Governance Policies

"The Duke University Board of Trustees shall have power to make such rules, regulations and bylaws and to take such other action not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States and of the State of North Carolina as may be necessary or appropriate for the good government of the corporation and its various operations and management of the property and funds of the same, and to exercise all powers granted to non-profit corporations under the laws of the State of North Carolina." --- The Restated Charter of Duke University, Section 5

The Bylaws of Duke University, as most recently approved by the Board of Trustees, are hereby incorporated by reference, in their entirety, as policy of Duke.

Policy Title	Summary	Audience
Academic Tenure	Academic tenure will be granted to members of the University faculty in accordance with Article XXIV of the University Bylaws.	Faculty
Antitrust Policy and Guidelines	Duke University is committed to excellence in all of its operations. It conducts its affairs ethically, honestly, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. This includes U.S. and international antitrust laws. Duke University expects its employees to comply with these laws, to observe the Implementation Guidelines that immediately follow this Policy, and to consult the Antitrust Compliance Officer (Chris Lott at 919-684-3955 or chris.lott@duke.edu) wherever there is a question about the legality of a practice. It is the responsibility of each Duke employee to make sure that their actions are consistent with the antitrust laws. Violation of this Policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Violations of the law may also result in legal liability for Duke and individual employees involved in the misconduct, and could lead to significant fines or penalties, including criminal penalties. Updated: 02.24.2023	Faculty, Staff
Appointment and Review of Officers	Procedures for appointment and review of university officers.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Athletics and Recreation	Criteria for determining sports for intercollegiate competition.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Authority to Appoint and Promote Faculty	All members of the University's regular rank faculty are appointed or promoted by the Board of Trustees or the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the Provost, with the approval of the President.	Faculty
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion	Duke seeks to welcome and fully engage people of diverse backgrounds, abilities and perspectives to advance our work.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Compensation for University Officers	Requirements for compensation for officers and material consulting activities.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Conflict of Interest Policy for Faculty (Principal Investigators)	Financial conflicts of interest (COI) for faculty and staff.	Faculty, Staff
Corporate Records Policy	Access to board minutes and other corporate records.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Creation of Eponymous Professorships	Requirements for a named professorship to honor persons in Duke's past.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Distinguished Professorships	Appointments to all distinguished professorships are made on recommendation of the Provost and approval by the Board of Trustees.	Faculty
Dual Interest (Conflict of Interest) Policy for Trustees and Boards	Policy on dual interest (conflict of interest/COI) and reporting requirements for members of the Duke University Board of Trustees and the governing Boards of DUHS, DUMAC, and the related wholly-owned subsidiaries, support corporations, and controlled affiliates.	Faculty, Staff
Dual Interest and Outside Activity (Conflict of Interest) Policy for Faculty and Staff	Policy and guiding principles on dual interests and dual commitments (conflict of interest/COI) and reporting requirements for faculty and staff.	Faculty, Staff
Duke University Compliance Program Accountability and Assurance	Duke University is committed to operating at the highest level of integrity, accountability and ethical conduct, which includes supporting programs and positions that promote compliance with applicable laws, regulations and policies. Duke University maintains a federated organization sturcture for its compliance programs. See the approved policy issued by the President here.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Emeritus Status	By action of the Board of Trustees, regular rank faculty members who retire at age sixty-five or over, or who have served the University for at least ten years, may receive the emeritus title of the same faculty rank they held at retirement.	Faculty
Endowment Spending Policy	Spending rate for endowment and other funds invested.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action	The Office for Institutional Equity is responsible for preparing the University's annual affirmative action plan, and for implementing and monitoring the Equal Opportunity Policy. Duke University prohibits discrimination and harassment, and provides equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex or age. Duke is committed to recruiting, hiring, and promoting qualified minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Establishment, Supervision and Oversight of Support Corporations	Board approval required for affiliated organizations and support corporations.	Faculty, Staff, Students
External Board Service Policy for Faculty and Staff	External Board Service Policy for Faculty and Staff of Duke University, Duke University Health System, DUMAC, and the Related Wholly Owned Subsidiaries, Support Corporations, and Controlled Affiliates All representatives of Duke have a responsibility to protect its institutional integrity and reputation. In keeping with this principle, Duke seeks to avoid conflicts of commitment and conflicts of interest or the appearance of these types of conflicts in all aspects of business and employment, including those associated with external board service.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Faculty Appointments	Appointment to the regular faculty ranks is made only by units offering credit towards a degree and only with approval of the Board of Trustees.	Faculty
Gift Acceptance and Disposition	Criteria for acceptance of certain gifts by the university.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Joint and Secondary Appointments	While faculty members may hold appointments in or receive pay from several hiring units, it is the unit of primary appointment that initiates recommendations for appointment, promotion, tenure, renewal, and salary.	Faculty
Naming of Buildings, Programs and Spaces	Requirements for naming a building, program or space by for a donor.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Resolution Granting the Authority to Execute Contracts and Other Legal Documents to Certain Officers	This resolution was approved by the Board of Trustees in April 2022 granting certain officials of Duke University to execute contracts and other legal documents.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Retirement Plans Investment Policy	Guidelines for retirement plans investment policy.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Socially Responsible Investing	Responsibilities of the Advisory Committee on Investment Responsibility.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Tuition Policy	Requires tuition levels for each school to be annually approved by BOT.	Faculty, Staff, Students
Use of University Lands and Facilities Policy	Policy outlining use of facilities to promote or support individuals or organizations campaigning for public office, and the federal and state laws prohibiting to Duke's support of political candidates or parties. Additional links to "Filming on Campus" guidelines and policy.	Faculty, Staff, Students

Contact Us

Duke Health Integrity Line and Duke Speak Up Program - (800) 826-8109