Duke

STUDENT AFFAIRS

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

Saturday, March 5, 2022

Dear students,

We write to update you about a number of steps being taken to address off-campus robberies affecting Duke students, including a recent incident that occured this week at Belmont Apartments. The University strives to work closely with our partners in Durham to do everything possible to support students living off-campus. When robberies do occur, Duke seeks to respond quickly with effective outreach for impacted individuals and to alert the student community around steps they can take to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

Over the course of the new year, our teams at Duke have worked with the City of Durham, Duke and Durham Police Departments, and local apartment complex management companies to make efforts in the following areas:

Transportation: Beginning in January, Duke bus service on the LaSalle Loop was extended on weeknights. After-hours Duke Van service was expanded with an additional driver, and leadership has worked collaboratively to review after hours pick-up and drop-off locations.
Safety and Security: Senior Duke leaders have worked directly with the owners of off-campus properties to confirm the additional security measures they have taken to protect community residents, including: updating and adding security cameras, installing security mirrors in the breezeways, and installing additional fencing around properties. Specifically, the Belmont Apartments is increasing the number of security guards from two to four every night, assigning an off-duty police officer to patrol the community during evening hours, and maintaining surrounding vegetation to increase visibility. Given the proximity to campus and the large numbers of students and employees who live in the LaSalle Street area, Duke Police will increase patrols in the area as well.
Staffing: Student Affairs is in the process of hiring a new staff person whose role will be focused on supporting off-campus students and engaging community partners, including landlords and community organizations. We aim to improve ongoing communication with off-campus students and expand our existing educational efforts. This role will advise Duke graduate schools and students in navigating the off-campus housing options and oversee an Off-Campus Student Advisory Committee. If any graduate or professional students are interested in serving on this committee, please email: offcampus@duke.edu.
Educational Resources: Student Affairs is collaborating with the graduate and professional schools and Duke University Police Department (DUPD) to offer new advisory resources for students moving to Durham or moving off-campus. A virtual housing orientation session will be offered to incoming Duke students during the summer to share information on the housing search and the transition to Duke and Durham.
Crime prevention: DUPD and Durham Police Department (DPD) hosted virtual sessions (in October, November, and February) to discuss the crime-related incidents happening around the local apartment complexes and safety resources with residents. The University will partner with Durham Police and apartment complex managers to provide educational personal safety sessions for residents.

We will continue to explore additional strategies to support off-campus students and are eager for input from student leaders and others in this effort. We encourage everyone to take advantage of the resources and information available below. If you or anyone you know have been impacted by an incident related to safety, please contact DukeReach to report your concern. We continue to value our partnership with the City of Durham and the residents of Durham and hope this collaborative approach will support our students and our community.

-Student Affairs

Resources for Students

EMERGENCY SERVICES: Duke maintains its own police department and supplemental security staff. They are on duty 24/7, 365 days a year. Officers are well-trained and resourced and have the same authority as law enforcement officers across the United States. Duke Police can be reached at 919-684- 2444 or by dialing 9-1-1 from a campus phone. For emergencies off-campus, contact the Durham Police Department directly by dialing 9-1-1.

The Duke LifeSafe Mobile App is a free application that connects users quickly to Duke Police in case of emergencies.

CRIME PREVENTION: Duke provides several Crime Prevention Education services available to all Duke community members including safety tips and presentations.

TRANSPORTATION: Duke provides a robust set of transportation offerings. Many of these are available both on campus and in surrounding areas. See parking.duke.edu/bus to learn more information about Duke Transit. Duke Vans, which provides free on-demand transportation for students, operates 6:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m., Monday through Saturday, when buses are not running.

Wellness Resources

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

DUWELL: DuWell engages students through a variety of wellness experiences across campus in an effort to manage stress and reduce anxiety while emphasizing self-care. “TWO-CLICK TO CONNECT” FORM: In just two clicks, you can select the category of person who will reach out to you within 24-48 hours, be it a trained Peer For You responder or a DukeReach staff member. These individuals are here to discuss whatever’s on your mind, help guide you through stressful times, and connect you to resources. Visit https://bit.ly/TwoClickSupport.

Additional Resources

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, International House, Jewish Life at Duke, Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture, and the Women’s Center. We also plan to partner with International House to provide specific guidance and information for students arriving to Durham from international locations.

RELIGIOUS LIFE AT DUKE: Religious Life at Duke offers a wide range of student supports, whether or not you are connected to a religious tradition at all. Visit their website to connect with leaders from any of Duke's diverse faith groups, all of whom are experienced in offering emotional and spiritual care, and a non-anxious presence with a humanistic listening ear, to college-age students.

STUDENT AFFAIRS 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).