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Office of the President News and Notes

Coordinated advocacy yields far-reaching results

February 2019

Dear Faculty and Staff:

Greetings from French Administration. I think it is fair to say that most of us are looking forward to spring after experiencing the onslaught of snow and ice and other inclement weather that has hampered operations at all of our campuses. Here on the Palouse, it’s definitely been a February to remember, weather wise.

Given the challenges of the season, I want to acknowledge our outstanding facilities services personnel who have been working around the clock to keep all of our campuses open and operational. Please join me in thanking these men and women who are often working outdoors … » More …

Top priorities moving forward

January 2019

Dear Faculty and Staff:

Greetings as we approach completion of the fourth week of spring semester. I trust that you enjoyed some downtime during the holiday period and that the semester is off to a good start. Noel and I returned from the break feeling refreshed and excited about the spring after some family travels.

I have been reading an excellent book about institutions such as ours in recent weeks. Land Grant Universities for the Future—Higher Education for the Public Good by Stephen M. Gavazzi and E. Gordon Gee examines how land‑grant universities have both thrived and struggled in recent decades.

As I have reflected on the … » More …

Dr. King’s legacy challenges us to serve

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students:

What are you doing for others?

That simple question calls us to pause, to reflect on our own life and the lives of those around us.

What core principles guide our daily decisions and actions? Does our hectic day‑to‑day schedule allow us to consider, and then incorporate, service to others into our life journey, even on an occasional basis?

What are you doing for others?

Those six words also remind us of a profound truth: that we share this planet with all of humanity. By opening our hearts to serve the oppressed, the sick, and the less fortunate, we not only transform … » More …

Learn more about proposed Title IX changes

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students:

Washington State University is committed to preventing sexual violence (including stalking, intimate partner violence, and sexual assault), and to providing an appropriate response when such incidents occur.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making regarding university processes for responding to sexual violence concerns under Title IX, the federal law mandating gender equity among colleges that accept federal money. We are carefully reviewing the proposed amendments to the rule and plan to provide an institutional response to the OCR consistent with the values and needs of our communities in advance of the January 28, … » More …

Thanks to you, 2018 a banner year

Dear WSU Community:

Greetings from French Administration. Congratulations and thanks to each one of you—faculty, staff, leadership, students, alumni, and friends—for your contributions to making the fall semester so successful throughout our statewide enterprise.

Commencement on December 8 was a fitting way to publicly celebrate one of our most important moments of the semester: the graduation of some 800 students who marked the end of one journey and the beginning of another. It is always fun and deeply gratifying to share this life-changing milestone with new graduates and their families.

For me, a portion of December has always been reserved for some quiet reflection, a time to contemplate … » More …

Collaboration and growth: Opportunities drive changes

Dear WSU Spokane Faculty and Staff,

Health sciences education and research at WSU continues to grow and evolve at an impressive rate. As we progress, we must also adapt our management philosophy and operational practices.

Today we are announcing two changes to the management structure of our health sciences areas. Common to other top academic health centers across the country, this structure will enable more interprofessional education and allow for increased collaboration and coordination.

Effective January 1, Gary Pollack, Joyce Griffin‑Sobel, and John Tomkowiak, the deans of the Colleges of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nursing, and Medicine, respectively, will report jointly to WSU Provost and Executive … » More …

With gratitude to Dan Bernardo

Please join me in expressing heartfelt gratitude to Dan Bernardo for a job well done as he prepares to step down as our provost and executive vice president.

Serving as provost at a complex, far-flung educational enterprise is a demanding—and often daunting—task. Dan has served the University with great distinction in this role for more than 5 years, providing selfless leadership while investing himself 110 percent in advancing the University’s priorities.

Dan’s accomplishments as WSU dean, vice president, provost, and interim president are wide ranging and too numerous to fully list here. But his vision, initiative, and commitment are directly responsible for a number of University achievements, including record student enrollment, record … » More …

A fascinating conversation with a Halloween visitor

Dear Faculty and Staff:

Happy Halloween! One of the joys of serving as WSU’s president is that I continually meet interesting and intriguing people. Occasionally, unusual conversations take place. Just last night, I was standing in the backyard of the president’s house playing with our corgis, Cayenne and Joule, when a huge, floating pumpkin drifted into the backyard. This is the conversation that ensued.

KHS: Good evening. My name is Kirk Schulz, and I am president of WSU. Not to be rude, but what are you doing in my backyard?

Pumpkin: I am the Great Pumpkin! I am looking for Linus, and I … » More …

Condolences and support for our Jewish community

Dear Cougar Community:

Please join me in expressing heartfelt condolences and unshakable support for our Jewish brothers and sisters—across the nation and in our local communities—in the wake of the horrific shootings at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh on Saturday.

The violent hate that has torn apart the lives of countless Americans from Pennsylvania to California in recent years is a tragic aberration. It is not who we are in this country. For nearly 250 years, the United States has stood for tolerance, freedom, and compassion.

Terrorists can shatter our lives, but they cannot touch our core beliefs. Despite our imperfections, we are a people of humanity … » More …

Respectful dialogue essential to pursuit of truth

Dear Cougar Community:

The free exchange of ideas is a cornerstone of American democracy. It is also central to our academic mission—the creation and dissemination of new knowledge. Sometimes, new ideas can lead to conflict. With the 2018 midterm elections just around the corner, we will be exposed to opinions and beliefs that run counter to our own. In a democratic society, respectful disagreement in pursuit of truth is essential.

Free expression is more powerful when we consider the perspectives of the people with whom we are communicating and when we approach discussion and debate with a spirit of curiosity, humility, generosity, and care. Observation, … » More …

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