Inside WFU – news for faculty and staff

Provost Kersh: Christina Soriano appointed as associate provost

April 26, 2018

Provost Rogan Kersh emailed this announcement to faculty and staff on April 26:

Dear faculty and staff colleagues,

I am delighted to announce that Christina Soriano, Director of Dance, Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance and Administrative Fellow in the Office of the Provost, will continue her tenure in the Provost’s Office as the inaugural Associate Provost for Arts and Interdisciplinary Initiatives. This position is intended to strengthen and further develop interdisciplinary partnerships across the university while enhancing the visibility of the arts at and beyond Wake Forest. Professor Soriano will officially assume this role on July 1, 2018.

Professor Soriano joined the Wake Forest Theatre and Dance faculty in 2006 and has served as director of the dance program since 2016. Soriano has cultivated partnerships between Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and the Reynolda campus that transcend departmental, school, community and disciplinary boundaries.

In addition to creating new works for the Wake Forest Dance Company each year, Professor Soriano’s choreography has been presented across New England, North Carolina, New York and in Vienna, Austria. Each year, Professor Soriano is a key force behind the annual interdisciplinary symposium, Aging Re-Imagined, which brings together the work of artists and scientists around the topic of Healthy Aging. She also serves on the executive committee of IPLACe, our Interdisciplinary Performance and Liberal Arts Center.

Soriano’s wide-ranging interests and expertise have led her to identify points of connection between seemingly siloed concepts. Since 2012, Professor Soriano has taught a community dance class for Parkinson’s patients, underpinning her work to define the relationship between improvisational dance, mobility, balance and neurodegenerative disease. This research has received funding from the National Parkinson Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC and most recently the National Institutes of Health. This work led to her being named one of the Six Outstanding Women of the Triad by For Seniors Only! Magazine.

Professor Soriano’s research has been profiled in local and national news outlets. Her published work has appeared in Journal of Dance Education, Research in Dance Education, Dance Magazine, Theatre Journal, Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, The Journal of Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics and Frontiers in Neurology.

Professor Soriano’s ability to bring colleagues together to advance transformative change—within and beyond Wake Forest—is an added source of my enthusiasm for her joining our office as associate provost.

Please join me in congratulating Christina Soriano on her new appointment!

A message from Provost Kersh and Executive Vice President Milam

April 26, 2018

This message was emailed to staff and faculty on April 26 by Wake Forest Communications and External Relations on behalf of Provost Rogan Kersh and Executive Vice President Hof Milam:

Dear Colleagues,

In keeping with a broader Wake Forest security initiative, the Physical Security Technology and Deacon OneCard (PST/DOC) office, a division of Residence Life and Housing, has been charged with oversight responsibility for the selection, purchase, installation, maintenance and operation of card readers, cameras, and alarm devices.

Offices with upcoming physical security technology projects or needs should contact James Byrd in the PST/DOC office.  James will also be contacting appropriate offices directly to discuss steps that would better integrate those offices’ existing physical security technology with more extensive technology systems on campus.

PST/DOC will be advised by a team that includes Steve Adams – Athletics, Mike Draughn – Facilities, Rob Smith and Rick Tomlinson – Information Services, August Vernon – University Police, Donna McGalliard – Residence Life and Housing, Wendy Logan – Campus Life, Dina Marty – Legal, Ken Overholt – Properties, and Kami Chavis – Academics.  James Byrd will serve as team leader.

We are confident that this central oversight approach will improve the functionality and compatibility of the Reynolda campus physical security technology and best safeguard the people, assets, and information at Wake Forest.  Your cooperation and assistance are greatly appreciated.

Thomas Frank appointed associate dean for continuing studies

April 26, 2018

Thomas Frank

This is a guest post from the Office of the Provost and the Graduate School:

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce the appointment of University Professor Thomas Frank as Associate Dean for Continuing Studies, effective July 1, 2018.  Dean Frank also will act as director for the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) Program and the Lifelong Learning Program.  Dr. Frank most recently served in the Department of History, teaching courses on religious utopian communities, liberal arts colleges, and contemporary issues of conservation of the natural and built landscape.  He served as Chair of the Department of History from 2014-17.

A graduate of Harvard College (B.A.) and Emory University (M.Div. and Ph.D.), Dr. Frank completed a Masters in Heritage Preservation at Georgia State University in 2006. He was on the faculty of Emory University for 23 years before joining the Wake Forest faculty in 2010.

Please join us in congratulating Tom!

Memorial service scheduled for Maggie O'Sullivan

April 24, 2018

This announcement was emailed to students, faculty and staff on April 24 by Wake Forest Communications and External Relations:

A memorial service for Margaret Ann (Maggie) O’Sullivan, who died last Friday night, will take place Wednesday, April 25, at 5 p.m. in Wait Chapel.

She was a freshman from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.  At Wake Forest, she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.

President Hatch announced her death in a message emailed to students, faculty and staff last weekend.

Wellbeing Center to be close early on April 26; reopen April 27 on regular schedule

April 23, 2018

The Wake Forest Wellbeing Center, including Reynolds Gym and Sutton Center, will be closed on Thursday, April 26 from 1:30 p.m. until midnight for a private event.

The Wellbeing Center will resume normal hours of operations on Friday, April 27.

Wellbeing Center administrators announced, “This will be a one-time occurrence.  We apologize for the inconvenience.”