[ THEME MUSIC ] >>Announcer: MAJOR SUPPORT FOR CAROLINA BUSINESS REVIEW PROVIDED BY COLONIAL LIFE PROVIDING BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES, TO HELP THEM PROTECT THEIR FAMILY, THEIR FINANCES AND THEIR FUTURES.

HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY, THE PREMIER LIFE SKILLS UNIVERSITY, FOCUSED ON PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE WORLD AS IT IS GOING TO BE.

AND >> VACCINATIONS AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT, WORKER SHORTAGE, SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES.

ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT HERE IN THE CAROLINAS.

I AM CHRIS WILLIAM.

WELCOME, AGAIN TO THE LONGEST RUNNING AND MOST WIDELY WATCHED SOURCE OF CAROLINA BUSINESS, POLICY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SEEN EACH AND EVERY WEEK FOR OVER 30 YEARS ACROSS NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS DIALOGUE.

WE WILL START ON SOME OF THOSE ISSUES WE JUST TALKED ABOUT AND LATER ON, THE NEW PRESIDENT OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY, DR. SUSAN JOINS US.

WE START NOW.

[ THEME MUSIC ] ♪♪ >>Announcer: ON THIS EDITION OF CAROLINA BUSINESS REVIEW, DR. MARK GABRIEL LITTLE OF CREATE UNC CHAPEL HILL.

SUSIE SHANNON FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA COUNCIL ON COMPETITIVENESS, AND SPECIAL GUEST, DR. SUSAN WENTE, PRESIDENT OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY.

>> Chris: HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM.

WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE DR. MARK GABRIEL LITTLE AND SUSIE SHANNON BACK ON THE PROGRAM.

WELCOME TO YOU BOTH.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

YOU LOOK HAPPY AND HEALTHY.

SHOPPING IS DONE, RIGHT?

[LAUGHTER] YOU TWO ARE SPEECHLESS?

THAT'S KIND OF SURPRISING.

SUSIE, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TALK ABOUT-- AND CERTAINLY IN SOUTH CAROLINA BECAUSE OF THE PORT AND OF COURSE, JIM NUSOME'S NOT BEEN SHY ABOUT THIS, BUT THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS.

AN ECONOMIST ON THIS PROGRAM SAID, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS WRONG.

IT'S NOT A SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS.

IT'S A DEMAND CRISIS.

AND THAT DOES CHANGE THE DYNAMIC HERE, DOESN'T IT?

>> YEAH.

I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.

I MEAN, WE CERTAINLY SEE THE SUPPLY CHAIN, IT'S STILL SWINGING.

I MEAN, WE SPENT THE LAST, WHAT, ARE WE UP TO 18 MONTHS OR SO?

WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF THE DOWNSLIDE IN GETTING THINGS MOVED ACROSS OUR STRATEGIC FREIGHT CORRIDORS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE BEEN ORDERING STUFF AND YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING AND ACTUALLY, REMEMBER, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ORDERING IT BACK IN JULY.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS BUT I ORDERED A NUMBER OF THINGS OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS AND THEY PROJECTED THAT I WOULD RECEIVE IT, YOU KNOW, TWO WEEKS OUT, THREE WEEKS OUT, SIX WEEKS OUT AND THEN IT ALMOST SHOWS UP THREE DAYS LATER WHEN I'M TRAVELING OUT OF TOWN NATURALLY.

SO I THINK WE'RE STILL SEEING A BIT OF SWINGING WITHIN THAT SUPPLY CHAIN AND ALTHOUGH WE ARE ALREADY AFFECTED BY SOME WIDESPREAD SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF DISRUPTION AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF UNCERTAINTY AHEAD, I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY BEGINNING TO SEE SOME ACCELERATION IN TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS THAT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ANYWAY BUT NOW WE'RE SEEING EXPONENTIALLY MOVING ALONG THANKS TO SOME OF THOSE SUPPLY CHAIN INTERESTS.

I THINK IN SOME RESPECTS, THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO-- TO MAKE SOME TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS ALONG THE WAY.

>> MARK, IS THIS ABOUT PUSHING IT?

IN OTHER WORDS SUPPLYING IT, OR IS IT ABOUT PULLING IT IN DEMAND?

IS IT MORE OF DEMAND?

>> I THINK IT'S INTERESTING.

IT VARIES BY SECTOR.

PRESSURE TREATED, IF YOU WOULD.

REMEMBER, PRICES SKYROCKETED BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE IN DEMAND.

EVERYONE WAS REDOING THEIR HOMES, NEW HOME BUILDING.

THAT'S GONE BACK DOWN.

FLIP SIDE, YOU HAVE CHIPS THAT GO IN CARS.

THEY'RE MOSTLY IMPORTED FROM OVERSEAS AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DEMAND PER SE BUT RATHER MANUFACTURING, SHUTTING DOWN IN ASIA.

THAT'S STARTING TO COME BACK.

I MEAN, IT IS VARIED BY THE PRODUCTS AND INDUSTRY THAT IT'S A COMPLICATED AND REALLY UNFORTUNATELY WHERE IT'S REALLY HITTING PEOPLE RIGHT NOW AND THINK OF THE PEOPLE YOU MEET.

FOOD PRICES AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DO GROCERY SHOPPING IN YOUR HOME.

I DO.

I JUST NOTICED OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, IT'S 10% EVERY MONTH, THE PRICE OF GOODS ARE GOING UP.

>> Chris: THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE, IS IT?

THAT RATE OF INFLATION ISN'T SUSTAINABLE IN FOOD STUFF.

>> NO, IT'S NOT.

>> Chris: SUSIE, BACK TO THE SUPPLY CHAIN, I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT THE WHOLE PROGRAM, BUT IS IT THE LAST MILE?

IS IT BECAUSE OF THE TRUCKER SHORTAGE?

IS IT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING OUT OF CHINA?

IS IT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING WITH THE L.A.

PORT THAT ALL OF THE SHIPS BACKED ONE THE NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH CAROLINA PORTS SEEM TO BE WORKING?

I MEAN, HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY IT?

>> CAN I SELECT ANSWER E. [LAUGHTER] >> Chris: SURE.

IT'S A COPOUT, BUT YOU CAN.

[LAUGHTER] >> IT'S REALLY ALL OF THE ABOVE.

CERTAINLY, WE HAVE SEEN-- THE TRUCKER SHORTAGE IS THE MILLION-- AND HOW WE CLOSE HAS BEEN THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION FOR YEARS.

IT'S JUST ITS SHEER VALUE HAS GONE UP.

I MEAN, EVEN THREE TO FOUR YEARS AGO, THE AVERAGE AGE WAS 52 AND QUITE FRANKLY, HOW MANY PARENTS WERE ENCOURAGING YOUR KIDS TO GET THEIR CDL AND DRIVE A LONG HAUL TRUCK.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE SHORTER HAUL RUNS, THOSE, YOU DON'T SEE AS MUCH OF A SHORTAGE IN THOSE PARTICULAR AND I TITIONS AS YOU DO THE LONGER HAUL.

I ALSO THINK, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO SOME OF THOSE-- YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS, AT LEAST WITH RESPECT TO SOUTH CAROLINA WHERE WE SAW THE BIGGEST EXPONENTIAL GROWTH OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS INSIDE OF THE LOGISTICS SECTOR WAS AROUND THE TECHNOLOGY EFFICIENCIES OF LOGISTICS BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY PREDICTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO THROUGH OUR D.O.T.

PLAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING A LOT MORE FREIGHT BETWEEN NOW AND OVER THE NEXT 18 YEARS AND SINCE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, A LOT MORE ROADS, WE'RE GO-TO-ING TO BE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE WAY AND OVERLAYING TECHNOLOGY TO GET THE STAFF THAT WE MAKE OUT THE DOOR, YOU KNOW, FASTER, FARTHER AND MORE EFFICIENTLY.

>> Chris: MARK, JUST SWITCHING GEARS HERE A BIT.

WE SAW A TREND HAPPENING, NOT SURPRISINGLY, THAT HOSPITALS, ADMINISTRATION, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS WERE THE FIRST ONES TO COME OUT WITH-- THIS IS MY TERM, BUT CLEARLY THAT VACCINATIONS WERE A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.

PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

FAIRLY RESTRICTIVE.

FAIRLY NARROW.

ARE WE SEEING MORE NOW JUST GENERAL INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION OF THIS IDEA THAT VACCINATIONS ARE BECOMING A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.?

>> I THINK YES, PARTICULARLY FOR COMPANIES THAT ARE NATIONAL AND THEN FOR LOCAL COMPANIES AND STATES WHERE THEY HAVE THESE MANDATES.

IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TO SEE.

SOME BUSINESSES THAT ARE TECHNICALLY CONTRACTORS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, ARE THEY NOW REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW AND IN SOME SENSE IN CASES THEY ARE, IT'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED THERE.

SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, YES.

I MEAN, HERE AT UNC CHAPEL HILL, WE MOVED TO THAT PLACE NOW AND I THINK WHAT WILL BE-- I DON'T KNOW IF INTERESTING IS THE RIGHT WORD BUT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NEXT YEAR WHEN WE START HAVING TO FIRE PEOPLE, RIGHT?

BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A MANDATE THAT MEANS THAT IF YOU DON'T COMPLY, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET FIRED.

THAT ASPECT OF ALL THIS, I THINK, WILL BE INTERESTING.

I KNOW, IN NEW YORK STATE, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DELAYED SOME OF THOSE THINGS PARTICULARLY FOR FOLKS IN HEALTHCARE AND I THINK POLICING THAT HAVE TO BE FIRED AND THEY CAN'T DELAY IT FOREVER.

THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHETHER THESE MANDATES BECOME REAL AND ARE THEY GOING TO START FIRING NURSES AND DOCTORS.

>> Chris: GOOD POINT.

I THINK SOME HOSPITALS DISINVITED SOME OF THE MEDICAL STAFF AND SUPPORT STAFF.

SUSIE, DO YOU SEE THIS TURNING INTO A CIVIL LIBERTIES BATTLE VERY SOON?

>> AH-- WELL, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE HOPE IS THAT ALL OF THIS WILL EVENTUALLY SORT OF FADE AWAY.

I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT ANYTIME SOON.

OBVIOUSLY, I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH GENERAL EMPLOYERS, NOT JUST THE HOSPITAL PROVIDERS.

THEY DO SIT IN A UNIQUE POSITION BUT WHAT YOU ARE SEEING WITH GENERAL EMPLOYERS THE LAST THING THEY WANT TO DO IS SHUT DOWN A PRODUCTION LINE IN THE MIDST OF A COVID OUTBREAK AMONG THEIR ASSOCIATES AND SO I THINK YOU'RE SEEING EMPLOYERS GET A LOT MORE CREATIVE WITH, YOU KNOW, RETAINING EMPLOYEES BY ISSUING INCENTIVES AND ENCOURAGING, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEES TO GET VACCINATED, TO STAY HEALTHY, TO COME TO WORK HEALTHY, TO, YOU KNOW, COMPLY WITH PROTOCOLS INSIDE THE WORK ENVIRONMENT IN ORDER TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE AND HEALTHY.

>> OKAY.

MARK, JUST ABOUT 30 SECONDS.

DR. MANDY COHEN, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IN NORTH CAROLINA, HAS BEEN THE POSTER PERSON FOR COVID AND THE PANDEMIC RESPONSE FOR THE OLD NORTH STATE.

SHE ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WILL BE MOVING ON.

WHILE IT'S NOT UNEXPECTED, IT IS A FAIRLY BIG ANNOUNCEMENT.

HOW DO YOU THINK IT PLAYS OUT?

AGAIN, WE HAVE 30 SECONDS.

>> I THINK GIVEN HER PROMINENT ROLE IN ALL OF THIS SINCE MARCH OF LAST YEAR, SHE HAS BEEN OMNI PRESENT ON RADIO, ON TV AND HAS REALLY BEEN THE FACE OF I THINK A PRETTY GOOD RESPONSE TO ALL THE CRAZINESS THAT'S HAPPENED.

I THINK MOST NORTH CAROLINIANS ARE GOING TO BE THANKFUL.

THE THEY'LL BE SAD GIVEN THAT OMNICON IS COMING OUR WAY.

I THINK EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT IT'S TIME FOR HER TO MOVE ON.

>> Chris: OUR NEXT GUEST IS A VETERAN TO TOP UNIVERSITIES AND TOP MEDICAL TEACHING UNIVERSITIES.

SHE WAS PROVOST AT VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY.

IT IS NO COINCIDENCE, I SUSPECT, ANOTHER HIGHLY RATE MEDICAL SCHOOL, WAKE FOREST HAS RECRUITED HER, NOW AT THE TOP SPOT.

SHE NO DOUBT WILL OVERSEE THE PANDEMIC POLICY, ACADEMICS BUT EXPANSION OF WAKE FOREST INTO CHARLOTTE AND BEYOND.

WE WELCOME THE NEW PRESIDENT OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY AND IN HER OWN RIGHT A WELL-KNOWN CELL BIOLOGIST DR. SUSAN WENTE.

WELCOME TO THE CAROLINAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S MY GREAT PLEASURE TO JOIN YOU TODAY AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR DISCUSSION.

>> Chris: DR. WENTE, OF COURSE, YOU WERE DOWN ON THE GROUND PROVOST AT VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY WHEN COVID FIRST BECAME THIS NATIONAL HEALTH CARE CRISIS.

HOW DID THIS SCIENTIFIC SCIENTIST CELL BIOLOGIST PART OF THIS YOU THAT IS MORE THAN SOMEWHAT DECORATED, HOW DID THAT INFORM YOUR ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP IN ADMINISTRATION?

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THAT?

>> RIGHT.

I MEAN, I THINK, BASED UPON MY BACKGROUND, IT DID GIVE ME I WOULD SAY CONFIDENCE AND A BIT OF COMFORT IN TERMS OF THINKING THROUGH AND LOOKING AT THE DATA, THE REPORT, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE COMING FROM PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS AND THAT WAY ABLE TO LEAD THE TEAM THROUGH THAT DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.

WHEN THAT HIT IN MARCH OF 2020 AT VANDERBILT, I WAS NOT ONLY PROVOST, I WAS ALSO INTERIM CHANCELLOR.

THERE WERE MANY DECISIONS WE WERE MAKING ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY THAT WERE PEOPLE LOOKING TO ME IN TERMS OF DIRECTING THOSE.

AS A SCIENTIST, I'VE ALWAYS APPROACHED DECISION MAKING FROM, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY, TEAMWORK AND BUILDING TRUST PRINCIPLESS AND IN THE PANDEMIC, THOSE THREE PRINCIPLES HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

IN TERMS OF TRANSPARENCY, WHAT IS THE DATA?

HOW CAN WE COMMUNICATE THAT?

HOW CAN WE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH TEAMWORK ACROSS ALL THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE UNIVERSITY REALLY HAVE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO COLLABORATE AND MAKE DECISIONS THAT EVERYONE WILL TRUST?

WE CAN OPERATE IN THAT WAY.

>> Chris: APOLOGIES FOR INTERRUPTING YOU.

AS YOU RESTARTED AS PRESIDENT AT WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY, WERE THERE THINGS THAT YOU LEARNED THAT YOU WEREN'T DOING AT VANDI THAT YOU ARE DOING AT WAKE THAT ARE RUNNING THIS POLICY?

>> YES.

LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATES COLLABORATIVELY IN THESE AREAS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE IN TERMS OF RESPONDING TO PANDEMICS, SHUTTING DOWN, REOPENING.

I WOULD SAY THAT WAKE FOREST IS DIFFERENT FROM VANDERBILT IN TERMS OF THE URBANNESS OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

SO THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE ADVANTAGE IN REGARD TO THE OUTDOOR SPACE THAT OUR CAMPUS HAS AVAILABLE.

THE FUNDAMENTAL APPROACH THAT WAKE FOREST TOOK AND THAT I FULLY, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTED WAS TO REQUIRE VACCINATIONS OF STUDENTS AND NOW WE ALSO REQUIRE VACCINATIONS OF FACULTY AND STAFF AND EMPLOYEES AND THEN INDOOR MASKING AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, SEEING THE EVIDENCE OF THOSE TWO KEY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO SAY POLICIES, HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR BEING ABLE TO BE FULLLY VAX 'ED, FULLY IN IN-PERSON CLASSES AND HAVING OUR TRADITIONS AND EVENTS RE-ESTABLISHED.

I DO BELIEVE THAT CAME AND COMES THROUGH OUR USING THE EVIDENCE, DATA AND THE COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT.

>> Chris: LET ME OPEN THIS UP FOR QUESTIONS.

>> YES.

CHANGE TRACKS JUST A LITTLE BIT HERE.

AS YOU WELL KNOW KIND OF THE DEEP HISTORY OF ELITE HIGHER EDUCATION, THERE WASN'T ABOUT ENDING ANY QUALITY BUT IT'S TRAINING THE ELITE OF SOCIETY.

I WAS WONDERING, WHAT IS YOUR VISION AND WAKE FOREST'S VISION ABOUT THE ROLE OF WAKE FOREST AND UNIVERSITIES LIKE IT?

AND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT INEQUALITY.

>> I THINK WE PLAY A VERY SPECIAL ROLE IN TERMS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION EFFORTS, UNIVERSITIES ARE LOOKED AT TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO PRESSING PROBLEMS FACING SOCIETY AND WE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO SAY A THOUGHT PARTNER IN TERMS OF REALLY ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES.

I KNOW WAKE FOREST HAS TAKEN THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT IMPRESSED ME.

IT HAS A COMPLEX HISTORY AND YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST FIVE OR MORE YEARS, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'VE TERMED A REAL RECKONING WITH THAT PAST TO HELP INFORM THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THE PAST, THE NARRATIVE AND REWRITING THAT NARRATIVE.

NOW, A KEY PART OF, YOU KNOW, HOW WE THINK ABOUT OUR CAMPUS COMMUNITIES IS HOW WE CREATE ACCESS, HOW WE CREATE OPPORTUNITY, HOW WE REALLY OFFER STUDENTS THAT CHANCE FIND THEIR PASSIONS AND THAT'S FOR ALL STUDENTS AND THAT THEY, YOU KNOW ARE COME TO A CAMPUS COMMUNITY WHERE THEY FEEL INCLUDED, WHERE THEY KNOW THEY BELONG AND THEREFORE CAN THRIVE.

THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A CHALLENGE THAT EVERY UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IS FACING.

WHETHER IT'S YOUR CAMPUS, YOU KNOW, A LARGE STATE UNIVERSITY.

WHETHER IT'S A PRIVATE, SMALLER UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, WHETHER-- WE'RE ALL FACING CHALLENGES WITH HOW TO DO THAT.

BUT UNIVERSITIES ARE THE ONES THAT I THINK ARE IN A REALLY GREAT POSITION TO FIND SOLUTIONS BECAUSE WE CAN BRING PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT DISCIPLINARY BACK BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT LIVED EXPERIENCES AROUND ONE TABLE TOGETHER AND BRAINSTORM HOW TO DO THAT.

>> Chris: SUSIE, QUESTION.

>> THANK YOU.

SO YOU TALKED ABOUT UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES BEING THE INCUBATORS FOR SOLUTIONS, RIGHT, AND WE CERTAINLY SEE HISTORICALLY UNIVERSITIES OF INCUBATORS AND HUBS FOR INNOVATION AROUND POLICY, R&D, PARTICULARLY WITHIN FACULTY AND THE RESEARCH DEPOSITED WITHIN THE UNIVERSITIES.

NOW I THINK WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE ACROSS OCCUPATIONS AND INDUSTRY AREAS, INNOVATION, DATA ANALYTICS, HOW DO WE VISUALIZE DATA?

HOW DO WE ORGANIZE DATA?

IT'S NOT JUST GETTING IT IN YOUR GRADUATE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS CLASS, FOR INSTANCE.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU GOT TO START AT THE FRESHMAN LEVEL.

SO NOW THAT WE KNOW INNOVATION SEEMS TO OVERLAY, YOU KNOW, ALL FIELDS OF INDUSTRY AND OCCUPATION, HOW DO WE TEACH INNOVATION?

RIGHT?

SO WHEN THE GRADUATES GET OUT, THEY'RE CARRYING SOME OF THAT COMPETENCY WITH THEM TO THE JOB?

>> RIGHT.

IN TERMS OF TEACHING INNOVATION OR INSPIRING CREATIVITY, I THINK THERE ARE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT APPROACHES AND ON THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE CLASSROOM.

THAT IS LIKE WHY WE LIKE TO THINK ABOUT IT AS THE ENTIRE LIVING, LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND WHAT ARE OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM TO COMPLEMENT THAT LEARNING AND ALLOW THAT LEARNING TO BE ACTUALLY ACTED ON IN REAL LIFE SITUATIONS.

SO WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT EXPERIENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES OR EVEN THIS WEEK, I WENT AND TOURED OUR WAKER SPACE, WHICH IS WAKE FOREST'S TERM FOR MAKER SPACE.

IT'S FILLED WITH STUDENTS FROM ALL DIFFERENT MAJORS USING, YOU KNOW, 3D PRINTERS, USING ALL THE DIFFERENT TOOLS AND APPROACHES AND INCLUDING DIFFERENT DATA AND CUTER PROGRAMMING-BASED APPROACHES TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION, TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS IN, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF MAJORS.

SO IT'S NOT EXCLUSIVE AS YOU MIGHT THINK, SUCH A SPACE MIGHT BE TO JUST ENGINEER.

THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS TO PROVIDE A REAL LIVING, LEARNING EXPERIENCE ACROSS BOTH IN THE CLASSROOM AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO BE PREPARED FOR WHATEVER THEIR FUTURE CAREERS MIGHT OFFER.

THAT'S-- THAT'S WHY YOU HEAR THAT TERM LIFELONG LEARNING.

WE ALSO NEED TO BE INSPIRING OUR STUDENTS TO BE LIFELONG LEARNERS BECAUSE LIKE, YOU KNOW, GENERATIONS PRIOR, THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE CAREERS PROBABLY MULTIPLE TIMES AND HOW CAN WE BE A RESOURCE FOR THEM TO COME BACK TO IN TERMS OF THEIR FURTHER LEARNING OR FURTHER EXPERIENCE SCHEME THEY MAY NEED TO DO?

THAT, IN PART, WAS PART OF THE RATIONALE FOR LAUNCHING THE SCHOOLS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES.

IT WILL OFFER TUNES FOR ADULT LEARNERS, INCLUDING MANY GRADUATES, WE HOPE, TO CONTINUE TO ADD TO THEIR SKILL SETS, TO CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD UPON THEIR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES AS THEIR ECONOMY CHANGES, AS JOB CHANGES, AS WHATEVER CHALLENGES OR OPPORTUNITIES THEY MIGHT FACE.

>> Chris: PRESIDENT WENTE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE COST OF EDUCATION.

NOT A NEW ISSUE WITH COLLEGE DON'T HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO GET INTO ALL THESE PROGRAMS THAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT?

>> RIGHT.

SO I WILL DIVIDE THAT INTO TWO-PART ANSWER.

YOU KNOW, FIRST, I THINK IT REALLY IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE OF THE COLLEGE DEGREE AND THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE IN TERMS OF, AS I WAS REFERRING TO, NOT JUST THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE BUT THE OUT OF CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE.

WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT VALUE AND HOW IT POSITIONS THEM FOR FURTHER SUCCESS.

SECOND, WE HAVE TO BE COMMITTED TO INK CREASING ACCESS, AS YOU SAID, FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME STUDENTS AND HOW DO WE DO THAT?

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT APPROACHES.

THE FUNDAMENTAL ONE THAT MOST UNIVERSITIES HAVE TAKEN IS IN TERMS OF NEED-BASED AID AND HOW CAN WE INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF NEED-BASED AID, SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO GIVE THEM ACCESS?

AND WAKE FOREST, THAT'S A KEY PRIORITY.

IT'S ALSO ONE OF MY PRIORITIES AS THE NEW PRESIDENT.

AND WE HAVE RAISED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF NEED-BASED AID.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING WHICH IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE STICKER PRICES AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALSO REQUIRES COMMUNICATION TO THOSE STUDENTS.

I THINK REACHING STUDENTS WHO ARE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED AREAS OR IN DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, REALLY REACHING THEM WITH THAT MESSAGE THAT YES, THEY CAN COME HERE AND GET SUPPORT.

THEY CAN COME HERE AND BE SUCCESSFUL, THAT WE'RE DEVOTED TO CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY CAN THRIVE.

NOT JUST FROM AN ACADEMIC STANDPOINT AND ALSO FROM A FINANCIAL AID STANDPOINT AND FROM THE VALUE OF THE DEGREE THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE.

>> Chris: WE HAVE LESS THAN TWO MINUTES LEFT.

MARK, DO YOU HAVE A QUICK QUESTION?

>> SURE.

YOU MENTION THE NEED TO KIND OF DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE OF THE EDUCATION FOR THE PURPOSE.

I WAS WONDERING AND I NOTICE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN WINSTON-SALEM ALL THAT LONG, BUT I WANT TO-- HAVE YOU HAD ANY OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY, WAKE, WINSTON-SALEM AND THE TRIAD AREA AND THAT RELATIONSHIP AND IT MAY NOT BE BASED ON A STUDENT PER SE BUT THE BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP, THE COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP AND JUST CURIOUS YOUR INITIAL THOUGHTS ABOUT THE REGION THAT YOU FIND YOURSELF IN.

>> RIGHT.

WELL, ONE, I THINK IT'S AN ABSOLUTELY EXCITING REGION TO BE IN IN TERMS OF THE CREATIVITY, AND I WILL GO BACK TO YOUR WORDS, INNOVATION AND THE COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT AMONGST EVERYONE THAT I MET IN THE COMMUNITY.

I BELIEVE THAT A UNIVERSITY CANNOT BE STRONG UNLESS THE COMMUNITY, THE REGION AND THE AREAS ARE ALSO STRONG.

AND THIS IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE TERMS I HAVE BEEN USING IN TERMS OF MY EARLY PRESIDENCY IS ABOUT RADICAL COLLABORATION.

AND ONE OF THE ASPECTS IS HOW AND HOW DO UNIVERSITIES, COMMUNITY BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT LEADERS COME TOGETHER TO FIND SOLUTIONS.

AND I'M WORKING CLOSELY WITH, OF COURSE, OUR NEW PARTNERS, ATRIUM HEALTH.

I'M WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE WINSTON-SALEM INNOVATION CORRIDOR AND THE CHARLOTTE INNOVATION DISTRICT, WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN TERMS OF THINKING NEW WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND NEW WAYS WE CAN HELP SUPPORT INITIATIVES THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENTIRE REGION IN TERMS OF IT BEING STRONG.

>> DR. WENTE, WE LITERALLY HAVE A MINUTE LEFT AND YOU MENTIONED YOUR COLLABORATION WITH ONE OF THE LARGEST HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, ATRIUM.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET A CHANCE TO UNPACK THAT.

I KNOW IT'S MORE THAN A NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL IN CHARLOTTE, BUT IT'S A MUCH BROADER INITIATIVE.

I DO WANT TO DO ONE THING IN THE LAST FEW SECONDS OF THE PROGRAM.

WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT THIS IS NO SMALL THING THAT WAKE FIGURES PROMINENTLY IN THE ACC AND IN FACT, YOUR FOOTBALL COACH HAS BEEN ACC FOOTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR DAVE CLAWSON.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE PROUD OF THAT.

I HOPE YOU'RE A RABID DEMON DEACON NOW.

[LAUGHTER] >> WELL, I AM BLACK AND GOLD FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

I'M SO EXCITED TO BE IN MY BLACK AND GOLD HERE AND I WILL BE IN MY BLACK AND GOLD IN CHARLOTTE.

THIS AFTERNOON, I'M HEADING DOWN THERE.

YOU KNOW, WAKE FOREST IS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND OF COURSE, WE LOVE TO WIN AT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

I COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AND HOW HARD THEY'VE WORKED AND CLOACH CLAWSON AND THE STAFF IN TERMS OF THEY'RE REALLY SHOWING US WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A COLLEGE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AND THE VALUE THAT THEY PUT FORWARD.

>> Chris: THANK YOU.

I MEAN, LITERALLY, WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

PRESIDENT WENTE, PLEASE COME BACK.

WE'VE GOT MORE TO TALK ABOUT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Chris: SUSIE, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

MARK, THANK YOU.

>>Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR CAROLINA BUSINESS REVIEW PROVIDED BY--