Spring calendar 2021
This morning a message went out to students, faculty, and staff about the spring 2021 semester; read it here. The long and short of it is that we are starting later in January (move in will be January 23-26, FDOC – First Day of Class – is 1/27), there will be no spring break, tuition is due 1/1/21 (instead of 12/1), and move out will conclude on 5/16. It is worth your while to read the full message so you have the basics.
That said, there are obviously a lot of additional details we need to work through in the coming weeks so students and families have the information they need to plan for spring; we are working with many offices to help gather that information. Thank you for your patience as we get this work done, and know those details will be communicated as soon as they are finalized.
Your Corona Chronicles came out yesterday for students, and it is also worth your time. Here are a few key takeaways: we’re sticking with what’s working for us — wearing masks, keeping our distance, and sticking to groups of 10 indoors and 25 outdoors. Student organizations and University-sponsored events with approved safety plans can operate under outdoor gathering guidelines (100 people or 30% of the capacity of an outdoor space, whichever is less). It also covers asymptomatic testing, as some students have wondered if our asymptomatic testing is truly “random.” There is an expanded FAQ on testing that explains more.
Speaking of asymptomatic testing, students who are selected for tests next week will be notified sometime this afternoon. One of the most frequent questions we get at the Call Center is “I just got tested last week – do I need to go again?” The answer is yes, unless you meet the exception criteria.
Your Corona Chronicles also mentioned the fact that the NC Department of Health and Human Services has launched a new app to notify users if they may have been in close contact with someone who has shared a positive COVID-19 test result through the app. This is one of those deals where the more people use it, the more effective the tool will be. Your Deacs can help by downloading and using SlowCOVIDNC.
In campus news, Hit the Bricks concluded a remarkably successful week of events. You can see a photostory here. This is an amazing achievement for their fundraising and impact, especially given the virtual nature of the event. In research news, the professional organization I belong to, AHEPPP: Family Engagement in Higher Education, is running a national research study (https://z.umn.edu/CollegeParentsSpeakOutW2) to understand the needs and experiences of families during the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey will help WFU – and programs like ours at other schools – understand your experience and consider how we can better serve parents and families as they support their college students. If you have a few minutes to share your thoughts and views in this online survey, I’d be most grateful to have you represent Wake Forest in the national picture.
It’s Friday, and a beautiful weekend ahead of us. Call your Deacs (you know why) and check in with them. Might be worth a conversation about NC Phase 3: though bars and restaurants can be more fully open as of 5 pm, it is critical for students to continue to wear masks, social distance, avoid crowds, handwash, etc. (I can hear my P’92 telling me “just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should“). And as always, don’t forget to tell our Deacs you love them and are proud of them!
— by Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (’92, MA ’94)