Adaptive university work meets changing needs of students and community

Central Washington University is taking significant steps toward becoming an adaptive university — an institution that is forward-thinking and committed to continuous evolution.

CWU’s goal with this initiative is to meet the shifting needs of students, faculty, staff, and the broader community by transforming programs, curricula, and teaching methods. Another goal is to foster a culture of innovation that will help Central stay relevant in an ever-changing educational landscape.

To support this important transformation, CWU has received a generous gift from CWU Trustee Gladys Gillis, marking a pivotal moment in the university’s ongoing efforts to enhance its academic offerings.

“I have deeply valued my role as a Trustee and remain committed to supporting initiatives that ensure CWU remains agile and forward-thinking,” Gillis said. “To stay relevant and sustainable, CWU must adapt swiftly, evolving alongside societal and industry shifts to meet the changing needs of students and the workforce.”

A crucial element in becoming adaptive university is the development of guiding principles that will support CWU’s efforts to pursue innovative activities while sustaining and optimizing current programs that are already serving the university well.

Gillis and others involved in the initiative note that the journey to becoming an adaptive university is grounded in a collaborative process.

In September 2024, CWU hosted an Academic Affairs Visioning Forum, attended by nearly 250 faculty, staff, and administrators from Academic Affairs and outside the division. The forum set the stage for discussions on how CWU can critically examine its academic programs to better serve future generations of students while addressing the emerging needs of the state.

In the months that followed, workshops held in November and December 2024 provided further input, with 140 participants offering valuable insights on key topics such as identifying challenges facing CWU in the next five years, planning processes for the creation of a steering committee, and generating ideas to create an environment that fosters innovation.

In a recent interview with the Ellensburg Daily Record, CWU Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Patrick Pease said, “Higher education is changing. As demographics shift, accelerated by the pandemic, workforce development is shifting, too. We need to have processes to intentionally adapt to needs and encourage meaningful conversations.”

Now, CWU is creating the Adaptive University Council (AUC) made up of a diverse group of faculty and staff representing a wide range of perspectives and experiences that will shape the future of Central.

The AUC’s work will be guided by facilitators Ginny Tomlinson, Associate Vice President of Information Services and Vice Provost of Institutional Transformation; and Rodrigo Renteria-Valencia, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. Tomlinson and Renteria-Valencia will serve as co-chairs and act as liaisons with various university leadership groups.

As CWU adjusts to new and emerging challenges, the administration believes that a commitment to continuous innovation will be critical as the university adapts to meet the needs of students and the workforce many years into the future.