Duke Parents Advisory Council Reflection

During Family Weekend, the Division of Student Affairs hosted its fall semester Duke Parents Advisory Council (DPAC) meeting. This group of dedicated and diverse parents gathers twice a year to provide Student Affairs leadership with feedback and counsel on a variety of topics. This semester's topic was Faith, Spirituality, and the Academy.

To learn more about the discussion and how participants found the topic connected to the parental role, read this blog post from Associate Dean of Students & Director for Parent and Family Programs Clay Adams.

Important Dates

November 21-25 • Thanksgiving Recess
December 7 • Last Day of Fall Classes
December 8-11 • Reading Period
December 12-17 • Final Exams
December 18 • Residence Halls Close
January 5 • Residence Halls Open
January 6-8 • Undergraduate Winter Forum*
January 8 • IFC Fraternity Recruitment Begins
January 10 • Spring Semester Begins
January 11 • Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment Begins

* For students already accepted into the Forum

Student Spotlight

Usamah Chaudhary and Sarah Jacobs, members of Duke Voices for Interfaith Action (VIA), sat down with Parent & Family Programs to discuss religion and spirituality on Duke's campus. To hear the full interview, listen to this brief podcast from Parent & Family Programs.

Staff Spotlights

This school year, Duke welcomed two new leaders of religious communities on campus.

Joyce Gordon joined the Duke community in July as the Director of Jewish Life. Read more about Joyce’s work and hopes for Duke here.

Joshua Salaam also joined us in July and serves as Duke’s Muslim Chaplain. Learn more about Joshua's background here.

Thank You for Attending Family Weekend!

If you have not already done so, please complete this survey about your experience at Family Weekend 2018. We thoroughly evaluate your feedback and make changes each year to improve the experience of our families. Your input is greatly appreciated!

Upcoming Events

Duke at Home in the World

Throughout November more than 80 global-themed events will take place across campus as part of the first Duke at Home in the World. This series of events will cover topics including the arts, science, literature, politics, and history. The schedule includes a discussion with Former Catalan President Artur Mas, a Duke Global Passport Drive, and a Global Opportunities Fair. Find more information and the full list of events by clicking the image below.

Veterans Day Celebrations

Veterans Day

Commemoration Ceremony

Duke University invites one and all to honor veterans and the military community with a commemoration ceremony. The ceremony will take place at 11:00am on Monday, November 12, outside of the Duke Chapel and will include the Joint Color Guard and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial Wall beside Duke Chapel. Read more on DukeToday.

Veterans Victory Lap 5K

The Duke MBA Armed Forces Association and the Office of Student Veterans are proud to present Duke University’s First Annual Veterans Victory Lap 5K! The race will be held on Sunday, November 11, at 1:30pm on East Campus. Registration is open to anyone and proceeds will benefit Bunker Labs-RDU.

Thanksgiving Break Airport Shuttles

For students flying home during Thanksgiving break, Parking & Transportation Services just announced the RDU airport shuttle schedule. Students are encouraged to confirm their shuttle early, as busses do fill. For times and more information, please visit the Parking & Transportation webpage.

In Case You Missed It

DukeEngage

October was DukeEngage month. Do you still have questions about DukeEngage? Do you think your student might be interested next year? While the international group programs deadline just passed, you can learn more and hear answers to the most common parent questions about DukeEngage in this video made in partnership with Parent & Family Programs.

Duke Recognizes the Tree of Life Tragedy

In the aftermath of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting on Saturday, October 27, voices from across Duke's campus spoke out to condemn hate. Some of those responses are below.

The university also lowered all U.S., state, and Duke flags on campus to half-staff through sunset on Wednesday, October 31, to pay respect for the lives lost.

President Price Responds

Duke President Vincent Price sent an email to all Duke faculty, students, and staff condemning the act of anti-Semitism on Sunday morning. Read President Price’s message on DukeToday.

Jewish Life at Duke Responds

Jewish Life at Duke invited the entire Duke community to join them in solidarity on Friday, November 2, for Shabbat. Shabbat was offered in partnership with Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity’s “Shabbat Across the Nation” initiative and the Jewish Student Union. The evening was marked by students from across campus coming together for prayer, support, and community following this great tragedy.

Students Respond

Many students gathered in community and supported each other individually in the wake of the shooting. Among the responses, a group of students met at the free expression bridge on East Campus to paint a mural of support and love for all marginalized identities. Read more in the Duke Chronicle here.