Deans and advisors

Academic deans

All students in Trinity College have an academic dean. The dean’s primary responsibility is to ensure that students are making satisfactory progress toward completion of the bachelor’s degree. Progress is measured in a variety of ways, including number of credits passed each semester and year, semester and cumulative grade point average, completion of curriculum requirements, and meeting important goals, such as declaring a major.

The academic deans also serve as sources of information for students and their parents and can provide specialized assistance when students have unusual problems or questions that go beyond the expertise of academic advisors, or when they need help interpreting college policies and regulations.

Several academic deans provide specialized advising for students planning to attend professional or graduate school, study abroad or complete a Program II or interdepartmental major. 

All undeclared first-year and sophomore students should contact or visit the Academic Advising Center on East Campus if they need assistance from an academic dean.

When students declare a major they are assigned a new academic dean, based on the first major. A listing of all the academic deans in Trinity College, their associated majors and contact information is available on the Trinity Requirements site. 

Academic advisors

There are approximately 125 academic advisors in Trinity College who each work with groups of 22-24 undeclared first-year and sophomore students. Advisors are faculty members, senior administrators, and staff drawn from across the university. They volunteer their time to serve as advisors because they are committed to helping Trinity students make the most of their Duke experience.

Academic advisors assist students with course selection each semester and provide guidance and information on curriculum requirements and academic opportunities at Duke.  Advisors have access to their advisees’ course schedules and grades and, if necessary, will meet with students to strategize on ways to improve academic performance if they are struggling with a class or having problems that are affecting grades. Advisors also collaborate with students as they decide on a major and will review and approve the Long Range Plan, a document that students complete as part of the major declaration process.

A directory of current academic advisors for undeclared students in Trinity College is available online.