APPROVED Minutes April 04, 2019
Western Washington University
Board of Trustees
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, April 04, 2019

1. CALL TO ORDER
Board Chair Earl Overstreet, called the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of Western
Washington University to order at 3:21 p.m. in the Viking Union 565 in Bellingham, WA.
Board of Trustees
Earl Overstreet, Chair
Chase Franklin, Vice Chair
John Meyer, Secretary
Citlaly Ramirez
Faith Pettis
Karen Lee
Mo West

Western Washington University
Sabah Randhawa, President
Brent Carbajal, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Richard Van Den Hul, Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs
Donna Gibbs, Vice President for University Relations and Marketing
McNeel Jantzen, Faculty Senate President
Paul Cocke, Director of University Communications
Paul Dunn, Chief of Staff to the President, Secretary to the Board of Trustees
Barbara Sandoval, Senior Executive Assistant to the President
Rayne Rambo, Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees

2. WELCOME CEREMONY FOR WWU EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN
INDIAN/ALASKA NATIVE AND FIRST NATIONS RELATIONS AND TRIBAL LIAISON
LAURAL BALLEW
The Board of Trustees of Western Washington University were joined by distinguished guests
from the sovereign nations of Whatcom and Skagit Counties to present Laural Ballew, Executive
Director of American Indian/Alaska Native and First Nations Relations and Tribal Liaison to the
trustees and the campus community. Chair Overstreet highlighted that the purpose of the
events were to recognize and celebrate a historic moment in the history of Western Washington
University, and the beginning of a new era of partnership between Western and the Native
peoples of the Salish Sea, Washington State, and the Pacific Northwest.
Board Chair Overstreet acknowledged that Western Washington University is situated on the
ancestral lands of the Coast Salish Peoples, who have lived in the Salish Sea basin.
Throughout the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades watershed from time immemorial.

APPROVED Minutes April 04, 2019
He noted that Western has an educational presence not only in Bellingham, but throughout the
Puget Sound and Central Salish Sea. He and the trustees expressed their deepest respect and
gratitude for Western’s indigenous neighbors, and for their enduring care and protection of our
shared lands and watershed.
Bernie Thomas, Education Director for the Lummi Nation, two-time alumnus of Western, and cofounder of Western’s Native American Student Union was joined by the Lummi Blackhawk
Singers, tribal representatives and the American Indian/Alaska Native and First Nations
Relations, students from the Native American Student Union, and the Tribal Liaison Search
Committee in a welcoming ceremony for Laural Ballew and a blanketing ceremony for the
trustees.
Board Chair Overstreet expressed appreciation on behalf of the trustees for the gift of the tribal
blankets and the warm embrace of friendship and common mission they represent. He added
that the Board of Trustees look forward to working in partnership support the success of Native
students at Western, and to building stronger ties of partnership with Native communities
throughout the Pacific Northwest. He thanked everyone for attending and for sharing their
thoughts, experiences, and hopes for the future. Chair Overstreet asked Trustee West to read
the resolution and make the motion.

RESOLUTION NO. 2019-01
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF
WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Recognizing the Western Washington University Office of American Indian/Alaska Native
and First Nation Relations
WHEREAS, Western Washington University exists on the ancestral homelands of the Coast Salish
Peoples, who have lived in the Salish Sea basin, throughout the San Juan Islands and the North
Cascades watershed, from time immemorial; and
WHEREAS, Western’s strategic plan articulates a commitment to pursuing justice and equity in its
policies, practices and impacts, and to advancing a deeper understanding of, and engagement with
place; and
WHEREAS, Western is committed to building and sustaining mutually beneficial relationships with
the Coast Salish Peoples, the twenty-nine federally recognized tribes and sovereign Indian nations
in Washington State, and First Nations governments throughout the Salish Sea basin, applying
Western’s strengths to serve the current and future needs of these communities, and valuing their
partnership in the sustainable stewardship of our shared home and its natural resources; and
WHEREAS, Western is committed to advancing the academic, personal, and professional success
of its indigenous students, faculty, and staff, and to creating a more inclusive campus that supports
the unique experiences, cultures, and ways of knowing of Native individuals and communities; and
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of Western Washington
University affirms and formally recognizes the historic importance of the creation of the Office of
American Indian/Alaska Native and First Nation Relations, and extends a warm welcome to

APPROVED Minutes April 04, 2019
LAURAL BALLEW as the inaugural Executive Director of the Office and Tribal Relations Liaison to
the President.

MOTION 04-01-2019

The motion passed.

Trustee West moved, that the Board of Trustees of Western
Washington University approve Resolution 2019-01 recognizing
the Western Washington University Office of American
Indian/Alaska Native and First Nations Relations