CWU TRUSTEES BOARD RETREAT AGENDA July 24-25, 2025
THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2025
Location: Moehring Event Center
8:30-9:45
Executive Session Participants: Trustees, President (Student trustee does not join) As allowed by RCW 42.30.110
• (1)(g) To … review the performance of a public employee
9:45-10:00
Break
10:00-10:10
Call to order • Approval of the Agenda • Approval of May meeting minutes • Official Communications • Public Comment
10:10-11:00
Governing Boards Best Practice
11:00-12:00
Cultural Transformation
1:15
Call to Order
1:15-1:45
Cultural Transformation continued
1:45-2:30
Strategic Enrollment Management
2:30-3:00
Budget
3:00-3:30
Advancement Update
3:30
Expected Adjournment for the day
Break and Clear the Room
3:45-5:00
Executive Session
Participants: 3:45-4:00 Board, Joel, Jim, Dania 4:00-5:00 Board only (Student trustee does not join) As allowed by RCW 42.30.110
Last updated July 14, 2025
CWU Trustees Retreat Agenda for July 23-25
• (1)(i) Update on litigation • (1)(g) To … review the performance of a public employee
FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2025
Location: Moehring Event Center
8:30-9:30
Executive Session Participants: Trustees, President (Student trustee does not join) As allowed by RCW 42.30.110 • (1)(g) To … review the performance of a public employee
9:30-9:45
Break
9:45
Call to order
9:45-10:30
Vision, Mission, Values, Strategic Plan Evolution
10:30-11:30
Adaptive University Update
11:30-11:45
Board Business & Action Agenda
11:45
Meeting adjourned
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Central Washington University Board of Trustees July 24, 2025
ACTION – Approval of the minutes of the regular meetings of May 15-16, 2025.
We recommend the following motion:
The Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the minutes of the regular meetings of May 15-16, 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 & Zoom May 15-16, 2025
Draft
MAY 15, 2025 BOARD MEETING Trustees Present: Erin Black, Chair Jeff Hensler, Vice Chair Eliasib Alvarado Jeff Charbonneau Ray Conner via Zoom Gladys Gillis Zabrina Jenkins Robert Nellams via Zoom 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 Dania Cochran, Board Secretary and Chief of Staff Ellen Evans, Assistant Attorney General 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 Veronica Gomez-Vilchis, Interim Vice President for Student Engagement and Success Charlita Shelton, Interim Vice President for Equity and Belonging
Chair Black convened the board meeting at 1:15 p.m.
Approval of Agenda Motion 25-11: Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University approve the agenda of the meetings of May 15-16, 2025. Ms. Jenkins seconded the motion, which the board unanimously approved.
Approval of Minutes Motion 25-12: Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University approve the minutes from the regular meeting of February 20, 2025, and the special meeting of April 3, 2025. Mr. Hensler seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Official Communications Since the last meeting, the board received 13 communications, which were included in the briefing materials: 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 Veronica Fan, CWU Alum, April 24, 2025, regarding civic engagement at CWU. 8. Email from Dr. Todd M. Schaefer, Professor, Political Science, and Chair, Student Media Board, May 6, 2025, regarding funding for the Student Media Board. 9. Email from Jennifer Green, Senior Lecturer, Communications, May 6, 2025, regarding a student media petition. 10. Email from Cynthia Mitchell, retired former journalism professor and Observer adviser, May 8, 2025, regarding S&A funding/Observer. 11. Email from Joanna Markell, Managing Editor /Yakima Herald Republic, May 12, 2025, regarding and editorial on S&A funding/Observer. 12. Email from Hondo Acosta-Vega, Student Senate Speaker, May 13, 2025, regarding S&A base funding budget allocations for the 2026-2029 quadrennium budget. 13. Email from Hondo Acosta-Vega, Student Senate Speaker, May 13, 2025, regarding a report of the S&A committee. Public Comment Chair Black explained that since nine people signed up for public comment, the board extended public comment from 10 minutes to 20 minutes. Everyone was given two minutes to make their comments. • Brandon Mattesich, Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Observer, S&A funding of the Observer. • Gunner Stuns, Editor-in-Chief of Pulse Magazine, S&A funding decisions. • Veronica Fan, CWU alum, civic engagement at CWU. • Kelly Pritchett, Professor, Nutrition and Exercise Science, Department of Health Sciences, CWU swimming pool.
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• Alex Matheson, Representing Working Wildcats, opposing S&A funding on behalf of student workers. • Christina Barrigan, Professor and Chair, Department of Theatre Arts, S&A funds for student employment. • Katharine Whitcomb (Virtual), Professor, Department of English, S&A funds for the Lion’s Rock Visiting Writer’s Series. • Adrienne Zimny, Client Care Coordinator, Central Access, cutting CWU Men’s and Women’s Rugby. • Hondo Acosta-Vega, ASCWU VP for Academic Affairs, S&A funding. Work Session President Wohlpart began by spending a moment reflecting on our current moment as a nation and then explained that he would connect this moment to Central Washington University during his presentation. In 2020, Robert Putnam published a follow-up to his book, Bowling Alone , a national bestseller which described the decline in American social interaction—a decline which negatively impacted our ability to engage in civic community and to support a robust democracy. The Upswing takes a longer view of history and considers the movement through the 20 th century from a society that focused on community in the middle of the century to a society that focused on individualism at the end of the century. Interestingly, the turning point came in 1965. Putnam points to the Newport Folk Festival in July 1965 as an indicator of this shift. In The Upswing , Putnam charts social change in four dimensions: economic, political, social, and cultural, over a 125-year period. The rise in emphasis on community from 1900 to 1960 “shaped an America that was more equal, less contentious, more connected, and more conscious of shared values” (285). This is not to say that all problems were solved. As we know, our country still had a long way to go in dealing with racism and sexism and the environment. But consider what did occur as a result of this focus on what is best for the community as a whole:
• the 1964 Civil Rights Act • the 1965 Voting Rights Act • the 1963 Clean Air Act
All legislation was supported by both parties. While we had challenges, we were coming together across our differences to engage and solve problems. Since the 1960s, we have seen, according to Putnam’s analysis, an America that “has become steadily less equal, more polarized, more fragmented, and more individualistic” (286).
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More than anything else, this great country’s decline into polarization, unbridled individualism, and the inability to listen to anyone who has a different view is what we must address if we are going to come back together as a nation and forge a bright future—and solve intractable problems like racism and inequity. Our democracy in the United States of America is based on a paradox best captured in our motto: e pluribus unum —out of the many, one. The ideal of our political state depends upon honoring the rich diversity of our nation, the way in which we are comprised of a wide variety of races and ethnicities, of political and social views, of backgrounds and histories. When fully lived into its potential, our democracy not only honors that rich diversity, but it weaves it together into a unified tapestry, a nation where diverse views are paradoxically at the heart of our union. That is, the state we seek to achieve is a paradoxical one: out of our diversity—and because of and through our diversity, we are one united country. We have lost the thread that weaves us back together. Shared Governance Which is why our three-year conversation around shared governance has been so important. How do we, as a university community, come together recognizing our diverse roles and perspectives into one community? We should model what we want to see in our wider society, and we should make it a central component of our curriculum and co-curriculum. The shared governance process was started in 2022-2023 with a study group between faculty and administrators, given that shared governance has traditionally been defined as that between these two groups and the board. The group learned a great deal during these conversations about current understanding of shared governance and where there is work to do to improve our ability to work together. In 2023-2024, the group was expanded to include exempt and classified staff and students, groups generally not included in shared governance conversations. Erin Black, chair of the Board of Trustees, was also included. During these two years, the group read and studied the shared governance foundational documents produced by the American Association of University Professors (the national association representing faculty unions) and the Association of Governing Boards (the national association representing governing boards). The group’s studies began with the 1966 document: “Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities” which was signed by both of these organizations as well as the American Council on Education (the national association that advocates for higher education). Learning and reflection continued into 2024-2025 as the group worked together to craft the Shared Governance document that is on the agenda for approval Friday, May 16. In the Preamble, we acknowledge that this document is an aspirational vision for how we can work together as a university community. It opens, stating that:
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“Shared governance is a cornerstone of a thriving university, founded on relationships, respect, responsibility, and transparency. Though sometimes misunderstood as requiring unanimous consensus, full access to all information, or full participation in all decisions, its true strength lies in honoring the expertise of others, joining in collaboration around important issues, and operating through trust.” The definition focuses interactions on the system level and the way in which different groups participate in decision-making, acknowledging that each group participates in different ways depending on their authority, expertise, and scope of responsibility. It concludes by stating that healthy shared governance allows us to work together to align our priorities, communicate transparently, and foster innovation—all to advance our vision, mission, values, and goals. A significant part of the group’s discussion was centered on who would be included in various shared governance decisions at CWU. It is imperative to note that not all constituencies would be involved in every decision because of the scope of their responsibilities, authority, and expertise. One of the major misunderstandings of shared governance is the belief that if you are not at the table when the decision is made, then shared governance was not followed. Somehow, we need to learn to trust others who have the roles, expertise, and authority to make various decisions. Significantly, the Trustees have final authority over the entire university and delegate that authority to the president, and through the president to other leaders and groups. But the Trustees maintain their final authority in several areas, and they decide how the university community will be involved in these areas; this includes: • hiring and evaluating the president, as well as • approving the budget, • new degree programs and majors, • the vision, mission, values, and strategic plan, and • this shared governance document. In all these cases, the Board decides how to involve the university community and maintains its authority over these areas. Faculty have primary authority over curriculum, research and creative activity, and faculty status. It is essential to note that if the Board disagrees with faculty decisions in these areas, the Board should exercise their authority to overturn these decisions with caution and communicate their reasoning. Faculty have joint authority with the administration over the scholarly and educational mission of the university, which includes the development of new degree programs and the termination of existing programs.
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Faculty should be consulted in the development of the educational component of the budget.
Faculty have three constituent groups where their voice is included in shared governance: faculty senate, United Faculty of Central, and the Academic Department Chairs Organization. Which group would participate in a shared governance decision depends upon the area in question. For instance, in issues involving collective bargaining agreements, faculty senate would not be consulted; we would work with the union. In issues involving curriculum, faculty senate is charged with oversight in this area and so they would participate, not the union. Historically, staff and students are not included in shared governance, and the group could not find any meaningful discussions of their inclusion in the shared governance literature that was read. However, because of their significant role in higher education, the group intentionally included sections on their involvement in shared governance and agreed that they must be involved in major university initiatives, such as the development of the Vision, Mission, Values, and Strategic Plan. There is work to do in this area that can more meaningfully include their voices in decision- making at the university, and this shared governance document will be used to determine how we might do that work. Finally, a set of commitments were developed that the group agreed to in order to develop healthier shared governance at Central Washington University. These include: • Engagement and Institutional-Thinking – Committing to a culture of meaningful engagement that is based on understanding and honoring the various roles, authority, and responsibility of the shared governance groups and balancing support for our own constituencies and areas with institutional thinking. • Mutual Trust and Respect – Operating through an ethos of mutual trust and respect, recognizing that shared governance depends on collaboration rather than competition among faculty, staff, students, administrators, and trustees. • Communication – Establishing open and regular channels of communication so that decision-making processes are clear, with accessible documentation that ensures inclusivity and accountability. • Academic Freedom – Maintaining a strong commitment to academic freedom as a cornerstone to the teaching and learning experience that faculty provide for students and to the scholarly endeavors of faculty as they seek to expand the boundaries of knowledge.
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• Accountability – Assessing our work with shared governance regularly so that we can hold ourselves accountable to these commitments. • Sustainability – And developing shared governance practices that are sustainable and that ensure continuity in leadership, institutional memory, and ongoing professional development for participants in governance roles. Like our Vision, Mission, Values, and Strategic Plan, this document is a living document so it will be regularly reviewed, along with university policies and procedures, to nurture a culture of institutional-thinking and a shared governance mindset. CWU Vision, Mission, and Values President Wohlpart reminded the group of the process that was used in the creation of a brand-new Vision, Mission, and Values. In July of 2021, the BOT included the creation of a new Vision and Mission as one of the president’s goals. It is important to note that the BOT has the authority to make this request, and then to delegate the process to the President. A broadly based Steering Committee was convened that studied the purpose and value of Vision and Mission statements, shared what was learned with the university community, drafted statements based on that feedback, received more feedback, and then brought the final statements to the Board of Trustees for approval in July of 2022. In the next academic year, a similar process was followed for the development of Values statements and a Strategic Plan, which was approved in July of 2023. What was wonderful about that process is that the university community felt ownership of the vision and mission. Prior to 2021, many could not remember what CWU’s Vision and Mission were. The catalyst for rethinking our Vision, Mission, and Values were changes at the federal level in the way in which the Department of Education would be interpreting Civil Rights law. As a result of these changes, the president convened a group of thought leaders on our campus deeply invested in equity and belonging work—including Interim VP Charlita Shelton, Associate VP Veronica Gomez-Vilchis, Associate VP Elvin Delgado—as well as those responsible for institutional transformation and innovation—Ginny Tomlinson and Dean Rodrigo Renteria- Valencia. The Provost and the VP for Student Engagement and Success were also involved. A great deal of material was reviewed – not just on the national context but also on CWU’s institutional context. As a result of that rich conversation, the group agreed that the president should approach the BOT Executive Committee to see if an update of our Vision, Mission, and
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Values were in order. They agreed that it was, and the entire Board was also supportive of this work. The next phase of the work was to convene equity and belonging leaders, some of whom were included in the first group but then also others such as Mal Stewman, Director of the Diversity and Equity Center, and Sigrid Davison, Associate Director of Diversity and Inclusivity, as well as Shared Governance Leaders – Peter Klosterman, faculty senate; Malik Cantu, ASCWU President; Laura Brant-Hoefer, Chair of the Exempt Employees Association; Josie Rollins, Chair of the Classified Employees Council; Erin Craig, chair elect of the Academic Department Chairs Association; and Rachel Kirk, Deans Council. The group again read and studied and reflected and developed a short list of possible revisions to our Vision, Mission, and Values. These revisions were shared out to the university community through our shared governance leadership, and the feedback they received was discussed on April 18. They narrowed the revisions down and recommended what is included in the packet for approval. Remember that statements like this – and like our Shared Governance document – are living documents that must adjust to changing student and societal needs. Without that kind of flexibility, CWU may become irrelevant. The proposed revision to the Vision statement replaces “equity and belonging” with “access and opportunity.” During committee conversations, Malik Cantu made a profound statement, which several people have repeated: He stated that the opportunities CWU has provided are what have connected him to the community and made him feel like he belongs. Without those opportunities, he may not have remained a Wildcat. Rather than using terminology that might be polarizing, the group heard a desire to focus statements on the underlying actions that make a real difference. For example, the retention project that was implemented, which did not have a specific DEI focus, offered all students opportunities to be more engaged and connected; the results of that project demonstrate that we can improve the success of all students and, at the same time, close achievement gaps for vulnerable populations. The committee only recommended updating one of the values statements, to change the language from “ecologically healthy and socially just world” to “ecologically and socially responsible world.” This was the only adjustment made. If the Board chooses to approve the new Vision, Mission, and Values, there is work to do as a university community. CWU Retention Project President Wohlpart then gave an update on CWU’s retention project which was conducted Fall 2024. The project was driven by data provided by Institutional Effectiveness on a weekly basis.
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There was increased awareness around registration for winter quarter. Phone calls were made to individuals who had not registered or had holds. Attendance was monitored in lower-level classes and alerts were sent to advisors for students who were not attending class or who were not turning in assignments. Outreach was done at this point. The dollar amount for financial holds was increased and Housing and Dining billing was split evenly among quarters. Resident Assistants in the dorms held intentional conversations with residents and the residence hall melt rate dropped during the fall quarter. As a result, first time in college student retention from fall to winter increased from 91 percent to 93 percent. All students were impacted by this project, but there was a higher impact on students of color. This was not a DEI-focused initiative. It was for all students and yet our most vulnerable populations received the greatest benefit. There was continued success in fall to spring retention of first time in college students. The retention rate was the highest in at least six years. In addition, we closed the gap for first generation students, Washington College Grant students were two percent above the general population, and students of color outperformed for the first time ever. Our Current Moment We still have work to do as a university community. We need to come together to more deeply understand this moment with curiosity and humility, willing and able to put aside what we have believed for a long period of time in order to evolve our work and to more fully live into the promise of our university and our democracy. We must remember that the university like democracy only exists as an action, and as a continuous and continual action. In order for our university and democracy to live into their potential, we must build and strengthen systems and structures that actively bring us out of our individual experiences but that also honor that experience as we join in community. And we must address systemic injustices and inequities and take down barriers in order to create a culture of belonging. This is work that must be spread across the university community. The responsibility for building equitable systems is all our work. In his last chapter of The Upswing , Putnam states that “We must undertake a reevaluation of our shared values asking ourselves what personal privileges and rights we might be willing to lay aside in service of the common good, and what role we will play in the shared project of shaping our nation’s future.” He continues: “True innovation requires openness to experimentation that is not premised upon ideological beliefs. To structure debates within a gridlocked left/right framework precludes the sheer inventiveness that animated our last upswing and generated solutions that appealed to a broad bipartisan swath of America.” President’s Evaluation Tool Dr. Cochran reminded the group that State law (RCW 28B.35.120) charges the boards of trustees of public comprehensive universities with employing the president of the university. As you know, the CWU board holds this responsibility as their paramount duty. Section IV of the
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president’s employment contract requires the Board of Trustees to conduct an annual assessment of the president’s performance. An annual evaluation has been developed that measures progress toward goals set in July 2024, as well as the president’s capacity to lead Central in a way that enables the institution to thrive in a future that is both challenging and opportunity rich. The evaluation process is inclusive and will provide constructive insight to the Board of Trustees as well as to the president. In addition, an instrument for this evaluation has been developed, along with a list of participants who will complete the evaluation instrument. These individuals are selected based on their roles at the university and constitute the shared governance leadership of the various constituents, along with other university administrators. The annual evaluation process will be conducted as it has in the past, with three executive sessions during the July 2025 Board Retreat to complete the evaluation: the first for the president to review his self-evaluation, the second for the Board to discuss the evaluation among themselves, and the third to share their feedback with the president. July Board Retreat The July Board Retreat will be held on the Ellensburg campus July 24 and 25, 2025. The focus of the retreat will be on budget and alternative sources of funding. In addition, the board will receive university updates on several campus areas and initiatives. Board members will review suggested retreat topics and respond to Dr. Cochran with their selections. Budget and Enrollment Update SVP Klucking gave an update on FY25. We are headed in the right direction this year. In the state and local funds, wages and benefits are on budget and the enrollment contingency is still intact. The system funds have higher revenues due to mix and participation and wages and benefits are on budget. However, there are increased goods and services expenses related to the cost of goods sold and maintenance. Currently, the Fall 2025 admissions funnel shows First Time in College applications and admits are down a bit, but confirmations are up 8.8 percent from this time last year. Transfer applications and admits are down slightly, and confirmations are down 6.1 percent from this time last year.
SVP Klucking explained that the key budget drivers for fiscal year 2026 include: • 8200 Student Headcount • 2175 on campus residents • 6400 Ellensburg campus • State allotment conference budget (yet to be signed) • General wage increases and healthcare costs • Enrollment contingency planning for the state general fund
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• No vacancy rate assumed for employees In the 2025-2027 Biennial Operating Budget we received 59% of the fund split/compensation. We also received some funding for Enterprise Risk Management and Occupational Safety and Health. However, we got a cut of 1.5% across the board to our base budget. We did get funding in the 2025-2027 Biennial Capital Budget for the hangar out at the airport and some funding for the emergency backup power system, institutional equipment upgrades, and $4M for the 2025- 27 decarbonization package. SVP Klucking provided an early look at the fiscal year 2026 budget. The state and local general fund includes state funding, tuition for 8200 students, a 200-student contingency, filled positions, approved vacant positions, and investment funding. Salary and benefits savings are not included. A preliminary operating net would be an almost $3.9M budget deficit. The system funds include room and board for 2175 students, filled positions, and approved vacant positions. Salary and benefits savings and an enrollment contingency are not included. In this early look, system funds would net around $1.5M. Another version of the budget will be shared in July, and the final budget will be approved in October. During the action agenda at Friday’s meeting the board will consider: • Mandatory fee increases for Services and Activities, the Student Union, and the Recreation Center • S&A Quadrennial Budget for FY26-FY29 • College of Business differential tuition decrease Faculty Research Presentation Dr. Obery explained that her presentation would be focused on Authentic Community Engagement in Science. The goal is to build knowledge and interest in biomedical and STEM careers throughout Eastern Montana including rural and Tribal communities, which also ties into CWU’s mission of authentic community partnerships and providing access to all. Authentic community engagement in science is divided into three aims: 1. Atomic Circus Show – enhancing conceptual understanding through chemistry theater. 2. Culturally Relevant STEM Curriculum – Rural Biomedical Education and Rural Research Design Practice Partnerships. 3. Community Engagement – Rural family and community engagement in STEM. The chemistry demonstration shows have shifted to both increasing the audience’s interest in chemistry phenomena and to teaching content knowledge at every age level. Early exposure to science is necessary to support awareness of and identification with science. Rural STEM education has many benefits often including a focus on local environments, resources, with varied and deep community involvement, especially for science. Intentionally including and valuing local rural knowledge might be one way to gain family and community
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support crucial in determining student attitudes, academic interest, and success in STEM disciplines. Exploring the intersections of Career and Technical Education and STEM education may foster interest in critical rural biomedical careers beginning in elementary school. Starting early to develop career awareness may be essential and take advantage of the flexibility that rural schools can provide. Rural teachers and administrators can often be more flexible than their urban counterparts, due to more autonomy in their approach to supporting students’ STEM interests and aspirations. Research Design Practice Partnerships are intentionally organized to connect diverse forms of expertise and shift power relations in the research endeavor to ensure that all partners have a say in joint work. In these dynamic spaces, trust between partners becomes centered and when lines are blurred, trust may develop that allows partners to see each other as critical to their own success. Eleven teachers and researchers, involved for more than six years collectively, participated in the study. The makeup of the team was always an equal partnership. Everybody was as equal at the table as everything was developed. Strong relationships were formed quickly as every participant shared openly their common goal around engaging students in STEM. Because of open communication, teachers were willing to push back to ensure that the context of the project was respected when the researchers misunderstood the realities of the teaching environment specific to the area. Researchers conducted pre and post surveys of 200 fifth grade students of the Atomic Circus Shows. During the pre-survey study, students liked the material and believed they could be successful in STEM, but they may have already had their mind set on one career. After the Atomic Circus Shows, the evaluation of content knowledge showed a clear improvement in participants’ understanding of key scientific concepts. Many of the students involved in the initial years of the grant are nearing graduation and have said that seeing their first atomic circus in fifth grade got them excited to go to college and learn science. Chair Black explained that the Board will move into executive session at 4:00 p.m. for one hour and that no action will be taken following the executive session. The public portion of the meeting concluded for the day at 3:45 p.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION Chair Black convened the Executive Session at 4:00 p.m. and announced that the session was expected to last approximately one hour. The meeting room was cleared, other than board members and designated Executive Leadership Team members. The purpose of the executive session was to review the performance of a public employee, as allowed by RCW 42.30.110 (1)(g). The executive session ended at 5:00 p.m., and no action was taken following the executive session.
MAY 16, 2025 BOARD MEETING Trustees Present:
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Erin Black, Chair Jeff Hensler, Vice Chair Eliasib Alvarado Jeff Charbonneau Gladys Gillis Zabrina Jenkins via Zoom 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
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: Charlita Shelton, Interim Vice President for Equity and Belonging Kelly Flores, Associate Vice President of Human Resources
Chair Black convened the board meeting at 9:00 a.m.
High Impact Practice Presentation Drs. Emilie Hancock, Allyson Rogan-Klyve, and Bruce Palmquist, along with students Acacia Brown, Jack Carpenter, Sydney Cater, and Peter Zuniga Elias presented to the board on Central Washington’s STEM Ecosystem: Building a Network Hub for Ensuring Health and Innovation . Dr. Rogan-Klyve began with giving some background information on the Science and Math Education Department. The department is aligning with CWU’s goal to be a model learning community and providing culturally sustaining practices that expand access and success to all students. They graduate most STEM teachers in the state of Washington. In Fall 2024, the senior cohort had 40 students, 40 percent of which were Hispanic. They are increasing representation and sustaining regional communities as they grow their own teachers. One of the grant-initiated/sustained programs is UTeach. They have had almost 200 graduates since the first graduating class in 2019. Eighty-six percent have taught for at least three years, and eighty-seven percent of these teachers are in schools with a majority economically disadvantaged population. Dr. Hancock talked about Central Washington’s STEM ecosystem and mutually beneficial community partnerships. One partnership was with Vanguard Academy in Moses Lake, which is a project-based learning school. They wanted to expand CWU student access to experiential learning opportunities in project-based learning schools. In Fall 2023, they began coordinating with teachers and the principal and began recruiting CWU students. During Winter 2024, CWU students made weekly trips to Vanguard. They became mentors to high school students and developed and led an engineering design challenge for the whole school. A Capstone course was established. Following the course, the principal and staff from Vanguard visited CWU to provide feedback on the capstone projects. They also toured CWU STEM spaces to learn about
resources. CWU now has an ongoing partnership with Vanguard and other Moses Lake schools. Two CWU practicum students were placed there during the 2025 academic year, and Vanguard is a field trip site. The student presenters mentioned that being present in a project-based learning school lets them see what they are learning in practice. They engage in interdisciplinary projects with high engagement and real word applications and are able to collaborate, communicate, and develop critical thinking skills. They have made community connections and lasting relationships. They have also had the opportunity to be a part of the Teach STEM Intern Program, which provides a valuable service to many small communities in the area. Teach STEM students get paid teaching opportunities on campus and in schools. Dr. Palmquist added that they are expanding the STEM Leadership Program into College in the High School and Continuing Education. There is a new Math pathway for College in the High School teachers through STEM Leadership courses. Physics is partnering with SMED and Math to develop a graduate certificate in College in the High School teaching. They are also collaborating with the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and the Director of Continuing Education to promote teacher professional development opportunities. Benefits to this expansion include leading the way in micro-credentialing, being responsive to the current market in need of more welcoming pathways to career advancement and aligning with CWU’s mission to expand access. Marketing and Communications Emilie Hobert began by reminding the board of the work that has been accomplished in the last three years. Mar Com has launched a brand messaging platform, implemented an integrated marketing plan, developed a new digital marketing strategy, restructured marketing support for recruiting, and developed a new recruiting communications strategy and structure. Ms. Hobert then presented the board with some additional digital marketing information. When someone interacts with us through paid ad campaigns, search engines like Google or Bing, or through social media, they eventually land on our website. The website really is the mechanism to pull everybody into a centralized location and then to push them into our Slate Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. We also have some additional mechanisms that we have been building. One of them is clarity. When someone interacts with us, whether they have applied, or have come to our website and they start to click around and give us their information, we are able to retarget digital ads and personalize their website journey. CWU uses usual platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat to reach students, and have recently started using mobile location targeting, which is new as of this last year. This is a way to learn about our audiences and to target them in very specific ways. Samples of materials that are created and sent out through the Slate system were shared with the group. There is also an option called Slate Print where designed materials can be put into the system and then sent to a third party that will print them and mail them to target populations. Communications are triggered at certain points of the admissions funnel and time of year. Ms. Hobert then explained that CWU engaged with Traffik Edu to help us with a stronger brand presence externally. Although we already had a logo and colors, we were missing that bold
14 Board of Trustees Minutes May 15-16, 2025
presence and that mechanism to be able to pull everything together to build a market research plan. For the visual identity refresh, Traffik was asked to focus on a design system, secondary colors, a font system, and additional graphic elements. The plan is to do a full brand rollout this coming year. Jose Lujambio and Tho Bach from Traffik Edu were introduced. They presented to the board on CWU’s visual brand identity refresh. They explained that they were asked to develop a stronger brand identity for CWU, building upon the current brand and recent rebrand efforts. Traffik began by looking at our competitor’s brand identity, the recent CWU brand work, CWU’s target audience, and the current CWU brand identity. Within all those aspects they defined a strategic visual refresh. They noticed CWU was lacking a design system. They reminded the group that the logo is an important aspect. It is your conversation starter, but it is not your brand. A design system is what drives the consistency of your brand. To make a connection between your audience and the brand, you need storytelling. That story needs to be unique to CWU. They drew a lot of inspiration from the CWU logo. There is something very unique in the CWU logo and that is the mountain. They used this to create the story of climbing a mountain – CWU is here to help you to your journey to the top. This is the symbol that becomes the guide of the brand. Typography has an incredible role in branding. Words are shapes and communicate meaning and emotion. The emotion they wanted to implement with CWU is standing tall which works well with the tagline: Create Your Future. For colors, crimson, black, and white will always be used with a neutral color palette added in. With photography, they are suggesting a stylistic approach of adding red highlights into photos. Samples of what things could look like when bringing it all together were shared. Traffik also developed brand guidelines to help keep us consistent. Ownership is what will drive the brand. Program Update/Graduate Program Review Dr. Renteria-Valencia began by giving some background on Graduate Programs at CWU. Graduate education is an integral part of CWU in terms of its identity, its culture, and its practices. We have been granting master’s programs at CWU since 1949. We have graduated over 12,000 students. CWU offers 32 programs and 16 certificates. During the academic year, there are around 500 graduate students and around 100 in the summer. Dean Rajendran summarized the College of Education and Professional Studies. The College of Education and Professional Studies has over 30 different disciplines organized into 10 different academic departments, and the School of Education is under the college as well. Except for a couple of departments, all other departments have graduate programs. The college has strategic priorities and one of those priorities is to talk about programming and make sure programs are reviewed frequently, streamlined, and that resources are maximized. Dean Rajendran highlighted the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. It is an online graduate program for K-12 teachers intending to advance their professional practice. The program focuses on choice, flexibility, and value. There is a core set of classes that everyone takes and then multiple specializations. Currently, there are 34 students in the program, and approximately 200 that could be on this pathway in the future.
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Gayla Blaisdell, the Interim Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities spoke next. They have fewer degrees, but the ones they have are very successful and very well populated. The Master of Literary Studies Teaching specialization was highlighted. This program prepares students for careers in teaching at secondary or college level, higher education advising and administration, professional training and research, and writing in a range of disciplines and modalities. It can also be completed in person or fully online. It is one degree that can function in many different ways and serve many different students. It’s a hy-flex modality, which means when teaching the course, there is an online cohort and an in-person cohort together that helps the enrollment and diversifies the students that have access to it. It is a flexible program that can be tailored to each student. All the graduate programs in CAH share a strong relationship with our faculty mentors and the students. Dean Khoja presented on the College of Business Graduate Programs. They offer a Master of Professional Accountancy and are awaiting launch of the Master of Business Administration program in Fall 2025. Through social media and department webpages, they have secured about 100 interest forms in the MBA program. Students are being interviewed for the program and 17 have been admitted, and so far, six have accepted. The Professional Accountancy program is a 45 credit-hour program, offering regional opportunities for careers in public accounting, corporate accounting, government accounting, and non-profit organizations. Currently, there are 23 students in the program. The CPA exam pass rate is about 90 percent, which is pretty significant. Mike Harrod, Interim Dean, College of the Sciences, presented next on the COTS graduate programs. COTS had a wide variety of master’s programs. Eight of the 13 programs in COTS offer master’s degrees. The Master in Cultural and Environmental Resource Management program was highlighted. This program is an interdisciplinary program focusing on environmental, cultural, and economic resource management. Students are qualified for local, state, and federal careers upon completion. The program partners with the College of Education and Professional Studies and the College of Business and is constantly evolving. Enrollment in the program is stable and there is high job placement in the field for students. Dean Renteria-Valencia ended the presentation with explaining to the board that graduate education contributes in unique ways to CWU’s history, culture, mission, vision, and strategic values. He then shared the vision of graduate education: Central Washington University’s Graduate Education is recognized by its responsive, transformative contributions to the development of our students and region. ACTION AGENDA Approval of Consent Agenda The formal recognition for our faculty and staff is contained in our consent agenda. Motion 25-13: Mr. Hensler moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the consent action items submitted May 16, 2025. Ms. Gillis seconded the motion. The motion was approved.
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Approval of 2025 Distinguished Faculty Awards Motion 25-14: Mr. Charbonneau moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the appointment of the 2025 Distinguished Faculty Awards. Mr. Hensler seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of 2025 Faculty Tenure, Promotion, and Post Tenure Review Motion 25-15: Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves faculty tenure, promotion, and post tenure review as recommended by the provost this day May 16, 2025. Mr. Hensler seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of Reduction of Differential Tuition on College of Business Graduate Programs Motion 25-16: Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the reduction of the differential tuition for resident graduate tuition rates in the College of Business from 150% to 125% of the standard resident graduate tuition rate. Mr. Charbonneau seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of Recreation Center, Student Union Building, and S&A Fee Increase Motion 25-17: Mr. Hensler moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves a $5 quarterly increase to the Recreation Center and Student Union Building fees and a 4 percent increase to the Services and Activities fee for academic year 2025-2026. Mr. Charbonneau seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of Fiscal Years 2026-2029 Services and Activities Fee Quadrennial Budget Motion 25-17: Mr. Hensler moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves the Services and Activities Fee budget for the 2026-2029 quadrennium. Mr. Charbonneau seconded the motion. After a brief discussion by the board, Ms. Gillis moved to amend the motion to approve the Services and Activities Fee budget for one year, 2025-2026, to give the S&A Committee time to review/edit their policies. Mr. Hensler seconded the motion. Trustee Alvarado abstained from the vote. The motion was approved. Approval of CWU’s Revised Vision, Mission, Values Motion 25-18: Mr. Hensler moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves CWU’s revised Vision, Mission, and Values submitted May 16, 2025. Mr. Charbonneau seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Approval of CWU’s Shared Governance Document Motion 25-19: Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves CWU’s Shared Governance document with the inclusion of students as requested by trustee Alvarado submitted May 16, 2025. Mr. Hensler seconded the motion. The motion was approved.
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Approval of Resolution 25-01 WHEREAS Eliasib Alvarado has served the State of Washington as the student trustee on the CWU Board of Trustees during the 2024-25 academic year; and WHEREAS the board appreciated Eli’s willingness to speak out on behalf of Washington state students; and WHEREAS , Eli has shown strong involvement on campus in his roles as president of the First- Generation Student Organization, chair of the S&A Committee, vice president of the Viola Club, an ESC representative, a lead volunteer at the Wildcat Pantry, and a member of CWU Mariachi Del Centro as a vocalist and violinist; and WHEREAS Eli’s passion for Central Washington University and his commitment to creating an inclusive and diverse environment for students is evident through his work promoting academic excellence, addressing student needs, and providing leadership opportunities for students; and WHEREAS Eli was a thoughtful and enthusiastic participant in the Board of Trustees meetings. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED , that this Board of Trustees and the university community extend their deepest appreciation to Eli Alvarado for his leadership on campus, and for his insightful and dedicated service on the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University. ADOPTED and signed this 16 th day of May 2025. Motion 25-20: Ms. Gillis moved that the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University hereby approves Resolution 25-01 honoring Eli Alvarado. Mr. Hensler seconded the motion. The motion was approved.
The next meeting of the board will be July 24-25, 2025, in Ellensburg.
Meeting adjourned at 12:07 p.m.
Dania Cochran, Secretary to the
Erin Black, Chair
CWU Board of Trustees
CWU Board of Trustees
18 Board of Trustees Minutes May 15-16, 2025
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