Jay Manning and Uriel Iniguez: Seeing change in graduates and the university
By Jay Manning and Uriel Iniguez
Commencement season is upon us once again at Eastern Washington University. As the chair and vice chair of the board of trustees for EWU, there is nothing that makes us prouder than watching EWU students, many who are first-generation college students, make their way across the stage and receive their well-earned diploma. It is a moment that recognizes and honors their journey of growth and their unwavering pursuit of knowledge.
Change, while often daunting, is an integral part of this journey. EWU graduates have had a transformative educational experience. It has propelled them forward, challenged their preconceived notions, and inspired them to think beyond the status quo. Year after year, we are telling them that now is their time to be bold, to think differently, to innovate, create and lead. But, this call to action should not be limited to our students; it is a challenge we, as members of the EWU board of trustees, wholeheartedly embrace.
We recognize that the willingness to adapt and evolve is crucial to maintaining EWU’s relevance and value in today’s rapidly changing and competitive higher education landscape both regionally and nationally. We’ve all seen the news and watched the videos – higher education, traditionally viewed as a bastion of stability and continuity, is now at a crossroads. The rapid pace of technological advancements, evolving job markets, and shifting societal expectations demand that we take bold steps. At EWU, we are committed to not only responding to these changes but also to leading the charge in redefining what a modern university can and should be.
So what is EWU doing? Our faculty and staff completed an intensive, year-long strategic resource allocation process that is helping us become more efficient in everything we do on campus, including how we serve students inside and outside the classroom. We’re investing our resources in areas that we feel best serve student demand and workforce needs. Through collaboration with faculty, we have, and will continue to make, difficult decisions to streamline, reduce or even discontinue some academic program offerings while also consolidating some campus services.
EWU is also about to launch a new strategic plan, developed by over 50 faculty and staff, that will serve as a roadmap for how we best serve students, improve our already significant regional impact, and expand our commitment to sustainability. We’ve spent months collaborating internally, gathering feedback and refining our goals to ensure our outcomes are meaningful and aligned with what students need.
And as requested by the full board of trustees, we will soon proceed with the development of a new brand identity, one which showcases EWU’s commitment to experiential learning – hands-on experiences in the real world – with an increased focus on high-demand fields. This exciting new direction will help fill crucial workforce gaps, while maintaining our proud foundation in the liberal arts and our commitment to students seeking a classic liberal arts education.
These key initiatives will serve to elevate and amplify EWU’s long standing mission of providing an accessible, high-quality education that empowers students to achieve their goals. To continue fulfilling this mission, we must be willing to explore new approaches to learning, community engagement, and the way we serve our students and this region. We want students and their families to feel confident when choosing EWU.
As stewards of the university, our commitment to change is not just about keeping pace with the world around us; it is about anticipating future trends and preparing our students to thrive in a dynamic environment. We need to invest in innovative programs, interdisciplinary research, and initiatives that break down historic barriers and promote inclusivity and equity. By doing so, we aim to ensure EWU is equipping graduates with the skills and mindsets necessary to navigate and shape the future. That commitment takes courageous leadership and courageous decisions, and we, as governor-appointed trustees, stand by President Shari McMahan, the students, the faculty, the staff and our 120,000 alumni worldwide to be the change that our future needs.
As we celebrate the class of 2024, we are inspired by their resilience, creativity, and determination. They persevered through a global pandemic. They remind us that change, while challenging and sometimes scary, is also a powerful catalyst for growth and progress. Their success is our success. The journey ahead may be bumpy, but with a mind open to being flexible, creative, and innovative, we have confidence in EWUS’s role in creating a brighter future for our students and for our region.
Jay Manning, of Olympia, is chair of the EWU board of trustees and a partner at Cascadia Law Group. Uriel Iñiguez, of Olympia, is vice chair of the EWU board of trustees and the director of community relations at the Washington State Deptartment of Labor & Industries.