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COMMUNITY COVERAGE
Most Pacific Northwesterners know of eight-time GRAMMY nominee Death Cab for Cutie, but you might not know that the band started right here at Western. Nick Harmer and Ben Gibbard met as WWU students, became roommates and started one of the defining indie rock bands of the 21st century.
Joshua Porter, director of Western Washington University’s Sustainability Pathways program, received Thriving Together North Central Washington’s 2026 Heart of Belonging Award. The organization presented the award during its annual summit in Moses Lake on Oct. 23.
In October, the Nooksack Indian Tribe, Lummi Nation, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and the City of Bellingham signed a new Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) establishing shared priorities and a plan for removing barriers that prevent salmon and other fish from moving through local streams.
The Sustainability Engagement Institute is launching a campus-wide donation drive to purchase bulk local organic produce for students facing food insecurity. With the upcoming holidays, our Viking Supported Agriculture Foundation Fund is getting dangerously low.
Beginning in November, many Bellingham Public Library programs for adults and children will transition to the new Bellis Fair Library Multipurpose Room, at space 614 inside Bellis Fair Mall, next door to the Bellis Fair Library Branch. Highlights for the month include a continuation of the Participate in Democracy series for adults, as well as several open house events and programs featuring community partners. Children’s Storytimes at Bellis Fair Library will also move to the Multipurpose Room. Additional children’s programs will be held at the Central Library, including a special Foliage Fiesta Storytime for kids and their families.
From spooky to spectacular, campus was bursting with creativity this year. Check out some of the costumes we spotted on campus Friday — maybe you’ll see yourself (or a friend) in the mix!
WWU will test its Western Alert emergency notification system on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 10:50 a.m.
When two students helped establish the Ethics Bowl at Western Washington University, they weren’t expecting to take home third place in their first quarter as a club.
Please join a special edition of the Whatcom Immigration Summit on Thursday, Nov. 5 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the Viking Union (VU 605) with the theme "Paths Toward Belonging & Safety."
The harsh, cool-toned lights of the stairwell lead into the dim hallway of the basement in Bond Hall. Light seeps under the doors of SciTech’s University Shops, where engineers are hard at work building tools for innovation.
Theo Newcomb, a Western Washington University student and former member of Western’s men’s rowing team, started falling in love with cycling while recovering from a rowing injury.
Arwa Kooli, a Fulbright scholar-in-residence visiting from Tunisia, is spending the school year teaching classes, lecturing and conducting research projects at Western Washington University’s Department of Journalism, Public Relations & Multimedia.
Born and raised in Chandigarh, India — Le Corbusier’s modernist master-planned city — new Assistant Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy Susmita (Sush) Rishi developed an interest in the difference between formal urban planning and informal settlements like those found in nearby Delhi.
November is recognized nationally as Native American Heritage Month, a time to honor and celebrate the history, culture, and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples. At Bellingham Public Library we celebrate this heritage through our commitment to recognizing and supporting Indigenous voices. Our Library staff thoughtfully curates recommendations for reading, listening, and viewing across all ages, offering resources that highlight Native American stories, histories, and perspectives. We invite our community to explore Native American Heritage materials and engage with the rich traditions and contributions of Native American cultures.
The Political Science Association is excited to host a 2026 Midterm Watch Party on Tuesday, November 3 starting at 6:30 pm in Arntzen Hall 004.
PEBB’s annual open enrollment for the 2027 plan year officially began Monday, Oct. 26. Employees are encouraged to review and make any applicable changes or enrollments before Monday, November 23.
Headed to the annual Downtown Trick-or-Treat tomorrow? Make sure to visit us! City staff will be handing out candy at the Central Library, the Lightcatcher, and City Hall Friday, Oct. 30, from 4–6 p.m. There are also more than 100 participating downtown businesses to visit. It’s free and open to all with no registration required — no boo-rocracy here!
Every year, City Council holds budget sessions to help ensure we’re allocating resources responsibly and transparently. On Monday, Nov. 2, City Council will be diving into details of the proposed 2027 budgets for Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Library, and Whatcom Museum. In the evening, they will hold a public hearing about the full 2027 proposed budget. Learn more about how we create our budget and the details of this year’s proposed budget on our budget page .
Arboretum Drive and adjacent trails will close Nov. 2–5 and 9–12 while City Urban Forestry and Washington Conservation Corps crews remove a 1‑acre patch of invasive Siberian elms. These non‑native trees spread aggressively, outcompete native plants, and threaten the Arboretum’s ecological health. Removing the mature patch now will prevent thousands of new seedlings next spring and help protect local biodiversity.
The days are getting shorter as winter approaches, and this Sunday, it’s time to “fall back” again. With the clocks shifting back an hour, evenings will get darker earlier, so it’s especially important to look out for one another on the roads . Whether you’re driving, walking, or biking, stay alert and make visibility a priority. If you’re on foot or on wheels, wear something bright or reflective so drivers can see you. Slowing down and paying attention helps ensure everyone gets home safely.
There’s a lot that goes into making sure Bellingham’s drinking water is clean and safe, and our Water Treatment Plant has once again earned statewide recognition for doing it well. For the 15th consecutive year, the plant has received an award through the Washington State Department of Health’s Treatment Optimization Program . The award recognizes the City’s success in consistently removing tiny particles from drinking water, an important part of the treatment process that helps protect public health.
Arboretum Drive and adjacent trails will close Nov. 2–5 and 9–12 while City Urban Forestry and Washington Conservation Corps crews remove a one‑acre patch of invasive Siberian elms.
Much like Opportunity Council beginning in a small room with just a typewriter, CAZ had its own humble beginnings—this time in a garage with a Subaru. CAZ, “Comfort from A to Z,” was founded in 2010 by Dan Dunne. A former employee of Opportunity Council, Dan took the skills he gained working in our Weatherization program and launched his own business doing energy audits. He joined forces with a friend, James Reider, to expand to insulation services and the company quickly began to grow from there.
Construction for the Western Welcome Center, located at the south end of the academic core of campus, remains on schedule after excellent progress made through the summer and into the fall. Structural steel installation was completed on Sept. 28, and exterior wall framing has begun. Concrete slabs have been poured on all levels.
Sandra Alfers, Professor of German in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures has been awarded the 2026 Goethe-Institut/AATG Certificate of Merit. She is one of only nine educators nationally to be recognized this year.
Five performances only on Mainstage in the Performing Arts Center November 20 through 22.
The Department of Art and Art History invites undergraduate students to participate in the first annual Art History Undergraduate Symposium, which will take place in February 2027 on WWU Bellingham campus.
Artificial intelligence tools can help summarize information, draft content, generate ideas and save time. Many Western employees are already exploring how these tools can support teaching, research and administrative work.
National Geographic’s November 2026 issue features a cover photo of a diver swimming through vivid blue water past a galaxy of crimson Antarctic sea stars. The diver is Dexter Davis, a Western Washington University alumnus.
Groceries are expensive! Join us on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in Red Square to sign up for SNAP/Food Assistance. SNAP is the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that provides free grocery money to individuals who are eligible. We will have DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services) to help students through the entire application process.
When: Monday, Nov. 2, 5 p.m.
In his new book, “Rethinking Social Justice,” WWU Communication Studies Professor Michael Karlberg argues that social justice movements could use an injection of radical imagination.
WWU students who have experienced stalking, sexual assault, intimate partner violence and/or sexual harassment have the option to seek support and/or report to the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance (CRTC). Please note that CRTC is not a confidential resource but is an office that prioritizes your privacy.
Western Washington University was among the recipients of the Zero+ Champions of Sustainability award presented at Lumen Field Oct. 11.
A new book co-authored by Associate Professor of Anthropology Natalie Baloy prepares scholars for the ethical questions they’ll face in community-based research projects.
"Ability Awareness," a PBS program produced, directed, and edited by WWU Studio Art instructor Peter Rand, won the 2026 NETA Public Media Award in the Education category. Rand has produced the program for five years.
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