President's Updates

Today, June 19, Seattle University joins other communities nationwide in observing Juneteenth. Juneteenth.

On May 10, 2023, the Spectator – Seattle University’s student newspaper – published an unfortunate and one-sided story that neither presented differing faculty viewpoints as it relates to proposed language regarding Seattle University’s Jesuit and Catholic character.

Yesterday afternoon, the Chapel of St. Ignatius was the target of an act of vandalism. Several items of furniture – as well as elements of the Chapel’s religious inscriptions – were defaced in the process. 

It is with great sadness that I must address the recent act of anti-Semitic vandalism that occurred on Temple de Hirsch Sinai.

I am pleased to share that Doug Baldwin Jr. will speak at our undergraduate ceremony and Viet Thanh Nguyen, PhD will speak at the graduate ceremony. Both will receive honorary doctorates. 

On more than one occasion since I have arrived at Seattle University, I have received requests that I—or that Seattle University—issue a statement. I thought it would be helpful for me, as a still relatively new president, to engage the community to explain my approach.