Due to recent changes in Duke's policies, visiting students/scholars have been excluded from obtaining membership to all the recreational facilities on campus. These Duke community members are only allowed as paying guests accompanied by Duke's staff or students on tuition. Visiting students and scholars attend Duke on grants or on personal resources and in many cases are living on restrictive budgets. Off campus facilities are usually much more expensive and offer far less quality. These off campus facilities are also harder to reach using public transportation. It would be more convenient and safer to use on campus sites.
Even though visiting students and scholars don't pay tuition fees, they work hard at Duke and bring a lot to the table. These individuals provide Duke with knowledge and human resources and in return are invited to experience all the incredible opportunities Duke has to offer. As hard workers, they also need to have recreational activities that can relieve stress and help them stay healthy and they aren't able to do that here now.
Duke University should strive to provide the best in class experience for its hard working visitors. In other universities, such as Harvard, students in similar condition receive "Student" badges, not "Visitor" ones and have access to other important university services. In other words,visiting students are not treated differently. Visitor students/scholars want to fully participate in Duke culture and experiences. The recent policy change might cut financial expenses but at the cost of making Duke less attractive to students from all over the world by making it appear as though they aren't really welcome as full Duke community members. This is especially troubling since most Visitor students/scholars aren't american citizens.
Duke gym's website states that "The Department of Recreation and Physical Education offers affordable membership opportunities to the Duke University community" (http://recreation.duke.edu/facilities/membership-i...). Visiting students/scholars expect to live a complete "Duke Experience", which includes working at top research facilities alongside with some of the most qualified professionals in the world and enjoying Duke's amazing recreational centers and physical/sports training. The visiting students and scholars feel a part of the Duke community and are very disappointed that they are not seen or treated as such anymore and are not able to live a "Duke Experience" to its fullest.
If you agree that this new policy is misguided, please support this petition with your signature and help spread it to your contacts.
Sincerely."
Updates
May 19, 2015
The momentum behind this petition is undeniable and shows that our community recognizes the value visiting scholars bring to campus. Now is the time to turn this energy into action. Email the university recreation department today and demand they open these facilities to everyone who contributes to our research.
Reached 100 supporters
May 19, 2015
36 Comments
In other universities, visiting scholars could pay for the gym membership. I think duke should allow visiting schoolars to use the facilities in the gym, it's ok to charge some fees.
As a visiting scholar at Duke from July-December 2014, the Duke gym (particularly Brodie) was essential to my health and well- being. It also provided the ability to meet new and like-minded people in a safe and friendly environment. This is a retrograde step for Duke if implemented.
i can't imagine where the university is coming from in this one. Visiting students and scholars are a part of the Duke community. If they are not welcome, they shouldn't be invited to visit. If they are welcome, they should be made to feel that way.
we working hard in duke, the only thing to relax is to exercise in gym especially in hot summer. We need equal treatment and right. Thank you.
We have many international scholars working with us, often very long hours on campus in laboratory settings. They deserve the same access to the recreational facilities that the rest of the Duke staff enjoys. I was very disappointed to learn from the international fellows in our lab that they are no longer welcome to use Duke's recreational facilities. Duke should be striving to make such scholars more welcome, not less.
Let the exchange scholar us the gym. Health is very important to all of us.
It is unfair to prevent the exchange students and scholars from accessing the gym. They pay the same monthly rate as regular duke students.
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Due to recent changes in Duke's policies, visiting students/scholars have been excluded from obtaining membership to all the recreational facilities on campus. These Duke community members are only allowed as paying guests accompanied by Duke's staff or students on tuition. Visiting students and scholars attend Duke on grants or on personal resources and in many cases are living on restrictive budgets. Off campus facilities are usually much more expensive and offer far less quality. These off campus facilities are also harder to reach using public transportation. It would be more convenient and safer to use on campus sites.
Even though visiting students and scholars don't pay tuition fees, they work hard at Duke and bring a lot to the table. These individuals provide Duke with knowledge and human resources and in return are invited to experience all the incredible opportunities Duke has to offer. As hard workers, they also need to have recreational activities that can relieve stress and help them stay healthy and they aren't able to do that here now.
Duke University should strive to provide the best in class experience for its hard working visitors. In other universities, such as Harvard, students in similar condition receive "Student" badges, not "Visitor" ones and have access to other important university services. In other words,visiting students are not treated differently. Visitor students/scholars want to fully participate in Duke culture and experiences. The recent policy change might cut financial expenses but at the cost of making Duke less attractive to students from all over the world by making it appear as though they aren't really welcome as full Duke community members. This is especially troubling since most Visitor students/scholars aren't american citizens.
Duke gym's website states that "The Department of Recreation and Physical Education offers affordable membership opportunities to the Duke University community" (http://recreation.duke.edu/facilities/membership-i...). Visiting students/scholars expect to live a complete "Duke Experience", which includes working at top research facilities alongside with some of the most qualified professionals in the world and enjoying Duke's amazing recreational centers and physical/sports training. The visiting students and scholars feel a part of the Duke community and are very disappointed that they are not seen or treated as such anymore and are not able to live a "Duke Experience" to its fullest.
If you agree that this new policy is misguided, please support this petition with your signature and help spread it to your contacts.
Sincerely."
Updates
May 19, 2015
The momentum behind this petition is undeniable and shows that our community recognizes the value visiting scholars bring to campus. Now is the time to turn this energy into action. Email the university recreation department today and demand they open these facilities to everyone who contributes to our research.
Reached 100 supporters
May 19, 2015
36 Comments
Since almost two months, visiting students&scholars are not allowed to use the gym and this policy was in effect without any notice or explanation. As an institution that has been proud of accomplishments in sports as well as diverse efforts to facilitate an active life, this was completely unfair. There could be changes in hours, or slight increases in membership fees, but prevention of use makes visitors' adaptation and integration significantly difficult.
In other universities, visiting scholars could pay for the gym membership. I think duke should allow visiting schoolars to use the facilities in the gym, it's ok to charge some fees.
As a visiting scholar at Duke from July-December 2014, the Duke gym (particularly Brodie) was essential to my health and well- being. It also provided the ability to meet new and like-minded people in a safe and friendly environment. This is a retrograde step for Duke if implemented.
i can't imagine where the university is coming from in this one. Visiting students and scholars are a part of the Duke community. If they are not welcome, they shouldn't be invited to visit. If they are welcome, they should be made to feel that way.
we working hard in duke, the only thing to relax is to exercise in gym especially in hot summer. We need equal treatment and right. Thank you.
We have many international scholars working with us, often very long hours on campus in laboratory settings. They deserve the same access to the recreational facilities that the rest of the Duke staff enjoys. I was very disappointed to learn from the international fellows in our lab that they are no longer welcome to use Duke's recreational facilities. Duke should be striving to make such scholars more welcome, not less.
Let the exchange scholar us the gym. Health is very important to all of us.
It is unfair to prevent the exchange students and scholars from accessing the gym. They pay the same monthly rate as regular duke students.
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Since almost two months, visiting students&scholars are not allowed to use the gym and this policy was in effect without any notice or explanation. As an institution that has been proud of accomplishments in sports as well as diverse efforts to facilitate an active life, this was completely unfair. There could be changes in hours, or slight increases in membership fees, but prevention of use makes visitors' adaptation and integration significantly difficult.