Lots of good stuff today
Big excitement to note: our women’s basketball team is going to the Big Dance! We got announced lastnight as the #9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the second time our team made the cut (last time was ’87-88). Congratulations to our players, coaches, and staff! We will all be cheering you on when you play the #8 seed Oklahoma State on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2.
It’s been a little chillier here – back in the low-to mid-50s yesterday and today, after we had a glorious low 70s weekend. We’re looking at some yo-yo weather (rainy and jumping between 50s at 70), which is not unusual for spring.
Couple of emails of note went out yesterday and today. Today students received a message about the first opportunity for Group 4 high risk students, faculty, and staff to get the vaccine. Not surprisingly, there was high demand for appointments and we reached capacity quickly. We anticipate there will be additional opportunities going forward, and Group 4 high risk students can also seek a vaccination from other sources (e.g., county mass vaccination clinics, Walgreens, etc.). Please do not call or email the Student Health Service asking about vaccine clinic options; we are sharing information with the student body as soon as it comes available (and the SHS doesn’t have any vaccines on their own to give). NOTE: the vaccine is administered based upon eligibility criteria established by the state. It is anticipated that students without chronic medical problems living in residence halls will be eligible to receive the vaccine by mid-April. Students will be notified of the opportunity to receive the vaccine on campus as the state expands the eligibility criteria.
Yesterday, all currently enrolled students (’21-24) got a message about the housing selection process for the next academic year. Will pull out the BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front):
We are planning for increased occupancy on campus this fall.
Three-year residency requirement will remain in effect.
Students who have lived on campus for six semesters may choose to live off-campus; students with less than six semesters must be approved via petition to live off-campus. The petition will be available March 17.
The Housing Application will be available April 7; actual housing selection will take place over the summer.
We will be offering programming and events in the coming weeks to help students understand the housing selection process and to find roommates.
The deadline to request disability-related housing accommodations is May 31.
Obviously much more info to come as the public health landscape becomes clearer and we have more details.
The other email that went out yesterday was Letters So Dear to our ’24s.
In event news, I recently heard from the organizers of our TEDxWake conference:
“What has been the biggest take-away from your unique experience that you cannot wait to share with the world?” That’s the question that TEDxWake: Spill the Tea will be answering on April 10th.
TEDxWake is an independently organized TED event. The TEDx program allows individuals to organize community events which advance TED’s mission of providing the public with “ideas worth spreading”—powerful conversations that spark lively debate and help produce innovative solutions to some of life’s most begging questions.
Spill the Tea aims to give innovators and storytellers the platform to tell their truth. Based on the popular colloquialism, Spill the Tea asks the audience to lean in, open their ears, and find inspiration wherever it may land. TEDxWake’s Executive Producer, Logan Cioffi, described this year’s TEDxWake as follows:
The ideas behind this year’s theme of Spill the Tea came from our desire to acknowledge this overwhelming year in our work without having to speak about the obvious. Though quarantine has been difficult for many, it has also in some way allowed a large group of people to find other ways to share their stories and realities.
You can learn more about TEDxWake and register here for the virtual event. This is always a terrific event, and I hope your Deacs (and interested families!) will take advantage of it.
Finally, there are some pictures of Pi Day and some of Spring Wake, an outdoor celebration of spring with food trucks, games, and live music at Fireside on Manchester this past weekend. Enjoy!
6 PM LATE ADDITION: message about Commencement for the Class of 2021 and Celebrating the Class of 2020.
