Trustee Gillis stated that having a vision helps decision-making become binary. The thing that we are doing is either moving us forward or keeping us back. Having a campus environment where shared governance works is very important but also having excellent communication models and the ability to be more nimble in our ability to communicate to constituencies. In addition, we need professional development that is targeting a consistent level of quality of education on campus. We need early intervention techniques to support students, which include mental health support mechanisms, college readiness support, high impact practices in all programs, and job readiness support. As a university, we have to start at the very top and look at what we are doing. Why are we doing it and are we doing the right things as part of being a model learning community. Trustee Black agreed with the idea of having modeling communication that makes sure we are using technology and other resources to be transparent but does not want to forget the analog way of communication; face to face or picking up the phone. The relationship piece can get lost when not connecting with individuals face to face. Seek every situation as being curious and trying to understand. Trustee Charbonneau stated that the focus for him is learning. We need to start by asking what the students need to be able to learn. That is why we are all here. The focus should be on learning for students and doing everything that we can to support that action happening.
President Wohlpart then asked board members what stands out to them in the mission statement?
Chair Hensler stated that being a sustainability institution should be the focus. We need to make sure we are fiscally responsible moving the institution forward, not just next year, but five or twenty years down the road. Moving forward, we should be thinking of private public partnerships and partnering with other universities. President Wohlpart began his presentation with our unifying value of student success. That all students, from all backgrounds, will be able to reach their academic and professional goals. The first goal is to develop clear pathways into and through the university. The first “wildcats rising” highlight is CWU’s Mock Trial Team. This team qualified for the first round of championships in Arizona. This is a great example of high impact practices. It takes what students learn in the classroom and applies it in real world settings. Shaffer Claridge leads this team and spends many hours mentoring this group. Another high impact practice is our CWU Wind Ensemble, which was one of nine invited ensembles to present at a featured performance at the College Band Director National Association in Reno, Nevada just a couple of months ago. This is the third conference invitation that this wind ensemble has received in the last four years. This is another primary example of the way in which what students are doing in the classroom then get showcased outside in the real world. While we do a stellar job of preparing students for their professional careers, we also do a good job preparing them to become active and engaged citizens. We had two students who were named Washington Campus Coalition Civic engagement Fellows this year. Javi Sanchez, a social services and women’s and sexuality studies major, and Jesus Chavez Lara, a deaf and sign language major. They were invited to attend an event in Seattle where they attended lunch and received their awards. Over the last several years, CWU has partnered with Comprehensive Healthcare to expand mental health training and counseling in our region. Two years ago, Comprehensive Healthcare provided CWU funding to hire faculty to restart our master’s degree program. We have also worked with our local county commissioners to apply for and receive funding for the mental health and chemical dependency
13 Board of Trustees Minutes May 21-22, 2026
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