CWU TRUSTEES QUARTERLY BOARD MEETING AGENDA May 15-16, 2025
THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025
Location: Moehring Event Center
1:15
Call to order (Erin Black)
1:15-1:25
Board Business & Communications
1:25-2:15
Work Session/President’s Report
2:15-2:30
Budget & Enrollment Update
2:30-3:15
Faculty Research Presentation
3:15-3:45
Employee Engagement Survey
3:45-4:00
Break (to clear the room)
4:00-5:00
Executive Session As allowed under RCW 42.30.110(1)(g)
5:00
Business Meeting Adjourns
FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2025
Location: Moehring Event Center
9:00
Call to Order (Erin Black)
9:00-10:00
High Impact Practice Presentation
10:00-11:00
Marketing and Communications Presentation
11:00-11:30
Program Updates/Graduate Program Review
11:30-11:45
Action Agenda
11:45
Expected Adjournment
Last updated May 6, 2025
Central Washington University Board of Trustees May 15, 2025
ACTION – Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of February 20, 2025, and the special meeting of April 3, 2025.
We recommend the following motion:
The Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the minutes of the regular meeting of February 20, 2025, and the special meeting of April 3, 2025.
Submitted:
Dania Cochran Int. Chief of Staff
Approved for Submittal to the Board:
Jim Wohlpart President
Board of Trustees Minutes Board Meeting Wellington Event Center & Zoom February 20, 2025
Draft
FEBRUARY 20, 2025 BOARD MEETING Trustees Present via Zoom: Erin Black, Chair Jeff Hensler, Vice Chair Eliasib Alvarado Jeff Charbonneau
Ray Conner Gladys Gillis
Zabrina Jenkins Robert Nellams Staff to the Board: Jim Wohlpart, President Dania Cochran, Board Secretary and Interim Chief of Staff Joel Klucking, Board Treasurer and Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Ellen Evans, Assistant Attorney General (virtual) Kim Dawson, Executive Assistant to the President/Board of Trustees Executive Faculty & Staff: Andrew Morse, Interim Vice President for University Relations (virtual) Charlita Shelton, Interim Vice President for Equity and Belonging
Kelly Flores, Associate Vice President of Human Resources Thomas Pedersen, Policy and Risk Coordinator (virtual)
Chair Black convened the board meeting at 1:15 p.m.
Approval of Amending the Agenda Chair Black explained that due to weather conditions Board members are joining via Zoom today, and several agenda items will be pushed to the May 15-16, 2025, board meeting. Motion 25-01: Mr. Nellams moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University approve the amendments to the agenda of February 20-21, 2025. Ms. Gillis seconded the motion. The motion was approved.
Approval of Agenda Motion 25-02: Mr. Nellams moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University approve the agenda of the meeting of February 20, 2025. Mr. Conner seconded the motion, which the board unanimously approved. Approval of Minutes Motion 25-03: Mr. Nellams moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University approve the minutes from the meetings of October 17-18, 2024, and December 5, 2024. Ms. Gillis seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Official Communications Since the last meeting, the board received four communications, which were included in the briefing materials: The Board acknowledges receipt of the following communications: 1. Email from Ray Wells, President, Public School Employees Union, October 17, 2024, follow up from public comment made to the Board on October 17, 2024. 2. Email from CarolJean Metzelaar, CWU student, October 21, 2024, regarding the tuition increase of three percent. 3. Email from Neyda Flores, Office of the Washington State Auditor, December 3, 2024, regarding the upcoming audit exit conference. 4. Email from Neyda Flores, Office of the Washington State Auditor, December 9, 2024, regarding results of accountability audit. Public Comment Naomi van Roon, Student and Graduate Teaching Assistant, Cultural and Environmental Resource Management, made public comment regarding the cancellation of the 2025 Master’s Hooding Ceremony. She discussed the importance of faculty mentors and advisors hooding their graduating graduate students. Master’s students will return to participating in the larger commencement ceremony. President’s Report President Wohlpart briefed board members on the joint University Administrative Leadership Team and shared governance leadership gathering that was held February 5. The purpose and goal of the meeting was to celebrate the amazing work that we have done together over the last year, and then to prepare for the work we must do next. Over the last 4 years, we have lived into our budget deficits through attrition of employees. We are down about 14 percent of our employees. As we look to the future, the question before us is, do we continue living into our deficits through attrition, or do we rethink, restructure, and reimagine the institution and go a different path. The resounding answer was that we need to rethink, restructure, and reimagine the institution and slow the attrition of employees.
2 Board of Trustees Minutes February 20, 2025
President Wohlpart shared enrollment data at the national and state level. Since 2022, there has been a significant decline in students graduating from high school. In the State of Washington, there has been a slight increase in high school graduation rate, but the number of students who will graduate from high school is going to trend downwards for the next 10-15 years. Washington has always been low in post-secondary enrollment. We were at our peak in 2009 at 63 percent. After the pandemic, it dropped down to about 51 percent. We have just ticked up to about 52-53 percent. The Washington Roundtable projects that there will be 1.5 million new jobs in the next 10 years, 75 percent of which will need some kind of post- secondary credential and 45 percent of which will need a bachelor's degree. Due to the state budget deficit, the new governor is asking all state agencies to prepare for a cut. General state agencies are being asked to prepare for a six percent cut and higher education has been asked to prepare for a three percent cut. Governor Ferguson’s budget priorities for state agencies for 2025-2027 include: • Consolidate management positions (10 to 25 percent). • Reduce (10 to 25 percent) administrative, executive, and externally focused positions that are not essential to the delivery of government services. • Pause all possible legislative reports and make appropriate reductions in personnel or service contracts to reflect this reduction in workload. • Restrict equipment purchases; and • Reduce out-of-state travel by at least 50 percent and reduce in-state travel by at least 25 percent. Governor Ferguson’s budget priorities for capital funding will focus on affordable housing in the state, so this will impact our capital funding and the ability to build new buildings. Our guiding principles moving forward with the development of our budget will include: • Living into our Vision, Mission, Values, and Strategic Plan. • Approaching this as an adaptive challenge: investigate and change our beliefs, perceptions, and values. • Considering both short-term and long-term reductions.
• Building capacity for investments in our future. • Elevating and clarifying shared governance.
Divisions will hold budget presentations and have conversations. On April 22, the President’s Budget Advisory Committee will meet to discuss the budget. The Executive Leadership Team will review the budget April 30, a draft budget will be shared with the Board in May and July, and the final budget will be shared in October when we have our enrollment numbers. This past fall, one of the things that the entire campus took on was to increase our retention rate of our new freshmen from Fall to Winter. This was an all-hands-on deck project. Institutional Effectiveness did a fantastic job of sharing weekly data on First Time in College (FTIC) students. Several awareness campaigns were held for winter quarter registration to make
3 Board of Trustees Minutes February 20, 2025
sure that all freshmen knew how and when to register. Outreach was conducted to individuals regarding holds and registration. Attendance was taken in 100-200 level courses, and faculty used alerts through Civitas for students of concern. The dollar amount for holds that restrict registration was increased and housing/dining billing was altered to be paid across the year rather than having payments front loaded in the fall. We enhanced all our resident assistant connections with students in housing to make sure that they were touching base with students at least twice a quarter. As a result of doing all these things, we ticked back up to 93 percent retention. All students benefited from this project. This will be embedded in our practices going forward. Our total enrollment continues to climb for College in the High School. We have over 160 high schools who are participating in Central Washington University College in the High School classes. The number of classes is well over 500 across the State in all regions of the State. This is an amazing opportunity for us to recruit students. Other wonderful things happening across the university: • Two individuals are participating in HACU’s Leadership Academy: Monica Medrano, Director, Eastside Centers, and Tishra Beeson, Chair, Department of Health Sciences. • We also, just this last week, sent 25 students to the HACU Leadership Institute. • Continued partnership between Yakima Rotary, Central Washington University, OIC of Washington, Yakima School District, and Yakima Valley College. The group brought Shaquem Griffin, former Seattle Seahawks player, to speak at Yakima Rotary and here at Central as part of Black History Month. His message was so positive and uplifting. • The North Academic Complex is on target and on track. Move in will happen in Winter 2026 with classes beginning Spring 2026. • Governor Ferguson visited CWU for Wildcat Preview Day on February 8 and spoke to prospective students about financial aid and the importance of the FAFSA. • The Wellington Event Center will be renamed to the Rob and Valerie Moehring Event Center based on a gift from the Moehrings for leadership development. They are a three generation Wildcat family. Board members will have an opportunity to approve this naming later today. Enrollment Update Associate Vice President for Enrollment, Hung Dang, gave the Board an update on enrollment. Winter 2025 headcount is at 8144. The fall to winter melt rate was five percent. The two percent increase in Fall to Winter retention of first-year students is huge. Retention is the key to growing enrollment. As of February 18, 2025, inquiries within Washington state are up 63 percent for first-year students for Fall 2025. The admit to confirm yield for first-year students is up from 20 percent to 23 percent, and confirmations from students of Hispanic origin has increased by 11 percent. Transfer admits for Fall 2025 are up slightly from this time last year, and confirmations are down about nine percent. Confirmations from students of Hispanic origin has decreased by 20 percent. Headcount at the community colleges has finally reached the
4 Board of Trustees Minutes February 20, 2025
level it was before the pandemic. Transfer students are admitted year-round, and 70 percent of applications are submitted after January. Emerging trends and challenges for enrollment include: • Affordability remains the top concern for students and their families, who want to know the cost of education upfront. • The demand for certificate programs and three-year bachelor's degrees is increasing. • High school graduates are projected to peak in 2025 and then decline. By 2040, there are expected to be 3.4 million fewer high school graduates (13%). • The South is expected to see growth, while the NE, MW, and W are anticipated to decline by 17%, 16%, and 20%, respectively. • 38 states are projected to experience declines, while 12 states are predicted to see increases. We must focus on strengthening our region and building partnerships to overcome the enrollment challenges. Budget Update EVP Klucking gave an update on budget after six months of actuals. In the state and local funds, tuition and enrollment are on budget. Flight Training fees came in lower than expected. We have done a good job managing expenses. Our enrollment contingency is still intact, and Salary benefits savings are on track. In the System Funds, housing and dining revenues are better than we had planned. We have done a good job of managing these expenses as well. The operating net is higher than planned, and our debt service coverage ratio is forecasted to be slightly higher at 1.40. Today, we are asking for a four percent rate increase in housing and dining. This will not be allocated evenly. It will depend on the type of property and the type of meal plan, but we expect it to be around five percent for housing and three percent for dining. The cost drivers are due to labor costs and other inflation (food, utilities, and building maintenance). Also, for approval this afternoon is a rate increase for summer 2025 tuition. This increase will make it consistent with the academic year rate increases. CWU Response to Executive Orders Andrew Morse, Interim Vice President for University Relations, and Thomas Pedersen, Policy and Risk Coordinator, briefed the board on CWU’s response to the ongoing development of executive actions and agency actions occurring in Washington, DC, under the current administration. Vice President Morse explained that the Executive Leadership Team developed an Executive Action Triage Team. The triage team is comprised of Andrew Morse, Thomas Pedersen, Dania Cochran, Interim Chief of Staff, and Patrick Pease, Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs. The group meets multiple times during the week to examine what executive actions, agency guidance, or dear colleague letters have been issued. They then
5 Board of Trustees Minutes February 20, 2025
perform triage with the departments that may be impacted by a particular action. To date, the executive triage team has evaluated about 92 new executive orders issued by the current administration and about 86 executive orders that have been rescinded from prior administrations. After looking at the 92 new executive orders that have been issued to date, there are about 24 that may carry at least an indirect impact on Central Washington University. In addition to the EOs that have been issued, there are two “dear colleague” letters that have been issued by the Department of Education that are of significance to us. The triage team will work with departments and the Assistant Attorney General to develop recommended actions that could be taken without taking them now. Mr. Pedersen then reported that CWU, in consultation with our AAG, developed a new policy that is simply making certain that Central Washington University is in alignment with the “Keep Washington Working Act.” There is nothing more in the policy than that. President Wohlpart approved the policy so it could be enforced immediately, but it will go through the formal policy approval process. The Board asked for an overview of CWU policies based on Mr. Pedersen’s work revising our policies. Mr. Pedersen stated that CWU has many more policies than other universities across all areas, for staff, academics, and the university. CWU’s policies are siloed by division, rather than comprehensive across the university. This could help reduce the number of policies. CWU could benefit from more transparency and the ability to be more nimble and flexible, but our policies don’t allow us to do that. He is currently working through the policies; each policy should be assigned to a policy executive and have an assigned policy writer; the executive of the writer, or anyone else from the university, should be able to propose revisions to policies. Chair Black suggested that we should have a comprehensive review of our policies so that we can live into our vision, mission, and values as well as the new shared governance document that is coming. Joel Klucking stated that it has probably been ten years since we have done a comprehensive review of our policies. ACTION AGENDA Approval of Consent Agenda The formal recognition for our faculty and staff is contained in our consent agenda. Motion 25-04: Mr. Nellams moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the consent actions items submitted February 20, 2025. Ms. Jenkins seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of Housing and Dining Rate Increase FY26 Motion 25-05: Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the Housing and Dining maximum rate increase, not to exceed four percent in the aggregate, for fiscal year 2026. Mr. Nellams seconded the motion. The motion was approved.
6 Board of Trustees Minutes February 20, 2025
Approval of Summer Session 2025 Tuition Rate Increase Motion 25-06: Mr. Nellams moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approve the Summer Session 2025 rate increase of three percent for all student categories. Ms. Gillis seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of Re-Naming of the Wellington Event Center Before voting on the re-naming of the Wellington Event Center, Chair Black stated that the criteria in CWU’s Facility Naming Policy (CWUP 2-10-080) have been followed and Executive Vice President, Joel Klucking, has gone through the process of communicating with the affected folks. Motion 25-07: Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approve the re-naming of the Wellington Event Center as the Rob and Valerie Moehring Event Center. Mr. Nellams seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of Master of Business Administration (MBA) Motion 25-08: Ms. Jenkins moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University approve the recommendation of the Faculty in the College of Business and hereby approve the Master of Business Administration (MBA). Ms. Gillis seconded the motion. The motion was approved.
The next meeting of the board will be May 15-16, 2025, in Ellensburg.
Meeting adjourned at 2:59 p.m.
Dania Cochran, Secretary to the
Erin Black, Chair
CWU Board of Trustees
CWU Board of Trustees
7 Board of Trustees Minutes February 20, 2025
Board of Trustees Minutes Special Board Meeting Barge Hall, Room 304, and Virtual via Zoom April 3, 2025
Draft
APRIL 3, 2025 BOARD MEETING Trustees Present: Erin Black, Chair Eli Alvarado Ray Conner Jeff Charbonneau Gladys Gillis
Zabrina Jenkins Robert Nellams Staff to the Board: Jim Wohlpart, President Dania Cochran, Board Secretary, and Interim Chief of Staff Patrick Pease, Provost/Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Ellen Evans, Assistant Attorney General Kim Dawson, Executive Assistant to the President/Board of Trustees Faculty & Staff Guests: Kara Gabriel, Professor of Psychology, and President, United Faculty of Central
Chair Black convened the board meeting at 8:32 a.m.
ACTION AGENDA Approval of Agenda
Motion 25-09: Mr. Nellams moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University approve the agenda for April 3, 2025. Ms. Gillis seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of CWU & United Faculty of Central Memorandum of Understanding Motion 25-10: Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University approve the Memo of Understanding between the United Faculty of Central and Central Washington University to memorialize the agreements reached during negotiations conducted pursuant to a reopener provision in the parties’ collective bargaining agreement, covering the period from September 1, 2023, through August 31, 2027. Mr. Nellams seconded the motion. The motion was approved.
The next meeting of the board will be May 15-16, 2025, in Ellensburg.
Meeting adjourned at 8:36 a.m.
Dania Cochran, Secretary to the
Erin Black, Chair
CWU Board of Trustees
CWU Board of Trustees
2 Board of Trustees Special Meeting Minutes April 3, 2025
Central Washington University Board of Trustees May 15, 2025 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – Board Communication Report The Board acknowledges receipt of the following communications: 1. Email from Justin Mills, Assistant State Auditor, Washington State Auditor’s Office, February 24, 2025, regarding CWU’s entrance conference on the upcoming audit for fiscal year 2024. 2. Email from Justin Mills, Assistant State Auditor, Washington State Auditor’s Office, February 26, 2025, notifying the board that an entrance conference for the audit for fiscal year 2024 was held February 26, 2025. 3. Email from Justin Mills, Assistant State Auditor, Washington State Auditor’s Office, March 21, 2025, regarding CWU’s exit conference on the completed audit for fiscal year 2024. 4. Email from Justin Mills, Assistant State Auditor, Washington State Auditor’s Office, March 24, 2025, notifying the board that an exit conference on CWU’s audit of fiscal year 2024 was held March 24, 2025. 5. Email from John Marti, former CWU student & rugby player, April 17, 2025, regarding CWU Rugby. 6. Email from CWU Rugby Parents, April 24, 2025, regarding CWU Rugby. 7. Email from Dr. Todd M. Schaefer, Professor, Political Science, and Chair, Student Media Board, May 6, 2025, regarding funding for the Student Media Board. 8. Email from Jennifer Green, Senior Lecturer, Communications, May 6, 2025, regarding a student media petition.
Submitted:
Dania Cochran Int. Chief of Staff
Approved for Submittal to the Board:
Jim Wohlpart President
February 24, 2025
To the Board of Trustees,
We are pleased to notify you regarding the beginning of our audit of Central Washington University for fiscal year 2024. The State Auditor’s Office is committed to maintaining positive relationships and open communication with the governments we audit. As a member of the governing body, we believe you should be fully informed about our audit work. Therefore, we are inviting you to attend an entrance conference we have scheduled with your staff at 3:00pm on February 26, 2025 using Microsoft Teams. To attend the meeting, please contact Christopher Huss for the meeting link. At the conference, we will discuss the audit and ask if you or University staff have any areas of concern that you would like us to include in the scope of our audit. We will also discuss the timing and cost of the audit. After we finish our audit work, we plan to contact you again to invite you to attend an exit conference, in which we will share the results of the audit. This is an opportunity for you to hear directly from us about what we found and to ask any questions you may have about the audit process or results. Please note that if a quorum of Board of Trustees members attend either of these conferences, the University will be responsible for ensuring requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act are met. We take very seriously our responsibility of serving citizens by promoting accountability, fiscal integrity and openness in state and local government. We believe it is critical to citizens and the mission of the University that we work together as partners in accountability to prevent or constructively resolve issues. We look forward to meeting with management and the governing body at the entrance conference and hope to see you there. If you have any questions or matters that you would like to discuss with us, feel free to contact me via email or phone.
Justin Mills Assistant State Auditor, Office of the Washington State Auditor (509) 517- 5628 | Pronouns: He, Him, His Connect with us on Facebook , X and LinkedIn.
February 26, 2025
Dear Board of Trustees,
We recently held an entrance conference on February 26, 2025. The attached document was discussed in detail with those in attendance, which included the Executive Director of Finance. Part of the purpose of the conference is to ensure members of the governing body are aware of the audit process and have an opportunity to discuss any areas of concern. Since you were not able to attend the conference, we would like you to know that we always welcome any opportunity to discuss the audit with you. At the conclusion of our audit, we will invite you to attend our exit conference where we will share the results of the audit. This is another opportunity for you to hear directly from us what we found and to ask any questions you may have about the audit process or results. We look forward to working with you and your staff. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via email or phone.
Justin Mills Assistant State Auditor, Office of the Washington State Auditor (509) 517- 5628 | Pronouns: He, Him, His Connect with us on Facebook , X and LinkedIn .
March 21, 2025
To the Board of Trustees:
We have completed our audit of the Central Washington University and Central Washington University System for the fiscal year 2024 and wanted to share our preliminary results with you. We are inviting you to attend an exit conference with your staff that we have scheduled for 2:00pm on March 24, 2025 using Microsoft Teams. To attend the meeting, please contact Chris Huss for the meeting link. We believe participation at the exit conference by you and others charged with the management and governance of the University is an essential part of our audit process. It gives you an opportunity to hear our conclusions and discuss with us the resolution of any audit issues.
Please note that if a quorum of Board members attends the exit conference, the [Entity Type] is responsible for ensuring requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act are met.
If you have any questions or matters that you would like to discuss with us before the exit conference, feel free to contact me via email or phone.
Thank you,
Justin Mills Assistant State Auditor, Office of the Washington State Auditor
March 24, 2025
Dear Board of Trustees, We are pleased to notify you regarding the conclusion of our audit of Central Washington University and Central Washington University System for fiscal year 2024. An exit conference was held on March 24, 2025 to discuss the results of our audit. The attached items were discussed in detail with those in attendance, which included the Executive Director of Finance and Vice President of Finance and Administration. We a lso took the opportunity to extend our appreciation to your staff for their cooperation and assistance during the course of the audit. We are always available to discuss the results of our audit in further detail at your convenience. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via phone or email.
Justin Mills Assistant State Auditor, Office of the Washington State Auditor
April 17, 2025
Board of Trustees Central Washington University
400 E University Way Ellensburg, WA 98926
Dear Members of the Board of Trustees,
I am writing to express my deep disappointment and frustration regarding the recent decision by Athletic Director Dennis Francois to disband Central Washington University’s varsity rugby program, citing funding concerns. This short - sighted action not only undermines the integrity and competitive spirit of CWU Athletics, but also calls into question Mr. Francois’s ability to lead and advocate for the long -term success and growth of the university’s athletic programs. The CWU rugby program has consistently demonstrated excellence both on and off the field, earning national recognition, developing student - athletes of high character, and cultivating a sense of pride and community that reaches far beyond campus boundaries. To dissolve such a respected and accomplished program without pursuing more transparent, inclusive, and creative solutions to financial challenges is a failure of leadership. Athletic departments exist to serve student - athletes, not to cut them out of the equation when times are difficult. Mr. Francois’s decision reflects a lack of vision and commitment to the student body and to the university’s mission of supporting diverse and dynamic extracurricular opportunities. The handling of this situation has eroded trust in the administration and signals a dangerous precedent for how CWU supports its athletics moving forward. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Board of Trustees to call for the immediate resignation of Dennis Francois. CWU deserves an athletic director who values its student - athletes, works collaboratively with stakeholders, and demonstrates the initiative and resourcefulness necessary to uphold and expand the legacy of Wildcat Athletics.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
John Marti CWU Rugby Alumni class of 2018 Johnhenrimarti562@gmail.com
Subject: Urgent Concern Regarding the Discontinuation of CWU Varsity Rugby Programs Dear CWU Leadership , We are writing to express our deep dismay and profound disappointment regarding your recent decision to withdraw support and sponsorship from the Central Washington University men’s and women’s varsity rugby programs. This decision not only disregards a program that has brought immense value to CWU, but it also delivers a serious blow to rugby and youth sports communities across Washington State and right here in Ellensburg. It diminishes your own reputation and compromises the values your institution claims to uphold. This decision is contradictory to the Universities State investment into world class athletic and recreational facilities. It also brings to a sudden halt a fantastic legacy of excellence and competition at the very highest level for student- athletes. By cutting these programs, you have violated the Mission and Core Values of CWU Athletics, which commit to: • Providing a values-based and championship culture,
• Promoting school spirit and pride, • Supporting academic excellence, • Fostering diversity and inclusion, • Creating exceptional student-athlete experiences, and • Deepening community engagement. Rugby at CWU has embodied every one of these values.
When we were evaluating universities with high-level rugby opportunities, CWU stood proudly among options like Boston College, Dartmouth, Texas A&M, Saint Mary’s, Penn State, and Washington as examples. The varsity rugby program was the reason CWU stood out—it placed the University on the national and global map. CWU is viewed as an attractive option for well- rounded, high-achieving young people from all of the USA and across the globe. The Rugby programs attract more out of state and international students than other Sports Programs. Central Washington is one of over 900 U.S. colleges that field men’s and women’s rugby teams. Yet CWU’s programs have consistently ranked among the top 10 nationally despite operating with limited coaching support compared to their peers. CWU rugby athletes have demonstrated excellence consistently performing at the highest level, and bringing a sense of pride and spirit to the whole CWU community. The men's and women's teams have the unique opportunity to compete regularly against powerhouse programs like Army West Point, UCLA, BYU, and the
University of British Columbia. This raises CWU’s national profile and builds important institutional relationships. When the CWU men’s rugby team plays at Witter Rugby Field, at the University of California Berkeley, they join the Cal players afterward in walking down to the football stadium to share food and fellowship, an unmatched gesture of mutual respect and camaraderie. What other CWU sport puts your university on equal footing with the nation’s top public institution. Year after year, CWU has produced finalists for the highest awards in U.S. collegiate rugby—the MA Sorensen and Rudy Scholz awards. Clearly the CWU Athletic Department do not value the national-level success and the outstanding individuals this program continues to develop. With the LA Olympics approaching in 2028, where both men’s and women’s rugby sevens will feature, and with the U.S. hosting the Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033, the sport is gaining massive national attention. Rugby is among the fastest-growing sports in America. It is inclusive, team oriented, and deeply community-driven. It is one of the few sports that welcomes all body types, all backgrounds, and identities. In this way, CWU rugby has exemplified excellence, diversity and inclusivity, a shining example of what collegiate athletics should look like, and has set a standard that other universities aspire to. CWU rugby s impact reaches well beyond campus. The program has been instrumental in supporting the growth of the Ellensburg Rugby Club, which now includes over 150 youth players. In 2023 alone, CWU rugby athletes volunteered more than 400 hours to coach kids, run fundraisers, and even host the region s first youth rugby tournament, a true testament to the teams character and commitment to the community. At a time when young people are struggling to find identity, belonging, and direction, CWU rugby players have been role models, mentors, and leaders. By cutting this program, you are directly and negatively impacting the youth of Ellensburg and Kittitas County. For over a decade, CWU has been seen as an aspirational destination for high school rugby players, especially girls and boys in the Pacific Northwest. With the elimination of this pathway, those dreams disappear. So, too, does a valuable exposure to future students who would have chosen CWU for its excellence in both sport and academics. This decision directly affects the lives of current student-athletes. These students chose CWU often over other prestigious universities because of the varsity rugby program. They are dedicated teammates, proud supporters of fellow athletes, and grateful, hard-working individuals who have mutual respect for their strength coaches and athletic trainers. They embody CWU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. They belong here. By cutting their programs you have left these young men and women feeling betrayed, and
without a clear future. You have disregarded their wellbeing and sense of stability. You state that” belonging” underpins every students experience at CWU, and yet you’ve destroyed where these student athletes “belong”. This decision is not about just dollars and cents, but real people. It disrespects the legacy of coaches like Todd Thornley and Matthew Ramirez, who have built nationally respected programs. This move undermines CWU’s hard-earned reputation, and shatters a unique program that made this University truly special and in doing so has broken the trust of athletes, coaches, alumni, and countless supporters. The global rugby community, hundreds of thousands strong, has responded with disappointment and disbelief, not only by the short sighted decision ,but the brutal way in which it has been handled. Your vision statement aspires to create “a program with which people are proud to be associated.” This decision contradicts that vision. Strong leadership means making tough choices—but it also means listening to the community, respecting the values you claim to uphold, and showing integrity. None of that was evident here. The lack of transparency and consultation is not only disappointing, it’s totally unacceptable. This decision becomes even more unbelievable in the context of recent state investment of millions of dollars into CWU s athletic facilities and infrastructure. That funding included the intention to improve student retention”, expand program offerings, foster diversity, and strengthen community partnerships. Cutting varsity rugby, a program that has successfully fulfilled all of those objectives, is a direct contradiction of those goals. Rugby has actively utilized those upgraded facilities not only for training and competition, but for hosting youth development and out of state visiting teams . To eliminate rugby now undermines the rationale behind the state s support and risks leaving these impressive facilities underutilized and misaligned with an a large part central to their intended purpose. You had in front of you two stellar varsity programs—men’s and women’s rugby teams filled with loyal, spirited, dedicated, and proud CWU student- athletes. But you failed to see that rugby is not just a sport, it’s a powerful force for unity and good. For no justified reason you’ve erased an amazing legacy and turned away future generations of talented, diverse student-athletes and leaders who now will not choose this institution. We urge you to reflect deeply on this decision , a choice that undermines the core values and strength of Central Washington University. Yours Sincerely, Concerned CWU Rugby parents.
Dear Colleagues: As our students have written about this week on The Observer and PULSE websites, we learned over spring break that the S&A Committee has proposed a near defunding of student media – The Observer, celebrating its 110-year anniversary in 2026, and PULSE magazine. The student literary journal, Manastash, part of the English Department, faces a similar situation, as do other groups on campus. Although we understand the need for cuts, financial decisions reveal values. The Observer and PULSE are nationally award-winning campus news organizations; their existence supports free speech and a forum for students , while their traditional funding by student fees ensures an independent and free press – by the students for the students – on the CWU campus. The proposed allocations – $1,100 of $56,375 requested for Observer and $2,000 of $28,412 requested for PULSE – will not be anywhere near enough to maintain these operations, which rely on paid student salaries to take on leadership roles with great responsibility. PULSE also relies on S&A funding to support its printing of 1,000 quarterly copies, which get fully distributed and, frankly, fly off shelves. Defunding student journalists sends the message that student voices don’t matter . The move, which requires approval by administrators and trustees, undermines the student press’s crucial role in informing students about occurrences on campus and holding campus leadership accountable. Please read our students’ eloquent statements about this in the links above. We are writing to ask for your support in petitioning the S&A Committee, ASCWU student government representatives, VP Joel Klucking and the CWU Board of Trustees to reject the Committee’s current proposal . In their final vote about The Observer defunding, the Committee seems to be making its own plea for just such a reversal. The minutes read: “It feels wrong and is very sad, but this is just a recommendation and still has to be approved by the groups.” Please support CWU student media by signing your name to this letter and/or sending your own message to the relevant parties. Thank you,
Eun Young Lee, Chair of Department of Communication Mark Meister, Professor, Department of Communication Jennifer Green, Faculty Adviser, The Observer and PULSE Josh Nelson-Ichido, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Mary Eberhardinger, Lecturer, Communication
Please sign your name below: Name; Your Position (Faculty, Student, Staff, Alumnus); Department; Email
1. Raegan Bischoff, student, department of art and design BischoffR@cwu.edu 2. Carley Berg; Graphic Design Student; Department of Art & Design; bergcar@cwu.edu 3. Eun Young Lee; Associate Professor; Communication; eunyoung.lee@cwu.edu 4. Jennifer Green, Senior Lecturer, Communication / Theater & Film; jennifer.green@cwu.edu 5. Josh Nelson-Ichido; Assistant Professor; Communication; joshua.nelson- ichido@cwu.edu 6. Cynthia Coe; Professor, Philosophy and Comparative Religion; cynthia.coe@cwu.edu 7. Griff Tester; Professor, Sociology; griff.tester@cwu.edu 8. Nathalie Kasselis: Professor of Spanish, Department of World Languages and Cultures: kasselin@cwu.edu. 9. Lacy Ferrell; Associate Professor; History; lacy.ferrell@cwu.edu 10. Chong Eun Ahn; Associate Professor; History; ahnc@cwu.edu 11. Matthew Altman, Professor and Department Chair, Philosophy and Comparative Religion; matthew.altman@cwu.edu 12. Arviso Alvord; Staff; Continuing Education & Concurrent Enrollment; arviso.alvord@cwu.edu 13. Chelsea Riddle; Assistant Professor; CWU Libraries; chelsea.riddle@cwu.edu 14. Delayna Breckon, Staff Multimodal Learning 15. Sigrid M Davison, Staff, Associate Director, ODEI, sigrid.davison@cwu.edu 16. M. Eliatamby-O’Brien, Associate Professor, English and Director of WGSS, obrienmi@cwu.edu 17. Marty Blackson,Senior Lecturer,blacksonm@cwu.edu 18. Jeffrey Dippmann, Professor, Philosophy & Comparative Religion, jeffrey.dippmann@cwu.edu 19. Todd Schaefer, Professor and Chair, Political Science Dept. todd.schaefer@cwu.edu 20. Kate Mastruserio Reynolds, Professor and Bilingual Education/ TESOL Coordinator, Education, Development, Teaching, and Learning (EDTL). kate reynolds@cwu.edu 21. Volha Isakava, Professor and Chair, Department of World Languages and Cultures, volha.isakava@cwu.edu 22. Cynthia Mitchell, retired CWU Associate Professor of Journalism and former Adviser, The Observer 23. César García, Emeritus Professor, Department of Communication 24. Marji Morgan, Emeritus Professor, former Dean, College of Arts and Humanities, former Interim Chair, Department of Communication
25. Elizabeth Brown, Professor, CWU Libraries, elizabeth.brown@cwu.edu 26.Marilyn Levine, Professor, Department of History, marilyn.levine@cwu.edu *Please keep these award-winning crucial student engagement opportunities alive. 27.Brittany Cinderella, Alumna, former Observer Copy Desk Lead, cinderellab@cwu.edu 28.Roxanne Easley, Professor, History Department, easleyr@cwu.edu 29.Daniel Herman, Professor, History Department, hermand@cwu.edu 30.Kristy Magdlin, Staff, History Department, magdlink@cwu.edu 31.Nicholas Temple, Senior Lecturer, Communication, nicholaste@cwu.edu 32.Ryan Gildersleeve, Student/Faculty, WSRN/ 88.1 The ‘Burg, gildersleer@cwu.edu 33.Jason Knirck, Professor, HIstory Department, JAson.Knirck@cwu.edu 34.Isaac Hinson, Senior, Media & Journalism major, former Observer Editor-in-chief, hinsoni@cwu.edu 35.Yami Rodriguez, Senior, Student, Film Major rodriguezyami@cwu.edu 36. Michael Jones, Senior, STEM Education Major, michael.jones5@cwu.edu 37. Sam Ludlow, Advisor and Recruiter, Science and Math Education department, samantha.ludlow@cwu.edu 38. Jeff Ludlow, Senior, Music Department ludlowj@cwu.edu 39. Gracen Bayer, CWU Alumni, former PULSE Staff Member & Guest Writer at The Observer, gracen.bayer@cwu.edu 40. Katrina Nolan, Junior, Student/Faculty, Graphic Design and Art History Major, PULSE Magazine Lead Graphic Design, katrina.nolan@cwu.edu 41. Victor Limwanich, CWU Alumni, MET Major, victor.limwanich@cwu.edu 42. Katie Tuft, Lecturer, Art + Design, katherine.tuft@cwu.edu 43. Gary Bartlett, Professor, Department of Philosophy & Comparative Religion, gary.bartlett@cwu.edu 44. Amelia French, Senior, Film, Frencam@cwu.edu 45. Michael Boyer, CWU Alumni, Film Major boyermi@cwu.edu 46. Isamar Sotelo-Ramirez, Student, Public Relations Major, SoteloIs@cwu.edu 47. Lee Beck, CWU Alumni, English PCW and Journalism, becklil@cwu.edu 48. Gunner Stuns, Communications Studies, Media & Journalism, Senior, PULSE Editor- In-Chief gunner.stuns@cwu.edu 49. Jackson Roberts, Media & Journalism, Sports Coaching, Senior jackson.roberts@gmail.com 50. Brandon Mattesich, Film and Media & Journalism, Observer Co-EIC brandon.mattesich@cwu.edu
51. Keaton Weyers, Film Studies, Senior weyersk@cwu.edu 52. Emma Muhlbauer, Graphic Design & Communication, Senior Muhlbauere@cwu.edu 53. Lizeth Valdes, Graphic Design, Senior valdesl@cwu.edu 54. Zinnia (Z) Morris, Graphic Design, Senior MorriZi@cwu.edu 55. Austin Hardebeck, Assistant Editor, Sophomore hardebecka@cwu.edu 56. Charlotte Zombro, Creative and professional writing, junior charlotte.zombro@cwu.edu 57. Caleb Cleland, Senior Graphic Design, senior clelandc@cwu.edu 58. Kyley Glenn, Lead Reporter, Junior glennky@cwu.edu 59. Robin MacArthur, Art, Junior robin.macarthur@cwu.edu 60. Kendall Stuns, Secondary Education and History, Sophomore kendall.stuns@cwu.edu 61. Larissa Baldovinos, Business Admim, Junior, PULSE Associate Editor baldovinosl@cwu.edu 62. Lucie Pearson, Sophomore, Music Department anne.pearson@cwu.edu 63. Andy Rios, CWU Alumni, Film Department, Former PULSE photographer RiosAnd@cwu.edu 64. David Bieloh, Professor, Department of Art + Design, bielohd@cwu.edu 65. Derek Harper, Indiana State athletics Beat Reporter for Terre Haute Tribune-Star, CWU alum, sportsboyharper@gmail.com 66. Katie Jo Stewart, Alumna (Former Art Director of PULSE Magazine, 2021-2022), Katiejodesigns@hotmail.com 67. Brenden Fuller, Student, Communications, fullerbren@cwu.edu 68. Javier I. Angulo, Student, Film Major + Communication Minor, PULSE Photographer, anguloja@cwu.edu 69. Craig E. Sanderson, President-elect, CWU Alumni Association Board of Directors. craigesanderson@gmail.com. 70. Richard Moreno, Former Director of Executive Communications, CWU Public Affairs, rimore77@gmail.com 71. Sean McGee, CWU Alumni, Communication, seanedwardmcgee@gmail.com 72. Yohanes Goodell, CWU Alumni, former Observer photographer and former PULSE Director of Photography, goodelly@cwu.edu 73. Keith A. Lewis, CWU Distinguished Professor, Dept. of Art + Design, lewisk@cwu.edu 74. Sydney A. Rideout, Student, Public Health (Pre-Nursing) Major,
rideouts@cwu.edu 75. Olivia Cirillo CWU Alumni, Film oncirillo@gmail.com 76. Trent Meacham, Student, Film, former Observer photographer/writer, CRFT Film BA Rep, meachamtr@cwu.edu 77. Nuhamin Regassa, Student, Political Science & DHC, RegassaNu@cwu.edu 78. Alina Lombardo, Student, Political Science & LAJ, LombardoA@cwu.edu 79. Miah Preece, Student/ Faculty, KCWU 88.1 The ‘Burg, Child Development and Family Science Major (Child Life Specialization), Junior Preecem@cwu.edu 80. Sophie Svarthumle, Art Education, Junior Svarthumles@cwu.edu 81. Astor Powell-Pedersen, Political Science Major, former Observer News Editor & Copy Desk Editor, powellpedea@cwu.edu 82. Winnie Killingsworth, CWU alumni, media & journalism, former Observer News Editor and Online Editor 83. Teresa Garcia-Green, Running Start student, garciagreet@cwu.edu 84. Lauren Worley, Running Start student, worleyl@cwu.edu 85. Gretchen Hinchliff, Student, Graphic Design Major, HINCHLIFFG@CWU.EDU 86. Alexandra Lake, Student, Women Gender and Sexuality studies, lakeal@cwu.edu 87. Rebekah Harrell, Lambda Pi Eta President, Communication Senior, harrellr@cwu.edu 88. Gwyndolyn Scoville, Running start student, gwyndolyn.scoville@gmail.com 89. Marina Zuljevic, Student, English Professional and Creative Writing Major, Apparel Design Minor, marina.mzuljevic@outlook.com 90. Margaret Lewis Central Washington University Alumni mmschmidt80@gmail.com 91. Georgia Mallett, former Observer photographer mallettgeo@gmail.com 92. Teagan Kimbro, alumni, teagan.m.kimbro@gmail.com 93. Julia McConnachie, CWU student, Music, mcconnachij@cwu.edu 94. Kyung Hee Im, Assistant Professor, Art + Design, kyunghee.im@cwu.edu 95. Sean Quinn, CWU Alumnus Class of 2019, Digital Journalism Major and participated in CWU Central NewsWatch and Observer, quinnseanh@gmail.com 96. Katharine Lotze, CWU alumna, class of 2012, editor-in-chief of the Observer fall 2011- spring 2012, katharineklotze@gmail.com 97. Madelyn Chabot, Student, Biomedical Science Specialization, 98. Tegan Meador, Senior, BFA in Studio Art, meadort@cwu.edu 99. Anna Crosswhite, Lecturer, CWU Libraries, anna.crosswhite@cwu.edu 100. Julia Stringfellow, Professor and University Archivist, CWU Libraries, julia.stringfellow@cwu.edu 101. Natalie Baldwin, Health Sciences Office Assistant 3, Former staff reporter, natalie.baldwin@cwu.edu 102. Isabella Stratton, student, psychology major, climbing team, isabella.stratton@cwu.edu 103. Zoey Ryan, Student (creative director for PULSE magazine), Graphic Design, ryanzo@cwu.edu or zoeyleelife@gmail.com
104. Richard Moreno, Former Director of Executive Communications, CWU Public Affairs, rimore77@gmail.com 105. Peter O’Cain, class of 2014, former Pulse and Observer staff, pete.ocain@gmail.com 106. Izellah Caces Rainer, Student, Social Media Coordinator, Diversity and Equity Center. Izellahrainer45@gmail.com 107. Will Barber, Former student, Barberwilliam518@gmail.com 108. Mirija Britton, Communication Major, brittonmi@cwu.edu 109. Travis Helm, Student, Secondary Education/Mathematics, travis.helm2@cwu.edu 110. Rilian Drury, student, Apparel Textiles & Merchandising druryr@cwu.edu 111. R. Shaffer Claridge, Senior Lecturer, Law and Justice, robert.claridge@cwu.edu 112. Caleena Wyman, Graduate Student and Alumni, History, Caleena.Wyman@cwu.edu 113. Natalie Hammill, Graduate student and alumni, history, Natalie.hammill@cwu.edu 114. Gabriel Genzel, Sophomore Film Major, ASCWU Senate & 88.1 The ‘Burg Student Staff, genzelg@cwu.edu 115. Austin Lane, Former Observer Sports Editor and current Seattle TV news producer, austinlanesports@gmail.com 116. Jordan Tschabold, Student (Designer at HYPE), Graphic Design, jordan.tschabold@cwu.edu 117. Kaila Akina, Student, Geography, akinaka@cwu.edu 118. Meara Pfeifer, student, Art Education majorpfei.mear24@fifeschools.com 119. Yong Cao, Senior Lecturer, Communication, caoy@cwu.edu 120. Jiyoun Chung; Assistant Professor; Music; jiyoun.chung@cwu.edu 121. Emily Kissel, Graduate Student and alumni,History, emily.kissel@cwu.edu 122. Clarissa Slaton, Student, Psychology & Child Development, CheerCats SC President Clarissa.Slaton@cwu.edu 123. Kaitlyn Tyson, Student, Psychology, kaitlyn.tyson@cwu.edu 124. John Tamez, Student, Psychology & Child Development John.tamez@cwu.edu 125. Cormac Arenson, Student and Student Worker, Anthropology Major and Museum Studies Minor Cormac.arenson@cwu.edu 126. Dakaline White, Alumni, Public Relations, dakalineawhite@gmail.com 127. Shane Johnson, Guest Lecturer, Art + Design: shane.johnson5@cwu.edu 128. Jade Cupples, Senior Graphic Design Student, cuppjade1@gmail.com 129. Simone Stanish, Student, Graphic Design stanishs@cwu.edu 130. Julia Taylor, Student, Art Education Julia.taylor@cwu.edu 131. Gabrielle McNeillie, Assistant Professor, Dance, gabriellem@cwu.edu 132. Yajaira Perez, 2022 Alumni, Public Relations, yajaira1217p@gmail.com
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