August 2019

Dear Faculty and Staff:

The beginning of fall semester is such an invigorating time of the year. I hope you feel as energized as I do by the enthusiasm of our new and returning students. Best wishes to all students, faculty, and staff system-wide for a successful, rewarding semester.

One of my goals as president is to be transparent about our budget and fiscal situation. In my view, this means providing data as well as high-level summaries that provide insights about the data.

As most of you know, we have been focused on improving the University’s fiscal health since 2016. We have communicated regularly about … » More …

August 2019

Welcome to the season of opportunity.

I can’t think of a better way to describe my mindset as we gear up for the academic year that awaits us in just a few short days.

I view the fall as the season of opportunity for good reason. Fall semester brings with it new and renewed hopes throughout the entire University community—at our campuses and locations statewide.

It is the season of opportunity for our new and returning students, who will take the next steps in their journeys toward fulfillment of personal and career aspirations.

It is the season of opportunity for our faculty, who … » More …

June 2019

Dear Faculty and Staff:

We almost have reached the midpoint of another fantastic Palouse summer. The wheat fields are still green, the mornings are cool and comfortable, and the post‑workday evenings are relaxing, with beautiful sunsets. I hope you are enjoying the season and recharging for the next academic year wherever you are spending the summer.

Noel and I recently loaded our Airstream with food and the 2 corgis and spent a week visiting southwest Washington and northwest Oregon. Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, and Tillamook were among the areas we explored. We also enjoyed spending time at the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park and just generally … » More …

May 2019

Dear Faculty and Staff:

Greetings from French Administration, and congratulations on all of your hard work and accomplishments during the just-completed academic year.

As I reflect on the past 10 months, I feel energized by the progress we have made as a university to advance our priorities. I am also excited to build on our momentum as we plan for the fall.

I hope you have opportunities to recharge in the coming weeks. The beautiful weather we are enjoying statewide reminds me that May and June are 2 of the best months of the year to be living in Washington.

Onboarding our new provost

I … » More …

April 2019

Dear Faculty and Staff:

It is hard to believe that we have little more than a week to go in the 2018‑19 academic year. While everyone is busy with teaching, research, and service responsibilities, I have found that the time between spring break and commencement also offers many events and opportunities to celebrate and recognize outstanding colleagues and students. I hope you have reserved time to participate in some of these activities as we wind down the semester.

I appreciated everyone who attended and participated in the 2019 State of the University address. This year we had more than 300 people who joined us in person … » More …

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 …

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 …

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 …