Vice President for Advancement Named President at Oakland City University
Dear Colleagues, Winona State Vice President for University Advancement Dr. Ron Dempsey has been named the next President of Oakland City University in Oakland City, Indiana. Please join me in congratulating him on this well-deserved recognition. We will soon announce...
Poland, Kashubia, and Winona
As someone who is neither Polish nor Kashubian, I have spent what some might call an inordinate amount of time studying the history, culture and country of Poland. My earliest visits were with the U.S. Department of State, as America assisted Poland in rebuilding its...
The Nature of Free Speech and Responsible Speech
The U.S. Bill of Rights gives all Americans unprecedented freedoms. Here at Winona State University, we support the freedom of speech, press, and assembly of all of our students, and we hope to create an environment where the First Amendment thrives. But our shared...
Recent Posts
Light at the End of the Tunnel
The phrase, “there’s light at the end of the tunnel,” is cliché and overused, but I hope you’ll allow me to employ it here, where it feels particularly relevant. After 20 years in the making, WSU’s pedestrian tunnels project is nearing completion, and I for one am...
Wazoo’s Summer Bucket List
Summertime in Winona has too many outdoor adventure opportunities to list. That didn't stop Wazoo! From hiking the bluffs to "sailing" the Mississippi to a very special picnic, we made the most of summertime in Winona. Just wait until winter break rolls around this...
New Interim Title IX Guidelines
Today the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights released new interim guidelines on how to investigate and adjudicate allegations of campus sexual misconduct under federal law. As of now, it remains unclear what direct implications this announcement...
An Inclusive and Welcoming Community
Today the White House announced that it will terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program, put in place during the Obama Administration, enables undocumented young people—sometimes called “Dreamers,” in reference to the American...
Notes of Success
As I begin my sixth year at Winona State University, I find myself reflecting on what has been done, and what remains to be done. I often feel like a conductor holding a baton in front of the most talented orchestra in the world: I have the honor to encourage some...
Statement on Charlottesville
Please see the message below from Chancellor Malhotra concerning the events in Charlottesville, Va. We share his concern, and extend it to the community in Bloomington, Minn., trying to take stock of the attack on the Mosque there. There is no place in an educational...
Top Ten List: Why the Tunnels are Still Taking so Long
10. Accidentally stumbled on Al Capone’s Vault. 9. Should have given the crew something better to dig with than Chartwell’s discarded spoons. 8. Vice President Scott Ellinghuysen insists on digging every inch himself. 7. Should have taken a left turn at Albuquerque....
Thanks for Supporting Higher Education in Winona
After a long and challenging legislative session and a complex special session, our local legislators have ensured that public higher education in Winona remains well-supported. Senator Jeremy Miller and Representative Gene Pelowski both played critical roles in the...
Celebrating the Achievements of Our Students
On Friday roughly 1,200 Winona State University students crossed the stage in McCown Gymnasium, shook hands with their Dean, moved their mortarboard tassels to the left, and joined the ranks of college graduates. At one point in the ceremony, I asked those who were...
Little-Known Commencement Facts
University Mace contains water cannon in case the crowd gets unruly. To date, zero complaints that “there just weren’t enough speeches.” Presidential Medallion contains unknown material recovered from Area 51. Provost keeps a car running in the Gold Lot in case...