New WSU banners are being placed along the various routes leading to campus. We started with Stadium Drive, since that is the main entry way. I am sure you will welcome the new addition to our campus signage to greet students and visitors to our campus.

I heard from many students and alums about the outdated old banners and our need to make a change. Check them out and snap a photo. Sincere appreciation is extended to Facilities Operation for placing them for us and to Jason Bittle for his creativity and design.

Go Cougs!

Elson S. Floyd, Ph.D.

My sincere thanks and appreciation to all of our students and fans of Cougar football, who really weathered through the storm last night and helped us get a big win!  You brought us much good fortune through the blizzard.  From start to finish the stadium was full and lively, and for that we are most grateful.  Thanks for supporting our team.  It was truly a special night in Pullman.  Now let’s go win these final two games!  Go Cougs!

On Saturday our Coug Guys ‘n Gals showed an amazing presentation of Cougar pride.  Every mile between Spokane and Pullman there was one of our tremendous student ambassadors waving Ol’ Crimson.

What a tremendous way to welcome all of our alumni, family and friends to our beautiful campus on Saturday for fun and exciting football and volleyball games.  My heartfelt appreciation to all of those who dedicated their time and their effort on Saturday to make this happen, a true definition of Cougar Pride!

If you did not have the opportunity to see this, below is a YouTube link so you can see what our amazing students accomplished on Saturday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsBFBwYmQII&feature=channel_video_title

It was a beautiful day on the Washington State University campus Monday, the first day of the fall 2011 semester.  As I made my way through campus, the streets were bustling with all of our students headed off to their first classes.  I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our largest-ever incoming freshman class to campus as well as our returning students; it is great to have all of you here.  Even with the challenges that we face, I am excited for this new school year to begin and I hope you are as well.

Over the weekend Carmento and I had the distinct pleasure of participating in Pullman’s Lentil Festival Parade.  Such a wonderful event and we were so proud to see all the WSU participants from our wonderful WSU marching band to all of our student athletes and coaches.  It did not end there, so many of the participants in this event are members of the Cougar family. Whether you are faculty, staff, student or a Cougar fan, there was a great deal of excitement and pride felt on the streets of downtown Pullman.  The parade and all the events that go along with the Lentil Festival provide an outstanding way for those new to Pullman and WSU to learn what this area is about and what it has to offer.  All the volunteers and organizers of this community event did an outstanding job; I don’t know a better way to spend a beautiful Saturday!

As we move past the first few days of classes and into the semester, I look forward to seeing everyone around campus – as well as filling up the stands at Cougar volleyball and football games!  Welcome back and Go Cougs!

While our students continue pouring into Pullman this week with the new semester now just days away, I spent much of Thursday in Everett where I spoke at an Everett School District administrators retreat.  The group met to discuss ways in which they can better prepare their students for a future in higher education.

I must tell you the commitment Everett leaders have to providing their young citizens with all the tools and resources they can for preparing and bringing higher education to Snohomish County is outstanding.  Their vision today will pay great dividends for future generations there.  As many of you have probably heard me say before, I am a firm believer that the best way for our country to get through this tough economic time is to invest in higher education — it represents our best hope for the future.  We are very excited to partner with Everett in this exciting new mission of WSU in Everett.

As Superintendent of Everett Public Schools Gary Cohn said Thursday, it is a unique collaboration  between a school district, a community college and a university going on in Everett.  And the real winners here are the young people in Snohomish County — and the general welfare of the citizenry as a consequence. 

I discussed some of the plans that are beginning to take shape as our market analysis of the area is conducted and we gather a better sense of the educational needs and align that with our programs.  We plan to do everything in our power to help Everett continue to be an attractive area for Boeing to call home by investing in an expanded engineering program there.  Our engineering program has been very successful in Pullman.  We also have one of the finest business hospitality programs in the country, and I have engaged in many conversations with the Tulalip Tribe about our plans for expanding the program to Everett — which will no doubt produce an excellent pool of young leaders in the field for their robust resort and casino, as well as the expanding hospitality industry in the area.

These discussions will continue for some time and much of the blueprint is still to come.  But there a lot of exciting possibilities in Everett, and I’m very happy WSU can be a part of it.

Yesterday was a very busy day on the road – it seems I can teach an entire minor in Washington State highways these days.  We resumed our Engagement Tour with stops in Stevens, Pend Oreille and Spokane Counties.

For any of you who think Eastern Washington is simply made up of the desert-like terrains of Central Washington and Palouse Hills in Southeastern Washington, you should take a trip north of Spokane.  You’ll see some of the most magnificent forests and valleys imaginable.  The lumber and cattle industry in this area plays a significant role to the vitality of the area, and WSU’s extension offices provide great assistance to farmers in this region. 

We received a great briefing from Sandi Everson in Stevens County about the impact WSU Extension has had in developing many of the youth – getting them engaged and involved in activities that are healthy for their growth as well as for  their communities.  Police reports are down significantly since a new facility was built years ago, and the members of the area called it the “tipping point” for them – after the positive impact the center generated, many other aspects of the community grabbed onto that momentum and showed very tangible improvements. 

Yesterday was an extremely rewarding day and one that provided a great source of pride for me as president about the work we are doing across the state.  Cuts to higher education continue to come, but we will remain as committed to Extension as possible as we endure these difficult times.  Yesterday provided yet another illustration of the important role that higher education services play in the livelihood of our state.