Presidential Update: Latest Changes
Week of April 6, 2026
Dear Colleagues,
April marks one year since I joined Washington State University. Over the
past year, I have had the opportunity to listen, learn, and engage with many
amazing people in the communities across our system and the state.
This has helped me better understand both the strengths we can continue to
build on and some of the challenges we must address to continue thriving as
an institution. What is clear is that WSU is moving forward, and I will
continue taking deliberate steps to advance our land-grant mission.
Sandra Haynes has been appointed as executive vice president for WSU statewide
campuses. As part of her new position, Sandra has assumed oversight of the
Everett campus in addition to her leadership of the Tri‑Cities and Vancouver
campuses. This position will enable WSU to modernize its organizational
structure to match current enrollment patterns, financial realities, and
academic priorities. Sandra has been an essential resource and leader for
alignment and coordination across the WSU system. I look forward to her
continued leadership in this expanded role.
Paul Pitre has transitioned from his role as chancellor of WSU Everett and
will be returning to the faculty, concluding a period of leadership that helped
shape the campus into a student-centered institution aligned with the needs of
the North Puget Sound.
I have appointed Jon Haarlow as vice president and director of athletics. His
leadership serving as interim director over the past several months has helped
advance key priorities for Cougar Athletics while supporting our student-athletes
and positioning WSU for the transition to the new Pac‑12. His appointment provides
continuity at an important moment and reinforces our commitment to building an
athletics program that will compete and win.
I visited the One Health Clinic in Seattle with UW President Robert J. Jones this
week, showcasing a joint presidential visit of Washington’s research universities
at the community-based clinic. This partnership between the WSU College of
Veterinary Medicine and UW School of Public Health was created to reduce barriers
for underserved communities by creating a single setting for connected healthcare
services for both people and their animals.
As an institution, we have made meaningful progress, and there is
more work ahead. We are building the foundation for the next phase of WSU’s future, and
that work is already underway.
Thank you for your continued commitment to WSU.
Sincerely,
Betsy Cantwell
President, Washington State University
