Open! [And maybe more snow?]

In this Issue:

• Operating status tomorrow (Friday, 1/30): open, in-person
• Campus Climate Survey launches
• Major declaration
• Potential snow this weekend

I hope by now you saw the message that we are open tomorrow in person (see first item below). Some of you had emailed or called asking why we were still virtual today or why some classes were canceled vs. done via Zoom – so I talked to some of my excellent colleagues working on both the emergency side and the academic side, to get some context. Here’s what they told me:

We followed inclement weather protocols this week because of ice on roads in Winston-Salem and the surrounding areas which made travel unsafe. We are committed to the safety of our faculty, staff and the more than 1,300 undergraduate and graduate students who live off campus.

Many classes successfully moved to remote learning. Some had to be canceled: many of those may not have lent themselves to a synchronous virtual meeting, and asynchronous assignments or cancellation were more appropriate. Faculty use their disciplinary and pedagogical expertise, as well as assessment of their personal circumstances (e.g., internet reliability, whether they are caring for children home for a snow day, etc.) in determining what would be most appropriate for their students’ learning experiences. Faculty are carefully monitoring this situation and making adjustments in their syllabi as needed and appropriate.

Our values at Wake include both academic excellence and health and wellbeing. During inclement weather, we have to balance those values to help us make decisions that impact our entire campus community – our students, faculty and staff – and what’s the best way to keep everyone safe while also keeping our commitment to learning.

They also wanted me to be sure you know that we want to listen to your feedback and value what you have to say, always.

And to share a personal anecdote, I can tell you firsthand that it is not easy to take what you do in the classroom and move it over to Zoom. A class I am teaching is pretty interactive, with a lot of small group work and in-class discussion. When I taught it yesterday, I used Zoom breakout rooms to simulate group work; class was OK, but not as good. There were a couple of what I thought would be really impactful learning moments (when designed for the in-person experience) that fell flat in the translation to virtual. 

My students do a reflection exercise at the last class of the week and one of the questions I ask them is what they disliked this week. The overwhelming feedback was that students found the virtual class less helpful, less fun, harder to concentrate, and the Zoom breakouts more draining than productive.

Operating status tomorrow (Friday, 1/30): open, in-person

Campus received a Wake Alert message this afternoon sharing that we are open and operating in person tomorrow: “On Friday, Jan. 30, Wake Forest will be open for on-site learning and on-site work, as travel conditions allow. We recognize that weather-related conditions continue to affect road safety to varying degrees across the region, and individuals should use their best judgment based on their personal circumstances. “When travel is unsafe or conditions make it impractical to travel to campus, virtual classes, remote learning and remote work may be used at the discretion of faculty and supervisors.” Read the full message at Wake Alert.

Campus Climate Survey Launches

My friends in Campus Life shared this update for the Daily Deacdom:

“Today, Wake Forest University invited undergraduate and graduate students on the Reynolda campus to participate in a confidential campus climate survey on sexual misconduct. The survey is part of the university’s ongoing, proactive commitment to fostering a safe, respectful and supportive campus community.

Student feedback from the university’s previous survey informed meaningful enhancements to prevention efforts, education and support services. This follow-up survey helps Wake Forest understand how those resources are meeting students’ needs today and where continued improvement is necessary.

The survey is administered by NORC at the University of Chicago, a nationally recognized, nonpartisan research organization. Participation is voluntary, and student responses are confidential.

Families are encouraged to support this effort by reminding their students that their voices matter and play an important role in shaping campus resources and care.More information about the survey and Wake Forest’s approach to addressing sexual misconduct and interpersonal violence is available at ipv.wfu.edu.”

Major declaration

The Office of the University Registrar (OUR) shared this in the WFU Should Know e-newsletter that goes out to students every Thursday afternoon:

“Undeclared students: If you have at least 40 completed credit hours, you can declare your major. The Office of the University Registrar suggests that you request a primary major as soon as possible so that you can meet with your primary advisor during the March 16-27 advising period in advance of Fall 2026 registration, which begins March 31.

Take a look at majors that interest you and consult with your current academic advisor. When you have decided which major you would like to declare, follow the steps under “Undeclared Major: Change Program of Study” set forth in Managing Program of Study for Students.”

Most students with 40 completed credit hours are sophomores, so if you are a P’28, this might be a good thing to discuss with your sophomore Deacs.

Potential snow this weekend

Don’t kill the messenger: there is potential for additional snow on Saturday. As you probably realized from the last snow, there was a big gap between initial predictions and what actually happened, so I am reluctant to predict anything here. These local television stations are options for you to review local forecasts:  WXII, WGHP, WFMY and Spectrum News 14.

What I would say is that students should continue to keep their eye on the Winter Weather Preparedness website to be aware of safety and other considerations, and to plan ahead for any of their needs.

I for one am hoping that this ends up a great big nothingburger.