CWU hires new provost and executive VP for academic affairs

ELLENSBURG — Central Washington University has hired a new Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.

After a nationwide search that began last fall, Dr. Patrick Pease was hired last week. He comes to CWU from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), where he has served as the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs since 2017.

“We are overjoyed to welcome Patrick to the Wildcat family, and we are eagerly anticipating his arrival in Ellensburg in April,” CWU President Jim Wohlpart said. “We look forward to working alongside Patrick as we build toward an increasingly bright future at Central Washington University.”

Pease will start April 16, replacing Kurt Kirstein, who will return to his role of Associate Provost after leading the Academic Affairs division since October 2023 on an interim basis.   

“I am thrilled and deeply honored by the opportunity to serve the vibrant, devoted CWU community,” Pease said. “I want to thank the search committee, and everyone who participated, for a wonderful experience that showed what an outstanding community we have. I also want to thank Kurt and the Academic Affairs leadership for their commitment to positioning CWU for a great future.” 

Pease joined UNI in 2006 as an associate professor and department head of geography and was promoted to full professor in 2014. He was later named interim Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences in 2016.

He served as dean of the UNI Graduate College from 2017-18 and assumed his current role in July 2017. His primary responsibilities center around advancing the university’s vision, mission, values, and strategic plan as it relates to academic programs, departments, and curriculum. 

Before becoming a member of the UNI faculty, Pease was an associate professor and assistant professor of geography at East Carolina University from 1998-2006. He has authored and co-authored more than 25 published studies since 1992 and has secured more than $1 million in grant funding for his research.

He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geology from Indiana State University and earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Geography from Texas A&M University.

Pease said he felt a positive connection to the CWU community when he visited last month, and he plans to hit the ground running in mid-April.

“During my visit, I witnessed CWU’s welcoming spirit and commitment to excellence, and I am genuinely excited to be a part of your journey,” he said.