"Perry Patterson" Archive

WFU to offer tax equity benefit for same-sex domestic partners

Beginning July 1, Wake Forest  will offer a tax equality benefit for same-sex domestic partners of Reynolda Campus faculty and staff.

Wake Forest has offered same-sex domestic partner benefits to faculty and staff for more than 13 years; however, due to IRS regulations, individuals taking advantage of these benefits pay more than their heterosexual, married colleagues. With the introduction of this benefit, the University is striving to create parity for all faculty and staff by providing participants who have same-sex domestic partners with compensation to offset the additional amount they pay.

“The addition of the tax-equity benefit is a further demonstration of Wake Forest’s commitment to all members of our campus community,” said President Nathan Hatch. “It seems appropriate that this comes at a time when we have recognized so many examples of diversity and inclusion during our ‘Faces of Courage’ year-long celebration.”

The Wake Forest LGBTQ Center, which opened in August 2011, worked in partnership with Human Resources on this initiative.

“We’re thrilled to see Wake at the forefront, championing LGBTQ equity in higher education with the addition of this benefit,” said LGBTQ Center director Angela Mazaris. “This is a great example of Wake Forest’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in action.”

Wake Forest joins the ranks of prestigious universities such as Princeton, Yale, Syracuse, University of Pennsylvania, Barnard, and Bowdoin College in providing this benefit.

Perry Patterson, recently retired professor of economics and longtime LGBTQ advocate at Wake Forest, applauded the University’s decision, stating: “Many WFU faculty and staff will be most grateful for this policy move. It demonstrates clearly the University’s commitment that Pro Humanitate must fully apply to all members of the community.”

Congratulations to retiring faculty, staff

The following is a message from President Nathan Hatch: 

Video

While commencement season always brings about a sense of new beginnings and opportunities, it’s also a time to say thank you and bid farewell to many of our friends, colleagues and mentors who have called Wake Forest University home.

Please join me in congratulating and commemorating a marvelous class of Reynolda Campus faculty and staff retiring from Wake Forest this year. We are grateful for the many contributions from this remarkable group of individuals, who together have more than 800 years of service to the University: Read more

College honors Hale, Orser with Student-Faculty Engagement Fund

Dean Jacque Fetrow (center) congratulates Dean Toby Hale (left) and Dean Paul Orser.

Dean Jacque Fetrow (center) congratulates Dean Toby Hale (left) and Dean Paul Orser.

The heart of the Wake Forest experience has always been lasting relationships, fostered by our intimate setting and warm community.

In their combined service of more than 66 years at Wake Forest, Associate Deans Toby A. Hale (’65, P ’03) and Paul N. Orser (’69, P ’01) touched the lives of countless students, families, faculty members and staff. They worked tirelessly to assist wherever needed and whenever their skills matched the situation.

Dean Toby Hale provided wisdom and guidance in many capacities including Dean of the Summer Sessions, Chair of the Honor and Ethics Council, Secretary of the Committee on Academic Affairs, Coordinator of the Wake Forest Research Fellowship Program, and Chair of the Health Professions Committee.

Dean Paul Orser worked in the areas of admissions, public affairs, and student life.  As a member of the dean’s office, Orser served for 16 years as Dean of Freshmen, directed the London (Worrell House) Program, founded and directed the WAKE Washington (Internship) Program, coordinated the First Year Seminar and First Year Orientation Programs, and coordinated the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URECA) Center and Richter Fellowship Program.

In recognition of their strong, personal friendship and dedication to Wake Forest, the Office of the Dean of the College, and its student and faculty constituents, the College has honored these remarkable men by establishing the “Toby A. Hale and Paul N. Orser Student-Faculty Engagement Fund.”

Dean Jacquelyn Fetrow announced the gift at Hale’s retirement reception on April 22. Economics professor Perry Patterson and his partner, Joel Leander (’90); Associate Dean Anne Boyle and her husband, Wake Forest Baptist Health biostatistics professor Mark Espeland; and Dean Fetrow and her husband, computer science lecturer Brian Kell, made leadership gifts to the fund, which will be endowed.

This fund will be distributed at the discretion of the Dean of the College to support student-faculty engagement. In keeping with Dean Hale’s and Dean Orser’s interests and commitments, priority will be given to using these funds to encourage first-generation students and/or students with financial need to collaborate with faculty members in summer research and scholarly inquiry; mentored, academic activities and courses, including WAKE Washington; and internships with rigorous academic components and faculty oversight.

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