How well are Duke’s campus resources and amenities known and used by the Class of 2025?

The Chronicle asked first-years about their knowledge and usage of Duke’s amenities and academic, health and wellness, mental health and identity and cultural groups/spaces. 

Academic resources

Survey respondents were asked to select which of Duke’s academic resources they were “aware of” and which they had “used,” with the ability to select multiple. 

The list included: the Career Center, group tutoring at the Academic Resource Center, the Thompson Writing Program writing studio, Ask a Librarian, Directors of Academic Engagement, pre-professional advising, drop-in tutoring at the ARC, the STEM Advancement through Group Engagement Program (SAGE), Subject Specialists at Duke Libraries, the Student Disability Access Office, GRE/MCAT prep and Study Connect at the ARC. 

While only 2.4% of students indicated that they had not heard of any of the listed academic resources, 46.3% of students noted that they had not used any of the resources. 

Academic resources that were used by the most first-years include the Directors of Academic Engagement (15.3%), the TWP writing studio (15%) and group tutoring at the ARC (12.9%). These three were also among the top five resources that first years were “most aware of.”

The other two resources students were most aware of—the Career Center and Ask a Librarian—were both used by less than 10% of first-years. Although 72.6% of students noted that they were aware of the Career Center, only 6.8% indicated using the resource. Similarly, though 54.5% of students were aware of Ask a Librarian, 7.4% of students indicated using the resource. No first-years indicated using GRE/MCAT Prep at the ARC. 

First-generation students were more likely to indicate using drop-in tutoring at the ARC. Just over 7% of first-generation students indicated using the service while 3.3% of non first-generation students indicated the same. 

First-years enrolled in Duke Kunshan University and Trinity were more likely to indicate that they had used at least one academic resource compared to Pratt students. While 54.8% of Pratt students indicated using none of the listed academic resources, just 33.3% of DKU students and 44.3% of Trinity students reported the same.

Pratt students were more likely to indicate using drop-in tutoring at the ARC (13.1%) than DKU students (0%) and Trinity students (2.8%). Trinity students were more likely to indicate visiting a DAE (19.5%) than DKU students (0%) and Pratt students (2.4%). DKU students were more likely to indicate using the TWP writing studio (22.2%) than Trinity (15.7%) and Pratt students (11.9%).

FOCUS students were more likely than non-FOCUS students to indicate visiting a DAE. While 23.3% of FOCUS students visited a DAE, only 11.7% of non-FOCUS students did the same. Non-FOCUS students, however, were more than twice as likely to indicate having used group-tutoring at the ARC. Just under 8% of FOCUS students and 15.2% of non-FOCUS students reported having used group-tutoring services.

Health and wellness resources

Survey respondents were asked to select which of Duke’s health and wellness resources they were “aware of” and “used,” with the ability to select multiple. 

The list included: Student Health at the Student Wellness Center, weight/exercise rooms at Wilson Recreation Center, group fitness classes at Wilson, activities at the SWC, the Arts Annex, the Duke Health COVID-19 Hotline and Outdoor Adventures with personal trip plans. 

Just 0.8% of students indicated that they were not aware of any of the listed health and wellness resources, but 21.3% of students reported that they had not used any of the resources. 

The resources that students were the most “aware of” included Student Health (89.2%), weight/exercise rooms at Wilson (77.1%) and group fitness classes at Wilson (76.8%). The weight/exercise rooms were the most “used” resource (42.9%), followed by Student Health (35%) and group fitness classes (26.1%). 

The least “used” resources included Outdoor Adventures (3.4%) and Duke’s COVID-19 Hotline (11.1%). The Arts Annex, despite being “heard of” by 47.4% of students, was used by only 13.2% of respondents. 

Health and wellness resource usage varies by gender

Female students and students who identified as “other,” “prefer not to say,” gender queer/nonbinary or agender were more likely than male and male-identifying students to have used at least one health and wellness resource. While 18.4% of female students and 15.4% of students who identified as “other,” “prefer not to say,” gender queer/nonbinary or agender reported using none of the listed resources, 27.3% of male and male identifying students indicated the same. 

Male and male identifying students, however, were more likely to report using the weight/exercise rooms at Wilson. Half of these students reported using the weight rooms compared to 40.6% of female students and 15.4% of students who identified as “other,” “prefer not to say,” gender queer/nonbinary or agender. 

On the other hand, female students were more likely to report using the group fitness classes at Wilson. Over 39% of female students reported using group fitness classes compared to 15.4% of students who identified as “other,” “prefer not to say,” gender queer / nonbinary or agender and 2.3% of male and male identifying students.

Mental health resources

Survey respondents were asked to select which of Duke’s mental health resources they were “aware of” and “used,” with the ability to select multiple. 

The list included: DuWell, Counseling and Psychological Services, Blue Devils Care, the Two Click to Connect form, Peer for You, DukeLine and DukeReach.

Although 11.6% of students indicated that they were not aware of any of the listed mental health resources, 80% of students reported that they had not used any of the resources. 

Over 60% of students were aware of both DuWell and CAPS, 60.8% and 73.2%, respectively. CAPS was also the most “used” of the mental health resources (10%), followed by DuWell (4.7%).

The least used mental health resources were the Two Click to Connect form (1.1%), DukeLine (0.5%) and Peer for You (0.3%). 

Differences in mental health resource usage by gender and race/ethnicity

Female and students who identified as “other” or “prefer not to say”, gender queer / nonbinary and agender students were more likely than male and male identifying students to have used at least one mental health resource. While 85.2% of male and male identifying students reported that had not used any of the resources, 77.8% of female students and 69.2% of agender students, gender queer / nonbinary students and students who identified as “other” or “prefer not to say” indicated the same. 

Asian, multiracial and students who identified as “a race/ethnicity not listed here” were the least likely to have used a mental health resource. Just under 84% of multiracial students, 86.5% of Asian students and 85.7% of students who chose “a race/ethnicity not listed here” reported that they had not used any of the listed resources. It should be noted, however, that the “a race/ethnicity not listed here” category only includes seven students. 

In contrast, 77.8% of Black or African American students, 75.5% of white students and 68.8% of Hispanic or Latinx/e students reported that they had not used any of the listed mental health resources.

Generally, students who indicated more liberal views were more likely to report using at least one mental health resource. While 96% of very and somewhat conservative students indicated using none of the listed resources, 85.7% of moderates and 76.8% of somewhat liberal and very liberal students reported the same. 

International students are less likely to report using a mental health resource than domestic students. While 82.5% of international students indicated using none of the listed mental health resources, only 79.7% of domestic students said the same. No international students reported using DukeLine, DukeReach, Peer for You or Blue Devils Care. 

First-generation college students are also more likely to report using at least one mental health resource. While 75% of first-generation college students indicated using at least one resource, 80.5% of non first-generation students reported the same.

Note: The “Other” gender category includes 13 students. The “Native American or Alaska Native” category was excluded from analysis because it contained only one student. The “A race/ethnicity not listed here” category contains seven students. 

Identity and cultural groups/spaces

Survey respondents were asked to select which of Duke’s identity and cultural groups/spaces they were “aware of” and “had visited,” with the ability to select multiple. 

The list included: the Freeman Center for Jewish life, the Women’s Center, the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture, the Center for Multicultural Affairs, the Center for Muslim Life, International House and the Disability Cultural Center. 

While only 2.4% of students reported not being aware of any of these identity and cultural groups / spaces, 45.8% of students reported never visiting one of these groups or spaces. 

Students were most aware of the Freeman Center for Jewish life (87.1%), the Women’s Center (83.4%) and the CSGD (73%). Almost every identity and cultural group was “heard of” by over 60% of students. Only International House (49.5%) and the Disability Cultural Center (19.2%) fell below this threshold. 

Among those groups/spaces visited by students, the Freeman Center (22.6%), CMA (13.7%), Mary Lou Williams Center (12.6%) and the CSGD (12.6%) were the most frequented. 

Identity and cultural groups/spaces visitation differs by international status and sexual orientation

International students were much more likely to have visited International House. Of students who reported visiting International House, 92.7% were international students. 

Students who identified with a sexual orientation other than heterosexual consitute the majority of first-years who have visited the CSGD and the Women’s Center. Just under 71% of students who have visited the CSGD identified either bisexual, gay/lesbian, asexual, pansexual, questioning or selected “prefer not to say.” Of students who have visited the Women’s Center, this number is 52.4%.

Black or African American students were the most likely to report having visited at least one identity and cultural group/space. Only 25.9% of Black or African American students reported visiting none of the listed identity and cultural groups/spaces. Black or African American students were the most likely to report having visited the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture (66.7%). Hispanic or Latinx/e students were the most likely to report having visited the CMA (31.3%) followed by Black or African American students (29.6%) and Asian students (23.4%).

White students were the most likely to have visited the Freeman Center for Jewish life at 31.8%, while multiracial students, Black or African American students, Hispanic or Latinx/e students, Asian students and students who selected “a race/ethnicity not listed here” were approximately equally likely to visit the space. 

International House was most visited by Asian students and students who selected “a race/ethnicity not listed here, at 16.2% and 14.3%, respectively. 

Note: The “Native American or Alaska Native” category was excluded from analysis because it contained only one student. The “A race/ethnicity not listed here” category contains seven students.

Campus amenities

Of the surveyed first-years, 35% reported that they eat at Marketplace 11 to 13 times a week. Over half of students—61.6%—eat at Marketplace between eight and 13 times a week. Just over 62% of students reported eating at a West Campus eatery three to five times per week. 

Just under 85% of students reported going to an East Campus library (excluding for scheduled courses) zero to two times per week. More students reported going to a West Campus library (excluding for scheduled courses), with less than half of respondents—47.6%—reporting going zero to two times per week. Just over 39% of students reported going to a West Campus library three to five times and 13.2% of students reported going six or more times per week. 

Editor's Note: This article was updated at 5 p.m. Sunday to include corrected statistics. Our conclusions were unchanged by the new numbers.

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