My last year at Washington State University has begun. There will be lots of time for reflection before my retirement in June and much still to be done before I step down. But this seems like the right time and place to say thank you.
The best part of any job is the people you get to work with, and as president, I’ve been surrounded by a fantastic group of leaders across the WSU system. The same is true of the faculty, students, and staff I had the privilege of collaborating with over the years. There are countless dedicated, smart people across the university system.
I also want to thank our WSU alums and community partners. Your support is critical to WSU’s success.
The strength of our Coug community buoyed us during challenging times: COVID-19, a shifting athletics landscape, divisions in society, even the pace of change.
In talking with colleagues at other universities, I know everyone’s feeling unsettled right now. But change has always been part of the job of a university president. I think of my predecessors at WSU like Sam Smith, who opened campuses statewide, and Elson S. Floyd, who created a medical school.
I believe this dynamic environment is our new normal as public higher education evolves. My expectation is that we’re moving toward a future with somewhat fewer broad-scope public research universities and more specialization at the regional level. But I also believe WSU is strategically well positioned for this future. We have campuses and faculty in all the major metropolitan areas of Washington and a state economy that will need hundreds of thousands of new college graduates in the coming years.
My goal for my last year at WSU is to wrap up major projects and pave a smooth runway for my successor. We’re close to launching a joint doctoral program with the University of Nairobi in Kenya, and I’d like to see that happen; WSU’s work on infectious diseases in East Africa could be life-changing. I want a stable enrollment environment for the next president, and I’m pleased to say we’re making great progress there. I also plan to spend a lot of time on the road to build WSU’s fund-raising capacity.
Once I step down, though, I won’t hang around. Noel will still be on faculty and director of the Institute for Northwest Energy Futures, of course, and we plan to retire in Spokane. But it’s important to me that the new president has the space to define their presidency on their terms.
That’s nearly a year off, and I’ve still got a lot of work to do. I hope you’ll join me in whatever way you can to make this a breakout year at Washington State University. You’ll have my gratitude.
Kirk Schulz
President, Washington State University