Wake Forest in the News (Aug. 9 – 15)

FEATURED NEWS

The new diversity conversations
Substantial Magazine
Major Derri Stormer, who oversees the support services, strategic initiatives and community engagement division in the Wake Forest University Police Department, is featured in this Q&A on the importance of diversity and inclusion in law enforcement. “Representation matters,” said Stormer. “We have to actively work at building relationships with diverse groups.” She received the 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. “Building the Dream” award and was awarded the 40 Under 40 Leadership Award from the International Chiefs of Police Association in 2018. – 8/11/2021

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Wake Forest University receives $5 million for debate program
Philanthropy News Digest
Wake Forest University has announced a five-year, $5 million gift from Megan Medica in support of the university’s debate program. Made in honor of Megan’s late husband, alumnus John Medica (MBA ’83), the gift is the largest Wake Forest has received from an individual in support of a program in the undergraduate college. – 8/09/2021

Inside the FEMA program that spent $1 billion on COVID-19 funerals
By Kat Eschner | Fortune
“People who didn’t have money in 2020 opted for less expensive methods,” said Tanya Marsh, a professor of law at Wake Forest University who studies the funeral and cemetery trades. With the FEMA funding, she said, “Okay, they got reimbursed for those less expensive methods, but that didn’t give them any increased choice.” – 8/14/2021

Does a job seem too good to be true? 3 ways to detect if it is, during and after the interview
By Aditi Shrikant | CNBC
As an applicant, you need to figure out how much of what they are saying is true, and how much of it may be BS, said John V. Petrocelli, professor of psychology at Wake Forest and author of “The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit.” “The No. 1 reason people fail at detecting BS is they feel they are not susceptible to it,” he said. “They don’t ask enough questions. They don’t ask clarification questions.” – 8/11/2021

Some employers want proof, others say workers can just ‘attest’ to being vaccinated
By Yuki Noguchi | NPR
Do honor systems work? Philosophy professor Christian Miller studies honesty at Wake Forest. He said honor codes can make a big difference. “Twenty-eight percent of college students at schools without an honor code reported helping another person on a test, whereas only 9% did at schools with an honor code. It matters to us. We care about being able to think of ourselves as honest people.” – 8/06/2021

U.S. judge denies landlords’ request to block CDC national eviction ban
By Annie Nova | CNBC
“It’s imperative that cities and states deliver the rental assistance to at-risk communities as quickly as possible to prevent eviction and the consequences for public health across all of our communities,” said Emily Benfer, a visiting professor of law at Wake Forest University. – 8/13/2021

REGIONAL & TRADE

You’re probably reading breakthrough COVID-19 case numbers the wrong way
By Joedy McCreary | WNCN-TV (Raleigh, NC)
“Because these headlines focusing on the wrong numbers, they’re leading the general public maybe to focus on these wrong numbers,” said Dr. Lucy D’Agostino McGowan, an assistant professor of statistics at Wake Forest University. “And I think it can certainly lead to vaccine hesitancy,” she said. – 8/09/2021

How colleges are dealing with unvaccinated students
By Chris Burt | University Business Magazine
Wake Forest students who have not met the deadline for submitting required COVID-19 vaccination documentation or requested an exemption for religious or medical reasons have been removed from fall courses and assigned housing. Students can be reinstated by meeting these requirements. Because Wake has done so well with vaccinations—only 3% fall into the unvaccinated category. – 8/12/2021

Could Indiana University’s vaccine mandate set a precedent for UNC System?
By Russ Bowen | WNCN-TV (Raleigh, NC)
“I think the precedent at Indiana will be precedent for the University of North Carolina system,” said attorney and Wake Forest University law professor Don Vaughan. He added that the decision means the UNC System should no longer have any legal hesitance to issue its own vaccine mandate for both students and staff. – 8/13/2021

LOCAL

Support for same-sex marriage, social justice issues creates rift among Moravians
By John Hinton | Winston-Salem Journal
“As we have seen with Southern Baptists, United Methodists, and other Christian denominations, Moravians are not immune from the intense and ongoing struggles over religious identity underwritten by appeals to theological orthodoxy, racial ideology and nationalist ideals,” said humanities professor and Director of Wake Forest’s African American Studies program Corey D.B. Walker. – 8/14/2021

Summer program at Wake Forest University promotes literacy to children
By Taylor J. Neuman | Spectrum News Charlotte
Wake Forest University’s Freedom School works to enhance children’s motivation to read. It provides a research-based, multicultural reading curriculum and also supports them through leadership development, social action and health. What makes the program so impactful for children is how much fun they have while learning. – 8/08/2021

Wake Forest will begin fall semester with mask mandate in place
By Richard Craver | Winston-Salem Journal
Wake Forest University said Thursday it will require all individuals — regardless of vaccination status — to wear a mask indoors, including in the classroom, to begin the fall semester. According to a statement from Susan Wente and provost Rogan Kersh: “We anticipate this will be a temporary measure to allow for a smooth transition back to the classroom and campus environment.” – 8/12/2021