Feb. 19, 2020
Message from President James L. Gaudino
Dear CWU Community,
After 11 years as CWU President, I have decided to step down effective July 31, 2021. I will officially inform the Board of Trustees at this weeks’ meeting, providing them sufficient time to search for my successor.
During my tenure, it has been an honor to work alongside faculty, staff, students, alumni, Trustees, legislators, and community members to build the strength and reputation of CWU as a welcoming community for all persons seeking a first-class University education.
Working together toward this goal, I believe we have accomplished much. Together in the last decade:
• We survived the severe fiscal challenges of the Great Recession and came out of it well-positioned for future growth.
• We rebuilt much of our physical plant with the support of the state Legislature and the Governor, providing the finest teaching and learning spaces available.
• We complemented our facility improvements with state-of-the-art technology systems that provide us better information and save us time and money as we serve students’ needs.
• We grew enrollment at a manageable pace in a national climate where many universities are struggling.
• We led Washington’s universities in the diversification of our students, faculty, and staff, recognizing we still have far to go.
• We respected, supported, and learned to trust one another as we built a team that proves that shared governance does work.
• We eroded the adage that CWU was the best-kept secret in the state and earned recognition regionally and nationally for our educational quality and value.
I credit each of you for your hard work, your caring, and your shared belief that we must always, always, strive to be better tomorrow than we are today.
Serving you has been an honor. I look forward to our continued successes during the next year and a half, and, perhaps, as a faculty colleague in the years to come. Even more, I look forward to many continued friendships.
Go Wildcats!
Sincerely,
James L. Gaudino
President
Media contact: Kremiere Jackson, Vice President of Public Affairs, 509-963-1425, Kremiere.Jackson@cwu.edu.