Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

How do I get to my class?

See the Locations section below for sites where we hold most OLLI classes.

Most classes are held at The Bishop’s House on the Duke East Campus or at the Education Building at the Judea Reform Congregation on Cornwallis Road. Our computer classes are held at the Smith Warehouse, Bay 6. Directions for classes held at other sites in the community are for the most part listed as part of the course description.

Where do I park for my OLLI classes?

All OLLI at Duke members are eligible to receive a parking pass that will permit them to park at the Bishop’s House, at Judea Reform Congregation (JRC), and certain other locations. Each facility has individual parking passes available to pickup.

The Bishop’s House: There are a limited number of parking spaces around The Bishop’s House, including three handicapped spaces. The OLLI parking permit will be provided in each classroom on the first day of classes at the Bishop’s House and must be kept on your front dashboard when you park at The Bishop’s House. Failure to display the parking permit may result in $40 ticket from Duke Parking and Transportation. Your parking permit also allows you to park in the EAE (East Commuter) lot on Epworth lane opposite Trinity Avenue.

When your class ends, please exit Bishop House promptly and carefully to allow those arriving for the next class to park and enter, eliminating congestion for both the students and instructors. BE CAREFUL backing into and out of spaces, helping to avoid accidents; if you do accidently hit another car in the parking lot PLEASE let the OLLI Office know of the incident in fairness to the persons vehicle you damaged.

To use the handicapped spots, you need an official North Carolina handicapped parking tag. Campus parking restrictions are strictly enforced with a $100 fine.

Your OLLI parking permit is also valid for the lot at Asbury United Methodist Church on Markham Avenue and Sedgefield Street. City parking restrictions limit us to two-hour parking on the side streets adjacent to East Campus.

Judea Reform Congregation Education Building: Parking is in the lot adjacent to the building. It is plentiful, well-marked and well-surfaced.  You will need an OLLI parking permit on your dashboard to park at JRC. To use the handicapped spaces, you will need an official North Carolina handicapped parking tag. Please do not park in spaces designated for members of the congregation, or in spots designated for JRC staff. The JRC buildings and grounds are a non-smoking campus.

Smith Warehouse: Parking is available on both the north and south sides of the building. Registered members for the courses in the Computer Lab will receive a parking pass from their instructors that contain a bar code that is read by the scanner at each parking gate. The parking passes will be distributed either by email to print at the students home or handed out upon arrive to the class.

Westminster Presbyterian Church: Members should park in the lower of the two lots as you drive into the campus. Please do not park in the Nursery School parking lot that is behind the building.

For classes held at sites in the community: Please check the course description in the online or print catalog for specific guidelines on parking.

Do you hold class if the weather is bad or there is a community emergency?

Inclement Weather Policy

OLLI at Duke follows the lead of Durham Public Schools regarding Severe Weather Schedule.

• If the Durham Public Schools are open, OLLI classes and activities will be held. 
• If the Durham Public Schools are closed, all OLLI classes and activities are cancelled.
• If Durham Public Schools delay opening, OLLI classes and activities that start before 10:00 am are cancelled.
• If Durham Public Schools close early, OLLI classes and activities that begin at 3:00 pm and later are cancelled.

Please check your email before you leave for class. There may be instances where OLLI classes are in session and a particular instructor cannot travel due to weather conditions. In those cases, OLLI members can expect to receive an email from their Instructor and/or the OLLI office if their class is cancelled.

Regardless of the weather or road conditions, every OLLI member and instructor needs to make his/her own decision about whether or not it is safe to travel. Please use good judgement. Since OLLI hosts classes at sixteen different locations in the Triangle, road conditions can vary considerably.

Where can I get lunch between OLLI classes?

Options at The Bishop’s House include bringing a brown-bag lunch, using facilities such as the Marketplace in the nearby Duke East Campus Union, and exploring nearby restaurants in the Ninth Street area.  At Judea Reform, you may bring a lunch and eat in the commons area.  Please note: We comply with the dietary guidelines at Judea—no pork, no shellfish, and no meat and dairy on the same plate. Staff at Judea also maintains a list of restaurants in the area.

Are OLLI facilities accessible?

Duke University encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities.  If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please email olli@duke.edu in advance of your participation or visit.  The first floor of The Bishop’s House (where we hold all OLLI classes and the OLLI administrative staff works) is accessible and includes one accessible rest room.  All facilities at Judea Reform Congregation Education Building are accessible. 

How do I request a catalog?

Update 4/28/2020: During the covid-19 hiatus, no requests for catalogs will be processed. Please see the member website for more information about OLLI at Duke and information on our Online Learning programming.

How do I add, drop, or get a refund for an OLLI class?

Please email Kathy Parrish at kathy.parris@duke.edu to find out more about dropping, adding, and refunds. Requests for refunds for dropped courses must be made within five business days following the first class meeting. After that time, no refunds will be issued except in the event of an emergency, at the discretion of OLLI at Duke Staff. There will be a $20 service charge per course dropped. If a course is cancelled by OLLI at Duke, no charge will be incurred by members. For more information and our refund policy, please see the registration section of this website. Please note: Membership dues are nonrefundable.

How long does my membership last? 

Membership follows the academic calendar and runs from September through June.  Those who join for the short spring term (beginning in April) will be enrolled for the entire following academic year.