Dear Members of the Campus Community,
The board of trustees recently concluded its two-day fall series of meetings, during which we discussed key issues and opportunities for Puget Sound, with a particular emphasis on the President’s recommendations related to the Academic, Administrative, and Auxiliary Program Review and also student success, enrollment, retention, budget planning, campus master planning, and the progress of our comprehensive fundraising campaign. We welcomed three new/returning trustees, two new ex officios, and three new Cabinet members; enjoyed meeting with students, faculty, and staff members; and advanced several key initiatives to support Puget Sound and the 10-year Leadership for a Changing World strategic plan.

Welcome to New and Returning Trustees. The board is enriched each year by the generosity, expertise, and perspectives of new members. This fall we are happy to welcome returning trustee Christopher Pohlad ’07, senior vice president, investments for United Properties (Minneapolis, MN); and the following new trustees:

  • Emily Sturm ’14, president of philanthropy, Alder Companies (Denver, CO)
  • Erik Wallace ’96, senior medical director, Oak Street Health (Colorado Springs, CO)

Business Meeting. In advance of the meeting, we read reports submitted by President Crawford and ex officio representatives, including Faculty Senate Chair Elise Richman, ASUPS President Nathan Sansone ’24, and Staff Senate Chair Kevin Kirner who were in attendance at the business meeting; and special guest Alumni Council Vice President Erin Carlson ’04, who attended on behalf of Alumni Council President Ted Meriam ’05. The trustees greatly value hearing directly from students, faculty, staff, and alumni about their work and their perspectives on issues facing the university and board. The trustees also appreciated the opportunity to meet informally with members of the campus community throughout our visit.

Highlights of the business meeting include:

  • President’s Recommendations Regarding the Academic, Administrative, and Auxiliary Program Review (“AAAPR”). As many of you will remember, the board endorsed the undertaking of the AAAPR in February 2021, with the explicit goal of “determin[ing] how best to optimize academic, administrative, and auxiliary programs in fulfillment of the university’s mission within a reliable and sustainable financial model.”  We are grateful for the challenging and difficult work that the AAAPR Committee members undertook since that time to assist President Crawford and the board in identifying a sustainable mission-related path forward.  

    The AAAPR Committee presented its report and recommendations to President Crawford in September.  Informed by the work of the Committee, feedback from campus constituents throughout the process, and his own research and vision, President Crawford presented to the board in a workshop his initial recommendations comprised of a slate of adaptive strategies, alignment strategies, and foundational strategies.  The final recommendations presented at Friday’s business meeting reflect the feedback shared by the board in this consultation. 

    As fiduciaries of the university, the trustees are charged with acting in the long-term best interests of Puget Sound and assuring its continuing vitality and success. Taken together, we support President Crawford’s plan and initial principles and believe that this slate of recommendations will allow a bold reimagining and renewal of our liberal arts institution, including identifying areas for growth and investment and possible programmatic discontinuations that are necessary to allow our future growth.  We know President Crawford will be communicating closely with campus constituents over the next few months and returning to the board with more information and implementation details in February 2023 that will be designed to best optimize programs and the overall operation of the university and return the university to financial equilibrium by the close of FY 2026 (June 30, 2026).

  • Faculty Retirement Incentive Program. The board approved the adoption of a one-time Faculty Retirement Incentive Program to be offered this year as part of the President’s strategy to align faculty FTE with expected enrollment levels, consistent with the goals of the Strategic Enrollment Plan.  This program provides an opportunity for eligible tenured faculty to voluntarily retire and end employment as of June 30, 2023 and receive special incentives. 
  • Puget Sound Fund. The trustees affirmed goals for participation in and contributions to the university’s annual fund for the current fiscal year, including goals for trustee giving and renewal of our ongoing commitment to 100 percent participation.
  • Policy Prohibiting Hazing.  The board approved updates to the university’s Policy Prohibiting Hazing and Student Integrity Code to assure compliance with changes in state law prohibiting hazing, requiring training and education about hazing, and implementing new reporting requirements regarding violations.
  • Amendments to the Faculty Bylaws.  The board approved amendments to the Faculty Bylaws related to who is eligible to serve on the Professional Standards Committee.
  • Financial Matters. The board received an update that, as of June 30, 2022, total net assets decreased from the prior year, primarily from investment losses reflecting the overall volatility of the market.  However, the operating budget performed better than expected: financial discipline and good stewardship provided us with FEMA relief funds as well as salary and benefit savings, resulting in a modest surplus. The board approved utilizing the FY 2022 operating surplus of nearly $1,200,000 to support the President’s strategic initiatives, including the Faculty Retirement Incentive Program, and provided guidance on 2023-24 budget parameters.
  • Master Plan.  The Finance and Facilities Committee approved the engagement of an architectural firm to lead the campus master planning process over the next year.  The new, updated master plan (“the Plan”) will take into consideration many factors such as: support for student success; the smaller number of undergraduate students; anticipated growth in graduate and continuing education programs; changing demographics and needs of campus members and prospective students; technological changes and trends; the changing world of work; pedagogical trends; programmatic changes; sustainability; a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture; and much more. In doing so, the Plan will consider scenarios to sustain the university over the next 20 years, considering what is feasible within 2-5 years, 5-10 years, and 10-20 years.

Finally, we attended to other duties of the board, including reports from the following board committees: academic and student affairs, development and alumni relations, finance and facilities, special advisory committee on strategic enrollment initiatives, campaign steering committee, and trusteeship. As mentioned earlier, we also engaged in a workshop focused on the work of the academic, administrative, and auxiliary program review process in which we provided feedback on recommendations and proposed next steps that informed the final recommendations.

More information about the work of the board is available at pugetsound.edu/trustees.

Please remember that our business meetings are open to all members of the university community. We were happy to have with us several students, representatives of the AAAPR Committee, members of the Staff Senate, and other interested faculty and staff.

Campus Community Engagement. During my time at Puget Sound as a parent of a student in the class of 2007, a trustee, and now chair of the board of trustees, I am consistently impressed by the passion and engagement of this community in preparing our students for success and in their commitment to the university. Our students – and our trustees – benefit from the university’s practice of soliciting recommendations from the faculty, ASUPS, staff, and alumni leadership to appoint individuals to advise board policy committees, strategic planning work groups, budget task forces, executive search committees, and more.  I am also grateful that our trustees also freely volunteer their time in support of important university initiatives as well.  I would especially like to recognize the following individuals for their engagement on the AAAPR Committee, and those participating on committees of the board of trustees this year, along with the dozens of staff members who support our work and serve as essential resources in preparing and executing our meetings.

  • AAAPR Committee members:
    • Laura Behling, former Provost (committee chair July 2021-2022)
    • Monica DeHart, Professor, Sociology and Anthropology (committee tri-chair July-Sept 2022)
    • Nick Kontogeorgopoulos, Professor and  Interim Provost (committee tri-chair July-Sept 2022)
    • Kim Kvaal, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (committee tri-chair July-Sept 2022)
    • Greta Austin, Professor, Religion, Spirituality, and Society
    • Matt Boyce, Vice President for Enrollment
    • Nancy Bristow, Professor, History
    • Allison Cannady-Smith, Associate Vice President for Constituent Relations
    • Sarah Comstock, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
    • Jeremy Cucco, former Chief Information Officer, Associate Vice President, Technology Services (July 2021-August 2022)
    • Sara Freeman ’95, Professor, Theatre Arts
    • John Hanson, Professor, Chemistry
    • Shelly Heier ’98, President, Verus Investments, Trustee
    • Robin Jacobson, Professor, Politics and Government; former chair, Faculty Senate
    • Sarah Johnson, Manager, Print and Copy Services
    • Julia Looper, Professor, Physical Therapy
    • Sherry Mondou, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (July 2021-2022)
    • Gerard Morris, Professor, Music
    • Michael Pastore, University Registrar
    • Lotus Perry, Instructor, Chinese, Asian Languages and Cultures
    • Ellen Peters, Associate Provost for Institutional Research, Planning and Student Success
    • Jake Price, Assistant Professor, Math and Computer Science
    • Siddharth Ramakrishnan, Associate Professor, Biology
    • Melvin Rouse, Associate Professor, Psychology
    • Erin Ruff, Human Resources Director
    • Betsy Stone, ’79, P’14, Alumni Council Executive Committee
    • Annie Sullivan, Student, ’23
    • Jeff Thomas, Head Football Coach
    • Renee Watling, Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy
    • Martha Wilson, Director of Admission Operations
  • Academic and Student Affairs Committee: Professor Megan Gessel, Peggy Burge (Academic Affairs, Collins Memorial Library), Ebony James ’23
  • Development and Alumni Relations Committee: Professor Nicholas Brody, Robin Aijian ’04 (Enrollment, Admission), Lucy Peloso ’23
  • Finance and Facilities Committee: Professor Alan Krause, Phillip Wells P’20 (Finance & Administration, Dining & Event Services), Mae Niebuhr ’23
  • Executive Committee (ex-officio members): ASUPS President Nathan Sansone ’24, Faculty Senate Chair Elise Richman, Staff Senate Chair Kevin Kirner, and Alumni Council President Ted Meriam ’05

The university has weathered some significant challenges over the past three years.  Throughout this time, the dedication and creativity of our faculty and staff, the resilience and flexibility of our students, the commitment to living our values, and our strong institutional foundation have all contributed to the university’s ongoing success.  The trustees all believe the future is bright at Puget Sound and it is an honor to keep ascending to the heights with you.

On behalf of my fellow trustees, we look forward to returning to campus in February, concurrent with the meetings of the Alumni Council Executive Committee.

--Bob
Robert C. Pohlad P’07 | Chair of the Board of Trustees