Stories this week at Wake Forest

FRESHMEN GET TOUR OF THE TOWN—As part of orientation, Wake Forest’s 1,035 freshmen will tour Winston-Salem on Saturday, Aug. 26. Twenty-six city buses will meet between 2:30 and 3 p.m. in front of freshmen residence halls. Students will visit downtown Winston-Salem, Bethabara Park, the N.C. School of the Arts, Old Salem, and other points of interest. The last stop (at 6 p.m.) will be the “Summer on Trade” street celebration downtown. A Convention and Visitor’s Center guide, a Wake Forest staff or faculty member and a Wake Forest upperclassman will be aboard each bus. This is the first time such a tour has been provided for students. For more details about the itinerary, contact the News Service.

STUDENTS LIKE WIRELESS OPTION—Four years ago, Wake Forest University freshmen arrived on campus as the first class to be provided with laptop computers. This year’s freshmen, as well as returning students, benefit from another development in Wake Forest’s comprehensive technology initiative-wireless access to the Internet. The university has set up the hardware to enable wireless access in 140 spots on campus, including residence halls, lounges, the library and certain popular outdoor areas. Students pay a fee to go wireless with their laptop computers. Already, more than 600 of this year’s freshman class have signed up for wireless access, and more students will be applying. Freshmen pick up their wireless “cards” (that plug into their ThinkPads) on Tuesday, Aug. 29, between 2-5 p.m. in the Information Systems Building.

PREPARATIONS CONTINUE FOR PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE—Wake Forest University begins this fall semester as it did in 1988-preparing to host a presidential debate on campus. “We’ve staged exciting events at Wake Forest in the last dozen years, but hosting a presidential debate is unlike anything else,” said Sandra Boyette, vice president for university advancement, who coordinated university preparations for the 1988 debate between Michael Dukakis and George Bush. “It’s such an extraordinary educational experience for our students and our community,” added Boyette, who is overseeing preparations this year. Scheduled for Wednesday night, Oct. 11, the debate is bringing to the campus special events and classes, as well as the nation’s top journalists, not to mention candidates for the presidency of the United States.

BOOKSTORE NOW HAS DEBATE MERCHANDISE—T-shirts, posters and buttons with the presidential debate logo are now for sale in the College Bookstore. Call the News Service if you would like to photograph inside the bookstore.

WAKE FOREST CELEBRATES YEAR OF ETHICS AND HONOR—Legal scholar Stephen Carter, whose 1993 bestseller, “The Culture of Disbelief,” focused the country’s attention on the role of religious belief in public life, will speak at Wake Forest University during its 2000-2001 Year of Ethics and Honor. Carter will deliver the Opening Convocation address on Sept. 28 at 11 a.m. in Wait Chapel. In addition to Carter’s speech, the theme year will include a film series, a panel discussion on business ethics, a lecture on athletics and ethics, a symposium on law and morality, and several other events designed to explore issues related to ethics and honor. Further information is available on the Ethics and Honor website at www.wfu.edu/ethics.

CLASSES BEGIN—Undergraduate classes begin Wednesday, Aug. 30.

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