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February 2026


Dear Members of the Campus Community:

It was such a pleasure to be back on campus this past week for our winter board meeting. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to express my deepest gratitude for the warm welcome we received from students, faculty, and staff. Your energy and dedication to this community are truly inspiring. We are honored to work alongside you in advancing the mission of the University of Puget Sound.

Our meetings began with virtual committee sessions on Feb. 18–19 and concluded with our time on campus from Feb. 25–27. I am pleased to share this summary of our discussions and the exciting progress we are making together.

Looking Ahead: Greater, We Ascend
We kicked off our in-person gathering on Wednesday with a special preview event for the Greater, We Ascend campaign. With more than 80 attendees, the event served as an important prelude to a workshop focused on our preparations for the upcoming public phase of the campaign, a transformative milestone that will help shape the future of our university.

Key Actions and Discussion Items
As part of the board’s work in committees and the business meeting, the board addressed several critical items to ensure the university’s continued strength:

  • Financial Stewardship: We carefully considered and approved President Crawford’s budget recommendation for the 2026–27 fiscal year, which met the parameters approved by the Board of Trustees in our meeting last October.
  • Enrollment and Student Success: We received an encouraging update from Vice President Tim Whittum and his team about fall 2026 application trends and metrics, focusing on our yield strategy to welcome the next generation of Loggers.
  • University Advancement: The Campaign Steering Committee discussed cumulative fundraising efforts toward the overall goal for the Greater, We Ascend campaign and outlined planned activities for the forthcoming public launch and public phase. The University Advancement Committee provided an overview of upcoming fundraising efforts, including the Logger Day Challenge on March 3. I encourage the entire community to join us in supporting this high-energy day of giving.
  • Faculty tenure and promotions: The board was pleased to approve tenure and/or promotion recommendations for the following exceptional faculty members:
    • Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor: Nagore Sedano Naveira (Hispanic Studies)
    • Tenure: Sun Young Ahn (School of Business and Leadership)
    • Promotion to Professor: Lea Fortmann (Economics); Megan Gessel (Chemistry and Biochemistry); Andrew Gomez (History); Michael Pohl (Exercise Science)
    • Promotion to Associate Professor: Sunita Chepuri (Mathematics and Computer Science); Madeleine Weinstein (Mathematics and Computer Science)

In advance of the business meeting, we read reports submitted by President Crawford and the four ex officio representatives, 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 alumni, faculty, staff, and students.

In light of President Crawford’s recent retirement announcement, at the business meeting we took a moment to recognize this significant decision and acknowledge his exceptional service to the university. We look forward to more focused opportunities between now and July 1, 2027 to honor his legacy and many accomplishments as Puget Sound’s 14th president. 

Upon the request of Faculty Senate Chair Tiehen and Staff Senate Chair English, I approved having a faculty representative and staff representative speak to the Board of Trustees at our business meeting about last fall’s announced premium cost-share for employee-only health insurance. Board members heard the concerns about management’s decision and communication. We understand a review of the medical plan is scheduled for this year.

The board also recognized outgoing ASUPS President Winston Zapet Bamac ’27 for his service to the university over the past year. Winston’s insights and advocacy on behalf of our students was instrumental in our work, and we were glad to hear he will be continuing his campus leadership by serving as an ASUPS At-Large Senator in the upcoming year. We also learned that current ASUPS Vice President Archie Kerr ’27 is the ASUPS President-Elect and we look forward to formally welcoming him at the May meeting.

Engaging with the Campus Community
One of the most rewarding aspects of our winter meeting is the opportunity to engage directly with the people who make this campus thrive. Trustees and administrators participated in a Coffee & Dessert Chat hosted by ASUPS, which provided a wonderful forum for informal dialogue with our students and were moved by an introduction to the Puget Sound Memory Project by Vice President Lorna Hernandez Jarvis. We were also impressed to learn of the faculty’s creative and scholarly works over the past year, including hearing from three members of the faculty about their work at the annual Celebration of Faculty Creative Inquiry. Thank you to Professor Ben Tromly, Associate Professor Kirsten Coffman, and Assistant Professor Ronaldo Rolim for such engaging presentations. We also enjoyed having breakfast with members of the Faculty and Staff Senate.

We know these are challenging times, and we feel the same anxiety that members of our community feel about the continuing attacks on higher education, the violence arising in communities across the country, and multiple international conflicts. In these troubled times, we are even more appreciative for the passion you bring to Puget Sound every day. Trustees are proud to support the work of Puget Sound in continuing to advance its mission and values and demonstrating its commitment to integrity, access, and support for its community members. Thank you for all you do to make the university the exceptional place it is. We look forward to seeing you in May.

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

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