The History Department is committed to a fair hearing and resolution of any student grievance. Graduate students with grievances may wish to consult the DGS who can inform them of the appropriate channels of redress. They may also want to turn to the Trinity College Ombudsperson (ombuds.duke.edu) to learn about how to resolve conflicts and issues that they believe cannot be properly addressed within the department.
The first contact point for any grievances by graduate students involving their study and the handling of any matters relating to the program is the DGS. If such grievances involve the chair, students should contact either the DGS or the Trinity College School Ombudsperson (ombuds.duke.edu). If such grievances involve the DGS, students should turn to the chair. If the DGS and/or chair are unable to resolve the issue at hand to everyone’s satisfaction, graduate students have the option of making a written appeal to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, as described in the section on student grievance procedures in the annual bulletin of the Duke Graduate School (https://registrar.duke.edu/university-bulletins/graduate-school).
The university has established policies concerning discrimination, harassment and other types of misconduct and the appropriate grievance procedures. Complaints are considered by central university offices, including the Office for Institutional Equity (https://oie.duke.edu) and the Office of Student Affairs (students.duke.edu/get-assistance). Students should consult an interactive guide created by the Graduate School and posted here for guidance on processes for reporting complaints and their options.
