Three-quarters of Duke community members, 95% of undergraduates have signed the Duke Compact

Two weeks after the Duke Compact was released, about 75% of Duke community members had signed the agreement, according to an Aug. 21 news release.  

As of Aug. 18, about 34,000 of the 45,000 community members who received the Compact had signed the agreement, which lays out expectations for students, faculty and staff, according to the release. Those 34,000 include 95% of undergraduates and 80% of graduate students.

Of the 34,000 or so who have signed the compact, 19,000 are faculty or staff. That includes 1,100 faculty who are teaching in-person classes during the fall semester.

In early August, Duke asked all students, faculty and staff taking classes or working to sign the Compact, which includes expectations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, including wearing masks on campus and participating in testing. 

Even those working or studying entirely remotely were expected to sign, according to an FAQ about the agreement. While signing is required to attend campus in all cases, refusing to sign and comply could also impact students’ enrollment status based on their academic plans, according to the FAQ.

Many of the 11,000 people who have not signed the agreement are rarely on campus, including some seasonal staff, according to the news release. The Compact doesn’t apply to the Duke Health System, although some faculty and staff—in the School of Nursing and the School of Medicine—are covered as University employees.