HRL Important Message
Do you currently have approved SDAO housing accommodations and are currently away from Duke and returning to campus in Spring 2025? Are you the class of 2026? Please read the following important message from the HRL:
Our records indicate you are eligible to apply for spring semester housing and you currently have an accommodation on file from Student Disability and Access Office. We want to be as transparent as possible regarding expectations for your spring assignment.
For the 2024 fall semester, we have had an unprecedented number of accommodations, specifically for single rooms and private baths. We currently have approximately 25 students for the fall semester on a waitlist for an assignment that meets their accommodation(s). Those students will be offered spaces for the spring semester that meet their accommodations prior to those students applying for spring semester housing. Therefore, we anticipate we will not be able to meet your accommodation with your initial spring assignment. You should anticipate being assigned to a double room with a roommate and placed on a waitlist for a room that meets your accommodation.
You are eligible to participate in the off-campus lottery. Details regarding this process have been sent in a different email. We strongly encourage you to participate in the lottery so that you can find a space off campus that will better meet your needs than what we will be able to offer you on campus.
We recognize this information does not come easily. However, we want to be as transparent as possible with what to expect once assignments begin being released in November. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at housing@duke.edu.
Virtual Office Hours
- Monday and Tuesday 9:00 am - 10:00 am ( Click here to join )
- Wednesday and Thursday 3:00 - 4:00 pm (Click here to join)
Students are admitted one at a time. Please be patient and an accessibility coordinator will admit you to the room on a first come first served basis.
If you would like to attend virtual office hours of your specific accessibility coordinator, their schedules are:
- Liz Pezzullo: Monday and Tuesday: 9:00 - 10:00 am - (Click to join zoom) (Undergraduate students with last name M-Z)
- Judith Gatto: Wednesday and Thursday: 3:00 - 4:00 pm (Click to join zoom) - (Undergraduate students with last name A-L)
To Schedule an appointment with your undergraduate coordinator, please use one of the following links:
To schedule an appointment with your Graduate and Professional coordinator please use the following link:
Are you having trouble accessing your OTTER.ai account? Our notetaker coordinator, Angela Claiborne, will have virtual office hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 11am-12pm via Zoom to answer your questions about OTTER.
Student Disability Access Office Mission
The Student Disability Access Office recognizes disability as an aspect of diversity that is integral to society and to our campus community. Accessibility is an essential feature of the Duke campus, and we strive to create an inclusive community for our students. We strive to ensure that students with disabilities are provided the tools they need to fully access all aspects of student life inside and outside of the classroom.
Core Functions of SDAO
- Partner with students with disabilities to establish services for their access and inclusion on campus
- Manage, coordinate, implement and evaluate accommodation/service programs
- Serve as a resource to students/faculty/staff to ensure effective provision of services
- Provide educational and resource support to the campus community to increase awareness regarding how to create and sustain access and inclusion for students with disabilities in all aspects of the university
- Provide resource and referral information to the campus community and prospective student and their families
SDAO works with each student individually to establish academic adjustments and auxiliary aids and services, more frequently referred to as academic accommodations for the purpose of eliminating the environmental barriers impacting the student’s equitable access to the campus facilities, programs and activities. To find out more information about how to establish services with SDAO you can contact us in the following ways.
Email: sdao@duke.edu
Phone: 919-668-1267
Requesting Accommodations
Information for Instructors
As Duke University continues its efforts to welcome individuals with disabilities, the number of qualified students with disabilities has continued to increase. In order for the University to ensure timely exploration of necessary accommodations, academic units have identified individuals to serve as Disability Service Liaisons who work in collaboration with the Student Disability Access Office.
Rights & Responsibilities
Students with disabilities and the University have specific rights and responsibilities to ensure that students with disabilities are provided with reasonable, necessary, and appropriate accommodations and have equal access to all programs and activities. It is imperative that these rights and responsibilities are fully understood and followed by both parties in order to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Student Disability Access Services
Welcome to Duke University from the staff at the Student Disability Access Office (SDAO). SDAO is the office on campus that has been charged with and is committed to providing educational opportunities for students with disabilities in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.