WFU will launch ConsentCon in spring 2023

Bottom Line Up Front:

• Wake will launch ConsentCon, a conference dedicated to exploring the meaning and operationalization of consent on college campuses, on Feb. 17, 2023.
• The call for community proposals for workshops, panel discussions and speakers is open until Jan. 13, 2023.

Dear Wake Forest community,

During the week of November 14, the University hosted a series of discussions with students, faculty and staff where we shared the results of a campus climate survey focused on sexual misconduct. Student safety is a priority for our community, and the survey was designed to measure the prevalence of sexual misconduct on campus, as well as the effectiveness of the university’s training, outreach, prevention, policies and procedures related to this area. We are heartened by the choice of many not only to attend but to lean into a conversation about where we are as a community and where we would like to be. We look forward to continuing to engage with students, faculty and staff through follow-up sessions that can be requested here. 

A theme shared during the facilitated dialogues is the hope that this conversation will not be an isolated discussion but rather an ongoing dialogue. Additionally, many shared that they want to remain informed regarding the progress of these efforts and any plans moving forward. 

As we continue in a community-engaged process, an important next step will be to convene as a campus for ConsentCon, a conference dedicated to exploring the meaning and operationalization of consent on college campuses. ConsentCon will be held on Feb. 17, 2023, and will engage students, faculty and staff in a community conversation about consent in pursuit of a campus free of violence. 

In an effort for the conversation about consent to remain community-led, we are asking students, faculty and staff to participate in ConsentCon. We also are requesting proposals for workshops, panel discussions, and speakers. If you are interested in presenting on a topic and sharing your perspective, please complete the proposal form here. The deadline for submission is Jan. 13, 2023.

If you have any questions about the proposal process or ConsentCon, please contact Aishah Casseus, Director of the Title IX Office, at casseua@wfu.edu. We hope you will plan to engage with us. 

In partnership,

Shea Kidd Brown
Vice President for Campus Life