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A historic day for the UW and Native Tribes of our region

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As one of the world’s greatest public universities, the University of Washington is committed to cultivating our culture of diversity. The opening yesterday of wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House (wash-LEB-alt) marked a historic day for both the University of Washington and the Native Tribes of our region.

This building is the culmination of a decades-long dream to create a gathering place in honor of our region’s First Nations. The Intellectual House — as well as much of the UW campus — rests on the sacred ground of the Duwamish Tribe’s first home and will serve as a meeting place for indigenous people from the Northwest, the U.S. and around the world. It will also be a campus home for academic offerings led by our American Indian Studies Department, strengthening our teaching, research and student recruitment.

I was deeply honored to meet the elected leaders of our region’s tribal governments and to see the outpouring of support and enthusiasm for this special place.

After the cedar ribbon-cutting, wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House hosted another important event — a Tribal Leadership Summit — at which I affirmed our commitment to honor this partnership, see through priorities such as the construction of phase two of this longhouse-style facility, and to holding annual meetings with the elected leaders of the tribes.

To deepen the University’s engagement with tribal governments in Washington state, I have also asked the Office of External Affairs to support the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity on three new initiatives in the upcoming year:

  1. Re-establish government to government training for senior leadership at the University as called for in the 1989 Centennial Accord.
  2. Work with our Vice Provost for Innovation to conduct a workshop on innovation and entrepreneurship for interested tribal members.
  3. Investigate the potential of partnering with tribal governments and the state Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) to pursue high-priority economic development projects for Washington tribes.

A strong connection with leaders from across the region is essential to the UW’s ability to effectively fulfill our public promise to educate, serve, and provide research and economic opportunities for all of Washington’s citizens. Please join me in supporting this essential work on behalf of all whom we serve.

We have so much opportunity to work toward these and other initiatives that will benefit the greater community and beyond. Together, the possibilities are limitless.

Sincerely,

Ana Mari

Photo of the entrance to the wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House
The entrance to the wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House Photo: Photo by Kathryn Sauber
Photo of tribal elder
Tribal elders Photo: Photo courtesy of Carmen Español/Capital Projects Office
Photo of tribal drummers
Tribal drummers Photo: Photo by Janae Davis
Photo of Ana Mari Cauce at a tribal meeting
Interim President Ana Mari Cauce gives opening remarks prior to the the cedar ribbon-cutting at the wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House. Photo: Photo courtesy of Carmen Español/Capital Projects Office

 

Accelerating our momentum at the University of Washington

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Dear UW family,

Today I am honored to begin the interim presidency of the University of Washington — an institution that’s been the fabric of my professional and personal life for nearly three decades.

I think of this time as a launch point: a time when we will hasten our pace and accelerate the great work we are doing together. We are at an incredible moment in time for the UW and the state we serve so well. Our University is thriving, and its contributions to the region and our world have never been greater. We truly have incredible, boundless momentum, thanks to you — the people who make the UW a preeminent, life-changing, public university.

I said in my Town Hall last week that I believe the UW is both boundless and boundary-less: We are not about teaching or research. Our conversations aren’t about access or excellence. We aren’t local or global. We don’t serve just eastern or western Washington. The University of Washington serves the entirety of our state, our country and our world because our DNA is fortified by the ideas and ideals that shape our public purpose. Our promise is to serve everyone — and we do so in truly limitless ways.

Our faculty seek solutions to society’s greatest challenges — and lead the world in doing so through their research and teaching. Our students — from all walks of life and circumstances — believe anything is possible, and whether they are in engineering or English, computer science or sociology, they are preparing for careers that will be reinvented time and again. Our staff makes all of this possible — from those who recruit students and serve patients to those who make our campus environment beautiful and keep our laboratories clean and safe. And our community of friends and supporters are our catalyst and our partners: They care deeply about our impact on the world and on the lives of our students.

Together with the University’s talented and committed leadership team, I will continue to move our vision forward, supporting our students, faculty and staff as we work to make the world better for all. Thank you for your support. Boundless opportunities are ahead for the UW and those we serve.

Sincerely,

Ana Mari Cauce
Interim President
Professor of Psychology and American Ethnic Studies

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

President Young finalist for Texas A&M presidency

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University of Washington President Michael K. Young on Tuesday was announced as the sole finalist for president of Texas A&M University. He is expected to assume his duties at Texas A&M in the spring.

In a statement, Young said: “Deciding to be a candidate for the presidency of Texas A&M University was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. I was not looking to leave the University of Washington, but the allure of the recruitment process led to conversations in which the opportunity to bring new leadership and fresh ideas to another outstanding university presented itself with some force.” Read more…

Bill Ayer, chair of the UW Board of Regents, also released a statement: “The news about UW President Michael Young and Texas A&M University has come as a surprise to the Board of Regents. We are saddened and disappointed at the prospect of President Young departing from the UW, but we certainly wish him and Marti well. He has accomplished a great deal at the University, including a number of bold initiatives whose fruition will come after he is gone. On behalf of the Board, I want to thank him for his leadership.” Read more…

Disruptive innovation at the UW

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Entrepreneurial thinking is central to the University of Washington in the most profound and powerful way imaginable. It is also reflective of our state. I see a UW where all students have access to the basic skills and resources for taking a creative solution and pursuing its delivery into the world. It’s a vision of empowering all UW students to have more impact in society. We are embarking on an exciting next phase in enabling innovation mindsets and entrepreneurial thinking across campus and the community.

We foster innovation on our UW campuses not just because of its deep economic impact, but also because we know it can create a world of good. Our students are embracing their areas of interest by working to solve the world’s most pressing problems. Teaching innovation and creativity gives our students an extraordinary advantage, whatever path they ultimately choose to pursue. We want every single UW graduate to have the opportunity to be part of the energy and passion that is our innovation ecosystem: to know that they can change the world.

The UW Innovation Agenda is an integrated plan to drive positive change for our state by empowering students and researchers to learn, discover and build the solutions to tomorrow’s challenges. At its core, it is about taking our innovation ecosystem to the next level — by leveraging our strengths across the UW and throughout our region as we work together.

This includes improving access to computer science and engineering classes and actively working to spark innovation in students, faculty and staff across the University.

Part of our Innovation Agenda is about “disruptive innovation” — something our new Vice Provost for Innovation Vikram Jandhyala is introducing as the exciting next phase of CoMotion’s mission: developing spaces, programs and partnerships for students and researchers to come together, to collaborate and to foster innovation with impact. The Innovation Agenda is strongly focused on building Innovation Ecosystems that help us create and realize ideas, and CoMotion serves as a catalyst for that mission.

We must find ways to bring our ideas, our knowledge and our inventions to people wherever they are. To address key 21st century challenges, we must be accessible, collaborative, experimental and global.
We need to approach problems in new ways, embrace mistakes and be willing to start again with a different strategy to find better solutions. We need to be nimble, adjusting course — not only in the research space, but in the teaching space as well.

We live in an increasingly global world — a world filled with international and comparative dimensions. That includes much of the work we are doing here at the University. So we must engage globally. We need to interact with people from other places, to talk to them, to share ideas, to find commonalities, to manage differences.

We need to find avenues to bring outside expertise from around the world into our University to enhance our research. We have to engage across cultures, languages, countries and global challenges. Even locally, international and global understanding is critical.
We want to make it easier for those outside of UW — at other institutions, in other regions like this one, in other states and countries — to engage and do business with us in a more productive approach that results in less friction and more opportunities for all teams involved.

Innovation is about empowering our students and researchers to learn, discover and build the solutions to tomorrow’s grand challenges. It’s about fostering that entrepreneurial mindset on our campuses and in our communities.

Yes, there is a direct cause and effect between our region’s rise to prominence in the innovation space and the UW’s tremendous success in taking innovation to impact — here, and around the world. And together, we can grow our region’s innovation ecosystem to new levels of success to make a real-world impact.

Open Mike: A Conversation with President Young

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open mike event

Dear students, faculty and staff,

Please join us for a series of events to continue the conversation President Michael K. Young started in his Annual President’s Address. From enhancing the Husky student experience, to better serving our community, deepening our research impact or expanding UW innovation, our best ideas start with you.

There are three opportunities to talk with President Young in the coming weeks and months:

Focus on staff

Tuesday, Feb. 3, 3:30–5 p.m.
The Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering, Microsoft Atrium

Focus on students

Canceled

Focus on faculty

Canceled

Questions, concerns and input from all UW community members are welcome and a reception will follow each event.

 

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