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May 28, 2026
Dear Students,
As we conclude the academic year, I want to begin with gratitude. Each day you bring Gonzaga’s Mission to life through your care for each other, commitment to your studies, and ongoing dedication to making Gonzaga better.
While there was much to celebrate this year, there were also some deeply troubling moments, including incidents of racism, bias, and hateful expression. Any form of discrimination or harassment is unacceptable. It is only through the collective work of our entire Gonzaga community that we can create meaningful, long-term change that strengthens safety, belonging, dignity, and care across our University.
Advancing Inclusion and Belonging as Institutional Work
At a Jesuit university, inclusion and belonging are inseparable from our Mission and we are all called to do this work together.
Therefore, beginning in June, the Office of Inclusive Excellence is being added to the Office of Mission Integration, strengthening its work within our broader Mission-centered framework. Additionally, Title IX and harassment and discrimination functions will move into a new internal audit and compliance department that will strengthen reporting and investigation.
This decision was informed by ongoing institutional discernment and extensive work with Interim Provost Mia Bertagnolli and Vice Provost for Student Affairs Kent Porterfield. It acknowledges the work of the Presidential Task Force on Accompaniment, Safety, and Belonging, as well as insights gathered through engagement with the Black Student Union and listening sessions held with students representing the Unity Alliance of Cultural Clubs. Students consistently expressed the need for stronger institutional coordination, greater transparency, clearer systems of accountability, and deeper belonging across all areas of the student experience. We are grateful to the students for sharing their lived experiences, concerns, and hopes for Gonzaga’s future.
This realignment is intended to ground inclusion and belonging work more deeply in our Catholic, Jesuit identity and reinforce that this work cannot live within one office alone. These values must be coordinated and sustained, with accountability shared collectively across the University. Beyond this change, I am calling for a more comprehensive approach that engages all members of the University to embed a culture of inclusivity and belonging reflected not only in programs and statements, but in our classrooms, policies, and practices.
Two groups will help lead this work:
- The Presidential Task Force on Accompaniment, Safety, and Belonging, established this spring, is already working to address immediate needs, support students, and identify gaps in how we respond to bias and harm. Its work is directly related to student input, and is focused on building, over time, a sustainable culture of belonging. You can review progress on the Task Force website.
- An Academic and Administrative Affairs Council (AAAC) is being formed to strengthen alignment between academic and administrative efforts and support those educating our students. The AAAC will partner with the Cabinet and me to monitor progress on inclusion and belonging work across divisions, identify opportunities, and ensure accountability.
The following individuals will be contributing in important ways:
- Dr. Yoli Gallardo will continue to serve as Dean of Gonzaga University School of Education while taking on the role of Special Advisor to the President and co-chair of the AAAC.
- Dr. Nick Wright will continue to serve as Assistant Vice President of Diversity, now within the Office of Mission Integration. He will also serve as Special Advisor to the President and co-chair the AAAC.
- Dr. Brice Yates will continue to serve as Director of Harassment & Discrimination Prevention as well as Title IX Coordinator, within a reconfigured audit and compliance function.
Strengthening Our Organization
Across the country, institutions like ours are navigating rising costs, demographic shifts, and increasing pressure to demonstrate the value and impact of higher education. Many are struggling; some are even closing. Gonzaga will not be one of them. We recognize the need to adapt and remain committed to our Mission. I am undertaking these changes to ensure Gonzaga more effectively advances its Catholic, Jesuit Mission while responding decisively to the evolving challenges facing higher education.
Accordingly, I am restructuring my administration to create a more coordinated and accountable organization. Gonzaga is forming a unified University Relations division to strengthen Gonzaga’s institutional voice; consolidating finance, infrastructure and IT to improve strategic planning; and centralizing audit, compliance, civil rights, and public safety functions to create a more transparent, consistent, and responsive experience for addressing student concerns. You can learn more about the details of these changes in this message to faculty and staff.
I am deeply grateful for the dedication of our students and their partnership in this important work, and I sincerely appreciate your continued support as we move forward together. I hope that you enjoy a restorative and meaningful summer.
With gratitude,
Katia Passerini, Ph.D.
President, Gonzaga University