Messages from the Provost

Catherine “Katie” Cooper has been selected as Washington State University’s next vice provost for faculty affairs and development, following a comprehensive internal search. Cooper currently serves as associate dean for faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences and as an associate professor in the School of the Environment, receiving full professorship this summer. She will succeed outgoing senior vice provost Doug Call, who announced plans to return to the faculty this spring.

Dear colleagues, I hope this email finds you well and enjoying spring. Earlier this year, I shared that Vice Provost Romando Nash has stepped into the leadership role overseeing student affairs in Spokane. Following further assessment and consultation with campus and university leadership, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management have moved to separate reporting structures under […]

Dear faculty and staff, I hope you had a restful winter break. As many of you may have seen in the update from President Cantwell, WSU is starting the new year with the anticipation of further significant reductions as outlined in the proposed state budget. While this news is not what we had hoped for, we […]

Dear Colleagues, Happy New Year! We hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday season. As you can feel, we’re back in full swing and excited for the spring 2026 semester. Last week, we welcomed 70 nursing students to the Spokane campus and had the privilege of meeting them during orientation. Hearing their stories about why they […]

During the spring semester, the Provost’s Office will host a meeting for deans, chairs, and directors with the AAPO steering committee, which will serve as a critical initial discussion during the first phase. Academic leadership will be asked to share the initial discussion with their respective faculty and return feedback to the steering committee. Additional […]

Washington State University (WSU) Provost’s Office will initiate the first phase of an Academic Affairs Program Optimization (AAPO) process in collaboration with Finance and Administration’s Strategic Program Review and Resource Reallocation process during the 2024-2025 academic year. As the entire higher education industry re-evaluates its enterprise and opportunities for evolution, it is imperative that the […]

Dear faculty and staff colleagues, The start of a semester is an exciting time for our students. It can also be challenging—especially for those beginning their first semester at WSU. You may encounter students who need extra support. We want to share some of WSU’s key student resources that you can use and pass along […]

Dear colleagues, I hope you had a wonderful summer and found time to disconnect and recharge! As we begin the new academic year, I want to extend a warm welcome to the new faculty and staff joining us—welcome to the Cougar family! You’re now part of a vibrant network of educators, researchers, creatives, and, most […]

Note for the reader: the following correspondence was released to WSU chancellors and academic deans on May 16, 2025. Dear Chancellors and Deans, We have received a few reports in the last several weeks regarding faculty members’ attempts to lobby for their program and potential funding. University employees who engage in lobbying activities are required […]

Dear Colleagues, We hope this email finds you well.  There have been several questions over the last several days regarding email signatures.  As such, we want to provide the following clarification and ask that you share the same with your respective faculty and staff. As indicated on our brand.wsu.edu website, email signatures present another opportunity […]