Board of Trustees Chair James Bolger's April 23 remarks

WMU Board of Trustees April 23, 2020, meeting: Chair James Bolger's opening remarks

I’d like to take a moment to remember all members of our Bronco family who have been impacted by the pandemic, as well as those fellow Broncos who are on the frontlines fighting this disease.

Please join the board in a moment of silence in remembrance for those suffering and gratitude for those serving.

So much has transpired since our last board meeting. COVID-19 has transformed our University and our world. But, undaunted, our faculty, staff and students have been generous and very engaged in their response.

On behalf of the board, I would like to express our appreciation for how all of you have responded to this global health crisis. There is so much to be thankful for:  
 
•    We thank our faculty for the extremely hard work they did to move their courses into distance education platforms.

•    We thank our students for making the transition to remote learning, many doing so for the first time.

•    We thank our staff who continue to work from home, those who are working on campus and practicing social distancing, and those who are doing their part by staying home and staying safe.

•    We thank President Montgomery and his cabinet for their leadership in positively address the fast-changing environment that the pandemic created.  
 
Your board understands that while the immediate focus has rightfully been on caring for and supporting the most urgent needs of the campus community, our long-term fiduciary responsibility is to ensure Western’s ability to provide appropriate educational opportunities for current and future generations of Broncos. We take our Constitutional responsibilities very seriously so that WMU remains resilient, relevant and ready to successfully navigate the very turbulent and uncharted future that lies ahead for everyone here at Western and for all of higher education.

This is not going to be easy. There is no simple fix to the long-term issues that are confronting our educational institutions, however, the board totally supports and is extremely confident that President Montgomery and his Universitywide team will effectively navigate through this difficult period and will ensure that Western emerges stronger than ever.

Finally, I want to thank my fellow board members for their dedicated guidance, support and counsel during this time.  

We will get through this together and be stronger on the other side … Stay well and stay healthy.