One WSU—WSU System Operating Principles

In a world defined equally by tremendous opportunities and rapid change, the vision of the Washington State University system is built on the foundational purposes of the land-grant university: to provide education to all, to conduct scholarly inquiry that benefits society, and to share expertise that boosts the lives of individuals and communities.

The WSU system’s focus on academic excellence for the public good goes hand-in-hand with the University’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It is central to the institution’s mission that each member of the community has full opportunity to thrive.

The principles that follow establish an overarching philosophy that unites the WSU system and provides clarity and consistency for guiding the institution’s day-to-day actions. Some of the principles currently are operative while others are aspirational. The principles are specific enough to be meaningful, yet broad enough to remain relevant in an evolving environment. Adopted and practiced consistently across the WSU system, the principles will enable the University to act on its core ideology and progress toward its envisioned future.

One WSU

WSU delivers its educational, research, and outreach benefits statewide through its campuses and other locations statewide, including Pullman, Everett, Seattle, Spokane, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, Yakima, and Bremerton. In addition, the WSU Global Campus delivers academic programming worldwide in a virtual environment. The University focuses on critical problems and issues affecting the state of Washington, partnering with stakeholders to discuss and develop solutions. WSU sustains and enhances community-campus relationships in all locations.

One Degree

The quality of a Washington State University degree will be the same at all campuses throughout the statewide system.  All graduates earn a WSU diploma with no campus designation.

One Faculty

All faculty, regardless of rank or appointment, are committed to the same standard of academic excellence across the system. The standards for faculty career advancement are fundamentally shared at all WSU campuses, ensuring a consistent level of educational experience and interdisciplinary scholarly quality and productivity system-wide.

Shared Accountability

WSU vice presidents, chancellors, and deans and their leadership teams each have unique and connected leadership roles that may encompass campus, college, unit responsibilities, as well as WSU system responsibilities, and are collectively accountable for the success of the institution and the system.

Operational Excellence

WSU operates an efficient and effective organizational structure, characterized by system-wide operational and management processes that support and promote innovation, stewardship, entrepreneurship, and responsible risk taking. WSU core services, compliance, educational, executive, and business policies ensure organizational efficiency and effectiveness across the system.

Fiscal Stewardship

WSU’s system-wide budget model supports student success and academic excellence in alignment with the University’s system strategic plan and the institution’s shared mission and purpose. All WSU campuses, colleges, and other units operate within their authorized budgets, and are responsible for achieving fiscal, enrollment, and operating goals, as well as developing new sources of revenue that will fund future investments.

Data-informed Decision-making

WSU proactively uses data in decision-making to enhance administrative efficiency and strategic leadership across the system. Strategic priorities, environmental sustainability, financial sustainability, resource allocations, transparency, and predictability are all based on data-informed performance indicators and metrics.

Community Partnerships

WSU seeks out and embraces opportunities to partner with external stakeholders in an effort to solve the critical problems and issues that face the state of Washington and its residents. The University also encourages the development of entrepreneurial activities that lead to creative, solutions-oriented partnerships. WSU sustains and enhances community-university relations statewide.