Presidential Update — Week of June 2, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

As the higher education landscape continues to evolve, Washington State University is taking bold steps to realign our financial model and strengthen our future.

Today, the WSU Board of Regents reviewed and approved the proposed FY2026 budget. This plan reflects both the economic realities we face and our commitment to protecting the academic core, centering student success, and upholding our land-grant mission.

For more information on our approach and the principles guiding this work, I invite you to watch the short video that was released yesterday:

New resource: A New Chapter website

To support transparency and engagement, we’ve also developed a new website that will serve as a central hub for updates related to budget implementation and organizational change. The site is now live and includes information on:

• FY2026 budget planning
• Structural changes across the WSU system
• Strategic focus areas moving forward

Looking ahead

We recognize that change can bring uncertainty, but these decisions are necessary to position WSU for the future. By working together across campuses, disciplines, and roles, we are building a stronger, more agile university that is better prepared to meet the challenges ahead and deliver greater impact for our students, communities, and state.

Thank you for your continued commitment to this university.

Warm regards,

Elizabeth R. Cantwell
President, Washington State University