Washington Universities
Jointly Establish the
Ruckelshaus Center
Long an advocate for cooperation and collaboration, Ruckelhaus was the first and fifth director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, deputy U.S. attorney general, and acting director of the FBI. He was also a senior vice president at Weyerhaeuser and chairman and CEO of Browning Ferris Industries. He is currently a strategic director at Madrona Venture Partners and has led regional efforts to save salmon.
The Center combines two research universities for statewide reach and is located at both the UW Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs and WSU Extension. According to President Rawlins of WSU, "By combining our institutional strengths through the center, and with the assistance of Bill and the center advisory board, we can make a real difference. The center will create a bridge among the universities, community leaders and policy makers, bringing a neutral forum, knowledge and other tools to forge solutions."
Ruckelshaus said this is one more way that the universities can benefit the state. "By working directly with the people who are affected, the expertise and neutrality of the universities can fly below the political radar to help find a win-win solution," he said. "Particularly on issues that generate political polarization, an honest-broker institution like this center can call on many kinds of expertise to fill gaps in our ability to address issues that affect our future."
The active advisory board is raising funds to support the Center, and includes leaders from business, labor, environment, agriculture, non-profits, law, and officials of tribal, state and local governments. The university presidents, host deans, and several regents are also members.
Former Governor and U.S. Senator Dan Evans, who has helped in the formation of the center, said: "We live in an increasingly shrill and competitive world. Progress is thwarted by conflict. The Ruckelshaus Center gives Washington an alternative, a chance to reach consensus through calm, rational decision making."
For more information about the Center, visit their website.