Duke

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This message is being sent to all Duke graduate, professional, and undergraduate students:

Dear students,

Last night, the North Carolina General Assembly voted to override Governor Cooper’s veto of a bill that will restrict abortions in the state to 12 weeks, with some limited exceptions. You can read the bill in full here. The bill will become state law effective July 1, 2023.

As the bill has moved through the legislature, we've heard from many students concerned about the impact of this outcome, and we know this new law will cause additional concern in the student community. Please know we share this concern. Reproductive health services are evidence-based, essential healthcare. Health disparity research also shows that more restrictive laws have a disproportionate impact on low-income pregnant people and on communities of color.

Duke healthcare providers, including Duke Student Health, will continue to provide high-quality care for all Duke students, including providing resources such as Plan B and any legally-permitted support for patients who need to make healthcare decisions with their health providers. The University will continue to offer extensive education, support, and resources related to reproductive healthcare.

As this new law is implemented, we expect to learn more about its impact on our student health policies, including the Duke Student Medical Insurance Plan (SMIP). The university will provide updated information to our Duke community as we know more, and we will continue to update students as best we can.

As a reminder, many of Duke’s resources remain available to students over the summer months to students in Durham and Beaufort as well as students who are away from campus.

Sincerely,

Mary Pat McMahon
Vice Provost & Vice President for Student Affairs

John Blackshear
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students

Shruti Desai, Ed.D.
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs for Student Engagement

John Vaughn, MD
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs & Student Health Director

CAPS: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers many services to Duke students, including telemental-health appointments. Any student can call 919-660-1000 to speak with someone, or for assistance with referrals in your local community.

DUKEREACH: DukeReach will help you identify support services from among the variety of resources across campus or in your local community. You can contact DukeReach at 919-681-2455 or by emailing dukereach@duke.edu.

IDENTITY AND CULTURAL CENTERS: The Student Affairs Identity and Cultural Centers also serve as important resources and places of connection and support for many of our students. The centers are offering programming and support throughout the year, including summer. Our ICCs include: Center for Multicultural Affairs, Center for Muslim Life, Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, Duke International Student Center, Jewish Life at Duke, Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture, and the Women’s Center.

BLUE DEVILS CARE: 24/7 telemental-health support to all students at no cost, through immediate and scheduled appointments. Visit BlueDevilsCare.duke.edu.

STUDENT HEALTH: Student Health is the primary source for a wide range of healthcare services for all Duke students. During COVID-19, Student Health remains open for essential services and offers virtual visits, and students may call (919) 681-9355, option 2, during business hours to speak to a triage nurse. For urgent matters after hours, students can always speak to a nurse by calling 919-966-3820.

SA ON-CALL TEAM: Student Affairs has a 24/7 on-call team to support urgent student matters. For urgent concerns after business hours, you may contact the Dean on-Call (cell: 984-287-0300), or if you are living in residential spaces, you may connect with the Residence Coordinator On-Call by contacting your Residential Assistant On-Call or directly through Duke Police (919-684-2444).