Dear Members of the Campus Community,

As announced previously, over the past year the university has been preparing for our periodic review of affiliation from the University Senate of the United Methodist Church.

Founded by Methodist clergy, our university today is a fully independent institution that maintains its status as a church-related and affiliated institution in accordance with shared history, values, and educational principles. These include access to education, academic freedom, social justice, environmental stewardship, interfaith dialogue, and global focus. Affiliation is not a statement of alignment with church doctrine or beliefs.

The nearly 100 other institutions who share affiliation status include many of our peers and other notable colleges and universities, including Allegheny College, American University, Boston University, Dickinson College, Duke University, Emory University, Hendrix College, Syracuse University, University of Denver, University of the Pacific, and Willamette University.

From Oct. 22 – 24, we will welcome to campus a three-person team that will review our program quality, management and financial health, and ways in which we demonstrate a commitment to shared values and educational principles. Our visitors will be:

  • Jay Simmons, president, Simpson College
  • Dennis Carroll, provost, High Point University
  • Mark Davies, Wimberley Professor of Social and Ecological Ethics, Oklahoma City University

Over the course of the visit, the review team will meet with me as well as members of Cabinet, University Chaplain Dave Wright ’96, faculty members teaching in the Department of Religious Studies, students active in religious life programs, trustees, and local clergy, in addition to holding open meetings for students, faculty and staff:

Open Meeting with Students
Tuesday, Oct. 23, 3 – 3:45 p.m.
Trimble Forum

Open Meeting with Faculty and Staff
Tuesday, Oct. 23, 3:45 – 4:30 p.m.
Trimble Forum

I wish to thank Dave Wright, university chaplain and director for spiritual life and civic engagement, and Liz Collins, director of the Office of the President, for their good work in preparation for this visit. Please direct any questions about the visit to Liz (lcollins@pugetsound.edu) who is coordinating all details of the upcoming visit.

Sincerely,

Isiaah
Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President