Update on campus demonstration

Dear parents and families,

A message was sent out to the campus community this morning regarding a demonstration that included the assembling of tents on Hearn Plaza. We wanted parents and families to see the message as well. An excerpt is below.

Around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, a group of approximately 20 students began demonstrating peacefully on Hearn Plaza in solidarity with pro-Palestine activists on campuses across the country. The demonstration transitioned to assembling tents on Hearn Plaza around 6:30 p.m. Administrators informed students that erecting tents and remaining overnight was inconsistent with the intended and approved use of the space and violated health and safety policies.

Throughout the evening, our shared goal was to keep everyone safe and avoid disruption of our academic mission and planned campus activities. It was a priority to seek a peaceful outcome. Administrators and the organizers of the demonstration remained in dialogue throughout the evening, night and early morning, and reached an agreement shortly after 9 a.m. that led to students agreeing to take down the tents in the encampment.

You can read the full message here.

Wake Forest has established a call center for students, faculty and staff: 336-758-7500. Please note that the call center does not have any information that has not been shared publicly but can help clarify important points and address your questions.

If you have sent an email to Wake Forest about this situation, please know those are being forwarded to campus leadership. As this is a time of high email volume, we cannot guarantee an individual response.

If we have additional information, it will be shared at Family News and in the Daily Deac. Please be assured the safety of our students and campus is our top priority.

Best,

Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. ‘92, MA ‘94
Executive Director of Family Communications