RL&H & R.I.D.E.

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“Residence Life and Housing is committed to cultivating a dynamic living, learning and work environment that honors the dignity and humanity of every individual. Through the implementation of intentional inclusive practices and policies, we aim to fulfill our vision of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity. This academic year, we have adopted the R.I.D.E. Framework listed below, which will serve as our foundational guide for achieving and sustaining Inclusive Excellence. We are dedicated to advancing a more inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for all residents and other members of our community at Wake Forest University.”
-Dr. Stephanie Carter-Atkins, Executive Director, Residence Life and Housing

Explore our areas of focus and progress!

2024-2025

Climate

Equitable Accountability

Transparency

Our team is committed to the long-term growth of our department and the student residential experience. As our team continues to evaluate our shared work and best practices, we will continue to share and update that progress here. Please check back here throughout the year as we solidify the goals of our department, in our pursuit of Inclusive Excellence.

2023-2024

Equitable Accountability

*Solidification in progress

Inclusive Community Engagement

*Resource Allocation

*Solidification in progress

Office of Residence Life and Housing

2024-2025

Climate

Equitable Accountability

Transparency

2023-2024

Equitable Accountability

Inclusive Community Engagement

*Resource Allocation

2022-2023

Recruitment and Retention

Climate

Transparency

2021-2022

Equitable Accountability

Transparency

Climate

Where to start

Get to know WFU

Resources

Support Wake Forest

Wake Forest Giving Societies

Office of Residence Life and Housing

2024-2025

Climate

Equitable Accountability

Transparency

2023-2024

Equitable Accountability

Inclusive Community Engagement

*Resource Allocation

2022-2023

Recruitment and Retention

Support and promote on-campus professional development, providing an ongoing list of WFU Divisional and campus-wide committee opportunities to be informed and aware of accessible opportunities to be involved.

Enhance the recruitment and onboarding process in ways that connect new employees to both the campus and the greater Winston-Salem community, including a New Hire Welcome Guide that includes local attractions/amenities for diverse identities within the Triad area.

Develop free, non-work-related monthly outings for the central office staff while extending access to staff friends and families.

Implement an Affinity Group Promotion to encourage involvement across departments, to create a greater sense of belonging to promote the retention of diverse staff members.

Climate

Created a mini series (in alignment and conjunction with the Intercultural Conflict Style and Radical Candor) around the core barriers to organizational change including sense of urgency, defensiveness, power-hoarding, perfectionism, and boundaries.

Develop a central office monthly newsletter to highlight staff achievement and development, collaboration across upcoming processes, and important information across teams as a means to provide consistent connection and a decrease in office-held meetings, where applicable.

Transparency

Reassess our job descriptions to incorporate DEI efforts within our department that will be added to all professional staff position descriptions within Residence Life and Housing.

2021-2022

Equitable Accountability

Support and promote individual and collective commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Increase capacity for individuals to work effectively across differences and hold one another accountable for harmful interactions.

Develop feedback structures for individuals (peer to peer/ peer to supervisor), small groups (within unit), and the office as a whole (anonymous/formal assessment) to share out on our equitable practices and accountable behaviors.

Transparency

Creating structures to invite students’ voices into the work of our department in a regular and systematic way through expectation.

Ensuring timely review of processes and the incorporation of feedback into future planning/action through a formal feedback window, tool(s) for documentation and a central hub available to all CO staff.

Regular analysis and reporting of demographic data as it relates to our residential communities.

Transparency in staffing and organizational structure through the removal of barriers where appropriate to institutional structure and staffing decisions.

Climate

The Climate Committee is committed to hearing, documenting and actively working to deepen CO’s understanding of the core barriers of a positive workplace including: sense of urgency, defensiveness, power-hoarding, perfectionism, and boundaries.

The Climate Committee is committed to developing and implementing strategies to foster professional relationships between staff members and creating an environment in which feedback is encouraged and received with positive regard.