Helping Students Feel at Home
Commuters make up the largest population of students at Duquesne. We work diligently to help you feel at home and part of the Duquesne family. Our team is here to support you, with an entire office dedicated to assisting the University's large and diverse commuter population.
As a commuting student, we'll connect you with services, programs and facilities to ensure you excel both academically and socially. This includes assisting students in seeking out help through academic resources, off-campus housing information and resources related to commuting.
We're Here For You
Each new undergraduate first-year and transfer commuter student is assigned a Commuter Assistant (CA) during their first year at Duquesne. CAs are upperclass commuters who serve as mentors to new undergraduate commuter students as they transition into college life. Each student has a CA that is usually in the same academic program. CAs help plan programs and activities to engage new students and assist them in becoming active members of the Duquesne community.
Students should look to their CA as a great resource, not only about things related to commuting, but also academics and other aspects of student life.
The application process for the Fall 2024 Commuter Assistant position is now open.
Commuter Council represents all students who commute to Duquesne. As a governing student body, it serves as a voice for commuter students and sponsors popular programs throughout the year, including the New Commuter Summer Social, Kennywood Fright Night, Intramurals, and much more. All commuter students that are enrolled at Duquesne University are automatically considered members-at-large of Commuter Council.
To become a more active member of Commuter Council, attend their regular meetings or send%20an%20e-mail. Meeting times vary per year, so check in with an executive board member to see when meetings are. Your opinion counts, so have your voice heard!
The Commuter Center is designed to be a "home away from home" for Duquesne's commuter students. Located on the first floor of the Duquesne Union, the Commuter Center features a lounge with comfortable furniture, kitchenette, computer lab, and more. Spending time in the Commuter Center is a great way to connect with other commuter students and get involved with programs and events.
The Commuter Center provides a lounge area and lobby, as well as:
- Commuter Collaboration Commons - Room 112
- The Commuter Collaboration Commons is a hidden gem with several computers, a printer, and meeting displays for your use. You may collaborate here with classmates or study in between classes.
- Commuter Council Office - Room 114
- The Commuter Council office is located right next to the Office of Commuter Affairs. Commuters are always welcome to stop in and talk to Executive Board members. Please remember they are students, too, so they cannot staff their office full-time. However, you will often see them in the office between classes.
- Office of Commuter Affairs - Room 115
- The Commuter Affairs office has an "open door walk-in" policy. Students are always welcome to come in and talk to our staff. Whether you have program ideas, need help with a difficult class, or just want to say hello, we are here for you.
Every Wednesday at noon, a different school or department on campus comes to the Commuter Center lobby and makes complimentary peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for commuter students. This is a great way for students to meet faculty and staff from all across campus and interact with them outside of a formal setting. PB&J Wednesdays are popular among faculty, staff and students. The line starts forming early, so mark this on your calendar!
Based on members' availability, the Commuter Book Club also meets on Wednesdays in the Commuter Center. Learn more about the Commuter Book Club at Duquesne.
Transportation
Duquesne's commuters utilize various forms of transportation to get to and from campus. Depending on where you live, some transportation options may be more feasible for you than others.
For students who drive to campus, parking permits for both garages and surface areas are available for sale through Parking & DU Card Services, located in the Union. Garage parking permits usually sell out before surface parking permits, so be sure to purchase your permit early to guarantee your preferred parking location. Parking permits can be purchased on a semester, academic year or annual basis.
As a courtesy, jumper cables are available for students who may have a dead car battery on campus. They can be borrowed from the Office of Commuter Affairs using your DU Card.
The Pittsburgh Regional Transit (formerly known as Port Authority) of Allegheny County operates several public bus routes that serve Duquesne's campus and provides information on bus routes, bus schedules, fares, rider alerts, trolley "T" schedules, park and ride lots, etc. If you don't know which bus to take, Pittsburgh Regional Transit's trip planner is a great tool that allows users to enter their starting point and destination to see which buses are available during a specific time period.
Through a unique partnership with the Pittsburgh Regional Transit, discounted bus rides are available to all students, faculty and staff who enroll in Duquesne University's UPass program.
The University is supportive of the City of Pittsburgh's Mobility Collective and the intent of sustainable, safe transportation. The City's recent pilot program for electric scooters is certain to provide opportunities that may benefit the region, when their use is restricted within safe and appropriate parameters. For example, nearby bike trails adjacent to Duquesne University's campus might be an appropriate and safe venue for the electric scooters.
However, the University has serious concerns about the use of electric scooters on its campus. Duquesne often experiences dense pedestrian traffic, and the campus terrain includes steep inclines. As a result, Duquesne has for several years expressly prohibited scooters from campus under the Student Code of Conduct (except those used as a mobility accommodation under that Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)). In addition, Duquesne University has active concerns that the City's pilot program electric scooters are being left in pedestrian pathways, ramps, doorways and other areas that are potentially unsafe and could negatively impact accessibility.
For safety, accessibility, and other reasons, Duquesne prohibits the use of all electric scooters on campus, including those under the City's pilot program, unless as an approved ADA accommodation.
Duquesne is working with the City to designate campus as a No Ride Zone for the City's electric scooters, to geo-fence campus as a No Ride Zone (meaning that electric scooters will not operate on the University's property), and to effectively communicate these limitations to scooter riders.