Board of Trustees Recap for Oct. 12 and 13

Editor’s Note: After each Board of Trustees meeting, Western Today provides a recap of decisions and discussion.

Trustees Dedicate, Celebrate Carver Completion

Western’s Board of Trustees attended a dedication and ribbon-cutting on Friday celebrating the renovated Carver facility

“We could not have been more thrilled by the outcome” of the renovation, Western President Sabah Randhawa told those gathered for the event.

Randhawa thanked many in attendance, including local legislators state Rep. Vincent Buys and state Sen. Kevin Ranker, for their support of the two-year renovation of Carver, which was completed in time for the start of fall classes.

Buys said there was bipartisan support among the local legislative delegation for the major renovation of Carver and they worked to convince other legislators that the project renovation was “not just a gym” but included labs, classrooms and other badly needed upgrades. The Washington State Legislature, as part of the 2015-17 state budget, approved $70 million – the majority of funding for the renovation.

Ranker noted the local economic impact, with more than 1,000 workers on the site and up to 200 a day since construction work began in 2015. He said the project was “a win for Washington, our county and our institution.”

Other speakers recalled the challenge of working in the outmoded facility for years, such as leaks, electrical problems and cramped learning and work spaces.

When LeaAnn Martin, former dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, started as a faculty member at Western, she was assured that the university’s Carver facility would be renovated before long.

“Here I am, 26 years later, with that promise fulfilled,” Martin said, praising the renovated facility as providing a “safe, fully accessible space for learning and teaching.”

Provost Brent Carbajal said Carver is the most utilized building on campus, providing crucial space for academics and athletics. Also, as the largest interior space on campus and in the community, it also hosts high school graduation ceremonies. Carbajal offered heartfelt appreciation for the “huge army of people” who planned and worked on the renovation.

Steve Card, Western director of Athletics, said the facility “will completely change the landscape of Western athletics” with the many improvements for Athletics.

Paul Madison, former WWU sports information director and sports historian, welcomed descendants of Sam Carver, Western’s first director of athletics and chair of the physical education department from 1914 to 1955, for whom the facility is named.

Student-athlete Anna Paradee, 2017 GNAC pole vault champion, said what Western means to her is “excellence” and the renovated Carver facility now reflects that excellence.

In other business, the trustees:

• Were provided an overview of key initiatives and services supporting Western’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
• Authorized the sale of bonds to provide funding for a portion of the costs of the Multicultural Center to be built at the Viking Union.
• Approved emergency rule changes, following violence at other campuses nationally.
• Discussed a list of new aspirational peer institutions to Western.
• Heard a presentation on an initiative designed to help WWU increase its international student enrollment and also to broadly benefit the student experience Western fosters.
• Discussed completion of the annual evaluation of President Randhawa; the trustees also approved a 2.3 percent annual salary increase for Randhawa, similar to what other Western staff received.
• Recognized Convocation award recipients.
• Were introduced to the 2017-2018 Associated Students Board of Directors

Meeting documents are available at the Board of Trustees website. The dates for the next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees are Dec. 14 and 15.