It is my great pleasure to announce that Dr. Mark Richards has accepted the position of provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, effective July 1. I am thrilled he will join our community and look forward to working closely with him to advance our teaching, research and service mission across all of our campuses.
Presidential Blog
The UW honors dear friend and supporter, Floyd Jones
I was deeply saddened today to learn of the passing of Floyd Jones, a dear friend, alumnus and tireless supporter of the University of Washington. Floyd embodied the notion that philanthropy can change lives and make the world a better place. Throughout his years of giving to the UW and across our region, Floyd was always motivated by a deep and joyful commitment to lifting others up.
UW student-athletes make us proud on and off the field
This Saturday, the Huskies will face the Penn State Nittany Lions at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ, capping an exciting, 10-2 season for our football team. I’m proud of the team, and proud of all the UW’s student-athletes, who demonstrate again and again how sportsmanship, athleticism, teamwork and drive contribute to their inspiring and outstanding Husky experiences.
Update on the final federal tax bill
Today, the U.S. House and Senate passed a tax bill, which, when it becomes law, will dramatically revise our nation’s tax code. The bill does not contain some of the most damaging proposals for higher education that I have written about previously, but it includes some provisions that will make it harder for colleges and universities to provide the teaching and learning that students seek and that our economy demands.
Forging a bright future together
It was a year of peaks and valleys, the proverbial best of times and worst of times. But even at those moments of greatest uncertainty and fear, our community has risen to meet challenges with courage, ingenuity and empathy.
Visionary gift will create Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
Today, we were honored to announce a $50 million gift from Jeff and Susan Brotman and Dan and Pam Baty to create the Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, which will harness the research of UW Medicine, Fred Hutch and Seattle Children’s to focus on delivering on the promise, power and reach of precision medicine to save and change millions of lives.
Tax bill provisions hurt students and threaten the economy
These tax bills currently remain very damaging to students, making it harder and more expensive for people to earn the very credentials they need as more and more jobs require post-secondary degrees. This is both bad for students and bad for the economy.
Understanding your resources to prevent and address sexual misconduct
It is our obligation to make sure that UW students understand the standards we hold them to as responsible members of the University community. These standards reflect our values, our policies, and state and federal law, including Title IX, which prohibits sexual harassment, sexual assault and other forms of discrimination on the basis of sex. For our faculty and staff, it’s also important to be aware of these policies and the role we all play in upholding these responsibilities.
Proposed tax bills would hurt students and economic competitiveness in Washington and the US
This week, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to consider and pass H.R. 1, the Tax Cut and Jobs Act. A similar bill is working its way through the Senate. Despite some differences between the House and Senate versions, the proposed legislation would significantly increase the UW’s operating costs and reduce incentives for charitable giving, at great cost to students who rely on private philanthropy to access a college education.
Celebrating our first-generation college students
At the University of Washington, we are committed to doing all that we can to equip first-generation students with the tools and resources to help them navigate college. Today we join universities nationwide during the inaugural National First-Generation College Celebration, organized by the Council for Opportunity in Education, to honor and support these students.