September 2025
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Dear colleagues,
I hope your fall semester is off to a great start! I’m excited to share that we’re relaunching the Provost Perspective newsletter to spotlight the incredible work happening across the WSU system as well as provide timely updates on initiatives from the Provost’s Office.
At the September Board of Regents meeting, President Cantwell announced her strategic pillars for the WSU system. These pillars, as well as the associated key performance indicators, were developed in alignment with the comprehensive and detailed work lead by the Academic Affairs Program Optimization (AAPO) committee. Our AAPO process was launched last academic year to identify opportunities for evolution and to align academic operations with our mission as a land-grant, R1 research institution. The final report on our AAPO development effort was recently completed and is now available on the AAPO website.
Additionally, the faculty workload policy is currently being beta-tested across colleges and departments to allow for meaningful feedback and refinement before it is submitted to the Faculty Senate for consideration later this academic year. This policy will provide institution-wide definitions for faculty effort in teaching, research, and service. Further information can be found on the faculty workload policy website and updates will be provided throughout the fall semester.
As you may have seen earlier this month, Daryll DeWald announced his retirement as Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Chancellor of WSU Spokane. I’m grateful for his leadership and look forward to working with him to ensure a smooth transition.
I’m pleased to welcome the College of Nursing, the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, and our WSU Spokane colleagues to the Office of the Provost. To support this transition, we’ve scheduled a comprehensive series of meetings and tours to help my team and me get acclimated quickly. Connecting with our health sciences faculty, staff, and students is a top priority and essential to understanding the strengths and opportunities within our health sciences enterprise.
These meetings will also help inform the transition planning efforts led by Leslie Brunelli, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration, and me. Together, we aim to develop a thoughtful plan for the Spokane campus that is fiscally responsible, supportive of the three health sciences colleges, and aligned with our land-grant mission.
To further support this work and ensure strategic, forward-thinking leadership, I am launching an internal search for a Senior Vice Provost for Health Sciences. More information about this opportunity can be found on the Office of the Provost website.
Finally, I’d like to end on note of gratitude. To our staff, thank you for all you do in support of our community, students, peers, faculty, and campuses. You are what keeps this engine running smoothly. And, to our faculty, thank you for your impactful work. Each of you makes WSU the remarkable place it is.
If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact me at provost@wsu.edu. As we progress through the fall semester, I am committed to providing timely updates and look forward to amplifying the importance of your work.
Best regards,
Chris
T. Chris Riley-Tillman
Provost and Executive Vice President
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STUDENT SUCCESS HIGHLIGHTS
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WSU’s TRIO SSS programs renewed
The U.S. Department of Education has renewed six WSU TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) programs with grant funding to continue their critical work for another five years. The programs, which serve more than 800 students annually, provide academic support, tutoring, career development, and mentorship to students from limited-income households, first-generation college backgrounds, and those with disabilities.
Health Sciences students connect with their new community through service learning
This year, WSU Spokane partnered with 11 community and nonprofit organizations in Spokane and Yakima to engage nearly 180 students in service learning projects. For health sciences students, service learning also offers an opportunity to build connections with peers in different health disciplines. Since health sciences programs tend to be more specialized, ‘interprofessional’ programs, such as service learning, help promote collaboration across different graduate, professional, and undergraduate areas of study.
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Murrow preps students for annual rural reporting plunge
WSU Pullman students get to test their journalism skills as they travel in teams to small towns around the region to explore, inquire and see what’s happening. The twist? They don’t know exactly where they’re going until right when they leave, so they have to rely on the people they meet along the way.
Enrollment hosts Apple Cup blitz – Instant Decision Days
WSU enrollment hosted a week of intensive Instant Decision Days (IDD) last week. Campuses around the system worked together to host 48 events in local high schools. As a result of these intensive instant decision day programs, WSU admitted over 1,000 students between Sept. 15 and Sept. 19. Dozens of additional IDD programs will be hosted throughout the fall and early spring.
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COLLEGE, UNIT, AND COLLEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS
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Liu and Guo presented with Microsoft “AI for Good” Award
Juejing Liu, a postdoctoral researcher in chemistry, and his mentor, Associate Professor Xiaofeng Guo, recently received a Microsoft “AI for Good” Award for a project that will create a machine learning model that will support contaminant mitigation in soil.
WSU researchers join $9.6M push to fight Rift Valley fever
A two-year, $9.6 million effort led in part by Washington State University will help provide a better understanding of the spread and impact of the deadly Rift Valley fever virus in Africa and to prepare for upcoming human clinical trials. Researchers will analyze historical and current data to better understand how the virus spreads in animal populations, how it spills over into people and which communities are at risk. They will also examine the roles of livestock movement, land-use changes and extreme weather events, all factors thought to contribute to the disease’s expanding range and more frequent outbreaks.
Matthew Jeffries wins Governor’s Outstanding Leadership Award
Matthew Jeffries, who serves as assistant dean of students and director of Student Accommodations and Disability Resources, is among the distinguished winners of this year’s Governor’s Outstanding Leadership Award. Each year, outstanding state employees who demonstrate exemplary leadership qualities that drive better results are recognized by the governor’s office.
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CESHS launches LEAD Scholars program to support career advancement for educators
Thanks to a grant from College Spark Washington, CESHS is providing scholarships and travel and program support to 24 educators who wish to pursue their school administrator credentials. This statewide initiative is running in partnership with Pasco School District, Spokane Public Schools, and Vancouver Public Schools.
Jiang headed to Egypt for second Fulbright
Zhihua Jiang, professor in the Department of Animal Sciences, will share his fundamental research on genes and inherited traits with colleagues in Egypt after receiving his second Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award. A WSU faculty member since 2002, Jiang studies the interaction of DNA, RNA, and the environment, ultimately helping livestock and dairy farmers sustainably feed a growing world population. Previously visiting Australia as a Fulbright scholar in 2022, he travels to Egypt this fall.
Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living launches new certificate program
The Carson College of Business, through the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living, has partnered with industry leaders to develop the new Aging Business Operations Certificate Program launching on a new platform next month. This fully online, self-paced program delivers practical training in operations, sales, finance, leadership, and regulations—accessible year-round for individuals and scalable for companies through a customized portal. With 14 industry-relevant modules, organizations can make a one-time investment to “grow their own” talent, improve retention, and elevate team performance.
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Professional leave pilot for career-track faculty is underway
Recognizing the significant contributions of career-track faculty to student success, community engagement, and the overall WSU experience, the Provost’s Office, in partnership with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, launched a pilot program allowing career-track faculty to pursue semester-long professional leave opportunities aimed at enhancing their teaching.
Five career-track faculty members from across the WSU system were selected to participate in the pilot program.
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TEACHxWSU 2025 focuses on developing meaningful assignments
On October 3, as the WSU Teaching Academy will host student success and teaching and learning expert Christine Harrington for a morning interactive workshop titled “Creating Culturally Affirming and Meaningful Assignments.”
Afternoon workshops will also be presented by WSU faculty on a range of topics focused on developing assignments that are meaningful to our students. WSU faculty, staff, and graduate students are invited to register for TEACHxWSU 2025 and take part in the full schedule of events planned for the day.
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