Amenities & Services

All residence halls on the Duke Campus have air conditioning. Types of AC include: central air and window units. 

HRL cleans each room/apartment prior to occupancy. Thereafter it is the responsibility of the resident(s) to clean the space. The residence is expected to be kept in a sanitary condition during the year, and in a clean condition upon vacating. If a room requires extraordinary cleaning during occupancy or upon check-out, the cost will be charged to the resident(s). Housekeeping services will be provided on weekdays during the academic year (excluding holidays) only in commons areas of the residence halls.

Each quad/house has a closet that HRL equips with cleaning supplies and tools. Your bedroom key unlocks the closet. Please return tools and unused supplies when you are finished so others may use them. See your Resident Assistant if you are unsure of the location of your cleaning closet. Contact your HRL Campus Office for the restocking of supplies.

Your DukeCard provides access to everything from your residence hall to athletic events, to dining, and virtually eliminates the need to carry cash on campus. Most students receive their first DukeCards during orientation or will need to provision the Mobile DukeCard. There is no fee for your first DukeCard. More information about DukeCard can be found in the Blue Book or at their website.

DukeCards may not be loaned or borrowed. Lost/stolen DukeCards must be reported immediately to the DukeCard Office; a replacement card can be issued for a charge. Students are required to carry their DukeCards at all times and must produce it upon request from a University Official.

Duke University is committed to controlling energy usage and costs. You can do your part to save energy by turning off unneeded lights, closing windows when the buildings are being heated or cooled, taking shorter showers, and reporting leaking/dripping faucets and toilets which flush continuously to the appropriate HRL Campus Office.

Financial aid covers on-campus housing at "actual cost," which means the Financial Aid Office will increase your grant aid if you have a more expensive on-campus room. If you need more details about housing and financial aid, please refer to the financial aid website or your financial aid counselor.

The differing architectural style of the residence halls means that there really is no “typical” room. However, each room does have similar furnishings. When you move in, you will have: 

• bed and mattress (mattress size is 36” x 80”-bring “extra-long” twin sheets).
  • NOTE: Edens, Trinity, and Wannamaker residence halls have 54” x 75” mattresses and residents should bring full-size sheets. 
• chest of drawers 
• closet or wardrobe (about 10 cubic feet) 
• student desk and desk chair 
• bookcase (not in Trinity residence hall)

Some rooms are carpeted and some have wooden floors. Once assigned, you can access the HRL website and find links to pictures of your building and some sample rooms. Additional furnishings, such as futons and rugs, may be added to the room with the consent of all residents of that room. Residents are responsible for all furnishings provided in the room. University-provided furniture may not be removed from the room. 

Each residence hall utilizes card-access entry and first-floor window security screens. Duke Police also operate substations on East Campus in Bell Tower and behind Wilson. 

Many of the residence halls are heated by steam radiators. Each radiator has a hand valve that allows available steam to heat the radiator when the valve is in the open position and prevents steam from entering the radiator when the valve is in the closed position. Radiators will only heat when steam is available. The energy management computer controls the availability of steam based on representative temperature readings.

Some buildings are heated by hot water systems. The hot water is heated to a predetermined level and circulated throughout the building to the individual heating units. Air circulates over convection fins in the heaters, is warmed by the hot water, and recirculates through the room. Anything in front of the heater (furniture, trunks, boxes, etc.) that interferes with the flow of the air will decrease the heating capability of the unit and will result in a cooler room.

All West Campus residence halls have central air-conditioning. Bell Tower, Blackwell, Randolph, Southgate, and Trinity have central air-conditioning and the remaining residence halls on East Campus have air-conditioning units. The air-conditioning systems are normally in operation from April through October.

The Facilities Management Department operates a computerized energy management system to control the heating and cooling systems for university buildings. Inside and outside temperature sensors are strategically located to relay representative temperatures back to the computer. It responds by opening or closing steam valves and turning fans on or off to adjust the heating or cooling levels. The same system provides both the heat and the air conditioning; therefore, it is not possible to provide both at the same time or to switch back and forth. Once the system is converted to heat in the fall, it will remain in that mode until converted to air conditioning in the spring. You may change the level of the heating or cooling by adjusting the thermostat setting. The central system is designed to heat or cool the building to a predetermined temperature while the thermostats are designed to allow minor adjustments to accommodate varying building conditions, such as a room on the sunny side of the building or a room with many windows. Radically changing the temperature setting will not radically change the room temperature.

If you feel that your room is too cold or too hot and is outside the established temperature ranges for heating or air conditioning, please call your HRL Campus Office to report the problem. Provide as much information as possible.

Please note that students may NOT bring their own air-conditioning units.  If found, unauthorized air conditioning units will be uninstalled and stored at the expense of the resident.

All residence halls are equipped with wireless internet access. One port per room is activated to provide ethernet connection if needed. Contact the Office of Information Technology (OIT) Help Desk via their website or at 919-684-2200. 

Most residence halls are equipped with kitchens. Residents are responsible for proper maintenance of kitchen facilities, including the cleanliness of refrigerators, ranges, and ovens. Residents are responsible for the removal of perishable items from the refrigerator and for cleaning utensils, pots, and pans. Kitchens that are abused or not kept in good order may be locked.

DukeCard and coin-operated laundry machines are located in laundry rooms throughout the residence halls. This service is provided through Duke Vending. To report broken machines or to request reimbursement when money is lost in the machines, call Duke Vending at 684-8363. Your HRL Campus Office will be happy to help you contact Duke Vending to get machines repaired. To report any other problems with the laundry facilities please call your HRL Campus Office.

For damage and safety reasons the following items are specifically prohibited in student rooms, suites, and apartments: halogen lamps, all types of strip lights with adhesive backing, and all types of string lights.

If you get locked out of your room during HRL Campus Office hours (Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.), go to your HRL Campus Office to borrow a key. If you get locked out of your room when your HRL Campus Office is not open, contact your Resident Assistant (RA) or the RA On-Call. The RA On-Call phone number should be posted on your RA's door and each building's exterior door(s). Protect yourself from getting locked out by always carrying your key when you leave your room. The safest practice is to always lock your door and take your key anytime you leave - even if you are just going to visit a friend down the hall.