Mary Rezac

Please Welcome Ryan Smith

I’m pleased to announce the appointment of Ryan Smith as director of the School of Design and Construction. Ryan’s appointment will begin July 1, 2018.

Ryan comes to us from the University of Utah’s College of Architecture and Planning, where he served as associate dean for research and community engagement. In that position, he encouraged the development of research teams, which led to a doubling of grant applications and externally funded projects over the course of three years.

Spring 2018 Update

I want to thank everyone who participated in the VCEA Town Hall meeting last week. I know this time of year is especially hectic, so I appreciate that you took the time to hear the latest updates from around Voiland College.

As we approach the end of the fiscal year, it appears that we will likely achieve the budgetary target given to us by WSU President Schulz. This was achieved, in large part, due to spending restraint and an increase in revenue from enrollment, especially through our new partnership with the INTO program.

Taking Steps to Ensure Student Success

Student success is a major point of pride here at Voiland College. We are all working hard to ensure that every student that enters our classrooms can achieve their utmost through our excellent instruction, guidance, and academic programming.

Each of us has a right to be proud of the many, many things our students have achieved. Year after year, the demand for our programs becomes greater, with more students enrolled and more degrees bestowed by our college than ever before being just a couple of testaments of the progression of our success.

Wednesday: Susmita Bose to Give Distinguished Faculty Address

I am pleased to share that Professor Susmita Bose of the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering has been honored with the Distinguished Faculty Address award, which recognizes WSU faculty members for remarkable accomplishments in research, scholarship and teaching.

Changes to Purchasing, Travel, and Reimbursement

In conversations with VCEA faculty and staff, many of you have brought forward ideas on how Voiland College can improve efficiencies and mitigate our budget situation.

One common theme I have consistently heard is the need for higher level departmental authority as it relates to purchasing, travel, and reimbursement. Having these activities administered at the departmental level allows for more localized budgetary oversight and will expedite this sometimes time-consuming process.

Staffing Changes to VCEA High-Tech Support

As many of you know, Voiland College’s students, staff, and faculty have wide-ranging and divergent demands when it comes to using cutting-edge technology.

To better support our growing high-tech needs, Voiland College is realigning its staff.

Administrative Changes at ESIC

I am pleased to announce that WSU Regents Professor Anjan Bose has accepted the position of Interim Director of the Energy Systems Innovation Center (ESIC), following former director Chen-Ching Liu’s departure to Virginia Tech earlier this year. A search for a permanent director for ESIC is currently underway.