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February 2025
 

Dear Members of the Campus Community:

We have just wrapped up three days of meetings, where we had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the important work happening at Puget Sound. As I reflect on these meetings, I want to express my gratitude for the tremendous effort being invested in support of our students and the community.

Along with many of you, trustees have been following and processing the executive orders, white papers and "Dear Colleague Letters" that have come out of the federal administration this year. We are aware of the potential impacts these changes could have on higher education if they are implemented, and we know there is ongoing work at the university to understand and respond to the possible effects. As we navigate this new terrain, please know that the board remains deeply committed to the core values and mission of the University of Puget Sound, and to ensuring that our campus is an inclusive, welcoming and safe place for all members of our campus community. We look forward to working together with all of you – alumni, faculty, staff, and students – as members of our Logger community in support of this institution that means so much to all of us.

Our time on campus has left us inspired and enthusiastic about the remarkable projects and initiatives in progress. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I offer the following overview of our activities during our visit.

Campus engagement. Trustees always appreciate meeting informally with alumni, faculty, staff, and students, and we enjoyed a variety of opportunities to engage with the campus community last week, including:

  • Lunch with the Alumni Council Executive Committee and Maroon Society students;
  • An educational “Afternoon at the Museum” to learn more about the Puget Sound Museum of Natural History with Museum Director Kena Fox-Dobbs, museum staff, and student docents;
  • The Puget Sound Hobby Hall exhibit at Collins Memorial Library highlighting a wide range of collections of Puget Sound students, faculty, staff, and campus groups;
  • The 2025 Art Students Annual Show, open in the Kittredge Gallery through Feb. 22;
  • Breakfast with the faculty and members of the Staff Senate; and
  • Classroom visits that exposed trustees to a variety of interesting topics: Advanced Ecology with Prof. Carrie Woods; Crunk Feminisms with Prof. Wind Woods; Evolution & Society with Prof. Kristin Johnson; Game Theory in Economics with Prof. Garrett Milam; and Hooch: The Natural and Social Science of Liquor with Profs. Emelie Peine and Kena Fox-Dobbs.

Budget. We received updates on the FY25 budget. The board appreciates the thoughtful work being undertaken to stay within the approved allotted draw from the endowment by temporarily bridging some expenses to the start of next fiscal year on July 1, and the ongoing efforts to work toward financial equilibrium.

Workshop. We learned more about Puget Sound’s current sources of non-tuition revenue in support of both our Leadership for a Changing World strategic plan goal to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities and our A Sound Future strategies to explore campus development opportunities and develop strategic partnerships. It was an energizing discussion and we are encouraged by the good work already underway and opportunities on the horizon.

Faculty scholarship and research. One of the annual highlights of the February meeting is learning about the scholarly work being pursued by our faculty at the Celebration of Creative Inquiry. This year, through three faculty presentations and Q&A, we were able to explore the following topics:

  • “Occupational Therapy, Services for Autistic Children, and Family Experiences” with Renee Watling, professor and director of occupational therapy;
  • “AI Value Alignment and Misalignment” with Ariela Tubert, professor of philosophy; and
  • “Particle Solutions to Cosmological Problems” with David Latimer, professor of physics.

Enrollment updates. We enjoyed meeting Tim Whittum, our new vice president for enrollment. We learned more about the immediate initiatives underway to recruit the next classes of tremendous students at Puget Sound and an upcoming review of the Strategic Enrollment Plan.

Business meeting. In advance of the meeting, we read reports submitted by President Crawford and ex officio representatives, including Kevoni Neely ’25, ASUPS President; Justin Tiehen, Faculty Senate Chair; Patty English, Staff Senate Chair; and McKenzie Ross ’06, Alumni Council President. We are grateful for their thoughtful and dedicated work representing the voices of alumni, faculty, staff, and students.

At the meeting, the board recognized Kevoni Neely ’25 for her service as the ASUPS President. Kevoni is a senior, majoring in African American Studies and minoring in Crime, Law, & Justice Studies. We are grateful for her valuable insights and steadfast advocacy on behalf of our students. She has been a bundle of energy, joy, and delight in her ex officio role over the past year. We were honored to partner with her on our shared goals of ensuring we have an engaged and inclusive campus, and trustees look forward to working with the incoming ASUPS leadership following this week’s elections.

Other highlights of the business meeting included:

  • Creating a School of Music Advisory Board;
  • Approving recommended changes to the Faculty Code and Faculty Bylaws;
  • Approving a new curriculum in support of a new Data Analytics minor; and
  • Receiving an update on the developing 2025-26 budget.

We were also glad to be able to recognize and thank Associate Vice President for Student Financial Services Maggie Mittuch ’82, for her more than 40 years of loyal service to the university. Maggie began working at the university in June 1983, and through her decades of dedicated work at Puget Sound, she has helped Puget Sound students and their families navigate the complexities of managing the cost of higher education, and she has helped make a Puget Sound education possible for generations of Loggers. We are ever grateful for her expertise and lasting contributions, and wish her a happy and well-earned retirement.

Faculty tenure and promotions. Finally, we were pleased to approve tenure and/or promotion recommendations for the following exceptional faculty members:

Tenure: Wind Dell Woods (Theatre Arts); 
Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor: Ania Kapalczynski (Business & Leadership), Emily Tollefson (Chemistry);
Promotion to Professor: Erin Colbert-White (Psychology), Amy Fisher (Science, Technology, Health & Society), Jess Smith (Theatre Arts); and
Promotion to Associate Professor: Katherine Crocker (Biology) and Alisun Thompson (Education/MAT).

More information about the Board of Trustees and our work in support of Puget Sound can be found on our website.

Thank you, as always, for your hospitality and warm welcome to campus. It truly is a homecoming on every visit. On behalf of the trustees, thank you for your continued dedication to keeping the work of the university moving forward during this challenging time with creativity, collegiality, and courage. We are proud of the Logger community, and we look forward to seeing you again in May.

Sincerely,

Beth M. Picardo ’83, J.D. ’86 | Chair of the Board of Trustees

Dear Members of the Campus Community,

The Board of Trustees was delighted to be back on campus for our first meeting of the academic year, to experience the beauty of fall on campus and the enthusiasm of our new and returning students.

The last time we were all together on campus was just before our Commencement ceremony in May, and trustees enjoyed being able to share in that happy moment with all of our graduates. The following month, in June, I was honored to participate in another Commencement ceremony – for the first cohort of Freedom Education Project Puget Sound (FEPPS) graduates to receive a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies. I was the chair of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee when the board enthusiastically approved the establishment of this new degree program in October 2019, and I was very moved to see the culmination of the work that FEPPS students, staff, and faculty have done to realize its promise in such a profound way.

Welcome to New and Returning Trustees. The board was pleased to welcome back returning trustees Bill Canfield ’76, P’08; Fred Grimm ’78; Laura Inveen ’76; and Erin Shagren ’88, P’17, as well as new trustee Michael Amend ’86.

Retreat. Trustees began the week’s meetings with a half-day retreat where we heard from Dr. Barbara Mistick, President of the National Association of Independent Colleges & Universities (NAICU). Dr. Mistick provided trustees with insight into the impacts of recent executive, legislative, and judicial activity on institutions of higher education. This presentation and subsequent discussions were helpful to trustees in anticipating what institutions of higher education and their leaders may expect going forward, particularly in light of the upcoming presidential election, and trustees were grateful for this information as they look to support and guide Puget Sound through a dynamic landscape for higher education that continues to evolve and sometimes provide unanticipated challenges.

Campus Engagement. Trustees always appreciate the opportunity to meet informally with members of the campus community, and enjoyed a variety of such opportunities last week:

  • Undergraduate Classes. Thanks to Professors Kriszta Kotsis, Joel Elliott, Ania Kapalczynski, Sue Hannaford, Emelie Peine, and Monica DeHart, trustees were able to participate in a wide array of undergraduate classes spanning topics such as art, marine biology, financial management, health and exercise, international political economy, and sociology and anthropology. Trustees were all deeply impressed by the skill of the faculty teaching these courses, and the depth of knowledge and insight demonstrated by student discussions and questions.
  • Lunch with Student Athletes. We enjoyed having lunch with the women’s crew team and their coaches, who had a very impressive season last spring, winning the Northwest Conference championship and going to the NCAA Division III Rowing Championships where they captured first place in the petite final and secured a seventh place finish overall. We also were glad to recognize Director of Athletics Amy Hackett, who has served an impressive 21 years with the university and will be retiring in December.
  • Experiential Learning Showcase. The student experiential learning showcase is always a highlight, and we were inspired by student presentations about their internships, summer research experiences, study abroad trips, and community-based learning experiences. Hearing about these student experiences clearly illustrates the benefits of providing hands-on learning environments, and the ways in which these experiences help students identify their passions and build important skills for their future careers.
  • Reception and Breakfast. Trustees also enjoyed having time to talk with experiential learning student presenters, experiential learning staff, faculty, staff and student members of our policy committees, and recently tenured and promoted faculty during the Thursday evening reception at the Wilson Welcome Center as well as conversations with members of the faculty and Staff Senate at the Friday morning breakfast.


Business Meeting. In advance of the meeting, we read reports submitted by President Crawford and ex officio representatives, including Kevoni Neely ’25, ASUPS President; Justin Tiehen, Faculty Senate Chair; Patty English, Staff Senate Chair; and McKenzie Ross ’06, Alumni Council President. We are grateful for their thoughtful and dedicated work representing the voices of alumni, faculty, staff, and students.

Highlights of the business meeting included:

  • Enrollment. Trustees heard an update on our enrollment efforts and plans for this year’s enrollment cycle, including undergraduate and graduate school enrollment goals, from its Special Advisory Committee on Strategic Enrollment Initiatives.
  • Budget Parameters. Trustees approved the parameters for the 2025–26 fiscal year budget, covering tuition and fees, our first-time-in-college (FTIC) enrollment goal and discounts, and endowment expenditures.
  • Mental Health Survey. Trustees heard a presentation on the results of the Healthy Minds Survey from Kelly Brown, Director of Counseling, Health & Wellness Services (CHWS).
  • Puget Sound Fund. The trustees affirmed goals for participation in and contributions to the university’s annual fund for the current fiscal year, including goals for trustee giving and renewal of our ongoing commitment to 100 percent participation.

And, finally, the board recognized the long service of Mary Elizabeth “Liz” Collins ’81, P’02, who has served in various roles at the university since 1992, including the Office of the President, where she’s worked for nearly 20 years, supporting the work of the president as well as the board of trustees. We are grateful to Liz for her many exceptional contributions to the university.

More information about the Board of Trustees and our work in support of Puget Sound can be found on our website.

Sincerely,

Beth M. Picardo ’83, J.D. ’86 | Chair of the Board of Trustees