UW Comotion Labs has announced 8 new startups that will be joining their newest climate cohort!

Read GeekWire’s for more details.

Check out Seattle Time’s for additional photos or watch this youtube for a recap of the night!

Cherry blossom season is closely approaching with the expected peak bloom around March 20th.

Check out UW’s official cherry blossom website to plan your visit to campus. Don’t miss the annual on the AVE; U District businesses will celebrate the spring bloom by offering cherry blossomed themed foods, drinks, and goodies!

Share your UW cherry blossom pictures and posts by using #UWcherryblossoms!

Announced last Friday, the UW Botanical Gardens and the Arboretum Foundation will unite under a single nonprofit organization, Seattle Botanic Gardens. This agreement was approved by the Arboretum Foundation Board and UW Board of Regents to manage and preserve the UW’s collection.

Check out UW News’ article for full details.

On October 21, President Jones toured the Ave with U District Partnership (UDP) staff to learn more about their work and meet local business owners. UDP is a non-profit that provides daily cleaning, graffiti removal, social services, advocacy and special events for the U District. President Jones made stops at the University Bookstore, Shiga’s Imports, Sweet Alchemy and Boba Up.聽

Check out UDP’s for additional photos and details.

This program鈥攃alled the University Housing Assistance Program or UHAP鈥攊s intended to support UW recruitment and retention efforts. Program participants are nominated by their dean/chancellor and selected by the provost.聽Through a second-mortgage loan, eligible borrowers can receive up to 10% of the home鈥檚 sale price (or $90,000, whichever is less) which reduces the amount of cash needed for a down payment.

For more information, including eligibility criteria, please contact your current or prospective dean鈥檚/chancellor鈥檚 office.

The University begins a new academic year on September 28 and welcomes more than 7,200 new students to campus this year, one of the biggest incoming classes in UW history.

In addition to and related to the start of the academic year:

• Nearly 500 different聽 events will welcome students back over the next couple of weeks, including the on September 28 and a on October 1 in the U District.
• Football season is underway and home games will impact traffic. Plan in advance by checking the or general . Take note especially of the Friday, November 4, 7:30 p.m. game.
• Lectures, concerts, and performances are returning to campus and the . Check listings through the or general campus calendar.

Happy autumn and Go Dawgs!

• Ambassador Program: The UDP contracts with a private security firm to provide a mixture of security presence, visitor assistance and social service referrals along the Ave. Ambassadors patrol the Ave and area around Light Rail seven days per week. They also work closely with UDP鈥檚 REACH social worker to coordinate help for unhoused people in the area.
• Neighbors with Multiple Needs: In partnership with the Mayor鈥檚 Office, City Attorney, Public Defender鈥檚 Association, REACH, LEAD and others, the UDP is creating 鈥渃are plans鈥� for unhoused neighbors to connect them with services needed to stabilize their lives. These could include help with daily medications, housing or other social services depending on their needs.
• Cherry Blossom Festival: The UDP organized 34 businesses to offer cherry-related food and drink specials to celebrate the blossoms. The UW supported this with web links and signage directing people to businesses on the Ave. More than 20,000 people visited the festival website, and 800 people scanned the QR Code on signs in the Quad. Several local businesses reported dramatic sales increases – one reporting a 700% increase in one day. Other businesses sold out of food or had lines of people before they even opened.
• Tree Lighting: The UDP added year-round tree lighting along the Ave and 43rd to create a safer and more welcoming environment at night. The new lights have changed the atmosphere of the area and contribute to a sense of revitalization. The UDP is planning to expand the lights to 45th and up the Ave.
• Broken Windows Fund: A broken window can be very expensive to replace and merchants in the U District have struggled to fix them. The UDP recently created a fund to grant up to $1,000 for window replacement and fa莽ade repair. They are also connecting businesses with contractors who can do the work quickly and reliably.
• Street Fair 2022: After a two-year pause for the pandemic, this popular festival along the Ave returns on May 21-22. The UDP will place special emphasis this year on creating opportunities for restaurants and merchants from the Ave to have a presence at the fair.

Anticipated to open in late 2023, the building will care for patients in a noninstitutional setting and train the next generation of behavioral health providers. To learn how this facility will serve both the patient and provider communities and the efforts leading up to the groundbreaking, see the coverage by and the .