past year—particularly members of underrepresented populations.
In the past year, how often have you experienced discrimination?
Female
Male
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Impacts on Productivity
The Racial Equity Advisory Council Infrastructure & Policies subcommittee will explore the impact of microaggressions and discrimination on productivity.
Discrimination has a negative impact on productivity and deprives individuals from using their full talent. Many community members indicated that their productivity suffered as a result of experiencing microaggressions or discrimination.
I feel that discrimination and/or microaggressions have impacted my productivity or interactions at work or study.
The charts below show the percentage of respondents representing different ethnic groups who said they agree or strongly agree.
Asian
Black
Hispanic
White
Efforts and Resources
In addition to collecting information on how people feel about the climate on campus, the survey also asked for feedback on whether various methods and resources are effective in creating a more inclusive campus community.
The tables below show the Duke community’s preferences for methods and resources to enhance the campus climate.
| Area of Effort | Overall | Faculty | Staff | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recruitment/ |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Accountability/ |
2 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| Retention/ |
3 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Programming/ |
4 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Required Training | 5 | 7 | 10 | 3 |
| Support differences of opinion | 6 | 3 | 9 | 4 |
| Give everyone a voice | 7 | 17 | 5 | 7 |
| Resource | Faculty | Staff | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opportunities for social interaction between other members of the department | 55% | 52% | 60% |
| Active learning opportunities | 45% | 54% | 51% |
| Workshops | 35% | 45% | 36% |
| Seminar series | 31% | 42% | 31% |
| Books/articles on the topic | 17% | 24% | 21% |
| Mediation | 18% | 18% | 23% |
Continuing Our Progress
The Duke Climate Survey on Diversity and Equity highlighted a number of concerns that will be explored and addressed through the work of the Racial Equity Advisory Council (REAC). Additionally, individual schools, units, and departments have developed and are beginning to implement their own racial equity plans in partnership with the university. President Price has indicated that racial equity will remain a core priority for the entire institution for many years to come and has committed his full support to advancing these efforts.
Reporting Concerns
All members of the Duke community should feel safe reporting their concerns about any type of harassment, discrimination and related misconduct. Duke’s Office of Institutional Equity has an online form to report these issues, anonymously if necessary, so we can work toward a safer and more equitable future at Duke.