By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Chris Meiers, vice chancellor for student affairs and deputy Title IX officer at Washington State University Tri-Cities, was recently selected as one of 38 fellows for the American Council on Education where he will have the opportunity to be temporarily placed at a university to learn and grow his executive leadership skillset.

厙ぴ勛圖 ACE Fellowship

Since its inception in 1965, the ACE Fellows Program has prepared more than 2,000 faculty, staff, and administrators for senior positions in college and university leadership through its distinctive and intensive nominator-driven, cohort-based mentorship model. Of the fellows who have participated to date, more than 80 percent have gone on to serve as chief executive officers, chief academic officers, other cabinet-level positions, and deans following their fellowship.

The program combines retreats, interactive learning opportunities, visits to campuses and other higher education-related organizations, and placement at another higher education institution to condense years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single year.

During the placement, fellows observe and work with the president and other senior officers at their host institution, attend decision-making meetings, and focus on issues of interest. Fellows also conduct projects of pressing concern for their home institution and seek to implement their findings upon completion of the fellowship placement.

Meiers’ goals with the fellowship

Meiers��� placement process begins this summer.

���It is truly a privilege and honor to be selected as an ACE Fellow,��� Meiers said. ���I am humbled to be able to participate in a program that includes many leaders in higher education that I admire.���

Meiers said his project will involve implementing cooperative education programs with practical work experiences with community partners. Additionally, he will visit universities with strong industry partners.

���This is a key component of the campus��� strategic planning efforts to meet the ongoing workforce demands of the mid-Columbia region,��� he said.

At the conclusion of the fellowship year, Meiers will return to 厙ぴ勛圖 and work with the campus and WSU system leadership teams on implementing an academic cooperative program that integrates practical work experiences while attending school.

���I am most excited to soak in the opportunity to learn, be challenged and implement a project that could be transformational for students in our community, 厙ぴ勛圖, and the WSU system,��� he said. ���Thank you for the support of Chancellor Sandra Haynes, a fellow ACE Fellow, my great staff and my colleagues across the WSU system for the support.���

Haynes said she nominated Meiers for the fellowship because of his potential to benefit from such an intensive professional development experience.

���I believe developing staff is vital to the type of high-functioning team 厙ぴ勛圖 needs and Chris is ready to take on this type of in-depth learning experience,��� she said.

厙ぴ勛圖 Meiers

Meiers has more than 20 years of experience working in higher education. His administrative roles have included more than 10 years at the University of Kansas Medical Center where he served in many capacities working his way up to the associate vice chancellor and clinical assistant professor level. He also has had administrative roles at Fort Hays State University (Kansas) and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He joined 厙ぴ勛圖 as vice chancellor in 2014. Meiers also currently serves as a region director of NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education association.

View more information about the .

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Regional community members, students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in a feedback session and workshop to identify goals for a new Washington State University Tri-Cities Center for Inclusion and Student Success from noon ��� 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, in Floyd 140.

During the whole event, individuals can drop by to share their thoughts on what inclusion means to them, what they want in an inclusion center, how they want the center to look and function, as well as what resources would allow for the greatest success for students and others who use the center.

At 1 p.m., 厙ぴ勛圖 Chancellor Sandra Haynes will provide a short presentation, which will be followed by remarks by Mary Jo Gonzales, WSU Vice President of Student Affairs, as well as student leaders with the Associated Students of 厙ぴ勛圖.

Lunch will be provided from noon-2:00 p.m. as part of the event.

���After over a year of planning and listening to the campus community, we are very excited to make the center a reality,��� said Chris Meiers, vice chancellor of student affairs. ���This is a great opportunity for both our general and campus communities to provide their feedback for the fall opening and to celebrate this milestone for our campus.���

ASWSUTC Vice President Savanna Kresse said the center will provide an immense resource for students from a variety of backgrounds.

���This is a way for us to grow inclusivity efforts at 厙ぴ勛圖 by having a space for students to authentically be themselves and to ensure that they get the resources they need,��� she said. ���The Inclusion Center also allows students to share and celebrate their diversity as well as connect with others who are both similar and different from themselves.���

The Center for Inclusion and Student Success is set to open in Fall of 2019.

 

Media contacts:

Chris Meiers, 厙ぴ勛圖 vice chancellor for student affairs, 509-372-7381, chris.meiers@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations specialist, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Chris Meiers, 厙ぴ勛圖 vice chancellor of student affairs, was recently elected as the regional director for the Northwest region of the , also known as NASPA.

As regional director, Meiers will lead region V, which encompasses Alaska, British Columbia, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Alberta, Idaho and Nevada. His duties in the role will consist of representing region V on the national board and leading the regional board of directors in professional activities and services. He has been involved with NASPA for more than 20 years in various regional and national appointments.

���It is an honor to be selected to serve a professional organization that has meant so much to me and other professionals,��� Meiers said. ���NASPA is where you find some of the most dedicated professionals in higher education and the work that we do on our campuses has a direct impact on student success, graduation and outcomes for the communities that we serve.���

Meiers will officially start serving as NASPA regional director at NASPA���s annual conference in Los Angeles in March. He will serve in the position for two years.

NASPA is the leading association for the advancement, health and sustainability of the student affairs profession. The organization provides professional development, advocacy and research for 15,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries and eight U.S. territories.

For more information about NASPA, visit .

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Washington State University Tri-Cities will host a variety of diversity and inclusion events in recognition of ���Outober,��� a reframing of October in observance of the 30^th anniversary of National Coming Out Day.

Outober raises awareness of issues pertaining to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer and other underrepresented populations.

���For the past three years, the office of student affairs and the Associated Students of 厙ぴ勛圖 have joined to together to celebrate Outober and to promote visibility and support of our LGBTQ+ students,��� said Katie Banks, 厙ぴ勛圖��� instructor of politics and chair of the WSU President���s Commission for Gender Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation.

Banks said these events present an excellent opportunity to learn more about diverse populations and serve to highlight resources and community that are beneficial for all demographics.

The following events will occur throughout the month of October:

• Raising the Pride Flag
  • 8:45 a.m., Monday, Oct. 8, outside the entrance to Floyd
• Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom (faculty development workshop)
  • 3 p.m. ��� 4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 10, in Floyd 239
• LGBTQ+ 101 and Community Panel
  • 3:30 p.m. ��� 5 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 11, in Student Union Building 120N
• Second Annual (register at )
  • 9 a.m. ��� 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13, in Student Union Building 120
• Using Power and Privilege for the Greater Good (staff and faculty development workshop)
  • 3 p.m. ��� 4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 17, in Floyd 239
• Student Leadership and Diversity: Taking Action on Campus and Beyond (by invitation only)
  • 10 a.m. ��� noon, Saturday, Oct. 20, in Student Union Building 120
• – The ABCs of LBGTQIA+ in the Workplace (by invitation only)
  • 9 a.m. ��� 10 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 31, at the Red Lion Hotel

For more information, contact Banks at 509-372-7119 or k.banks@wsu.edu.

 

Media contacts:

Katherine Banks, 厙ぴ勛圖 instructor of politics, philosophy and public affairs, 509-372-7119, k.banks@wsu.edu

Jordyn Creighton, 厙ぴ勛圖 director of campus student support services, 509-372-7433, jordyn.creighton@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations specialist, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu