force of all we do. The core values of engagement, belonging, and stewardship round out our statement of foundational beliefs that provide a compass for our work. Our strategic plan is built out of these four values. Finally, our Shared Governance framework, Aligning Priorities to Advance the University’s Vision and Mission, outlines how we will come together as a university community to understand and honor the roles, expertise, and authority of the various constituencies across the university. Living into this framework is a work in progress because it means fundamentally shifting how we think about our roles, responsibilities, and relationships. This is, perhaps, some of the most challenging work we are engaged in. It is essential for our success for it provides us with the foundation for the execution and implementation of our vision, mission, values and strategic plan. Without embracing new ways of thinking and interacting and new ways of understanding our relationships, it will be challenging to bring our aspirational vision to life. Trustee Jenkins asked if shared governance could be defined so that everyone is operating from the same understanding. President Wohlpart explained that shared governance is about taking the institution forward together and aligning priorities. A critical piece of healthy shared governance is understanding and honoring the authority and expertise of other groups. Trustee Black, who was part of the Shared Governance Group, added that as we start living into the document, we are building an understanding of when and where decisions are made while bringing different groups to the table. President Wohlpart gave a mid-year report on the three goals that the Board gave him in July 2025. Goal 1 – Make the Shared Governance document a living document across the university: • Revising all administrative, staff, faculty and student practices, policies, and procedures, as well as writing new documents based on what is stated in the shared governance document. • This includes the Trustees who have been engaged in reflecting on and changing their structures, systems, and policies based on what we have learned. The Board also asked for an overview of CWU policies based on Mr. Pedersen’s work revising CWU policies which began in the 2023-2024 academic year. The new policy library that was developed began the process of reorganizing and realigning all CWU policies based on the Policy on Policy Management that was approved two years ago. The new policy framework was developed collaboratively through our policy approval system and approved by our University Policy Advisory Committee (UPAC), which includes members of our shared governance constituencies. The policy framework identifies the five policy executives who are the owners of the policies: Board of Trustees, the Chief of Staff, and the three divisional Vice Presidents. The Policy on Policy Management outlines the process for revising and approving policies that is much more transparent and inclusive than in the past, with a review process that allows every member of the university community to see what changes are being proposed to any policy. The policy revision starts with either an employee making a suggestion to the policy executive or the policy executive making a determination that a change to a policy should be considered. A form is filled out (called the Policy Proposal and Impact Statement – or PPIS) that goes to the Executive Leadership Team for review and approval. If approved, the policy executive designates a policy writer who works through a collaborative process that includes relevant members of our university to draft suggested changes. After that, a series of reviews by the University Policy Advisory Committee (or UPAC) and the university community provide a transparent process for all members of the university to comment on changes to any policy. After the
5 Board of Trustees Minutes February 19-20, 2026
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