Buddy Program
Opt-In to the Buddy Program
The Nicholas School Buddy Program pairs incoming students with current student volunteers who want to offer their advice and guidance on housing, classes, recreation, student clubs and organizations, social life in Durham, and many other aspects of the student experience. Most communications between Buddies will occur during the summer via Zoom, email or by phone. However, we hope that you and your Buddy will plan to meet within the first few weeks of the fall semester, as well. We encourage incoming students to view this as an opportunity to develop a friendship with a classmate and/or a collegial relationship with a future environmental professional. This experience can be very rewarding for both parties.
Incoming students are encouraged to participate in the Buddy Program, but they are not required to do so. If you would like to be paired with a 2nd-year student Buddy, you will have the opportunity to opt-in during the summer. The Nicholas School Buddy Program is led by the Nicholas School Student Council.
The sign-up form for the Buddy Program will be shared in the summer ePacks.
Connect & Chat
Admitted Student Groups and Fan Pages
Incoming students are encouraged to join the Slack group to connect with other new students, currently enrolled students and administrators. The Slack channels are available for you to ask questions, post comments, pictures, etc. Have fun with it! Please note that no official information will solely be communicated via Slack or any of the social media sites. Email is considered the official form of communication at Duke University.
Access
How to Join? Click on the link below to access to the Slack group.
MEM and MF Students Connect & Chat Class Pages
- Fall 2023 New Students (Slack Group) – Join Now!
- Nic School Prof Students: Facebook- All current students and recent NSOE Alumni
- FB Fan Pages/Like Us: Nicholas School of the Environment and Duke University
- Twitter: @DukeEnvironment (Nicholas School of the Environment) and @DukeU (Duke University)
- LinkedIn: Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment
Duke ID Card
Get Your First Duke ID Card
All students will need a Duke Student ID card. Upload your photo for your Duke ID card by mid-summer. View the video with submission instructions. For more information about your Duke Card, please visit the Duke Card office website.
The DukeCard Office will only issue Mobile Duke Cards. The Mobile DukeCard is easy to use and keep up with but it does require that students keep their mobile device with them at all times. Students will need their Mobile Duke Card to access facilities on Duke’s Campus. Students who do not have a smart phone can also request a physical card by appointment only. The Duke Card Office will help new students with any issues they may have in provisioning the Mobile Duke Card by phone or by appointment.
Email, NetID & Listservs
NetID/Password and Duke Email
All students will receive a Duke NetID (network identification) within three days of submitting your tuition deposit to confirm your enrollment for fall, which will be needed to access many of the university’s student portals and systems. Be sure to keep your NetID and password safe and secure. Your NetID is the electronic key to a variety of computing systems and services at Duke. Used in combination with a strong password, the NetID provides access to online resources such as Duke Mail, centralized server space, calendaring and Sakai. Students are automatically assigned a NetID upon matriculation.
You do not need to request a NetID; it will be provided for you. Be sure to check your personal email address within one week of confirming your enrollment/paying the tuition deposit. Your NetID is different from your Duke Unique ID (DUID) – both are located in DukeHub under My Profile.
You should check your personal email address to make sure that you have not overlooked the initial instructions and login details. Be sure to check the SPAM and Junk folders, as well. Help Desk. If you cannot find this information, please contact the university’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) at 919-684-2200 or help@oit.duke.edu to request that the initial setup instructions be resent to you. Be prepared to provide a few personal identification markers such as your date of birth, permanent address, the last four digits of your social security number (if applicable) and so on.
Listserv Subscriptions. Mid-summer, your Duke email address will be subscribed to the appropriate program area listserv. Please note that faculty directors and some staff are also subscribed to the listservs. Listservs are for academic purposes only. Program area listserv addresses for first year students are:
- firstbe@nicholas.duke.edu (Business and Environment)
- firstcams@nicholas.duke.edu (Coastal and Marine Systems)
- firstcem@nicholas.duke.edu (Coastal Environmental Management)
- firstceej@nicholas.duke.edu (Community Engagement and Environmental Justice)
- firsteam@nicholas.duke.edu (Environmental Analytics and Modeling)
- firstee@nicholas.duke.edu (Energy and Environment)
- firsteeh@nicholas.duke.edu (Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health)
- firsteep@nicholas.duke.edu (Economics and Environmental Policy)
- firstesc@nicholas.duke.edu (Ecosystem Science and Conservation)
- firstmf@nicholas.duke.edu (Master of Forestry)
- firsttfe@nicholas.duke.edu (Terrestrial and Freshwater Environments)
- firstwrm@nicholas.duke.edu (Water Resources Management)
All new students should have their Duke NetID and password as well as access to their Duke email account within 2-3 business days of confirming their fall enrollment.
Health Insurance
All Duke students must carry major medical insurance
Duke’s student medical insurance plan is rated at the highest level. Unless waived, all students will be enrolled in the Duke Student Medical Insurance Plan.
The open enrollment is announced by mid-June, typically. Be sure to check your Duke email.
When the open enrollment window begins, you will be able to view the Plan Benefits for the upcoming school year. Login to your DukeHub account to enter your decision to waive or enroll in the plan Duke Student Medical Insurance Plan (SMIP). Coverage is from August 1 through July 31. Go to Student Health for more information and directions on enrolling in or waiving the plan. In order to waive the Duke SMIP, the student must provide adequate proof of coverage under another health insurance plan. View waiver criteria.
If you do not enter your decision by the open enrollment deadline, you will be automatically enrolled in the Duke Student Medical Insurance Plan and will not be able to waive it. The insurance charge will remain on your Bursar account and you will receive your enrollment information and insurance card by mid-September.
International Students:
International students at Duke on the F-1 or J-1 Visa are required to purchase Duke’s plan. U.S. students may waive the plan if they can provide proof of comparable coverage.
Questions about health insurance should be directed to insurance@studentaffairs.duke.edu or call 919-684-1481. Due to volume, allow 2-3 business days for a response.
>> Understanding Duke Health Insurance – Quick Guide for Graduate Students <<
Immunization
Compliance required of all Duke students
All new students must provide Duke University with a copy of their current immunization records. The deadline to submit your immunization records and health history information is June 15. Although the deadline is June 15, the most important thing to remember is that you must have your immunization records submitted prior to the beginning of the fall semester. However, failure to submit within 30 days of the start of the term, will mean that you will not be permitted to continue attending class.
Immunization Requirements for Graduate Students
If you have additional questions about the immunization requirements/compliance, we encourage you to contact the Immunization Compliance Coordinator at immunizations@duke.edu. Immunization records should not be sent to the Student Services at the Nicholas School of the Environment.
COVID Vaccine for International Students:
If you have the opportunity to receive the COVID vaccine in your home country, we encourage you to do so. All vaccines on the World Health Organization (WHO approved list) will be recognized. Vaccines not on this list will be reviewed on an individual basis, so please be sure to have a picture/copy of your vaccine record that includes your name, the vaccine name, and date of administration in English.
Duke cannot predict or control vaccine supply. If you received your first dose of vaccine in your home country and we do not have access to that brand, you will need to restart your series when you arrive. If necessary, you will be able to receive another vaccine when you arrive at Duke. Based on our experience with other vaccines and current COVID management protocols, we feel it is reasonable to conclude that there is little risk to getting a vaccine upon arrival to the US if you’ve previously received one in another country. Currently there is not a quarantine requirement for students coming from international locations.
Duke Student Health has a process for students to be marked as “partially compliant” in their system so that students will be able to move into their dorms, get their DukeCard activated, attend classes etc. while they are waiting to complete the second dose requirement. You can make an appointment for a vaccine through Duke when you arrive this summer.
Lockers & Mailboxes
Request a Locker
A mailbox will be provided for each student in the Student Commons area in the basement level of Grainger Hall. This mailbox is designed for on-campus internal mail only, to inform you about Nicholas School updates, programming, and events. Students should plan to use their residential address to receive personal postal mail. If you need postal mail services, contact Duke’s Campus Mail Services for assistance.
Nicholas School students may request a locker to store their books and other small personal possessions (at no cost) until they graduate from the program. Lockers are also located in the basement of Grainger Hall. Please do not place valuable items in your locker such as laptops, video equipment, cell phones etc. The school is not responsible for any stolen or lost items stored in your locker or will not be responsible for any vandalism or damage done to your locker. There is no charge to reserve a NSOE locker.
While your locker is provided as a courtesy, failure to return your locker key upon graduation can result in the holding of your diploma or additional fees. Remember you must request a locker as they are not automatically assigned to new students. Locker keys will be distributed during Orientation. The locker request form should be submitted by the date posted in the summer ePack.
Pick-up Locker Key/Questions should be directed to: Tom Brooks, Program Coordinator, Facilities Office, Nicholas School, LSRC A140
POD Leaders
What are PODs, you ask?
We will separate the incoming class into small groups or PODS. Groups are assigned randomly i.e. not by program area, background, gender, professional interests, etc. Second year/returning student volunteers will serve as the small group (or POD) leaders during Fall Orientation Week. Your POD leaders will be here to welcome you on the first day of Orientation Week, join the academic advising sessions and have been invited to attend lunches and social outings. Now that you have been separated into smaller groups, we hope that you will take this opportunity to get to know other incoming students and your group leader.
You will have many opportunities to both meet with and interact with students within your program area. However, we’re hoping that your POD experience will provide you with an early opportunity to expand your academic, professional and personal networks. Throughout Orientation Week, your POD leader, will be available via email, and in-person to answer any questions that you may have about the Nicholas School, Duke University and the Durham area. POD Leaders want to be a resource for you and help provide guidance that will make your transition into graduate school as smooth as possible. The 2023 POD leaders.
Sustainable Name Tag
Nicholas Sustainable Name Tag: A Gift for New Students
As a professional degree environmental student, we expect that you will attend several career-related events, conferences, seminars, and workshops during your time at the Nicholas School. To help you professionally present yourself, the Nicholas School Student Services team will provide each incoming student with a sustainable name tag. The wooden name tag will have the Nicholas School name and logo as well as your name engraved on it. Typically, the deadline is in early July. For those who do not complete the survey by the deadline, we will use the name that is officially on file with the Nicholas School. The Student Services team welcomes each of you to the Nicholas School community and look forward to partnering in your academic and career success.
Parking & Transportation
Students who wish to park a vehicle on Duke’s campus must display a valid parking permit. By June, parking permits should be available for purchase.
Alongside your housing search, it is also important to consider an array of alternative transportation options available at Duke and in Durham. Learn more about transit, walking/biking, carpool, carshare and commute planning at the onboarding resources and parking and transportation websites.
For those of you who are planning to purchase a parking permit, you may find this informational video about commuting to and parking at Duke helpful. Keep in mind, this video was created originally to be a part of the international students’ summer series, but the information is useful for any student wanting to learn more about parking and transportation options at Duke and in Durham.
Virtual Library
Summer Video Series
We have a designed a Virtual Library to help new students prepare for fall enrollment. Many videos are available across various topics to include but not limited to: Drop a Class, Financial Aid, Health Insurance, Immunization, Order a Transcript, Register for Classes, Resume Webinar, Search for Classes, Summer Virtual Orientation, Welcome & Summer On-boarding/Student Services and many others!