Wake Forest’s trustees emphasized Rodriguez’s business expertise when they announced him as the next president in May. (Courtesy of Wake Forest)Rodriguez told The Assembly he feels ready to take on Wake Forest’s challenges given his long history in education. In fiscal year 2025, around 51% of Wake Forest’s university-only operating revenue—excluding its health system—came from student tuition and fees. For one, although Wake Forest was founded in 1834, it finished its move to Winston-Salem from its namesake town of Wake Forest in 1956. Peter Rodriguez, Wake Forest presidentThat makes the hubbub over the drop in the U.S. News and World Report’s rankings more significant.