To the students, staff, faculty and leadership of Eastern Washington University:

It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter—not out of anger, but from a deep sense of disappointment and sorrow regarding how non-tenure-track Master of Public Health (MPH) faculty in the College of Health Science and Public Health have been treated. Last Thursday, May 1, I learned that despite exceeding expectations in my annual faculty review, my contract as a lecturer in the MPH program would not be renewed. The reason? A decision by the EWU President, Provost and Dean of our college to shift to an all-tenured faculty model.

I understand that as a non-tenure-track faculty member, my role has always been precarious. We serve at the pleasure of the university, without the protections or stability afforded to our tenured colleagues. But it is precisely because of that precarity that we rely on transparency, timely communications and basic professional decency to navigate our careers. None of that was extended to me or, to my knowledge, to my colleagues. Instead, the news was delivered in a single sentence embedded in my performance evaluation, followed by a one-line email from my chair that simply asked, “Did you get your performance evaluation yet?”

Over the past two years, I have given my full effort to support the MPH program, both in and out of the classroom. I worked closely with colleagues to strengthen the curriculum, advise and mentor students and help bring the program through a challenging—and hopefully successful—Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) self-study. We have poured our energy into this effort in good faith, believing we were helping secure the program’s future, and by doing so, that we would have a future with EWU and the MPH program as well. It is profoundly disheartening to realize that the university did not extend that same good faith in return.

What hurts most is the abruptness and lack of humanity in how this decision was communicated. Decisions like this are not made over night. I’m sure that this was months in the making. Had we been informed earlier—had we simply been treated like professionals—we could have planned accordingly, explored job opportunities or taken steps to support each other during this transition. Instead, the silence and suddenness left me, and I’m sure my colleagues, blindsided, especially those who have been with EWU far longer than I have.

I have grown close to many of our students, and it saddens me deeply that I will not be here to see them cross the finish line and earn their MPH. They are the reason we do this work, worked late nights, and committed ourselves beyond what was contractually required. I can only imagine how painful this is for my colleagues who have been with the program for more years than I have, who now face the same uncertainty—some who may be without a safety net.

In my case, I was fortunate. Over the weekend, I was able—through luck and the strength of my professional network—to secure a guaranteed three-year faculty role in community & public health and life sciences. But I know that not everyone will be as fortunate. I worry for my colleagues who remain in limbo, unsure of where to go next or how to support their families if they wish to remain in academia.

To the leadership of EWU, I urge you: in the future, please treat your faculty—tenured or not—with the humanity and professionalism they deserve. Be transparent. Be timely. Recognize the work and contributions of those who have helped sustain programs like the MPH, not only for accreditation purposes but for the sake of your students and the university community.

Eastern Washington University is a place with enormous potential. But to realize that potential, it must be guided not just by strategic plans and faculty models, but by empathy, respect and integrity.

Sincerely,
Dr. Daryl Traylor
Lecturer, Master of Public Health Program
Eastern Washington University (2023–2025)

Open letters submitted by the community do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Easterner, its staff or Eastern Washington University. This letter has not been edited except for AP style.