Dear Colleagues,
I write today to provide an update regarding the next steps in the process as we continue to share information and receive feedback regarding A Sound Future, and to again invite you to join me at a Town Hall on November 16, 2022, from 12:00-1:30 p.m. in the Wheelock Student Center Rotunda. The gathering will also be livestreamed via Zoom.
As I noted in my message to the campus community on October 28, 2022, I recommended three overarching types of strategies to the Board of Trustees that I believe best position our institution—its offerings and its finances—for a sound future. The recommended adaptive, alignment, and foundational strategies of A Sound Future draw from the extensive work of the AAAPR Committee, and I believe these strategies will further strengthen and transform the university.
The Board approved the recommendations and strategies for A Sound Future, and the Board shares my belief that the implementation of these strategies will allow us to fully meet our mission and return to financial equilibrium by the end of Fiscal Year 2026 (June 30, 2026). The strategies included in A Sound Future represent a roadmap to renew our programs, grow enrollment, and realize our bold vision of transforming Puget Sound into a top 50 liberal arts institution consistent with the goals of Leadership for a Changing World.
I commit to you that as we move forward and determine the details of A Sound Future to be presented to the Board at its February 2023 meeting, we will continue to engage in prompt and honest dialogue with all campus stakeholders. To that end, I am pleased to have had the opportunity to speak with the ASUPS Senate last week and will soon be meeting with members of the AAAPR Committee, as well as the Faculty Senate and the Staff Senate, to continue to discuss our path forward.
Prior to our Town Hall next Wednesday, I invite you to send any questions to asoundfuture@pugetsound.edu, so we can best utilize this time together. In addition, I would encourage you to regularly visit https://www.pugetsound.edu/sound-future where you will find the AAAPR Committee’s Report, the Board’s recent resolution, and my presentation to the Board, messages that I have shared with the campus community, a link to the Comprehensive Program Review website for historical reference, the Board’s 2021 resolution, as well as updated information regarding our path forward and the associated timeline and next steps.
Thank you, as always, for your innumerable contributions to Puget Sound. I am committed to working with our faculty, staff, and students to move this great university forward and to secure this university’s sound future.
With care and appreciation,
Isiaah
Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President