Notices and Announcements

On Saturday, October 10, join us at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU for a special evening of music and reflection with the Palouse Choral Society Chamber Choir, inspired by Jim Hodges’ “Unearthed (a work in progress)”.

From 6:30–7:00 pm, the Chamber Choir, under the direction of Dr. Matthew Myers, will respond to Unearthed through song, performing selections from “US” by Michael Bussewitz-Quarm. “Unearthed”, a monumental bronze cast of an uprooted tree stump, invites us to reflect on loss, renewal, our relationship with the natural world, and what we owe one another. Through the shared experience of music, the Chamber Choir offers an opportunity to pause, listen, and consider what it means to nurture a sense of connection and community.

Come gather with us in the galleries and experience “Unearthed” in a new way. Doors open at 6:10 pm. The performance is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Please RSVP to reserve your spot.

The Palouse Choral Society is dedicated to building connection and belonging on the Palouse through choral music. Its Chamber Choir is an intimate ensemble of select singers focused on complex, small-group choral artistry.

Please RSVP

LOCATION | The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU is located in the Crimson Cube (on Wilson Road across from Martin Stadium and the CUB) on the WSU Pullman campus.

Join the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU for an open house at its Collection Study Center on October 2, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., during WSU Family Weekend. Take a behind-the-scenes look at the museum’s permanent collection and discover how it supports exhibitions, teaching, research, and student experiences on the Pullman campus.

Explore a varied selection of original artworks and media, including paintings, prints, drawings, and ceramics, and talk with museum staff about the care, study, and interpretation of this expansive collection of visual culture. Works on view will also celebrate the legacy of emeritus professor Pat Siler.

Everyone is welcome. The open house takes place concurrently with the Department of Art Open House and Studios, making it an ideal opportunity to explore the creative life of the WSU campus.

Mark your calendar and join us!

Location  | The museum’s Collection Study Center is located in the Department of Art building, room 5092. This building is directly east of the Crimson Cube on Terrell Mall. The address of the Department of Art building is 1615 NE Wilson Road, Pullman, WA 99164

Thank you for the shared leave donations, very appreciated and replacement hip thanks you too. Diane Scott

The spooky season is almost upon us. You know what that means? RUN!!!

When and where? Saturday, October 31. Check-in at 9:30 a.m. and the Run/Walk begins at 10:00 a.m. on the Pullman campus.

Who can run? Anyone! Bring your friends, family, and kids! But for the safety of the volunteers, zombies, and other runners, no animals are allowed at the event.

Why? This 5K run event highlights the significant impact of lifesaving veterinary care. This year, all proceeds raised from the run will go directly to WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s Good Samaritan Fund. WSU veterinary students founded the Good Samaritan Fund in the 1990s to help animals in need of special care whose owners cannot afford treatment. Learn more about the fund: WSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital Good Samaritan Fund.

Visit the event page on WSU events for registration and contact information!

Arts First ThursdaysThursday, October 1, 4:00–7:00 pm, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU

Whether you’re discovering the museum for the first time or returning as a longtime visitor, experience the museum after hours today during Arts First Thursdays, a new evening series bringing our community together through art, creativity, music, and conversation. Galleries remain open until 7:00 pm, with small bites and live music beginning at 5:30 pm. Free and open to all, the evening offers a welcoming way to explore the museum’s exhibitions, connect with friends, and experience art in a lively new setting.

Also today, October 1, extend your evening with the School of Music’s FAS Solstice Wind Quintet, performing from 7:30–9:00 pm in the Kimbrough Music Building. Arts First Thursdays continues from 4:00–7:00 pm on the first Thursday of November 2026 and February, March, and April 2027.

LOCATION | The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU is located in the Crimson Cube (on Wilson Road across from Martin Stadium and the CUB) on the WSU Pullman campus.

Looking for funding opportunities? Discover how to make the most of the Pivot database to find funding tailored to your activities, receive personalized funding alerts, monitor opportunities, identify collaborators and share opportunities with your colleagues. You’ll also gain insight into WSU’s resources and services that support successful proposal development and grant management.

Join the Office of Research via Zoom on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, from 2:00 p.m.– 2:45 p.m.

Please RSVP for the link.

The David G. Pollart Center for Arts and Humanities is organizing its annual First-Generation Graduate Students Seminar Series. The objective of this series is to provide First-Gen grad students and/or First-Gen international grad students (international students who are first in their families to attend college or international students who are first in their families to come to the US to attend college) with a space where they can share the challenges that they are facing in graduate school.

We are planning to meet four times during the Fall semester for two-hour informal discussions with a panel of facilitators. These meetings will take place 4:00-6:00 pm on Friday, October 2, October 9, October 16, and October 23 in the Bundy Reading Room, Avery Hall. We will also provide dinner for all the participants.

Please note that there is NO COST for participating in this series.

To participate, please complete this survey. We welcome you to sign up even if you cannot attend all 4 sessions. For any questions, please reach out at arts.humanities@wsu.edu.

This seminar series is open to all first-gen students at WSU Pullman irrespective of their disciplines. Please share this with your graduate students and colleagues.

Do you know how much you can contribute to your retirement account for 2026? Are you wondering if you are on track for your retirement? Feeling a bit lost on how to invest your funds? Do you need help adjusting your VIP contribution amount for 2026 or preparing for 2027?

TIAA consultant, Eli Jenkins, will be on the Pullman campus Tuesday October 20th and Wednesday October 21st; Tuesday November 3rd and Wednesday November 4th; Tuesday December 1st and Wednesday December 2nd.  This would be a great time to connect and discuss contribution amounts and goals.

For WSURP and VIP participants, Eli can assist you with the following: developing long-term retirement savings strategies; reviewing/adjusting retirement allocations; or learning about TIAA retirement income options and flexibility.

All WSU employees can participate in the VIP (Voluntary Investment Plan) – if you are interested in learning more about this program or saving more for retirement, Eli can provide information about the VIP.

To schedule a meeting please call 1-800-732-8353, or schedule online.

This presentation is the same presentation which was held on September 17, 2026.

Whether retirement is approaching soon or is still part of your long-term planning, you are invited to attend a virtual presentation on PEBB Retiree Insurance, presented by a PEBB retiree benefits representative.

This session is designed to help you understand how retiree insurance fits into your overall retirement planning and what you need to know before you leave employment.

Date: Friday, October 9, 2026
Time: 10:00am – 11:30am (includes time for Q&A)

Zoom link can be found on the HRS Benefits website under Retirement Events & Webinars section on the Retirement Information page.

This presentation will cover:

How to determine if and when you are eligible for PEBB retiree insurance

An overview of the retiree medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans available

Premium costs and how they compare to employee coverage

Enrollment deadlines and key steps you must take at retirement (or in some cases, separate from service)

Common pitfalls and planning tips to help you avoid surprises

This is an especially valuable session for employees considering retirement in the next 1–3 years, but it is also helpful for anyone at any stage of their career. Understanding retiree insurance early allows you to make informed decisions and better plan for your retirement journey.

We encourage you to attend if you would like to be proactive and informed about your future benefits.

Commuting from Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, Uniontown, Colton, or Johnson to work? Tired of driving alone, battling the weather, high parking fees or needing a ride for a couple of weeks?

Our van pool spaces are available for riders Monday through Friday, workdays,  7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The van will drop off and pick up at your office.

Please email karp.packer@wsu.edu (Katherine Packer) if you have any questions or need additional information.

Cougar Health Services is again providing students with lab services on campus and has expanded its point-of-care for respiratory viruses.

As a result of a new contract with Pullman Regional Hospital, students who need to get their blood drawn can do so in CHS’ medical clinic right on campus. Students can be tested for hundreds of different blood conditions, no matter if the order comes from a CHS provider or elsewhere.

No one wants to make extra trips for appointments when they aren’t feeling well, said Sunday Henry, director of CHS’ medical clinic. CHS wanted to make getting blood drawn easier and more accessible.

CHS has also added new equipment that allows students to receive on-the-spot molecular testing for flu A & B, COVID, RSV, and Rhinovirus. It also allows CHS to test for many more throat-related illnesses, including whooping cough, and the results are received during the students’ appointments.

Henry said receiving an accurate and timely diagnosis allows her team to prescribe the correct medication right away, speeding up students’ road to recovery.

Fall Family Weekend is rapidly approaching, October 2-4, 2026, and Washington State University student organizations, departments, and community partners, are encouraged to host events for families and the WSU community.

To be included in the official lineup of activities shared with family members and the community, all events should be submitted online. This webpage outlines what kind of activities will be accepted and provides instructions and links for submissions.

Please allow 2-3 business days for submitted events to be approved and uploaded to the calendar.

Join WSU College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Idaho Sheep Center for a fun and family-friendly farm festival! Explore the center, meet adorable baby lambs, watch live demonstrations, and enjoy a day dedicated to all things sheep. The event will also feature free tastings of lamb dishes prepared by local chefs, while supplies last.

The festival will take place on Saturday, October 10, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at the UI Sheep Center at 950 Farm Road in Moscow, ID. Please see our website for more details.

Questions or comments? Contact Erin.

Hello Cougs!

Fall has begun and so has Apple Harvest. The Horticulture Alliance, aka: HORTA, will be hosting Fruit Sales TODAY at the Cosmic Crisp Harvest Market. Our fruit comes from the WSU Horticulture Center, an apple orchard in Pullman, WA. This orchard is a teaching orchard that has a variety of diverse apples alongside production apples. At this first market, our focus will be on Diversity!

A little about the Hort. Center… back in 2018 the airport needed expansion. This resulted in the removal of the ole Tukey Orchard. Many of our prominent apple varieties are a result of the hard work put in at Tukey for so long. In memorium, we established a 1/3 of a block as the TAD- Tukey Apple Diversity block. The apples we will be featuring this FRIDAY September 25th, 2026 will be from this block! We will be selling mystery apple bags from the TAD selection for $10-$12! For this first market, we will have small Gala by the pound, $4 per pound.

The Horticulture Alliance is extremely excited to announce that caramel apple tailgating will be returning for Saturday gamedays! Starting tomorrow, catch us around the tailgating lot for a regular caramel apple or a caramel apple with toppings (coconut, peanuts, m&ms, and more!) In the mid-morning!

Please join us this Friday at Hollingberry Fieldhouse from 4-6pm for a full Harvest Festival! See the WSU Insider for more information! Remember, cash is easiest!

All the best,

Abba Pike; President of the Horticulture Alliance

Pre-Retirement Informational Sessions: HRS Benefits and TIAA will provide pre-retirement informational sessions, reviewing income options, insurance options, and WSU retirement procedures.

September 29 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

September 30 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Benefits Overview Sessions: HRS Benefits and TIAA are offering benefits overview sessions for employees who are not close to retirement but would like a refresher on their benefits package and savings options.

September 29 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

TIAA’s portion will focus on Sandwich Generations

September 30 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

TIAA’s portion will focus on Career Transitions·

Zoom link can be found on the HRS Benefits website under Retirement Events & Webinars section on the Retirement Information page.

Arts First Thursdays Thursday, October 1, 4:00–7:00 pm, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU

Whether you’re discovering the museum for the first time or returning as a longtime visitor, experience the museum after hours during Arts First Thursdays, a new evening series bringing our community together through art, creativity, music, and conversation. Galleries remain open until 7:00 pm, with small bites and live music beginning at 5:30 pm. Free and open to all, the evening offers a welcoming way to explore the museum’s exhibitions, connect with friends, and experience art in a lively new setting.

On October 1, extend your evening with the School of Music’s FAS Solstice Wind Quintet, performing from 7:30–9:00 pm in the Kimbrough Music Building. Arts First Thursdays continues from 4:00–7:00 pm on the first Thursday of November 2026 and February, March, and April 2027.

LOCATION | The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU is located in the Crimson Cube (on Wilson Road across from Martin Stadium and the CUB) on the WSU Pullman campus.

myWSU will be temporarily unavailable starting at 5 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, for a planned system maintenance by Information Technology Services (ITS).

myWSU is expected to return online by 7 a.m. on September 26, with service to be restored as soon as the maintenance is complete.

If you experience any issues accessing myWSU after this maintenance window, please contact Crimson Service Desk at crimsonservicedesk@wsu.edu or 509-335-4357.

Learn more about this scheduled myWSU service interruption.

Taste of WSU is back, bringing together the flavors, traditions, and Cougar spirit that make Washington State University so special!

Join us Friday, Oct. 2, from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at the Lewis Alumni Centre for an evening of Cougar-inspired food, local beverages, and spirited entertainment. This year’s menu features WSU Beef Sliders, Cougar Gold Mac and Cheese, WSU Honey Korean BBQ Wings, Cilantro Lime Street Tacos, and Cosmic Crisp Hand Pies, each paired with a specially selected beverage.

Enjoy appearances by Butch and the Cougar Marching Band, along with a few special surprises throughout the evening.

This year’s event is proudly presented in partnership with WSU Sigma Iota, a student-led Hospitality Business Management organization. As one of the organization’s largest fundraisers, Taste of WSU supports hands-on learning, industry networking, and professional development opportunities for WSU students.

All ages are welcome! Registration starts at $50 for five food tastings with nonalcoholic beverage pairings; alcoholic beverage pairings are available for guests 21 and over for $70.

Last year’s event sold out, so don’t wait to reserve your spot! Register online and get ready to eat, sip, and celebrate like a Coug!

Grab Your Tickets – https://bit.ly/TasteofWSU2026

Join us for an engaging seminar on Team Science, hosted by the Office of Research, featuring Dr. Hannah Love and Dr. Ellen Fisher of Divergent Science LLC.

• Tuesday, September 29, 2026
• 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Lewis Alumni Centre, Grand Hall, WSU Pullman Campus

Successful research increasingly depends on collaboration across disciplines, institutions, and perspectives. This seminar will explore the principles and practices of Team Science (SciTS), including strategies for building effective collaborations, fostering communication among diverse teams, and advancing complex research initiatives through collective expertise.

Researchers, faculty, and staff interested in effective collaborative research are encouraged to attend.

The event is only in person, and seating is limited. Please RSVP as soon as possible.

Join the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU for an open house at its Collection Study Center on October 2, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., during WSU Family Weekend. Take a behind-the-scenes look at the museum’s permanent collection and discover how it supports exhibitions, teaching, research, and student experiences on the Pullman campus.

Explore a varied selection of original artworks and media, including paintings, prints, drawings, and ceramics, and talk with museum staff about the care, study, and interpretation of this expansive collection of visual culture. Works on view will also celebrate the legacy of emeritus professor Pat Siler.

Everyone is welcome. The open house takes place concurrently with the Department of Art Open House and Studios, making it an ideal opportunity to explore the creative life of the WSU campus.

Mark your calendar and join us!

Location  | The museum’s Collection Study Center is located in the Department of Art building, room 5092. This building is directly east of the Crimson Cube on Terrell Mall. The address of the Department of Art building is 1615 NE Wilson Road, Pullman, WA 99164