Summer is here! While living in the Palouse or elsewhere in the Evergreen State is certainly enjoyable throughout the entire year, summers provide wonderful opportunities for us to delight in the region’s natural beauty and participate in the outdoor opportunities the season offers us.

During my time as a young faculty member, I worked hard to build a summertime to-do list. Like many of you, my list included proposal and manuscript writing, working with graduate students in my laboratory, professional reading, early fall class preparation, and some family vacation time. Often, my list contained 6 months’ worth of activities that I attempted to fit into … » More …

Dear WSU Community,

Last night, I was informed about a highly offensive and racist video that was posted online. The video, which incorporated footage from a student demonstration on Terrell Mall on the Pullman campus in November, was intended to cause pain to our community of color at WSU. It directly impacted our students of color studying for final exams.

I have said this before and will repeat it once again. The attitudes, the behavior, and the language expressed in the video are not acceptable. It’s not acceptable to me, our senior leadership, or the greater Cougar community. Individuals with those beliefs are not welcome … » More …

Greetings again from French Administration. As unbelievable as it may seem, the semester is rapidly drawing to a close and commencement is barely a month away. I hope that each of you had the opportunity to recharge for a few days during spring break in preparation for the busiest 6 weeks of the academic year!

I want to publicly welcome 3 individuals who recently joined our senior leadership team in Pullman following the completion of nationwide searches: Mary Jo Gonzales, vice president for student affairs; Stacy Pearson, vice president for finance and administration; and Phil Weiler, vice president for marketing and communications. These talented colleagues … » More …

Greetings from French Administration. Spring is right around the corner—or so we thought! Late February or early March snow always triggers a variety of emotions. For the winter sports enthusiast, it is a reminder that warmer weather is on the way and that snow season is almost over. In contrast, for those of us eagerly awaiting the spring, it is a reminder that winter is not quite done in the Palouse!

I thoroughly enjoyed delivering the 2017 State of the University address. We have many exciting initiatives underway at all of our campuses, and it is always a joy—and important—to reflect on our … » More …

(WSU President Kirk Schulz and Vice President for International Programs Asif Chaudhry sent the message below to the WSU community on January 30. To stay current with developments affecting the travel of our international community members, please visit the website of the Office of International Programs.)

Washington State University shares the deep concerns expressed nationwide about the federal executive order that restricts the ability of individuals from certain countries from being able to enter or return to the United States.

Let us be absolutely clear: We welcome and support all members of the Washington State community—regardless of the country they call home. … » More …

Welcome back for the spring semester (and a rare snow day for the Pullman campus on Wednesday)! While lots of snow and cold weather have greeted us at all of our campuses during the first two weeks of classes, warmer temperatures and spring are only a couple of months away. I hope all of you came back refreshed and ready for what promises to be an exciting 2017 at Washington State University!

We have lost several members of the Coug family in recent months, including two students who died in traffic accidents during their return trip to Pullman after winter break. The entire University community … » More …

“A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.”
—Martin Luther King Jr., 1965

Stand tall for one of our country’s greatest heroes—a man who dedicated his life to achieving equality for all.

Stand tall for Dr. King’s universal values. Social justice. Dignity. Compassion. Humility. Service. Values grounded in nonviolence—and most importantly—unconditional love.

Stand tall in support of an increasingly diverse society, a nation that welcomes and provides equal opportunity to … » More …

Greetings from French Administration! I hope you had a restful time away from the University with family and friends during the Thanksgiving holiday. Noel and I enjoyed spending a few days with our two sons and daughter-in-law in both New Mexico and the Palouse. We experienced a first this year—our children prepared a traditional Thanksgiving meal for us. All we had to do was show up and eat!

In my May letter to campus, I noted several key financial issues that needed immediate attention:

Reinstitution of a formal university budget development process
Creation of a comprehensive funding plan for each new building in advance of its … » More …