Messages from the President

Dear Western community, 

I continue to hear from members of our community about their struggles to make sense of the atrocities committed in the Israel-Hamas war and its impact on their lives and their concerns for personal safety and those of their loved ones. 

I want you to know that I too continue to be gravely concerned about the impact of the war in the Middle East, as well as the Ukraine-Russia war and conflicts in other parts of the world, on…

We are saddened by the horrific violence taking place in Israel and Gaza and the atrocities that are being committed, including the senseless loss of civilian life. Even though the conflict is occurring on the other side of the globe, its impacts are being felt locally in our communities. We have many students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other community members who are directly or indirectly impacted by the conflict. Please know that we acknowledge your pain and hurt, and your…

Dear Colleagues,

I write to provide you with a budget update, including the decisions we need to institute to ensure the University is on a sustainable budget pathway. First, some context, followed by actions we are instituting for the balance of the current academic year and the upcoming 2023-24 academic year.

The University’s annual operating…

Dear Western Faculty & Staff, 

As we reach the halfway point of the academic year, I’d like to pause and reflect on the year so far and the work ahead of us.   

Uzma and I recently traveled overseas to visit family for the first time since the start of the COVID pandemic.  While it was refreshing to see people and cultures beyond our borders, I was also struck by issues of political instability and extremism. While we face many pressing issues…

Dear Western Community,

As the nation anticipates the release of body cam footage this evening revealing the senseless murder of Tyre Nichols at the hands of law enforcement, many of us will be processing our grief and anger over the death of another young Black man. We are also in mourning for the loss of members of our Asian-American communities in California.  

The utter disregard for basic human life is at odds with our commitment to create a society where equity,…

Last week, ProPublica published a report and database which included data from Western, covering the holdings of Native American ancestral remains in museums and universities across the country and the progress that they have made in repatriating their collections to their rightful Indigenous communities, under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). In its essence, NAGPRA enables a…

Dear WWU Community,

As the end of fall quarter and the holiday season rapidly approaches, managing school commitments, upholding job responsibilities, and finding time to engage in self-care and community well-being can be difficult. This has been made especially difficult recently with the multiple acts of violence we have witnessed in the past few months in our local, national, and international communities, and at…

Dear Western Students,

Welcome to a new school year!…

Dear WWU Faculty & Staff,

June 23, 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX, and throughout this academic year the Western community will be celebrating this important milestone and acting on our commitment to a safe, inclusive university community.  Since its enactment, Title IX has had an enduring impact on gender equity by revolutionizing women’s…

Dear Western Community,

Like many of you, I was deeply distressed to wake up this morning and see that the Supreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade.

Over the past 49 years since that landmark decision, a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion before viability has become embedded in the fabric…