UW News

March 6, 2008

Celebration of life planned for UWB’s Jane Decker

The UW Bothell invites the community to honor one of its founding faculty members, Jane Decker, at a celebration of life event at 10 a.m. Friday, March 14 in the North Creek Events Center on the UW Bothell campus. Decker died Feb. 21.


Decker served in many roles at UW Bothell, including founding program director for Liberal Studies 1990-1997, interim program director for Nursing 1995-1996, associate dean for academic planning 1996-2004 and interim vice chancellor for academic affairs 2002-2004. She had also been a professor of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences since UWB’s founding in 1990 and professor in the Master of Arts in Policy Studies program since 2001.


Her most notable role was as a member of the 12 “Founding Faculty,” given the task of creating a curriculum for the new campus when it opened its doors in 1990. In this capacity, Decker led the charge for creating an interdisciplinary focus for UW Bothell, cherishing the idea of interdisciplinarity and replacing the standard structures of the typical university.

Decker’s scholarship was on Irish cultural heritage in the age of the European Union.


A memorial site has been created and members of the community may submit comments and memories to http://depts.washington.edu/uwb/janedecker/.  


Decker can also be honored through a gift to the UW Bothell Founders Fund. The fund supports students, faculty and staff in the advancement of teaching and learning activities. Donations to the fund can be made online at www.uwb.edu/support or by check payable to UW Bothell and mailed to UW Bothell Office of Development, Box 358520, Bothell, WA 98011-8246.