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Washington State University
Washington State University Office of the Provost

Vice Provosts

Saichi Oba was named Vice Provost of Enrollment Management in November, 2020. He has spent his career helping students navigate and succeed in higher education in the Pacific Northwest. Raised in Hawaii by parents who taught middle and high school, he believes in the transformative power of education.

Oba is responsible for the development of system-wide strategies, policies, and processes for enrollment management. The offices of new student enrollment (including recruitment, enrollment marketing, communications, and orientation), undergraduate admissions, student financial services, university registrar, and enrollment information technology all report to the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management.

His professional career has focused on admissions, student services and enrollment management at both the campus and System level. Oba began his career in admissions at his alma mater, Eastern Oregon University before he answered the call of the far-north at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to work for Jim Mansfield a venerated admissions leader. Oba’s aspirations to be a Director of Admissions prompted his return to Oregon after almost eight years in Alaska.

Saichi Oba
Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
saichi.oba@wsu.edu

Donna Poire
Assistant to the Vice Provost
dpoire@wsu.edu

His return to Alaska brought with it the opportunity and challenges of working as a system officer in the multi-campus University of Alaska System. Oba’s work in the UA System has evolved from helping develop the self-service modules of the ERP, to leading the Student Services Council – the cross-system team of executives dedicated to supporting students in the areas of enrollment and student affairs across the University of Alaska.

Saichi and his wife Connie – also an educator – raised their three children in Alaska. One is a graduate of the University of Alaska; one is currently enrolled there and the third child is an engineering student at the University of Hawaii Manoa.