December 2020 Dear Faculty and Staff: As we prepare to celebrate the holidays and close out 2020, I want to take a moment to extend my sincere appreciation to you for the conclusion of a successful fall semester. Just a year ago, I wrote to you describing the University’s recent accomplishments and the optimism I felt about […]
December 2020 Dear Faculty and Staff: Happy post-Thanksgiving. I hope that your holiday was restful as we get ready to finish up the fall semester. Noel and I enjoyed a quiet Thanksgiving together. Typically, we host a larger family gathering prior to attending the Apple Cup football festivities, but alas COVID‑19 precautions meant everyone else stayed home. As […]
Dear Cougar Community: There’s a potentially life-saving gift we can give each other this upcoming holiday season: doing our part to mitigate the spread of COVID‑19. Extra vigilance is required by all of us as virus cases surge and many prepare to spend time with loved ones during the upcoming Thanksgiving and winter breaks. It […]
October 2020 Dear Faculty and Staff: Happy Halloween week! I hope the big day conjures up as many happy memories for you as it does for me. I clearly remember the excitement as a child of going trick‑or‑treating in our neighborhood in Virginia. There was the neighbor that always forgot about Halloween and would rummage around their […]
Dear Cougar Community: After careful consideration, University leadership has made the decision to celebrate our fall 2020 graduates in a virtual commencement ceremony on December 12. In the end, canceling our in‑person celebration in the interest of keeping our graduates and their families safe outweighed our wishes to hold a traditional commencement exercise. Reaching this significant life […]
Dear WSU Community: Thank you again for your continuing adaptability this semester as we partner to protect the health and safety of our community during this ongoing public health crisis. The extraordinary effort that each of you has demonstrated on a daily basis is inspiring and deeply appreciated. That same type of adaptability will be necessary […]