Update from Vice President José Villalba

A message from Vice President José Villalba

Dear Wake Forest students, staff, and faculty,

In May, I began a process to reimagine how Wake Forest can effectively promote connections across our campus community and strive for success and engagement. Throughout the summer, I met with campus partners, engaged peers across the country, and benchmarked peer and aspirant institutions to explore a broad range of approaches and mechanisms to support and engage all Wake Foresters. Although many take-aways stand out from those conversations, data analysis, and external factors related to the re-envisioning process, an overarching theme emerged: supporting all our students should be at the center of how we move forward as an institution. 

In order to continue supporting all students and student organizations, the Intercultural Center, the LGBTQ+ Center, and the Women’s Center will transition from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to the Division of Campus Life. As Wake Forest continues to cultivate a transformative student experience, this organizational change will create new opportunities for alignment and engagement among the centers and Campus Life offices that support students and their experiences. During this period of transition and renewal, Campus Life will ensure that the centers continue to serve as hubs of learning and community, while remaining in compliance with ongoing guidance from the Departments of Justice and Education. Vice President for Campus Life Shea Kidd Brown and I have a strong partnership, and I look forward to continuing to support her and the staff in the centers during this time of transition. 

Because leadership of these centers comprised a significant portion of our portfolio, we have decided to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. It has been my honor and privilege to lead this unit since 2018, and I want to thank my colleagues in ODI, the centers, and across campus for all of the ways you have contributed to our efforts and impact over the years. 

These are complex matters, and we are not alone in addressing them, as similar work unfolds across the higher education landscape. Thank you for your continued support and patience as we navigate these changes.

Sincerely,

José A. Villalba, Ph.D.