Pre-Arrival Action Needed for Fall 2020 Return

This message was sent on behalf of Penny Rue, Vice President for Campus Life to parents and families

Dear parents and families,

As we approach the start of a semester that will be unlike any other we have experienced, I want to thank all of our parents and families for your partnership and support during this pandemic. COVID-19 has presented us all with unimaginable challenges, anxieties, and stressors. We know that these feelings are likely heightened the closer we get to move-in. One of the ways we hope to reduce anxiety is to communicate expectations so that you are aware of what Wake Forest asks of your students, and what the semester will look like for those who will be here in person.

Today, your students received a message (copied below) that details action items we need them to do, as well as guidelines about our public health expectations and the consequences of not following those guidelines. We seek your partnership in two critical ways: 1) understanding what is being asked of your students by thoroughly reading the message and all associated links within, and 2) having a family conversation about whether your student can and will commit to these expectations.

Even with all the planning Wake Forest has done to de-densify campus, educate our community about how COVID-19 is spread, create policies to limit that spread, and increase our medical capabilities, there is a razor-thin margin for error in public health compliance. Our students must be prepared to follow all requirements and policies — not just at the start of school, not just Monday-Friday, but on nights and weekends and for the whole semester. If we want to get our students safely through until November, we need everyone’s total commitment.

If your student does not feel they can comply with what we have outlined in the email below and the associated links, they may seek an all-online and remote from home course mode rather than risk disciplinary actions that might put their academic progress in jeopardy.

Finally, I want to reassure you that while COVID-19 means the semester will by necessity be different, we are committed to making it as meaningful, productive, and enjoyable for your students as we can. Even as we speak, we are finalizing a slate of outdoor activities for Orientation and the first few weeks of school, adding tents to campus that can be used for socially-distant activities, and ramping up ways our student organizations can creatively work to engage their members. COVID-19 cannot quash the Wake Forest spirit of being a personal, face to face community.

Thank you for your continued support as we make the best decisions possible for your students’ health and safety and the safety of our community. We look forward to welcoming your students back to campus.

With best wishes,

Penny Rue, Ph.D.
Vice President for Campus Life

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Dear Wake Forest students,

We are just a few weeks away from ringing in a new semester and embarking on a Wake Forest experience unlike any other. For months, hundreds of faculty, staff and students have been working relentlessly to prepare for the fall. We know too that you and your families have been eagerly and anxiously getting ready to return to campus.

Like many things in this uncertain world, there are still more questions than answers. We are making every effort to remain agile as we share updates when changes in our plans are necessary. We believe being nimble will be a way of life for the coming year, and we hope you understand that is the reality we all must prepare for as we rejoin campus.

I know that we have sent a lot of information from the University this past month, and we recognize that it can be difficult to keep on top of what is really important. To make it as easy as possible for you, we have collected in Canvas all of the required steps to come back to Wake Forest. Please take time to read this message carefully as it contains guidance to the necessary actions you must take in order to join the fall semester on campus. Thank you for your diligence and attention to these matters.

Please visit canvas.wfu.edu and log in with your student credentials. After you select the COVID-19 Requirements Module, a checklist will guide you through the following steps:

• Submit a Pre-Arrival COVID-19 Test
• Complete Mandatory 14-Day Quarantine
• Begin Daily Symptom Monitoring (via the SneezSafe website)
• Read the Student Social Compact
  • Complete the COVID-19 Education and Training Module
  • Read and acknowledge the COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors and Student Expectations
  • Read and sign the Public Health Emergency Addendum to the Undergraduate Conduct Code

PRE-ARRIVAL COVID-19 TESTING

Last week, we initiated a new pre-arrival testing program through our partner, Azova Health. By now, you should have accessed their website and started the process of securing your at-home test kit. If you have not begun this process, please do so as soon as possible. Find the directions here that were sent to you on July 31 to take action now.

Regardless of if you are already on campus, residing in off-campus housing or still preparing to return to Wake Forest later this month, you must complete the following actions:

Pre-Arrival COVID-19 Testing

All undergraduate students must complete a COVID-19 test and be cleared to return before moving into campus housing or accessing campus. Your Wake Forest ID card will not be activated until you have completed this test and have a negative result. There are some exceptions to the testing requirement; additional information about those exceptions and testing results is available here.

Mandatory 14-Day Quarantine

Undergraduate students residing in University housing or off campus must complete a 14-day self-quarantine period concluding on the day prior to their move-in date or before accessing campus. More information, as well as a table that outlines the time frame for testing and quarantine, is available here.

Daily Symptom Monitoring

Students who will be residing in University housing or accessing campus are expected to complete daily COVID-19 symptom monitoring using an online tool, SneezSafe, which was developed in partnership with Wake Forest Baptist Health. More information on how to use the SneezSafe system is available here.

Please review this table for instruction as to the timing for testing and quarantine. Use this table as a guide. We recognize that for some people the timing may not be possible; what is important is that you order and complete your test before arriving or attempting to access campus. You will need to demonstrate a negative COVID-19 test before you will be allowed access to campus.

STUDENT COMPACT: OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO HEALTH

As President Hatch and Student Government President Miles Middleton (’21) shared earlier this week, we have an opportunity to live out the best of Pro Humanitate this semester. Through our Show Humanitate efforts, we can demonstrate our personal responsibility for the wellbeing and health of our entire community.

I am especially grateful for the students who have invested countless hours to think about and plan for a safe and healthy return to campus. Their efforts in making this semester vibrant and memorable are remarkable, and their compassion and diligence in keeping the health of the community first has been inspiring.

We have recently shared information about the Student Social Compact via social media. The compact included more than 150 students and describes the pathway that will lead us all to a successful semester. It is supported by important expectations and policy changes to reinforce the necessary behaviors to keep our community safe and healthy. Your commitment to this compact, and demonstrated review and acceptance of its principles, will enable us to achieve a complete semester here on campus. On behalf of all the students who invested their time and energy in its creation, and on behalf of all the faculty and staff who worked to make this semester possible, I thank you for your attention and earnest commitment to the guiding principles.

Please visit canvas.wfu.edu and log in with your student credentials to complete the following before you arrive on campus:

Student Social Compact

Written by students, for students, this social compact is a commitment to one another about how our community will approach the fall. Please read and acknowledge you have reviewed the Student Social Compact.

COVID-19 Education and Training Module

This training module was developed by members of our Campus Life staff and is an introductory session for life at Wake Forest this fall.

COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors and Student Expectations

Please read and acknowledge this list of behaviors that help remind our community of the regular practices we need to adopt in order to protect ourselves and everyone with whom we come into contact.

Public Health Emergency Addendum to the Undergraduate Conduct Code

This addendum to the Undergraduate Student Conduct Code is in response to the current public health emergency and is intended to increase education, safety and accountability among students and student organizations. All students must sign this addendum prior to returning to campus.

Thank you for your attention to the many details outlined above. Your participation will help us have a smooth start to the fall. Though our semester will be different, I assure you that we are looking forward to connecting with all of you in just a few weeks.

Until then,

Penny Rue
Vice President for Campus Life