The view from campus
First of all, I would like to thank all the Daily Deacdom for your patience as we navigate this uncharted territory together. Colleges typically have great playbooks for move-in, orientation, major events, etc. but this is a situation that none of us have gone through before. Please know we are doing all we can for you and your Deacs in a rapidly-changing public health landscape.
Let me share some news: yesterday it was announced that there were two presumptive positive coronavirus cases in Forsyth County, where Wake is located (there were also two presumptive positives in Mecklenburg County where our WFU Charlotte Center is). We will continue to be guided by our health department and the infectious disease experts at the hospital and the CDC. More as I know it.
The second big news yesterday was that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) revised its travel health notice system to reflect the declaration of a worldwide pandemic. All countries other than those with a Level 3 CDC Travel Health Notice have been assigned a Level 2 Travel Health Notice. You can read the full message here.
Dr. Hatch sent a message out today to students, faculty, staff, and parents/families today. Read it here. I particularly liked this sentiment:
“In the coming days, we will modify the deep, personal engagement that is at the heart of our community. But we must not abandon it. Now, perhaps more than ever, we need one another. So while we must change how we connect, we will lean into our ingenuity, pursue creative solutions and embrace the challenge to discover how we can maintain the best of who we are in the midst of changed and uncertain circumstances.”
In that spirit – and frankly because I think we all could use a little break from nothing-but-coronavirus news – let me give you the view from campus and hope that it gives you a sense of connection.
It’s been a beautiful weather week this week. High 60s/low 70s. I took a much-needed trip around campus late this morning to take a lot of pictures. Thought maybe your Deacs might like to see what we are seeing. I know they will miss this place.
The drive onto campus from Silas Creek parkway has a billion daffodils coming up on both sides of the road. Those flowers flank the Byrum Welcome Center in an especially lovely way. There is a similar flower bed as you move behind the South campus halls towards Faculty Drive.
It had rained earlier today, so the air had this sort of moist feel and it smelled like very clean air. I saw a handful of students on campus (we did have some who did not go away for Spring Break); saw a few joggers and a dog walker. Lots of construction workers (because we always do maintenance during breaks). There was a Pepsi truck and I almost wanted to divert them to my building (I have downed more than a few Diet Pepsis this week).
The trees are starting to bloom. In a few weeks they will all be totally perfect. Right now there are some great big pink flowering trees in the parking lots that flank Wait Chapel – so those who live in Efird and Huffman would see them a lot.
Must admit that it feels really weird that spring is coming and our students won’t be here as usual. Normally this is the time of year when everyone is outside on the Quad and enjoying the beautiful weather, or playing volleyball in one of our courts near the residence halls, or walking a dog, or swinging on the swings by Scales.
The Quad and the Mag Quad looked stately and majestic, as they always do to me. I spent a moment looking at Davis and Taylor halls, because I love how they have been opened up and you can see the cloister-like walkways. The north part of campus – normally teeming with upperclassmen in the tables outside of Farrell Hall or North Dining Hall – was beautiful and quiet. Finally (and because I needed lunch :)) I ended up at a place some of your students might like to frequent: May Way Dumplings in Reynolda Village.
So here are a bunch of pics of the outsides of many of our buildings. what these don’t show, of course, is the action taking place on the inside. I wish I could show you the heroic, selfless work of my colleagues in departments all over campus who are working tirelessly to try and provide assistance and support, or planning, or simply continuing our normal business. I have said it before and I will say it again: Wake Forest people are the best people.
Thanks for hanging with us during this crazy time. We want to keep you as connected to Wake as we can and I pledge to keep bringing you news and pictures – and maybe even a Five Senses next week ;)
Please continue to check our coronavirus site; we are updating it (literally) constantly. Our Call Center has been extended to Saturday 3/14 from 10 am-2 pm. That number is 336-758-7500.
