"Provost" Archive

Response to malicious emails

The following message was emailed to students, faculty and staff on September 19, 2019

Last week, an unknown individual or individuals with malicious intent sought to spread a message of bigotry, division and fear among members of our campus community through emails sent to seven members of our faculty and staff and five offices on campus. Our faculty and staff have worked to protect everyone on our campus while striving to preserve the integrity of the investigation.

We hear the questions posed by some of our students: can you see us, can you hear us, do you understand our lived experiences? Yes, we see you. Yes, we hear you. And, no, we cannot fully understand what some of you are enduring.

The emails, steeped in the vitriol of white supremacy and nationalism, were sent to individual and office inboxes associated with the Department of Sociology, the Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the LGBTQ+ Center, and the Intercultural Center. These emails have hurt, scared, threatened, angered, and confused many on our campus in different ways. This cuts at the core of who we are at Wake Forest and impacts us all.

While none of the emails contained actionable threats or detailed a specific attack on our campus, they still managed to elicit the fear the sender intended. Wake Forest consulted with law enforcement and national threat assessment experts — including the FBI’s leading experts on domestic terrorism, white nationalism, and hate crimes — before deciding to continue classes and normal University operations. The increased police presence on campus and enhanced security measures will continue while the investigation proceeds.

Our decision to continue classes does not diminish the real emotions and concern some in our community still feel. We pledge to stand by all our students, staff and faculty when they experience hate and discrimination of any kind. We will revise protocols where necessary and improve on the processes that we know are effective. We must remember who we are as a caring and supportive community and move forward in the spirit of those values.

There are many sources of support for those of you who are affected by these hateful emails. The University Counseling Center (336-758-5273), the Chaplain’s Office (336-758-5210) and the Employee Assistance Program (336-716-5493) are invaluable resources, as are our friendships and circles of personal support. Please continue to look out for each other.

Sincerely,

Nathan Hatch, President
Rogan Kersh, Provost
Jane Aiken, Dean of the School of Law
Michele Gillespie, Dean of the College
Charles Iacovou, Dean of the School of Business
Penny Rue, Vice President for Campus Life
José Villalba, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion
Jonathan Walton, Dean of the School of Divinity

WFDD wins prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has awarded 88.5 WFDD a National Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Innovation for its Community Conversation on Mental Health. This comes after the station received three Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for Large Market Radio in Region 8, which encompasses Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

Murrow Awards, among the most prestigious in broadcast and digital news, are presented to news organizations that demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Murrow set as a standard for the profession of broadcast and digital journalism.

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Categories: Inside WFUStaff News

CRADLE program invests in faculty and grantsmanship

The Creative Research Activities Development and Enrichment (CRADLE) initiative is engaging with its fifth cohort of faculty this September and continues to experience interest and success.

The Office of the Provost and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) coordinate the program. CRADLE aims to develop competitive external proposals that support multiyear research projects and creative activities. Fellows receive assistance from both internal and external consultants to improve their grantsmanship and to articulate a five-year career plan that incorporates proven strategies for developing and funding superior research and creative activities.

“We began CRADLE because we wanted to help faculty develop competitive grant proposals,” said Lori Messer, director of ORSP.

On Sept. 18, the new cohort will attend the first of four seminars, “Winning Grants,” that will cover federal grants. In December, another seminar focused on foundation and corporate grants will be held. Other CRADLE sessions will focus on quality and team building. Participants also work one-on-one with a grants consultant to develop 90-day contracts that outline their grant plans.

The seminars are open to non-CRADLE participants.

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Categories: Faculty NewsStaff News

July 2015 staff milestones

See a list of staff milestones for July 2015. (The wrong list was posted earlier, briefly.)

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Categories: Staff News

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