Kirk Schulz, president-elect of Washington State University, in Everett on Monday to visit the university’s campus, must know that he has his work cut out for him.
Beyond running a statewide land-grant university system with nearly 25,000 undergraduate students and nearly 30,000 total students at its main campus in Pullman and campuses in Spokane, the Tri-Cities and Vancouver, not to mention 39 county extension offices throughout the state, Schulz also will be responsible for shepherding the vision of his predecessor, Dr. Elson Floyd, for two programs, both important to Everett and to Snohomish, Island and Skagit counties.
Floyd, before his death in June at the age of 59, was celebrating the early stages of two programs he had pursued since he arrived to lead WSU in 2007: The creation of WSU North Puget Sound and its leadership of the University Center on the Everett Community College campus in 2009, and last year’s legislative approval to start a school of medicine at WSU’s Spokane campus.
As work continues on its new four-story building on North Broadway toward its 2017 opening, WSU North Puget Sound is adding to its degree programs. Along with its current degree programs in electrical engineering, software engineering, mechanical engineering, integrated strategic communication and hospitality business management, the Everett campus will soon offer a data analytics degree. And during the legislative session the Everett campus also received funding to offer a degree in organic agriculture.
Everett also has a major part in WSU’s plans for the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, which will accept its first students in the fall of 2017.
After their first two years in Spokane, medical students can complete their third and fourth years at WSU’s campuses in Everett, the Tri-Cities or Vancouver, partnering with hospitals and other medical facilities for their practical education in those regions, including in rural outlying communities.
The intention of the program, then, is that more medical professionals will be encouraged to remain and serve those rural areas after completing school.
Paul Pitre, dean of WSU’s Everett program, said Monday during a news conference that the college has already reached agreements with The Everett Clinic and Providence Regional Medical Center Everett to work with its students and is preparing for visits by accreditation teams for the medical program.
Schulz, who will leave his leadership post at Kansas State University in May before coming to WSU, already shows an understanding of the work ahead of him.
The creation of WSU’s medical school came with a cost: a rift between it and the University of Washington, which, aside from a joint program among Western states, had exclusive rights to operate its medical school in the state.
Schulz, during his Everett conference, wasted no time in seeking to build bridges between WSU and the UW.
“We’re going to be working together to meet the state’s needs. … There’s a new president at the UW and a new president of WSU; let’s start a new day,” Schulz said, referring to UW’s newly hired president, Ana Mari Cauce.
Elson Floyd had a clear vision for WSU as well as the university’s programs in Everett. It’s now Schulz’s considerable task to deliver on his predecessor’s plans. But, as demonstrated by the progress shown so far, he’ll have the support of many partners here to do that.
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