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Important updates for Spring 2022 semester

by Betsy Chapman

Dear parents and families,

This afternoon, a message about our COVID-19 booster requirement was shared with the campus community. We wanted parents and families to be aware of this important information as well and to share some insight regarding the reasons for the University’s decision.

Following the academic year 2020-21, we heard the feedback from students and families that it was going to be crucial to return to as normal a status as possible for the academic year 2021-2022, with in-person classes, events, and a robust set of activities for extracurricular life. Because of our campus community’s vigilance in following our health and safety protocols, including getting the COVID vaccine, we were able to keep our campus healthy this semester and our rates of COVID low. 

The CDC recommends all adults over 18 receive a booster, and public health experts have also indicated that booster shots are critical to our continued success. In a congregate living setting like a college campus, the spread of the virus both within and beyond our campus boundaries is a public health risk; vaccines and boosters can reduce the spread of infection and prevent serious illness, particularly as we navigate the Omicron variant.

Our goal remains the same: provide a vibrant, in-person campus experience for all students, faculty, and staff. The COVID booster and masking at the start of the semester will provide us the best chance to deliver the full Wake Forest experience.

We know that some families will want to provide feedback on this decision. Please direct your questions or share your thoughts via the Our Way Forward website. Please note that our Student Health Service providers or other administrative or academic departments will not be able to directly reply to your feedback, as they will be working diligently on the operational pieces needed to support booster documentation. Our commitment to you is that all feedback submitted through the Our Way Forward website will be shared with our COVID leadership team, though we cannot promise an individual response in times of high volume.  

We value our partnership with families and share the same goal of ensuring that all Wake Forest students are safe, healthy and have the opportunity to have a rewarding academic experience this spring.

Rogan Kersh
Provost

Hof Milam
Executive Vice President

Contact

To contact the Office of Family Engagement or Family Communications, please visit our contact page.

 

For mental health assistance: 336-758-CARE (2273) is a service that ensures someone will always be available (i.e., 24/7 M-F, weekends and university holidays) to provide caring and thoughtful consultation services for Wake Forest students in need of mental health assistance or support. You can also visit we.wfu.edu for resources.