The University District

UDPDA Public Records Information

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0800

To submit a public records request to the University District Public Development Authority (UDPDA) please utilize this form. Alternatively, requests can be emailed to Public Records Officer, info@spokaneudistrict.org, or sent via U.S. mail to UDPDA, 120 N Pine St, Ste 252, Spokane WA 99202.

The UDPDA provides access to public records under the provisions of the Washington State Public Disclosure Act (RCW 42.56) and the UDPDA Public Records Policy. Per RCW 42.56.520 please allow five business days to respond to a records request.

All records maintained by the UDPDA are available for public inspection unless specifically exempted by law. You are entitled to access public records, under reasonable conditions, and copies of those records can be provided upon paying copying costs. In most cases, you do not have to explain why you want the records. However, specific information may be necessary to process your request. The UDPDA may require further information to establish if disclosure would violate certain provisions of law.

The more precisely you can identify the record(s) you seek, the more responsive the UDPDA can be. The UDPDA provides access to existing public records in its possession but is not required to collect information or organize data to create a record not existing at the time of the request. Keep in mind that a question or request for information only is not a request for a record.

2025 University District Board and Committee Meeting Dates

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0800

Advance agendas will be posted approximately 3-4 days before the meeting. Contact info@spokaneudistrict.org if you need a Zoom link for the UDPDA or EAC meetings.

In 2025, the University District Development Association (UDDA) board of directors will meet on February 5, March 5, April 9, May 7, June 4 (retreat), September 3 (annual meeting), and October 1. Meetings (unless otherwise indicated in the agenda) are at the Catalyst Building, 601 E Riverside Ave, Spokane, Room 309.

In 2025, the University District Public Development Authority (UDPDA) board of directors will meet on February 5, March 5, April 9, May 7, June 4, September 3 (annual meeting), and October 1. Meetings (unless otherwise indicated in the agenda) are at the Catalyst Building, 601 E Riverside Ave, Spokane, Room 309.

In 2025 the UDDA/UDPDA Executive Action Committee (EAC) will meet on the following dates at 11:30 AM via Zoom. Please email info@spokaneudistrict.org for virtual link. January 21, February 18, March 18, April 15, May 20, August 19, September 16, and December 9.

University District U-Forward Monthly E-Newsletter Issues

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0800

Below are links to our most recent monthly U-Forward external e-newsletters which we launched in April 2022.

2025 - January, February, March, August

2024 - No issue November and December, October 2024, September 2024, August 2024, July 2024, no issue May or June, April 2024, March 2024, February 2024, January 2024

2023 - No issue December, November 2023, October 2023, September 2023, August 2023, no July issue, June 2023, May 2023, April 2023, March 2023, February 2023, January 2023

2022 - No December issue, November 2022, October 2022, September 2022, August 2022, July 2022, June 2022, May 2022 ,April 2022 (first issue)

Register for Amplifying Women's Voices - Oct. 8th

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0700

Join us for a conversation about practical strategies to level up in your career at Amplifying on October 8th! Use the code EARLY to reserve your seat at https://AmplifyingOct2025.eventbrite.com.

We will talk about the habits that hold you back and move you in your professional path including how to create authentic professional connections, craft an elevator pitch, and claim your achievements. Our incredible panel of female leaders includes Becky Bull Schaefer, Julie Kelsey, Kaylie Lewis, Renee Smock, and Sandra Walker!

We will gather at Steam Plant Rooftop. Doors open for networking at 4:30pm and our panel conversation begins at 5:30pm. Please reach out with any questions. I look forward to seeing you there!

Amplifying Women's Voices is generously supported by:

Premier Sponsor, Marsh McLennan Agency

Gold Sponsor, Idaho Central Credit Union

Location Sponsor, Gonzaga University's School of Leadership Studies

Terrain The Event Oct 3

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0700

Always on the first Friday in October, Terrain is an annual, one-night-only, juried multimedia art and music event celebrating artists in the Spokane area.

Featuring new works by HUNDREDS of artists, and attracting thousands of attendees, it’s a celebration of new energy and fresh ideas from all over the artistic spectrum. From painting to poetry to interactive art and film, we try to showcase a little of everything that’s making the Inland Empire a more vibrant, cultural and beautiful place to live.

2 WAYS TO EXPERIENCE TERRAIN:
Preview Night (ticketed)
OCT 2ND • 6PM - 9PM

Want a more intimate Terrain experience?!
Preview Night allows you to:
Skip the lines
Meet the artists
Buy art first
Support our org!

TICKETS COMING SOON

THE Main event (FREE)
OCT 3RD • 5PM - MIDNIGHT
In addition to visual art you’ll experience:
Full-musical line-up
Literary, dance, and other performances
Food trucks
Photo booth
Thousands of your closest friends

Former NIH Director Francis Collins to Headline Whitworth’s President’s Leadership Forum on Oct. 2

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0700

Whitworth University is honored to welcome distinguished scientist and former director of the National Institutes of Health Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., as the featured speaker for the fall President’s Leadership Forum. His address titled, “The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith and Trust,” the same title as his latest book, will take place at 7 p.m. on Oct. 2 at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, followed by a question-and-answer session with Whitworth President Scott McQuilkin.

Collins is one of the best-known scientists of the current era. He served as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for 12 years under three Presidents. He is known for his discoveries of disease genes, for leading the Human Genome Project, and for championing the harmony of science and faith.

“His visit represents a tremendous opportunity for the Whitworth community and the broader public to engage with one of the most prominent and respected scientific leaders of our time,” Whitworth President Scott McQuilkin says. “Dr. Collins truly embodies the integration of scientific excellence and personal faith, something that aligns perfectly with Whitworth’s mission to educate both mind and heart.”

From 1993-2003, under Collins’ leadership, the Human Genome Project produced a finished sequence of human DNA. Collins then convened other teams to create powerful tools and strategies to advance biological knowledge about humans and improve their health.

Collins was involved in a historic series of research partnerships over the course of his career addressing illnesses like diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Formerly an atheist, Collins became a Christian in his 20s after realizing that perspective did not provide answers to profound questions about the meaning of life and was also inconsistent with observations about the nature of the universe and humankind. He wrote about finding harmony between the scientific and spiritual worldviews in The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief, which spent 20 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list.

In 2007, he founded BioLogos, based on the conclusions he reached about how life, or bios, came about through God’s word, or logos. He served as its president until he was required to resign following his appointment as NIH director. Now retired from NIH, he currently serves that foundation as a senior fellow.

Collins received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Virginia, a doctorate in physical chemistry from Yale University, and a medical degree from The University of North Carolina. He is an elected member of both the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2007 and received the National Medal of Science in 2009. In 2020, he was elected as a Foreign Member of the Royal Society (UK) and was also named the 50th winner of the Templeton Prize, which celebrates scientific and spiritual curiosity.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

About the President’s Leadership Forum:

The Whitworth President’s Leadership Forum draws key national leaders to the Inland Northwest to provide wisdom and insight on a variety of contemporary issues. Speakers have included Liz Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Gen. Colin Powell, journalist Bob Woodward and author Michael Lewis.

About Whitworth University:

Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private, Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Contacts:

Registration Open for Boulevard Race 2025 – Join the Fight Against Cancer Sept 21

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0700

We call the opening of our registration Boulevard Rush and we are thrilled to announce that registration is now open for The Boulevard Race 2025! Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 21, 2025, and join us in downtown Spokane's University District for a memorable 4-mile run or walk dedicated to supporting Community Cancer Fund. This year’s race will have all the COW bells and whistles you can imagine: DJs, Scream Tunnels, Cheer Zones, Post-Race Beer Garden, Race Bead Bling, Donuts, Bag Pipes, Frozen Zone, Bubbles, The Hill, Blazing Fast Elites, The Great PNW shirt and yes . . . more DJs! Time to bring the show!

Date: Sunday, September 21, 2025

Start Time: 10:00 AM

Location: Spokane Falls Blvd Bridge by Gonzaga University

Distance: 4 miles

To REGISTER.

Iron Bridge Kayak Put-In Shoreline Conditional Use Meeting Sept 15

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0700

In partnership with Spokane University District, the Spokane River Forum is moving into the second phase of the Iron Bridge River Gateway Project this fall. Located along the Centennial Trail near the historic Iron Bridge on City of Spokane property, this new proposed river access site will be a welcome addition to the Spokane River Water Trail, loaded with potential for neighbors and visitors alike.

To ensure the vision reflects our community’s needs and aspirations, the Forum is hosting a community meeting on Monday, September 15th at the Central Library downtown in Events A. At this meeting, we will share our proposed design and invite public comment.

Before the meeting, you can also roll up your sleeves and get involved with our friends at Spokane Riverkeeper, who are hosting an Iron Bridge Cleanup on Saturday, September 13th at 10 AM. It’s a great chance to make a difference on the ground and see the site firsthand before our discussion two days later. You can register for the cleanup here.

If you have any questions, contact Spokane River Forum Executive Director Happy Avery at happy.avery@spokaneriver.net or City of Spokane Principal Planner Donna deBit ddebit@spokanecity.org.

NOTICE OF COMMUNITY MEETING

PROPOSED SHORELINE CONDITIONAL USE

MEETING DATE: September 15, 2025 - 5:30pm

LOCATION: Spokane Public Library at 906 W. Main Avenue, Events Room A (enter from Spokane Falls Blvd)

Proposal: New river access

Applicant: Spokane River Forum

Phone: 509-535-7084

Email: happy.avery@spokaneriver.net

FOR INFORMATION CALL PLANNING AT 625-6637

or email ddebit@spokanecity.org

Gonzaga Climate Institute Announces Community Resilience Plans to Prevent Climate-related Illness and Death

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0700

The heat dome that descended on Spokane and the greater Pacific Northwest in the summer of 2021was the sort of catastrophic weather event that will be remembered for generations.

Record-setting temperatures by day — reaching 109 degrees Fahrenheit — and little relief at night combined to cause at least 19 deaths in Spokane County and 157 across the state of Washington, making it the deadliest weather-related incident in state history. Add in Oregon and the number of heat dome-related deaths climbs toward 600 according to a New York Times analysis.

The extreme nature of the heat dome illustrated just how insufficiently prepared many communities are to support their most vulnerable citizens in a crisis, whether it be extreme temperatures or plummeting air quality caused by area wildfires.

Gonzaga’s Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment, established the same year as the heat dome, has put mitigating the risks of extreme weather at the center of its work since its formation. In addition to collecting data and doing research and promoting climate-related conversation and scholarship, the Climate Institute recognized the need for greater coordination in addressing climate-related hazards and two years ago helped form the Spokane Community Resilience Collaborative.

That collaborative, which also includes entities such as the City of Spokane, Avista Utilities and the Spokane Regional Health District, now has released the first drafts of two community resilience plans for public review—one focused on extreme heat, and one on wildfire smoke. Both plans are available to read here.

“Extreme heat and smoke are not just inconveniences, they are deadly,” said Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown. “These new resilience plans will save lives, protect our most vulnerable neighbors, and make Spokane stronger in the face of a changing climate."

These plans are the guiding frameworks for Spokane to effectively prepare for, respond to, and recover from extreme heat and wildfire smoke. They aim to proactively enhance the community’s capacity to protect public health and safety, minimize the impact of heat-related emergencies, and foster overall community resilience. And they are a natural outgrowth of the goals the Spokane Community Resilience Collaborative established upon its formation in 2023.

The group, facilitated by the Gonzaga Climate Institute, is comprised of representatives of organizations in diverse fields such as healthcare, education, government, and nonprofits who use their shared knowledge and expertise to support each other's work and jointly pursue new work to support a Spokane regional community that is prepared for and adaptable to change. The SCRC primarily focuses on resilience to extreme heat and wildfire events and all their interconnected challenges.

Since the collaborative’s formation, it’s established three primary goals:

1. Develop city-wide extreme heat and wildfire smoke action plans for Spokane.

2. Develop a network of climate resilient community buildings with supportive programming and infrastructure throughout Spokane.

3. Create and maintain digital tools that provide educational resources to build household-level resilience to extreme heat and wildfire smoke.

The two new resilience plans mark significant progress for the collaborative.

“The SCRC not only improves communication between Spokane organizations working to build community resilience and safety,” says Dante Jester, chair of the collaborative and climate resilience program manager for the Climate Institute. “We go beyond just communications — to actually plan and implement coordinated group action.”

That action is needed now, perhaps more than ever. Four years after the heat dome, the Spokane area continues to set record high temperatures during the summers, including just last week. And In addition to extreme heat, wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe across the western United States and Canada, leading to worsening air quality even for those far from the actual fires. In Washington state, wildfire smoke has become the largest source of particulate pollution, contributing significantly to deteriorating air quality. Since 2015, the Spokane region has experienced a 353% increase in poor air quality days.

Climate change is expected to further intensify wildfire conditions by driving hotter, drier summers and extending fire seasons, increasing Spokane’s vulnerability to smoke-related health risks. Fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke is especially harmful, as it can penetrate deep into the lungs and exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Populations most at risk include children, older adults, pregnant individuals, and those with preexisting health conditions, along with outdoor workers and economically disadvantaged groups who may have fewer resources to protect themselves from exposure.

“These resilience plans have been created by the Spokane community, for the community, with the belief that different organizations have different abilities, different solutions to contribute, and different levels of responsibility,” says Professor Brian G. Henning, director of the Gonzaga Climate Institute. “To successfully protect our community from future climate-induced events, everyone has an important role to play. In working together and collaborating with partners throughout the region, our community will increasingly be more resilient to our rapidly and dangerously changing climate.”

Read drafts of the Resilience Plans here.

Learn more about the Spokane Community Resilience Collaborative here.

Help the Institute’s Climate Resilience Project do more with a capacity-expanding gift.

Climate Institute Resilience Plans Announcement - Gonzaga University

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0700