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After-Action Review of April 30 – May 3, 2024, Encampment Demonstration

Following the April 30–May 3, 2024, encampment demonstration on Wake Forest University’s Reynolda Campus, President Wente established an After-Action Review (AAR) Committee to assess the events and provide recommendations.

This web page includes a summary of the committee’s work, a chronology of actions taken, and the latest updates on the implementation of the committee’s recommendations:

Committee Recommendations and Implementation Updates

I. Develop a Written Protocol for Law Enforcement Deployment

Recommendation: Establish a written protocol to guide decision-making on the deployment of law enforcement during campus demonstrations.

Response: The Division of Campus Life has published this written protocol.

II. Enhance Communication Policies and Procedures

Recommendation: Adopt policies and guidelines to ensure clear, consistent, and accurate communication with the campus community.

Response: University Marketing and Communications has published a Philosophy & Guidelines document and added a senior advisor for crisis communications and issues management.

III. Create Time, Place, and Manner Guidelines for Protests

Recommendation: Establish reasonable time, place, and manner guidelines for campus protests and demonstrations.

Response: The Office of the General Counsel has published the Demonstrations, Chalking, and Posting Policy. University officials have also conducted training sessions on implementing the new policy.

IV. Institutionalize the After-Action Review (AAR) Process

Recommendation: Develop a comprehensive policy to formalize the AAR process, including the structure and procedures for conducting reviews.

Response: A committee chaired by the Vice President for Campus Life discovered that AARs are part of the university’s standard operating procedures in many key areas, such as Emergency Management,  Environmental Health & Safety, Athletics, and University Police. These reviews involve expertise from across the university as required depending on the topic and circumstances. To further strengthen this program, an assistant emergency management manager position was added. Finally, the Office of Emergency Management developed a web page to broadly share after-action review approaches, templates, and lessons learned.  

For more information, please email aarc@wfu.edu.