Karen Morse

Western Washington University

President Karen Morse As President of Western Washington University (WWU), Karen Morse has been an integral part of AOD prevention efforts on her campus, within the Bellingham community, and across the State of Washington. She has brought national attention to the issue of high-risk alcohol use, addressing her senior administrative colleagues at national conferences, emphasizing the importance of partnerships to address the issue, and making an appearance on ABC’s Good-Morning America in 1997.

In October 1998, President Morse was instrumental in coordinating "The Presidents’ Initiative," a meeting of Washington State college and university presidents to sign a statement affirming their commitment to alcohol and other drug prevention in their respective communities. The commitment ceremony involved key prevention partners from state government and received national attention.

President Morse’s efforts have also focused on alcohol issue on her own campus. In partnership with the Bellingham Mayor, Morse created a campus and community coalition to address alcohol and other drug abuse, a group in which she remains actively involved.

President Morse’s AOD prevention efforts are varied:

In October 2002 President Morse, and fellow PLG member Susan Resneck Pierce, President of the University of Puget Sound, co-signed a letter to accompany the Washington College Coalition for Substance Abuse Prevention’s Report to Presidents, which provided an overview of the coalition’s statewide initiative to address collegiate substance abuse in Washington, and outlined how presidents and senior administrators can work to support and contribute to this effort.
In March of 1999 Morse delivered a kick-off speech at a coalition-building team training held at WWU. Over one hundred campus and community members throughout the state were in attendance.
President Morse created a Freshman Convocation at WWU, emphasizing positive norms to set standards and expectations for new students
In January 2002, President Morse addressed the Oregon College and Community Coalition. In her speech (Microsoft Word document) she covered several aspects of AOD prevention, including the importance of presidential leadership, developing partnerships, and WWU’s approach.

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