President

The Washington State University (WSU) Board of Regents is accepting applications, nominations, and inquiries for the university’s twelfth President.

WSU transforms lives through education, research, and community outreach throughout the state of Washington. It’s a mission that has guided the university since its founding in 1890, and continues to guide us today. In 2025, WSU is celebrating 135 years of delivering life-changing knowledge and discoveries to citizens across the state, region, nation, and world.

The state’s only land-grant research institution and one of two R1 public research universities, WSU provides a world-class education to more than 25,500 students through its five physical campuses and virtual Global Campus. By leveraging this multi-campus structure, the university strives to ensure that higher education is accessible at an affordable cost—a WSU commitment to the state’s citizens. At WSU, the land-grant mission is exemplified through its commitment to providing accessible education, conducting impactful research, and serving communities both locally and globally. 

WSU is one of 146 public and private universities in the United States—out of more than 4,500—singled out for its “very high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university’s research addresses challenges in areas such as food security and sustainable agriculture, community and public health, environmental sciences and energy futures, biomedical, life sciences, and biotechnology, next generation materials and advanced manufacturing, and AI/ML and Robotics.

WSU is a major driver of Washington’s economy, partnering with many of the state’s leading industries, including agriculture, aerospace, health care, software, and construction. The university is responsible for thousands of jobs statewide and generates an annual economic impact of billions of dollars.

Every community in the state is connected to the university. WSU Extension provides critical services in every county in Washington, and on the Colville Reservation. Research stations in key locations support industries, explore solutions to pressing problems, and help educate Washingtonians beyond the classroom.

To be successful, the President will address a number of key opportunities and challenges, listed below and addressed in detail in the Presidential Leadership Profile (available below): 

•    Drive an ambitious vision for WSU, aligning talent and resources to build a team to actualize impact;

•    Advance excellence in research, education, and extension, including partnering with industry, business, and government agencies;

•    Champion WSU’s reputation and rankings as Washington State’s land-grant university, a leading institution on the regional, national, and global scale;

•    Build and improve an effective and efficient systemwide organizational structure;

•    Galvanize efforts around enrollment, morale, budget, and athletics after the challenges of the pandemic years;

•    Steward and increase WSU’s financial resources to ensure organizational sustainability and invest strategically in the university’s future success.

The salary range for this position is $600,000 – $750,000 annually, commensurate with related experience and qualifications. Relocation assistance is available. Performance and retention incentives, as well as other fringe benefits standard in the industry for the position may be offered based on experience and qualifications. In addition, WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life, and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; and deferred compensation and optional supplemental retirement accounts. For a more detailed summary of benefits offered by WSU, please review the summary of benefits for WSU Faculty and Total Compensation. 

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent below. Electronic submission of materials is strongly encouraged.

Applicants may respond to the WSU Voluntary Applicant Demographics Survey here.

Julie Filizetti is leading this search with Carley Davenport, Hayden Lizotte, and Katie Pusecker Kilcawley.

Washington State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action educator and employer. Members of ethnic minorities, women, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veteran, persons of disability and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.