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As
the bus pulled into the cool October morning mist in Puyallup, Jim
Kropf took the microphone to inform the passengers, "We're going
to have a lot of presentations during the day." He wasn't kidding.
The director of cooperative extension's Northwest District had a
cram-packed two-day tour of his district arranged for Washington
State University provost Robert Bates and more than thirty other
university leaders from across the state.
For the next 36 hours participants were immersed in learning about
WSU programs in the eight counties of the Northwest District, plus
a couple of neighboring Southwest District counties. Not only were
there presentations during the stops at the learning centers, the
Puyallup Research and Extension Center and cooperative extension
offices, but the time on the bus was filled with presentations and
information as well.
This was the second in the series of provost's tours de l'etat (tours
of the state). When Provost Bates came to WSU from Virginia Tech
a little more than a year ago, he expressed the desire to personally
see WSU programs in action across the state, and the concept for
the provost's tour was born. It started last spring with a tour
of the Southeast District.
The
third leg of the provost's tour de l'etat hits the road June 17,
this time visiting WSU facilities throughout cooperative exten-sion's
Northeast District. Once again, a busy and informative agenda is
in the planning.
During
the Northwest District tour, participants heard not only from WSU
faculty and staff but also from volunteers, program participants,
and community leaders about the value of WSU programs to their communities.
At
WSU's Salishan Learning Center in Tacoma, Pierce County community
services director Tom Hilyard emphasized the importance of community
partnerships with WSU.
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The historic Whidbey Island lighthouse, home of the Island County Cooperative Extension office, provides the backdrop for a group photo of participants in the
Provost's Fall
2002 tour de l'etat.
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"One of the values of having a connection with WSU is the opportunity
for an exchange about what it takes to make a healthy community,
what it takes to help young people grow and develop and become ready
to take their place in society and life," Hilyard said.
Bates acknowledged the challenge for staff of feeling connected
when university outreach and programs are spread across a 68,000
square mile state.
"We
understand how isolated you feel sometimes, and I want you to know
that we know you are here," Bates told faculty and staff at each
stop. "It really helps me to see you as individuals and to see the
programs that connect us together and make us the world-class institution
we are๓and truly face to face."
Denny
Fleenor,
Information Department
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