CWU TRUSTEES BOARD MEETING AGENDA Oct 16, 2025
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2025
Location: Moehring Event Center
8:30-9:15 Executive Session Participants: Trustees, President, Sr. VP Finance & Administration, Chief of Staff, Director of Business Services, AAG, Tort AAGs (Student trustee does not join) As allowed by RCW 42.30.110 (1) (i)(g) • Update on litigation • Discussion of personnel 9:15-9:30 Break 9:30-9:40 Call to order • Approval of the Agenda • Approval of July Retreat minutes • Official Communications • Public Comment 9:40-9:50 President’s Report 9:50-10:30 Board Committee Reports 10:30-11:15 Washington Roundtable Presentation 11:15-11:30 Adjourn and walk to Multicultural Center 11:30-12:00 Tour Multicultural Center 12:00-1:00 Lunch 1:15 Call to Order 1:15-1:45 Provost Report 1:45-2:30 NWCCU Presentation 2:30-3:15 Budget & Enrollment Updates 3:15-3:45 OPMA/Records Training
Last updated October 7, 2025
CWU BOT Meeting October 16, 2025
3:45-4:00
Action Agenda
4:00
Expected Adjournment
4:00-6:00
James Brooks Library Anniversary events
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Central Washington University Board of Trustees October 16, 2025
ACTION – Approval of the minutes of the retreat of July 24-25, 2025.
We recommend the following motion:
The Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the minutes of the retreat of July 24-25, 2025.
Submitted:
Dania Cochran Chief of Staff
Approved for Submittal to the Board:
Jim Wohlpart President
Board of Trustees Minutes Board Meeting Wellington Event Center July 24-25, 2025
Draft
JULY 24, 2025 EXECUTIVE SESSION
The board convened in executive session at 8:30 a.m. for one hour and 15 minutes for the purpose of reviewing the performance of a public employee, per RCW 42.30.110 (1)(g). The executive session ended at 9:45 a.m. Present:
Erin Black, Board Chair Jeff Hensler, Vice Chair Jeff Charbonneau, Trustee Ray Conner, Trustee Gladys Gillis, Trustee Zabrina Jenkins, Trustee Jim Wohlpart, President BOARD MEETING Trustees Present: Erin Black, Chair Jeff Hensler, Vice Chair Jeff Charbonneau
Ray Conner Gladys Gillis Zabrina Jenkins Staff to the Board: Jim Wohlpart, President Patrick Pease, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Joel Klucking, Board Treasurer and Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Veronica Gomez-Vilchis, Interim Vice President for Student Engagement and Success Dania Cochran, Board Secretary and Chief of Staff Ellen Evans, Assistant Attorney General Kim Dawson, Executive Assistant to the President/Board of Trustees Executive Staff: Paul Elstone, Vice President for University Advancement Kelly Flores, Associate Vice President of Human Resources Ginny Tomlinson, Vice Provost of Institutional Transformation and Associate Vice President of Information Services/CIO
Chair Black convened the board meeting at 10:01 a.m.
Approval of Agenda Motion 25-21: Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University approve the agenda of the meetings of July 24-25, 2025. Mr. Conner seconded the motion, which the board unanimously approved. Approval of Minutes Motion 25-22: Mr. Hensler moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University approve the minutes from the regular meetings of May 15-16, 2025. Mr. Charbonneau seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Official Communications Since the last meeting, the board received one communication, which was included in the briefing materials: The Board acknowledges receipt of the following communications: 1. Email from Christina Barrigan, Chair, Department of Theatre and Film, May 15, 2025, follow up to her public comments on May 15, 2025. Public Comment No one signed up for public comment today. Governing Boards Best Practices Board members had a conversation about the readings that President Wohlpart provided prior to the retreat and offered feedback. Ms. Gillis thought the readings were super helpful. She acknowledged the board’s fiduciary responsibilities according to state and federal requirements. She would like to see a five-year plan and metrics on quality. The board has a responsibility for quality of education and cost. Seeing green, yellow, and red KPIs on a regular basis would be helpful, including such things as price of education and time to degree. She would like a clear picture of the board’s involvement in the accreditation visit in the spring. The new degree program coming forward tomorrow has no mention of high impact practices. She was surprised by this and thinks this should be included in all new degrees given that HIPs are an important component of our mission. Online courses need to be strategically applied, not just for convenience. Ms. Black commented that orientating new board members and continued board development is important. She appreciates this board being intentional about asking the hard questions and their diversity for thought. Ms. Black asked if the university community knows what the board is responsible for and what they do and if the board has inspired confidence and trust with the campus community. She added that we need to continue developing shared governance, which is one of the key habits discussed in the AGB readings. We have started the process, but it needs to continue across the campus. Ms. Black would also like to go back to doing an annual board review to evaluate their leadership skills regularly. She also suggested looking at the president’s review and how it is conducted. We need to get feedback on employee engagement. Knowing the general temperature of the campus is important for the board. She would like board committees to have a chair. Then committee chairs would share out at the board meetings. We should always be focusing on the guiding principles of “students first.”
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Mr. Hensler also added that shared governance is key. He would like to see shared governance work moving forward in collaborative ways across the community. He also likes the idea of delegating more to the board committees and having a chair of the committee report out at the board meetings. In addition, it would be good to have board members rotate committees more often. Mr. Hensler added that the board is responsible for “Heritage of Institution,” which is the relationship between professors and students. Face-to-face/in the classroom is the best format for this. For board meetings, he would like to see a draft of the agenda earlier to provide feedback and suggestions. He asked that presentations at the board meeting always be tied to the strategic plan and that we start every board meeting stating our Vision and Mission. Mr. Conner agreed that moving to committee chairs on the board committees is a good idea. He would like succession planning as part of the board discussions and the leadership team. We always need to refer to our mission and have the best interests of the students in mind. President Wohlpart pointed out that each ELT member has a clear number two. Mr. Charbonneau asked about the level of depth that a board should go. What is appropriate for a board? AGB articles note that the management of the university should be left to the administration; the board’s role is to consider the strategic direction and to get and give feedback on how this is going. He added that not all students are the same and learn the same way, so being intentional and strategic when offering both in person and online modalities is important. There is a time and place for online. Mr. Charbonneau added that the board needs to look at their bylaws more regularly as part of the shared governance process. Ms. Jenkins commented that the 10 habits of highly effective boards were very helpful in reaffirming their role. She added that this could be a good opportunity to better educate the campus community of what the board’s role is. It is important for everyone to know when the board should lean in or step back. Ms. Gillis noted that time, cost, and quality of educational programs is a board responsibility. She is wondering about student progress to graduation—in terms of how classes are scheduled and whether there is a strategy for online classes. The decision to have online classes should be an institutional strategy, not a personal preference. She also noted that the shared governance document needs to be used to guide revisions to policies and procedures, and that if the board needs to hold emergency meetings to update important policies they should do so. Vice presidents added that they like the idea of the chair model for board committees and board members rotating committees regularly. They look forward to the ideas and strategies that board members might have. These meetings will get into more depth than they have in the past and help give appropriate strategic direction to the university. Regarding the Board Chair/Leadership questions, board members think having separate consistent, monthly check-ins between the board chair and president in addition to the executive committee is important. That would give the chair and president time to plan together what should be discussed at executive committee meetings. Ms. Gillis suggested incorporating “teaming” into board meetings or at the annual retreat. When new leadership comes on board it is very important for the board chair and president to have time to get to know each other. This scheduling should be intentional and happen sooner. The group agreed that the board executive committee should also oversee governance.
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Dr. Cochran led a conversation about board meetings. She provided a summary of the topics that are always on the agenda and presentations that the board has seen this past year. Board members would like to have the following at each board meeting: • President’s Report (give Jim feedback on what he should include in his report: dashboards, red, yellow, green light projects) • Board Committee Reports • University Advancement Report: Jim could do this quarterly. • Start every meeting with our Vision and Mission • High Impact Practices • Be strategic about when to bring in faculty presentations; experiences with students are more impactful. • Training for the board on academic programs; what is the mix; why do we have certain programs? • Once a year, hear from students about their student experience. Cultural Transformation AVP Flores explained that when she started at CWU last year, she had the opportunity to do a listening tour with various folks from across the university. People shared what they are most proud of, what they were most excited about, and what their biggest concerns were. Data analysis was conducted through employee engagement surveys, exit interviews and stay interviews. CWU has participated in the state engagement survey for over four years, and participation has increased from 43 percent to 50 percent in that time. The survey reflects the employee voice in shaping workplace culture and data helps guide strategic improvements. From the feedback that was gathered, one area of success is manager effectiveness. Supervisors are fostering stronger relationships with their employees. Another area of success is psychological safety and respect. More employees feel safe speaking up, asking questions, and taking risks. Supervisors have been having more intentional one-to-one meetings with employees, engaging in active listening, inviting feedback, and acting on it. An area of needed improvement is growth and development. People are looking for opportunities for advancement at CWU. Interim VP Gómez-Vilchis talked about Stay Interviews. She summarized the themes and the feedback from employees who were surveyed: • What do you look forward to every day? Interaction with students, connection with colleagues, a sense of accomplishment, meaningful work, learning and growth, positive work environment. • What makes you feel valued? Trust, respect, and autonomy, recognition and appreciation, support and feedback, equity and fairness, and growth and inclusion. • What would you like to learn? Professional development and leadership, technical skill building, broader institutional knowledge, communication and external engagement, and time management and learning culture. At this point in the presentation, board members asked questions and provided feedback. • Chair Black asked what percentage of employees have been at CWU five years or more? AVP Flores will follow up on this.
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• Vice Chair Hensler asked if we provide a total compensation document to our employees? He wants to make sure employees realize their total compensation. We do provide this information. It is available through our MyCWU portal. • Trustee Gillis asked if supervisors know when their employees need training. AVP Flores explained that required training is tracked and division heads receive a summary of all their employees, which includes what is completed and what needs to be completed. We have a high percentage of training completions. • Chair Black asked what is the goal of participation percentage that we want from the state engagement survey? She wondered if there is another tool that could be used so that it could be more tailored to CWU. • Trustee Jenkins asked how the roll out of clarity has been received on campus. AVP Flores then gave a summary on professional development. CWU provides opportunities for a variety of professional development options. This is an area we will continue to look at and evolve. We need to make sure we are offering the right kind of training for our employees. Interim VP Gómez-Vilchis explained that she had never experienced a summit like the first Supervisor Summit that was held in June 2024. The keynote speaker was Eric Boles, whose presentation centered on “moving to great.” He asked the group to think about the mental models that keep us from being our best. The summit focused on what we want for our supervisors: cultural alignment, leadership development, and a people-centered approach to performance development. AVP Flores then summarized the Accountabilities and Competencies Across Levels document. The Executive Leadership Team, University Administrative Leadership Team, and supervisors have had some good conversations around this document. People have been asked where they see themselves and where they want to go. It has been a good tool to use in performance development. She added that we have made great progress in role clarity. As of July 15, 94 percent of positions descriptions have been updated. When it comes to progressive discipline/corrective action, sometimes coaching and feedback are not sufficient, so HR Partners guide supervisors and appointing authorities through the process. CWU uses a fair and consistent process for progressive discipline according to policy. Interim VP Gómez-Vilchis summarized staff recognition programs for classified and exempt staff and noted there is also an annual faculty recognition program organized through the Provost’s Office. Employee of the Month recipients are selected for both classified and exempt staff. These folks are then in the running for Employee of the Year, which is awarded annually at the Employee Appreciation Awards. In addition, there is an ongoing peer-nomination program celebrating employees who demonstrate the Wildcat Way values, which are: be welcoming, be inclusive, be knowledgeable, be responsive, and be proud. There were 148 total nominations received in 2024-2025 and one recipient for each category was selected and surprised with a Wildcat Way award at the Employee Appreciation Awards.
The morning session adjourned at 12:09 p.m.
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Trustees and Executive Leadership Team members had lunch at Sue Dining. No business was conducted.
Chair Black reconvened the board meeting at 1:17 p.m.
Cultural Transformation continued Interim VP Gómez-Vilchis began the afternoon session talking about a Cultural Transformation Roundtable. This will be a cross-departmental team focusing on cultivating a people-centered culture, which includes: • Creating a “caring university” where individuals believe they matter and that the work they do individually and collectively is significant. • Expanding opportunities for professional growth, leadership development, and recognition. • Establishing a strong foundation for holistic well-being, creative engagement, and a deep sense of belonging. AVP Flores explained that growth is our priority. Aligning with our Vision, Mission, Values, and Strategic Plan, we are prioritizing growth through organization design, succession planning, career pathways, leadership and professional development, individual development plans, timely feedback, individualized coaching, and early intervention and support. Interim VP Gómez-Vilchis added that CWU is having a conversation about how we would create a process for developing leaders in place. We are working to develop a plan to pilot three leadership academy cohorts at some point in the future: Leading Self, Leading Others, and Leading the Organization. In conclusion, AVP Flores stated that we have achieved many things this year and we will continue to improve. Looking ahead, we have a strategic focus and a proactive approach for performance development. We have established a collaborative culture, and we are getting better together. Closing thoughts from Board members: • Chair Black suggested that a model learning community is not just for students. The board, faculty, and staff should be included. She asked if the university community thinks about the commitment of being a learning community. She also asked about the three pilot programs: what does this look like and who will do this work? AVP Flores mentioned that the roundtable team that will be convened will need to get feedback on what will work best for CWU with the number of employees we have. It will also vary between divisions. • Trustee Charbonneau asked, from the exit interviews, do we have a percentage of who is leaving or who has left because of a negative experience. AVP Flores will follow up on this. Strategic Enrollment Management AVP Dang explained that they chose the graphic in the title slide because the cogs in the wheels show the interconnection between all we do. He thinks of the Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Plan as an “add in,” not an “add on” plan. The SEM Plan operationalizes the Strategic Plan through enrollment and the student experience lens. The SEM planning development timeline was shared and AVP Dang explained that the end product is a living plan with changing strategies and tactics as needed.
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Dean Khoja described the SEM planning principles: 1. Success, access, belonging, stewardship, and engagement. 2. Date and market informed decision making. 3. Connectivity to the greater ecosystem of community, industry, government, and other educational systems. 4. Systems thinking across campuses (such as collaboration, communication, institutionalization, and process improvements). 5. Reduce barriers to success through strategic investment. AVP Hung and Dean Khoja explained that the SEM plan focuses on six goals. These goals were developed to achieve three key areas: enrollment growth, retention/graduation, and student experience. Goal 1 – Grow total new FTIC and new transfer student headcount from 2469 to 3050 through 2030. The strategies that will be used to meet this goal include: • Increase FTIC student enrollment from 1619 in Fall 2024 to 2000 in Fall 2030. • Increase new transfer student enrollment from 850 in Fall 2024 to 1050 in Fall 2030. • Increase new undergraduate student enrollment from Yakima, Tri-Cities, and surrounding counties. Goal 2 – Improve the FTIC undergraduate fall-to-fall retention rate from 70 percent to 78 percent by 2030. The strategies that will be used to meet this goal include: • Lower the DFW rate for gateway undergraduate courses through additional academic support. • Reduce the number of students placed on academic probation each term. • Perform a capacity analysis for course, program, and service delivery to ensure all FTIC students and transfer students get access to the courses and support they need. Goal 3 – Improve the fall-to-fall retention rate for Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) transfer students from 91 percent to 93 percent and for non-DTA transfer students from 75 percent to 83 percent by 2030. The strategies that will be used to meet this goal include: • Improve the term-to-term persistence rate for those transfer students who enter below 3.0 GPA. • Improve retention rate for those transfer students who enter below 3.0 GPA. • Set out to proactively move students toward completion in a timely fashion through data- informed scheduling. Goal 4 – Increase the number of credit-bearing credentials awarded to students by 2030. The strategies that will be used to meet this goal include: • Increase the overall number of baccalaureate degrees awarded from 2353 in 2023/2024 to 2580 in 2029/2030. • Proactively move students toward completion in a timely manner through data-informed scheduling. • Increase the overall graduation rate of FT-FTIC for 4-year from 33 percent to 40 percent and for 6-year from 53 percent to 60 percent by 2030.
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Goal 5 – Provide opportunities where every learner can thrive and grow in a supportive environment. The strategies that will be used to meet this goal include: • Create and deploy a “Students First Center” model of delivering key enrollment services. • Design and deliver a comprehensive first-year experience program. • Develop and deliver continuous student life engagement activities and programs. Goal 6 – All undergraduate program graduates will be afforded opportunities for experiential learning leading to post-graduation success. The strategies that will be used to meet this goal include: • Design and deliver strategic and developmental high impact practices specific to each year of enrollment. • Leverage career services support across all undergraduate years and deliver programming that is career minded. • Build and sustain partnerships with local, regional, and global employers for internships and job pipelines. Formal relationships with employers – including nonprofit and public-sector partners – expand access to relevant, career-aligned opportunities and help CWU stay responsive to workforce needs. Comments from the Board: • Trustee Gillis would like to have an update on this at every meeting. • Trustee Conner stated that all CWU programs and departments should be connected to the SEM plan. • Trustee Charbonneau stated that we need to do everything in our power to increase the four- year graduation rate. Thirty-three percent is not good. We need to look at all options to make sure students progress through their programs. We need to think through things differently regarding the master schedule. • Vice Chair Hensler added that the theme is to reduce barriers for students and improve efficiencies in the university to help students get through their programs. AVP Dang then gave an update on enrollment. He explained the enrollment timeline by stage: inquiry, applicant, admit, confirm, and enroll and added that this is an 18-month process that starts in March each year. Our new student orientation model has changed this year, so we are a little behind in our yield rate for fall compared to this time last year. This should pick up once the remaining new student orientations are completed. As of July 23, our FTIC enrollment confirmations have exceeded our goal. The goal for Fall 2025 was 2100 and confirmations received so far are 2140. We face FTIC enrollment challenges due to budget cuts in school districts, uncertainty with federally funded programs like TriO, CAMP, etc. and declining K-12 enrollments in Washington state. Some opportunities that we have include College in the High School, Running Start, Early Outreach pipelines, retention and graduation rates, on the spot admissions events, and three-year degrees. Transfer enrollment challenges are mainly due to the economy, struggling rural campuses, uncertainty with federally funded programs, and the transfer pipeline has changed. A major opportunity we have with transfer enrollment is partnering with Yakima Valley College to develop a seamless transfer process, which includes a unified admissions application, admission to both institutions, and data sharing between institutions to help students stay on track.
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As of July 23, 2025, new student enrollments are 1019 FTIC students, 497 transfer students, and 114 graduate students for Fall 2025. Total campus enrollment for Fall 2025 is 6368. Our FTIC fall-to-fall retention is currently at 70 percent. We need 66 more students to reach 72 percent. Budget SVP Klucking began his budget update with a preliminary look at actuals for FY25 state and local funds. He explained that in the state/local funds for FY25 revenues exceeded expenses. This was due to additional state support in the supplemental budget, but that was partially offset by lower tuition and fees. For expenses, wages and benefits were higher, but this was offset by the unused enrollment contingency. In the FY25 system funds, revenues came in a little higher due to better participation in Housing and Dining. This was partially offset by the Wildcat Shop. Regarding expenses, there was good labor cost management but that was offset by higher repair and maintenance costs. SVP Klucking then shared preliminary FY26 budget planning information for the state general funds. He went through line by line and summarized revenues and expenses. He explained that divisions have been working hard to identify temporary and permanent savings with positions, which has helped the budget deficit for FY26. SVP Klucking reminded trustees that state law requires governing boards of Washington institutions of higher education to approve in an open public meeting the annual budget for intercollegiate athletics in advance of any expenditure for that fiscal year. The proposed budget was shared and is on the agenda for approval at Friday’s meeting. Advancement Update VP Elstone gave an update on University Advancement and explained that we are in the quiet phase of the comprehensive campaign. There are three overarching goals in the campaign: student opportunity, student experience, and campus and community impact. To accomplish these university-wide goals, the Futures Campaign will: • Strengthen connection to campus among community. • Renew and build donor relationships. • Increase alumni engagement on a variety of metrics. • Enhance reputation with donor community. • Enhance programs. • Grow visibility of CWU among Washington state higher education institutions. • Raise $85-100M in philanthropy. • Grow the endowment. A campaign leadership committee has been established and is ongoing. In four years, $41.5M has been raised. A final goal has not been set yet, but the committee will set that in the next few months. The fiscal years 2024 and 2025 have been record years for revenue to the CWU Foundation, and we have been building the total number of donors, which is part of the campaign. VP Elstone reported that the Foundation has been able to assist several departments and projects on campus with some of these funds: • Wildcat Pantry expansion • Support for the Adaptive University Initiative Launch • Lalley Fellows Internship Program launch, which is supporting 15 students this summer. • Helped expand the underserved regional teacher prep support. • Naming of the Moehring Event Center, which also established a President’s Innovation Fund
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• Re-launch of the Master of Counseling • Athletics Hall of Fame had record fundraising this year. • Almost 900 scholarships were awarded last academic year.
VP Elstone then talked about preparations for the public phase of the campaign. Typically, the public launch is when you have 60 percent of the campaign goal secured. We may start in Fall 2026 or Winter 2027, and ideally, the public phase will last about 18-24 months. When the public phase is launched, there will be a high-profile launch event or events. Fundraising priorities and goals will be confirmed, and a comprehensive communications plan will be developed to keep the campus informed, aware, and engaged. The campaign vision is focused on the future. Building on our reputation for delivering the leaders, change-makers, and core professional Washington needs most. The campaign pillars are opportunity, experience, and impact, so campaign messaging will focus on those three themes. Chair Black explained that the Board will move into executive session at 3:45 p.m. for one hour and 15 minutes, and that no action will be taken following the executive session. The public portion of the meeting concluded for the day at 3:36 p.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION Chair Black convened the Executive Session at 3:45 p.m. and announced that the session was expected to last approximately one hour and 15 minutes. The meeting room was cleared, other than board members, the Assistant Attorney General, and designated Executive Leadership Team members. The purpose of the executive session was to get an update on litigation and to review the performance of a public employee, as allowed by RCW 42.30.110 (1)(g)(i). At 5:00 pm, the executive session was extended an additional 15 minutes. The executive session ended at 5:15 p.m., and no action was taken following the executive session. Present for the litigation update (3:45-4:00 pm):
Erin Black, Board Chair Jeff Hensler, Vice Chair Jeff Charbonneau, Trustee
Ray Conner, Trustee Gladys Gillis, Trustee
Zabrina Jenkins, Trustee Jim Wohlpart, President Joel Klucking, Board Treasurer and Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Dania Cochran, Board Secretary and Chief of Staff Ellen Evans, Assistant Attorney General Present to review the performance of a public employee (4:00-5:15 pm):
Erin Black, Board Chair Jeff Hensler, Vice Chair Jeff Charbonneau, Trustee Ray Conner, Trustee Gladys Gillis, Trustee Zabrina Jenkins, Trustee
Meeting adjourned at 5:15 p.m.
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Board members, Executive Leadership Team members, and shared governance leaders attended a social reception at Iron Horse Brewery, Ellensburg, WA. No business was conducted.
JULY 25, 2025 EXECUTIVE SESSION
The board convened in executive session at 8:30 a.m. for one hour for the purpose of reviewing the performance of a public employee, per RCW 42.30.110 (1)(g). At 9:30 a.m. the executive session was extended an additional 10 minutes. The executive session ended at 9:40 a.m. Present:
Erin Black, Board Chair Jeff Hensler, Vice Chair Jeff Charbonneau, Trustee Ray Conner, Trustee Gladys Gillis, Trustee Zabrina Jenkins, Trustee Jim Wohlpart, President BOARD MEETING Trustees Present: Erin Black, Chair Jeff Hensler, Vice Chair Jeff Charbonneau
Ray Conner Gladys Gillis Zabrina Jenkins Staff to the Board: Jim Wohlpart, President Patrick Pease, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Joel Klucking, Board Treasurer and Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Veronica Gomez-Vilchis, Interim Vice President for Student Engagement and Success
Dania Cochran, Board Secretary and Chief of Staff Ellen Evans, Assistant Attorney General (via Zoom) Kim Dawson, Executive Assistant to the President/Board of Trustees Executive Faculty & Staff:
Paul Elstone, Vice President for University Advancement Kelly Flores, Associate Vice President of Human Resources Ginny Tomlinson, Vice Provost of Institutional Transformation and Associate Vice President of Information Services/CIO
Chair Black convened the board meeting at 9:46 a.m.
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Prior to the morning’s first presentation, Chair Black commented on the president’s evaluation.
Over the last several years, Central Washington University has faced significant challenges, including responding to COVID-19 and responding to the current federal and state environment. We worked through COVID, and we have been working collaboratively through the issues arising from the current environment. We will continue to do so because we are a team, and we are here first and foremost for our students. If we continue to have a student first mentality, focusing on our unifying value, we will be able to respond to these challenges in ways that make us stronger as an institution. As a Board, we want to recognize and share our deep appreciation to the President for his leadership during this difficult time as well as to the faculty, staff, students, and administration who have all collaborated to be responsive to the challenges the university has faced. We are grateful to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and the Faculty Senate for working with the Provost on various issues. This type of collaboration is essential to our success and must continue to be elevated. As challenges continue to come our way, we must learn to be nimble and agile and address them in collaborative ways. In fact, what is essential is for us to strengthen our “we” culture based on this collaboration. This is important because our unifying value is student success. We put our students first. We are all here because of our students and we know that the most impactful way to support our students is through working together collaboratively. Collaboration is at the heart of our new Shared Governance document. This focus on collaboration showed up in the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan that was developed through Hung Dang and Faiza Khoja’s leadership, working with a collaborative team. We owe it to our students and the future of the university to commit to elevating shared governance, which has been one of the goals we have given the president since he arrived. This will continue to be one of his goals as he turns from developing the shared governance document to implementing what we have learned in revising policies and practices. Our vision states that we are a “model learning community.” If we can take what we have learned and revise our work together to elevate shared governance, we will be a stronger and healthier community. If we as a team can demonstrate through collaboration and shared governance that we are constantly learning and growing, we will send a powerful message to students, their families, and the surrounding communities. That message will be that Central Washington University is the best place to learn, grow, and create your future. Vision, Mission, Values, Strategic Plan Evolution Elvin Delgado, Interim AVP for Faculty Success, and Ruben Cardenas, Interim AVP SES, Student Development and Belonging, gave an update on CWU’s Vision, Mission, Values, and Strategic Plan evolution. Mr. Cardenas began by giving some background on where we are now. On the recommendation of Dr. Charlita Shelton, Interim VP of Equity and Belonging, the Office of Diversity,
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Equity, and Inclusivity was closed. This work really should be done by everyone. Not just one person or office. We will be expanding the distributed leadership model for equity and belonging. Dr. Delgado explained that in the past we were unable to close the equity gaps. The question became; can we offer services, support, and make sure everyone feels like they belong without using the DEI words? The retention project of 2024-25 demonstrated we could do this. A data-informed process was developed. Institutional Effectiveness provided weekly registration reports. Outreach was done to individuals regarding holds and registration. Attendance was recorded in 100-200 level courses, and alerts were sent through Civitas for students of concern. In addition, the dollar amount for holds that restrict registration was increased, housing and dining billing was altered across the year, and Cat Connections in the dorms were enhanced. Our fall to spring retention rate increased for all categories of First-Time in College (FTIC) students. When we all work together and focus on access and opportunity, all students benefit. Mr. Cardenas reported that all DEI-related issues, regardless of nature (HR, Title IX, etc.), were sent to the VP of Equity and Belonging, which exacerbated the problem of deference. The Dear Colleague Letter, Executive Orders from the federal government, and the state budget have all been challenging. The AVP of SES and the AVP of Faculty Success positions were created to help with these challenges. Dr. Delgado explained that he was part of the VMVSP working group from the beginning. He reminded the group that our Vision and Mission are living documents, so when things started happening at the federal level, the group reconvened to review our living documents. With feedback from the campus, a revised Vision, Mission, and Values were approved by the board May 16, 2025. Mr. Cardenas stated that ongoing work and initiatives are happening. The Multicultural Center (MCC) is undergoing construction updates now and the Diversity and Equity Center is being evolved. The MCC is more than just a space, it is a place for students to come together to have a sense of belonging. Students have been asking for this for over a decade. There will be a soft opening in the fall. Dr. Delgado reported that revisions to the university faculty evaluation criteria guidelines is another ongoing initiative. Dr. Kris De Welde consulted on this subject and provided recommendations. A committee was formed to develop new policies on reappointment, tenure, promotion, and post-tenure. Dr. Delgado met with the committee to review all the feedback. He compiled all the feedback and invited others to review and provide edits to the document. The document is in the consultation phase now with the faculty union and Faculty Senate. The plan is to have this in place by Fall 2025. Dr. Delgado noted that another ongoing initiative that is happening is Productive Discomfort training. This is professional development training for faculty led by Raymond Reyes and Charlita Shelton. Dr. Delgado explained that the next steps will have two phases. Phase one will take place during the academic year 2025-26. A Shared Equity and Belonging Leadership Committee will be created. They will solicit nominations from students, staff, faculty, and BOT members and select committee members during the fall quarter. A committee charge will be created, and members will begin to develop and implement strategies and tactics. Mr. Cardenas added that the committee will do some group readings. It will be a journey led with learning and love. The work will not be about one person or one office. It will be spread across campus. Dr. Delgado stated that phase two will take place during the 2026-27 academic year. The committee will continue to expand the equity and belonging work institutionally and refine the strategies and tactics. Conversations about revising the strategic plan will then begin. Dr. Delgado thanked Trustee Gillis for her support in this project.
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Adaptive University Update The presenters for the Adaptive University Initiative included Patrick Pease, Provost and EVP for Academic Affairs, Ginny Tomlinson, Vice Provost of Institutional Transformation and AVP of Information Services, Rodrigo Renteria-Valencia, Dean of Graduate Education, Research, and Strategic Initiatives, and Rob Ogburn, AVP of Federal Relations and Executive Director, Business Community Services. Provost Pease began by explaining that this initiative is really unique. This kind of intentional, institution-wide process is not common at universities. The concept is to position CWU to thrive into the future despite what higher education faces by: • Continuously evolving to meet the changing needs of students, faculty, staff, society, and the job market. • Embracing innovation and flexibility to provide relevant and dynamic education. The process includes a structured catalyst network to address adaptive challenges and guide innovation. It will focus on larger scopes, multi-departmental and cross-divisional projects and build a lasting culture of innovation through practice. Ms. Tomlinson explained that the Adaptive University initiative was introduced in the Fall 2024 at the Academic Affairs Forum. Following the forum, a series of process design workshops were held to gather input on how the work should proceed. Then it was officially launched in the winter quarter 2025. Members had to apply to be part of the AUC that was selected by the provost and were reminded that they represent the university, not their department. The council’s role is to build the framework for the Adaptive University work and support ongoing institutional capacity building. To launch the initiative and get ideas, the AUC did a university-wide call for innovation. The intent was to surface creative innovation from faculty and staff at the grass roots level. Forty-six ideas were submitted over the last few months, and several have been made into Cat Teams. As ideas come to the AUC, the group works through a set of criteria to evaluate the merits and feasibility. They move on to Cat-teams bas on: • The AUC’s guiding principles include student impact and strategic plan alignment. • How it supports institutional stewardship around enrollment and retention efforts and financial sustainability. • The overall scope – is the idea big enough to have institutional impact. The Cat-Teams are the real engine of the innovation process. The key concept here is that their scope (across the institution membership), consultation structure (shared governance/leadership), and specific charge (clear goals and outputs with a set timeline), will make it possible to transform an idea into an institutional possibility. The Cat-Team is expected to consult with any areas of the university that would be involved or impacted by the new idea. They are not responsible for implementation of the idea, only the research and recommendation necessary to move forward. To ensure that the work of the Cat- Teams is structured and consistent, the council has created templates for each team lead to use. Dr. Renteria-Valencia provided an example of one of the Cat-Teams: Academic Advising, which was prompted by an external consultant and the AASCU report that identified specific changes that needed to be made in our advising. Members on this Cat-Team are subject matter experts. This is where the magic happens. They were charged with creating recommendations to ensure outstanding, accessible, and equitable advising experiences for all undergraduate students. Critical components of the Cat-Team output include: • Create a governance structure that enables uniform advising practices, shared quality standards, and clear accountability. • Establish a level of centrality and authority to ensure cross training.
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• Develop a framework with measurable success metrics for advising services and monitoring performance. • Design advising services that support first-year students, deciding students, and academic transitions. The work of the Cat-Teams is highly organized. Teams is used to organize schedules, information, and artifacts for internal work processes. Key documents and decision points are shared with the university community via the SharePoint site. The Academic Advising Cat-Team provided a first draft recommendation report the first week of July that outlines process, outcomes, and next steps. Dr. Renteria-Valencia then highlighted the 3-Year Bachelor’s Degrees Cat-Team. He explained that multiple ideas came in regarding 3-year degrees, so the AUC decided to address the larger adaptive challenge of creating the rules and guidelines for 3-year bachelor’s degrees. This is an emergent national conversation and is timely because NWCCU just approved member universities to propose these degrees. To date, the Cat-Team has researched models and best practices, developed a feasibility study, inventoried CWU policies and procedures, and has held several town hall meetings for input. The team will finalize recommendations in the early fall quarter. Provost Pease stated that in Fall 2025, the AUC will begin working on the next batch of approved ideas. The AUC and Cat-Teams will continue to provide frequent updates and develop new Cat-Teams as ideas emerge. He added that Academic programs and structures are the next phase. We need new ways to surface and evaluate new academic programs. A partnership with Business and Community Services will help with this academic landscape analysis. Provost Pease thanked Trustee Gillis for her generous financial support of this project. Dr. Ogburn explained that an academic program landscape analysis was developed to provide information on CWU program demand. The purpose is to facilitate conversations on CWU academic programs meeting occupational needs in Washington state. A CWU-specific method was developed after evaluation of best practices statewide and nationwide. The analysis relates and analyzes instructional and occupational data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington Employment Security, and the National Center for Education Statistics. Dr. Ogburn provided an example from the College of Education and Professional Studies: Air Transportation. There is a labor shortage in this area. There has been some growth but less than population growth. This is an opportunity for CWU because we have significant potential for market growth. Provost Pease wrapped up the presentation by stating that the Board received a program planning list in their packet. This list will be shared with the Board regularly. A new internal planning form has also been developed to help with conducting a more thorough review of the programs that are being developed. Dr. Heidi Perez, Psychology Department Chair, summarized a new program that will be reviewed/approved by the Board at Friday’s meeting. The Behavioral Health undergraduate program offers students a psychological foundation for understanding and addressing the complexities of behavioral health and overall well-being within individuals and communities. Designed to meet the growing demand for compassionate and skilled professionals, the program integrates psychological, social, biological, and cultural perspectives to prepare students for careers as behavioral health support specialists or related positions. The program curriculum is structured around core psychology courses, behavioral health courses, experiential learning opportunities, and a capstone course. Upon completion of this degree, degree recipients should be eligible as bachelor’s degree recipients to apply for the
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behavioral health support specialist certification through the Department of Health. The degree will equip students with competencies to fill entry-level positions in behavioral health. Society has a need of skillful practitioners that can provide brief, evidence-based behavioral health treatment under supervision. A Behavioral Heath Support Specialist can provide brief interventions for acute stress, depression, anxiety, and other common mental and behavioral health conditions. They can facilitate symptom screening and explain results, as well as complete psychosocial assessments contributing to intake efficiency. BHSS providers can deliver structured suicide screening, assessment and management and share psychoeducation to individuals and groups. One of the practicum experiences is expected to be conducted in community settings under a licensed community provider and university supervisor, which will enable the program to foster authentic community partnerships. While these providers will not be counselors and are required to work under supervision of a licensed provider, they can support graduate level providers in their counseling activities, which will provide scaffolded support to clients in Washington State. We are confident that the Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health will prepare students with the foundational knowledge, practical skills, and supervised field experience necessary to meet Washington State’s growing need for entry-level behavioral health support specialists, who can provide evidence- based interventions and contribute meaningfully to interdisciplinary care teams. The targeted term for the program start is Fall 2026. Board Business and Action Agenda Selection and Approval of Board Chair and Committee Appointments Board bylaws require that a chair and vice chair be elected annually. Elections were conducted and Jeff Hensler was voted in as board chair and Gladys Gillis was voted in as vice chair. Central Washington University Policy 1-60-040 provides that membership on committees of the board shall be for a one-year term and membership of committees shall be by the appointment of the chair. Committee appointments for 2025-2026 are as follows: Executive Committee
• Jeff Hensler • Gladys Gillis • Erin Black
Academic Affairs • Erin Black
• Jeff Charbonneau • Gladys Gillis Finance and Administration • Ray Conner • Gladys Gillis • Zabrina Jenkins Student Engagement and Success • Jeff Charbonneau
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• Jeff Hensler • Robert Nellams • Student Trustee Approval of 2026-2027 BOT Meeting Schedule
Motion 25-23 Ms. Black moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby adopts the 2026-2027 meeting schedule and the revised date for the July 2026 planning retreat as proposed. Ms. Jenkins seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of Consent Agenda The formal recognition of our faculty and staff is contained in our consent agenda. Motion 25-24 Ms. Black moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the consent action items submitted July 25, 2025. Ms. Gillis seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of FY26 Athletic Budget Motion 25-25 Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the athletic budget of $5,815,232 for Fiscal Year 2026 as presented. Mr. Conner seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Discussion and Approval of ASCWU Constitution and Bylaws Motion 25-26 Mr. Conner moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the proposed revisions to the ASCWU Constitution. Mr. Charbonneau seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of Faculty Code Revisions Motion 25-27 Ms. Black moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby endorses the recommendations of the Faculty Senate and approves the changes to the Faculty Code. Ms. Gillis seconded the motion. After a brief discussion by the board, Ms. Black moved to amend the motion to approve the faculty code revisions on an interim basis, requesting an update during the October board meeting on how the code will be revised and updated using the shared governance document. Ms. Gillis seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health Motion 25-28 Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby endorses the recommendation of the Faculty in the College of the Sciences and hereby approves the Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health on July 25, 2025. Mr. Conner seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreement Motion 25-29 Ms. Black moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the 2023-2029 collective bargaining agreement with the United Faculty of Central. Ms. Jenkins seconded the motion. The motion was approved. The next meeting of the board will be October 16-17, 2025, in Ellensburg, which will include participation in the Annual State of the University Address.
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