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Category: Presidential messages

National Institutions Coming Out Day

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The University of Washington is driven by our public promise — a promise to our state and the next generation to do all that we can to make the world a better place. At the core of that promise is our deep commitment to access, equal opportunity and social justice.

We are proud to be a University that wholeheartedly welcomes and supports undocumented students on the first “National Institutions Coming Out Day,” launched by United We Dream Network’s Dream Education Empowerment Program. All three UW campuses have a variety of services for undocumented students and participate in the statewide coalition to train educators about how to best support students on their path to and through college.

We applaud our state’s elected leaders for their support of these students. In 2014, the REAL Hope Act was signed into law making Washington one of only five states that allow undocumented students to qualify for both in-state tuition and state financial aid, enhancing a 2003 law allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at state colleges and universities.

At the federal level, Senator Patty Murray is the lead advocate to expand access to higher education for low-income students, regardless of their immigration status. Last month, Senator Murray introduced the “Investing in States to Achieve Tuition Equality (IN-STATE) for Dreamers Act of 2015” to establish the American Dream Grant program, which would reward states that set equitable tuition and student aid policies, offer in-state tuition and state financial aid to Dreamer students regardless of immigration status and help reduce the cost of college for all students.

We have a responsibility to ensure that all qualified students who have the curiosity to learn and a desire to earn a college degree will have a seat in our classrooms, regardless of their backgrounds.

As we work toward addressing the world’s greatest challenges, let’s work together for the common good. For more information about supporting undocumented students, please visit www.unitedwedream.org.

Sincerely,

Ana Mari Cauce
Interim President

Jerry Baldasty
Interim Provost

David Eaton
Dean & Vice Provost,
Graduate School

Sheila Edwards Lange
Vice President &
Vice Provost
Minority Affairs & Diversity

Mark Pagano
Chancellor,
UW Tacoma

Denzil Suite
Vice President,
Student Life

Ed Taylor
Vice Provost & Dean,
Undergraduate Academic Affairs

Bjong Wolf Yeigh
Chancellor, UW Bothell

Provost Ana Mari Cauce named interim president

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The University of Washington Board of Regents on Feb. 12 named Provost Ana Mari Cauce interim president. Board Chairman Bill Ayer called her “an extraordinary leader of our University – a person who is known throughout our community for her straightforward and accessible leadership, extraordinary intellect, plain-spoken common sense, honesty, sense of justice and deep dedication to the University of Washington, its students, faculty, staff and those the University serves.”

Her appointment will be effective March 3. She succeeds President Michael K. Young, who is leaving the UW for Texas A&M University.

Continue reading “Provost Ana Mari Cauce named interim president”

Thank you for an extraordinary Husky experience

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Dear campus community,

As you are likely aware from this week’s news, I have made the bittersweet decision to accept the presidency of Texas A&M University.

For nearly four remarkable years, I have been honored to work alongside you, the world-class faculty, students and staff who make the University of Washington one of the greatest public universities in the world.

Together, we have put in motion many ambitious initiatives, from a strong focus on innovation and experimentation to enhancements to the undergraduate experience. The University is on an upward trajectory that will see these efforts flourish with the undaunted spirit and passion that are hallmarks of the UW. Your tireless work has made the UW a global leader in research and education, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together.

To the UW’s alumni, supporters, educators, employees and students, thank you for your time, talent and treasured friendship. You’ve given Marti and me an extraordinary experience, and it has been our honor to serve you.

Sincerely,

Michael K. Young

Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the UW

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On Monday we honor the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a day of reflection and service. It is right to do so — always, and especially now.

Challenging cultural currents envelop the United States and countries abroad: racial and ethnic tensions, questions of bias and justice, heart-rending violence, and patterns of equality and inequality are as central today — albeit often different in form — as in the 1950s and 1960s of Dr. King. In this environment, we believe it is imperative for the University of Washington to step into, and not away from, our values of honest inquiry, careful analysis and essential — and often difficult — conversations.

We, as a community, are doing just this. In recent weeks our faculty, students and staff have held forums on policing and racial minorities, on media coverage of race and racial groups, and on legal and institutional responsibilities. Several faculty are planning “teach-ins” for the first week of February, our nation’s Black History Month. Faculty and staff across a number of academic units are helping to found a new Center for Communication, Difference and Equity that blends research, leadership development and community partnerships.

In two months, the world will commemorate the 50th anniversary of marches in Selma, Alabama, that spurred the landmark Voting Rights Act. A dozen faculty, students and staff will travel with UW alumni and others from Seattle on a weeklong civil rights pilgrimage, which will culminate with an international gathering at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. In 1965, after marchers reached the Alabama capitol in Montgomery, Dr. King invoked the continuing push for equal opportunity and justice, asking “How long?” He answered with some of his most inspiring words: “Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

We are not bystanders in this mission: As one of the world’s foremost public universities, we must help the moral arc to bend. We do so in what we research, how and who we teach, and what we challenge our students to achieve. We do so in serving our communities as leaders, partners and citizens of Seattle and the world. On this day of reflection and service recognizing the profound work of Dr. King, there are numerous ways to engage with our communities. But as a lifelong journey, let us all commit to move the universe toward justice.

Sincerely,

Michael K. Young, President
Ana Mari Cauce, Provost & Executive Vice President

More students participating in foreign exchange programs a top priority

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Caroline Kennedy
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy

Visiting Tokyo this week, I had the distinct honor and privilege of meeting the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, the Honorable Caroline Kennedy. We had a substantive discussion about President Obama’s commitment to doubling the number of students participating in foreign exchange programs, which the Ambassador also expressed as a top priority.

The University of Washington has active and longstanding student exchange relationships with nine Japanese institutions: Aoyama Gakuin University, Keio University, Kobe University, Kyoto University, Kyushu University, Osaka University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, University of Tokyo and Waseda University. In 2014, 59 UW students studied in Japan.

We value and support our partnerships with leading Japanese universities. The UW and Waseda University have been building collaborations across several different areas and have begun a new partnership with Waseda’s Center for Learning, Teaching and Technology. This venture leverages the skills of UW staff and faculty in pedagogical innovation by pairing them with peers from Waseda to develop a truly collaborative project.

In addition, the UW is one of Waseda’s key American partners in developing a Global Leadership Fellows Program: The UW, Berkeley, Columbia, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins and Dartmouth send outstanding students with leadership potential to study a specially developed curriculum at Waseda. In turn, these universities receive Waseda students whom they mentor in leadership studies.

From our iconic campus cherry trees to our state’s rich history with Japan, the UW treasures its longstanding relationship with our Japanese partners. Over 100 years ago, in 1908, 15 Japanese students helped found the International Students Club, and now, in 2014, Japanese is the second-most studied language at the University and demand for the study of this country’s history, culture and language has never been stronger. This warms my heart more than ever, as my affection for Japan has only deepened since I first traveled there more than four decades ago.

We will continue to seek opportunities to deepen the UW’s relationship with our Japanese friends and partners, and celebrate our mutual collaborations — past, present and future.

Gonzaga explores partnership with UW School of Medicine in Spokane

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Dear friends,

This afternoon, Gonzaga University President Thayne McCulloh announced Gonzaga’s intention to engage in a community-focused exploration of a medical education and research partnership with the University of Washington School of Medicine in Spokane. We invited Gonzaga to consider a potential partnership as part of our efforts to expand Spokane’s medical school and biomedical research in the region.

Innovative and productive partnerships are a hallmark of the University of Washington and certainly of the UW School of Medicine, which is recognized as the top primary care, family medicine and rural medicine program in the nation. We look forward to exploring this exciting public-private partnership with Gonzaga and the Spokane community. You can read Gonzaga’s announcement here, as well as learn more about the University of Washington’s expansion plans and growing presence in Spokane.

We will now begin to develop and identify the specific details of a UW-GU partnership. In the coming weeks, both universities will engage with key constituencies on the role and value of a UW-GU partnership, and how it could best meet the needs of our students, Spokane, our respective institutions and the state.

Thank you for your continued support of excellence in medical education for the citizens of Washington.

Sincerely,

Michael K. Young

CNN Films explores the Ivory Tower

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We are in the midst of an important national conversation about the value of a university education. CNN Films has explored the costs and benefits of a college degree in a provocative documentary called “Ivory Tower.” The film takes a broad look at issues many universities are facing, including poor graduation rates, the growing student debt load and the challenges and obstacles — both financial and, in many cases, cultural — faced by low-income and first-generation students. And while I applaud the exploration of these issues and encourage you to watch it, I also offer what can be lost in the discussion: that some public universities are pioneering solutions in passionate, world-class ways. The University of Washington is leading the pack.

The role of public higher education as an engine of social mobility and societal advancement is at the core of what the UW stands for as one of the world’s great public universities. A central tenet of our mission is to do all we can to ensure that any student who has worked hard and earned the academic credentials to be admitted to the UW can be here, regardless of economic circumstances. We are proud of our record as a gateway to boundless opportunity for all students. As a society, we must ensure this gateway continues to be open.

A recent study by the Economic Policy Institute found that in 2013 Americans with a four-year degree earned on average 98 percent more per hour than those without a college degree. Similarly, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that the lifetime earnings of college graduates are nearly $1 million more than those with a high school diploma. For individuals, a university degree can be the difference between poverty and prosperity.

College graduates are also most likely to embrace — as part of their life’s endeavors — a commitment to making the world a better place. They are 43 percent more likely to volunteer in their communities, according to Tufts University’s civicyouth.org, whose data also suggest that more than two-thirds of young people with bachelor’s degrees engage with our political process: They vote. For American society, indeed for the world, these virtues are the requirements of our shared progress. They include the understanding that prosperous and vibrant communities, healthy families, active citizenship — indeed democracy itself — often require a commitment to “we” ahead of “me.”

At the UW, we certainly have not escaped the challenges of the past decade. The great recession accelerated a decades-long shift in the business model for public higher education, reducing state support and placing the lion’s share of costs squarely on students and their parents. But as is our way at the UW, we have faced these issues head-on and with proven success.

For more than 150 years, we have been providing students from all walks of life one of the finest educations in the world. At the same time, we’ve developed programs to foster the economic diversity of our campus populations for generations to come. A third of UW undergraduates receive support through the Husky Promise, a program that guarantees that full tuition and standard fees will be covered by grant or scholarship support for eligible Washington state students. Thirty percent of our private endowment funds scholarships. We’ve built academic support programs to help all students be successful, including the 30 percent who are the first in their families to attend college. Our graduation rates are high, with more than 80 percent of students graduating within a six-year period.

We have proven and continue to prove that a public university can be both racehorse and workhorse: providing a world-class education while still being accessible to all.

The mission of higher education will continue to be debated, in political venues, in classrooms, in community centers, in films. There are important issues for all of us to address. But at the UW, we remain resolutely optimistic. Every day, thousands of young people pursue their dreams here — some would say the American dream — and accomplish extraordinary things. We are committed to remaining their gateway and guide — for the good of all of us.

Sincerely,
Michael K Young signature
Michael K. Young

Your comments and engagement are welcome through UW Impact.

Cost-benefit report on medical school expansion in Spokane

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UW Regent Orin Smith and I were in Spokane today sharing the findings of a comprehensive, independent analysis of the costs and benefits of medical school expansion efforts in Spokane and Eastern Washington.

The report, conducted by Tripp Umbach, comes on the heels of a 2010 study — commissioned by Greater Spokane Incorporated — which found that rapidly expanding the existing UW-led medical program in Spokane into a four-year medical school would contribute to an estimated economic impact of $1.6 billion and 9,000 jobs over a 20-year period. The report released today reaffirms those findings. It also confirms that an expanded UW School of Medicine in Spokane is the most cost-effective use of taxpayer funds to grow the state’s physician workforce.

Growing the UW School of Medicine in Spokane has several distinct advantages. First, we are poised for rapid expansion now. This legislative session (starting in January) we will ask the Legislature for funding to double our medical school class size in Spokane. When fully enrolled, the school will have 320 students, with 80 graduating each year, nearly as large as our class size in Seattle.

Next, the UW has an established track record of creating medical residencies in Washington state, both as a medical provider and as a partner with healthcare organizations across the state. As the Tripp Umbach report notes, increasing the number of medical school graduates is only part of the equation. The highest predictor of where doctors will stay and practice is where they do their medical residencies. In order for graduates to get jobs in our state and practice in areas we need them most, we must have more residencies. The UW is working with the state Medical Association on a request for the next legislative session to expand residency programs in underserved areas of the state, especially in Eastern Washington.

Finally, the UW’s national leadership in research and commercialization will fuel economic development in Spokane. The faculty of the UW School of Medicine are the best in the country at competing for and attracting research dollars to support their work. The UW also leads the country in startups and innovation. UW faculty already participate in 40 joint research projects in Spokane — from behavioral health to diabetes research — and with an expanded UW School of Medicine, we will build on our existing collaborations and seek new opportunities in a city that is clearly entrepreneurial and ambitious.

There is still a lot of work to do. While our successful 40-year medical education partnership with Washington State University is ending, we are committed to expanded opportunities for growth and impact in Spokane. As we grow, we also look forward to a more visible and active presence in the community. We’re in the process of establishing a dedicated leadership team and cultivating new academic partnerships. And, as you may have heard, our bid to transform the city of Spokane Visitor Center into a UW headquarters for our community development efforts has been recommended to the City Council, and we are optimistic it will be approved next month.

It’s an exciting time for the University of Washington in Spokane. We owe a great debt of gratitude to the incredible Spokane medical community, business community and political leadership that have helped us achieve so much to date. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the community to help grow a vibrant, innovative economy in Spokane, and to ensure all Washington residents have access to the highest quality health care.

I invite you to read Tripp Umbach’s complete analysis online.

We’re very optimistic about our future here with you, together.

Sincerely,
Michael K Young signature
Michael K. Young

Progress in sexual assault prevention at the UW

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We are in the midst of a transformative national conversation about sexual assault on college campuses. Two years ago, I established the UW’s Task Force on Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, a group of students, staff and academic personnel, to take the lead on this issue. The group established guiding principles to lay the foundation for creating cultural change, including: highlighting that the majority of sexual assaults are perpetrated by a person known to the victim; challenging the propensity for victim blaming; and understanding and defining the meaning and nature of consent. And on campus today, the UW hosted the Washington State Council of Presidents’ Conference on Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention. Leading innovators and researchers working on sexual assault response, prevention and education issues — including our own faculty and staff — shared critical information and raising awareness about this issue in important ways.

As a public institution the UW has a leadership responsibility to help resolve this national, societal issue, and we are fully committed to doing all we can to prevent and properly respond to incidents in our community.

Over the past year, the Task Force has made significant progress in our campuswide prevention efforts:

  • More than 7,000 incoming first-year and transfer students completed sexual assault prevention training during fall 2014 orientation;
  • The UW launched a comprehensive sexual assault website last month that includes support and reporting resources;
  • We funded two permanent positions: a Title IX investigator, responsible for ensuring an investigation and disciplinary process tailored to handling sexual assault, and a training and program coordinator, charged with creating a comprehensive education and outreach program for students, staff and academic personnel.

Last January, I encouraged everyone in our community to read the Task Force’s full reportand to personally commit to being part of the solution to this systemic issue in higher education. I am asking the same again today. The Task Force’s remaining implementation items for 2015 include developing robust institutional data collection and reporting procedures, updating the Student Conduct Code to be more student centered and easy to navigate in addressing sexual assault investigations and disciplinary processes, and implementing a comprehensive education and outreach program.

Thanks to the tireless work of our faculty, staff, students and the Task Force, led by Ellen Taylor, and to our institutional commitment to ending sexual violence, I am optimistic that we can — and will — lead the way to safer communities for everyone.

Sincerely,

Michael K. Young

Accomplishments and aspirations

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Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

During this Homecoming weekend, Husky friends, family and alumni visiting campus will have a chance to participate in our extensive efforts to operate as a sustainable university. For the past few years, our entire community — students, faculty and staff — has done amazing work to be responsible citizens and caretakers of our environment. As a great tribute to what happens when our community works together toward a common goal, just last night Seattle Business Magazine awarded the University of Washington the Community Impact Award for Sustainability. This is a wonderful achievement. Congratulations to all who made it happen!

The Community Impact Award for Sustainability is the latest example of the UW’s exceptional record of student, faculty and staff excellence. Our research, teaching and public engagement have built a reputation that inspires our work together, energizes those who support us and adds value to the degrees our students earn. Our standing in the region, nation and world — including our recent No. 10 ranking by China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s world university rankings — reflects the UW’s real impact on people’s lives and our values as an institution.

As I said in my Annual Address last week, our vision as a university is simple yet profound: to be the greatest public university in the world, as measured by our impact on our students’ lives, on our region and on people around the world. In the address, I described how we advance this vision in four critical ways:

  • Through the Husky Student Experience, where we unleash the curiosity and potential of every student and in the process transform their lives and our world, one student at a time, one spark at a time.
  • Through the profound impact of our world-class research, here and around the globe. Virtually every major issue our society faces today, from Ebola to early education, is being addressed by somebody affiliated with the UW. We must continue to support this work at all levels — by attracting top talent, securing resources and engaging the best minds in the world as collaborators.
  • Through innovation and creativity, and our emerging Innovation Agenda. From addressing the STEM shortage, to bringing our best creativity and innovation to bear on both technology and societal challenges, we are using our long-standing track record in this arena to deepen student engagement and expand locally and globally.
  • And finally, through our deep commitment to access and the public good, which permeates everything we do. We are proud of our role as a catalyst for social mobility and as a place where we focus our research and discovery on the ways in which it can have the greatest impact.

You may have also noticed we are telling our story in bold new ways. I’ve heard countless times that we are the Northwest’s “best kept secret” and would like to change that. We will use this video, Be Boundless, and other media to tell our story better, and I hope in the process be clearer in communicating what we stand for: a belief in possibility, in unleashing human potential and in the undaunted quest for discovery.

Tomorrow is the UW’s 153rd birthday celebration. We have a lot for which to be proud, thanks to your passion for excellence and steadfast commitment to discovery and education for a better world. Please join me, Provost Ana Mari Cauce and our campus community in Red Square as we celebrate all that we have accomplished — and all that we will — on behalf of those we serve.