Inside WFU – news for faculty and staff

Updates from HR: COVID-19 vaccines, asymptomatic testing, face coverings

July 29, 2021

Wake Forest University Human Resources emailed the updates below to faculty and staff on July 28.

Vaccine Success

With more than 95% of colleagues completing the vaccine survey, we are approaching full vaccination status in several areas of campus. This will allow colleagues the freedom to work and connect without face coverings, if they choose. As importantly, this will protect the campus from highly contagious variants.

Vaccine Survey Closes August 2

The employee vaccine survey will close on Monday, August 2. Following that date, any updates to your COVID-19 vaccination status or records will need to be made directly in Workday. If you need to update your COVID-19 vaccination status, email askHR@nullwfu.edu for instructions.

Note: Supervisors or others on the team should not ask for or receive employee vaccination records. 

Asymptomatic Testing Updates

The University continues planning for asymptomatic testing of those who are not approved to be unmasked in the workplace. Testing will be facilitated by WFBH staff in Benson Center. Faculty and staff testing will take place two days per week; student testing will occur on the alternate days. Start dates for testing and scheduling will be communicated in the coming weeks

I choose to mask, please don’t ask

There are many reasons why an individual may choose to wear a face covering on campus. For instance, they may be:

• Unable to get vaccinated due to medical or religious reasons
• Vaccinated and immunocompromised
• Vaccinated and living with unvaccinated children or family members
• Vaccinated and uncomfortable being unmasked in large gatherings
• Vaccinated and recently returned from travel
• Vaccinated and recently exposed to someone with COVID-19

Avoid making assumptions about the vaccination status of others and respect individual choices to mask.

View the full message, including frequently asked questions about vaccines and face coverings, on the human resources communications website.

Ashleigh Brock named Chief of Staff

July 29, 2021

Ashleigh M. Brock has been named chief of staff in the Office of the President. Brock comes to Wake Forest from the University of Richmond, where she has served as assistant to the president and directed the operations of the Office of the President for the past four years.

She will begin at Wake Forest Sept. 7.

“Ashleigh brings a wealth of higher education experience to this role,” said Wake Forest President Susan R. Wente. “I look forward to welcoming her to the Wake Forest community and working with her as a trusted partner.”

As a trusted advisor to President Ronald A. Crutcher and member of the university’s leadership team, Brock directed a range of special projects in support of the University’s strategic plan. Brock has 15 years of progressive higher education experience across five institutions. Previously, she served as the associate director of alumni and career services at the University of Richmond and assistant director of William & Mary’s Cohen Career Center.

The Chief of Staff reports directly to the president and is responsible for overseeing the operational and administrative functions of the Office of the President.

“Wake Forest is an institution I have long admired, and I am thrilled to join and to serve this community,” Brock said. “Dr. Wente’s incredible leadership experience and her vision for the University inspired me to pursue this role, and I am eager to contribute to the success of her presidency.” Read More »

Grammy and Oscar-nominated composer Joshuah Brian Campbell joins Wake Forest University

July 26, 2021

Joshuah Brian Campbell will join Wake Forest University this year as director of music and arts at the School of Divinity and director of the University Gospel Choir. Campbell, a Grammy and Oscar-nominated composer, will collaborate with choral groups across the University to contribute to dynamic worship and concert experiences, including weekly worship at the Divinity School. His work leading the Gospel Choir will include performances of music inspired by the African American sacred tradition.

“I am elated that Joshuah Brian Campbell will bring his extraordinary gifts to benefit our students and the Wake Forest community,” said Jonathan Lee Walton, dean of the School of Divinity and Wait Chapel. “His appointment represents a commitment to ensuring this grand tradition of gospel music will continue on our campus at the highest levels.” Read More »

Wake Forest forms search committee for Vice President of Campus Life

July 21, 2021

Wake Forest University has formed a search committee to seek a successor to Vice President of Campus Life Penny Rue, who announced her plans to retire last month.

The search committee, co-chaired by President Wente and Provost Kersh, kicked off its work this week. “The Vice President of Campus Life is an incredibly important and influential role on a residential and highly relational campus like ours,” said President Wente. “This leadership role transcends organizational boundaries and will only find success by embracing radical collaboration. The search committee is tasked with finding the best leader for Wake Forest at this time by representing the needs and interests of our University constituencies.”

Members of the committee include:

• Jane Caldwell (MA ’82, P ’14, P ’17), Senior Associate Athletic Director and Assistant to the College Dean
• Lisa Dragoni (P ’25), Associate Professor of Management, School of Business
• Steve Giles (P ’23, P ’25), Associate Professor of Communication and Department Chair
• Michele Gillespie, Dean of the College
• Christopher Leak (’85, P ’11), College Board of Visitors Member
• Lauren Lowman, Assistant Professor, Engineering
• Heidi Robinson (MA ’11, P ’18, P ’19, P ’20, P ’21), Assistant Vice President for Career Education & Coaching
• Malika Roman Isler (’99), Assistant Vice President of Inclusive Practice, Office of Diversity & Inclusion; Professor of Practice, Health and Exercise Science
• Mike Smith (’89, P ’21), Board of Trustees
• Leigh Stanfield (’98), Executive Director, Global Engagement & Administration
• Ally Swartzberg (’22), President, Student Government Association
• Jacob Thomas (’22), President, Black Students Alliance

Sam Perrotta (’12), chief of staff in the Provost’s Office, will staff the committee. Global executive search firm WittKieffer has been retained as the search consultant.

“Our initial committee conversations stressed the remarkable advances in Campus Life under Dr. Rue’s leadership,” said Provost Kersh. “We will seek to sustain the professional excellence characterizing this division, even as the Campus Life team must continue to navigate the complex waters of changing student demography, cultures, and learning styles.”

Additional information about the national search process and continuous updates can be found at search.campuslife.wfu.edu. Plans for university-wide forums are underway and will be communicated.

Should you wish to share input with the committee directly, please email comments to vpclsearch@nullwfu.edu. Candidate nominations may be sent to wakeforestvpcl@nullwittkieffer.com, ideally after the forums are complete.

As a helpful supplement to the search committee’s work, the Peterson Rudgers Group, which has worked closely with several peer schools undergoing transition in their student life leadership, has been retained by Wake Forest. PRG leaders will work closely with Campus Life and their closest collaborators to help anticipate the future of student engagement on a residential campus.

88.5 WFDD Hive® Education Program receives top awards from Public Media Journalists Association

July 21, 2021

This message is shared on behalf of 88.5 WFDD. 

88.5 WFDD, the public radio station licensed to Wake Forest University, received two first-place awards in the Student Division of the 2021 Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) Annual Awards Competition for projects created by students participating in Radio 101, an initiative of WFDD’s Hive® Education Program.

WFDD won first place in PMJA’s Student Multi-Media Presentation category for “School, Interrupted,” a four-part series that explored school violence from students’ perspectives. The series culminated in a live Town Hall for Teens, where students, parents and school administrators gathered to hear students share their stories and brainstorm positive solutions. The series also included opportunities to continue the conversation online.

The station was also recognized for the “School, Interrupted” series episode, “What It’s Like for Us Every Day.” In this feature, three students shared a raw, honest conversation about their experiences as African American students in a society reckoning with issues of race and inequality.

“When you hear about topics like these on the news, it’s usually through the lens of academics and experts,” said Radio 101 instructor and Hive® Program Manager Gabriel Maisonnave. “While those views are extremely important and valid, they are also, more often than not, far removed from the issue at hand. ‘School, Interrupted’ flipped the script. Those who experience school violence every day were the ones front and center of the conversation. This is the reason WFDD’s Hive® exists: to provide students with a platform where the stories are not just about them but by them.”

Read More »