October 2025
 

Dear Members of the Campus Community,

It is always a pleasure to be at Puget Sound during this vibrant time of year. As the autumn colors illuminate our campus and our students’ energy and enthusiasm fill our classrooms, it serves as a powerful and beautiful reminder of the intellectual vitality of our university. The Board of Trustees had a busy and productive week, and I write today to share key takeaways from the October meeting.

During our time on campus, trustees appreciated opportunities to meet with staff, faculty, and students to learn more about the important work being done to support our students through experiential learning, strategic partnerships, fundraising, and more.

Among the many highlights of our visit, we were able to enjoy a “speed dating” lunch with our experiential learning staff and students, and a collegial breakfast with faculty and the Staff Senate. We were also able to listen to an outstanding performance by one of the Northwest’s most acclaimed ensembles, the University of Puget Sound Adelphians a cappella choir, Voci d'Amici.

Many trustees happily took advantage of the opportunity to attend a class, and we are grateful the following faculty members welcomed our trustees into their classrooms where they could learn alongside our curious and engaged students:

  • African American Voices: A Survey of African American History, with Professor Nancy Bristow.
  • Business in Latin America, with Professor Nila Wiese.
  • Health & Exercise, with Professor Sue Hannaford.
  • Intro to Online Communication, with Professor Nick Brody.
  • Marine Biology, with Professor Joel Elliott.
  • Murder and Mayhem under the Microscope, with Professor Amy Fisher.

Trustee Retreat
As you all know, we are in incredibly dynamic times in higher education, with continued scrutiny on public and private institutions’ missions, programs, compliance, operations, and curriculum. Trustees started their meetings this week with a half-day retreat that focused on the current landscape for higher education and federal and state challenges. President Crawford also discussed the path ahead for Puget Sound with trustees, as he has previously shared with the campus in his Welcome Address, through A Sound Future 2.0: Embracing Opportunities and Driving Transformation. This discussion included a full and informative review of the new Strategic Enrollment Plan, led by Vice President for Enrollment Tim Whittum.

Business Meeting
During our meetings on Friday, trustees worked to advance the institutional and strategic priorities of the university, received briefings from university leadership, and acted on several key items arising from committee discussions. Some of the key topics included:
 

  • Update reports: In advance of the meeting, we read reports submitted by President Crawford and ex officio representatives, including Winston Zapet Bamac ’27, ASUPS President; Justin Tiehen, Faculty Senate Chair; Patty English, Staff Senate Chair; and McKenzie Ross ’06, Alumni Council President. We are grateful for their thoughtful and dedicated work representing the voices of students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
  • Enrollment and Student Success: We learned more about the fall 2025 class and tenth day census, recruitment strategies, and plans for the fall 2026 enrollment cycle.
  • 2026-27 Budget: We approved budget parameters for the 2026-27 fiscal year in alignment with our ongoing work to support the Leadership for a Changing World strategic plan and meet our fiscal goals in alignment with the strategies being pursued as part of A Sound Future 2.0.
  • Academic & Student Affairs: We enjoyed a presentation on the Puget Sound Career Ecosystem from the Career & Employment Services team, and met our new athletics director, Chelsea Herman.
  • Fundraising and Campaign: We received an update on fundraising and our comprehensive campaign, including information about our brand awareness work, and set the 2025-26 trustee goals for the Puget Sound Fund.

Finally, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to our faculty and staff. Your tireless commitment to our campus community, and especially your dedication to caring for and guiding our students, is the foundation of our success. Your efforts ensure our mission thrives, even in these challenging times, and, with you, we continue to wholeheartedly support Puget Sound’s mission and core values. The Board of Trustees deeply values your service and looks forward to reviewing our collective progress again at our next meeting in February.

Until then, on behalf of all the trustees, we hope the rest of fall semester is productive and fulfilling, and we wish you a joyous holiday season.

Sincerely,
Beth

Beth M. Picardo ’83, J.D. ’86 | Chair of the Board of Trustees