The Carl H. Simpson Bridging Fund was established in the memory of Carl Simpson to provide a cash award to a staff or faculty member, or student, who has demonstrated a remarkable ability or innovative approach to bridging some aspect of academic or campus life, in this way bettering the Western community. Its purpose is to recognize and support efforts to create bridges and forge new paths that others may follow and build upon in turn.

The Western Washington University Faculty GUR Group was formed because "faculty tend to focus on their small niches within their disciplines, yet we expect our students to participate in a Liberal Arts education" (Johann Neem, History Department). The group plans to meet during the next academic year to share teaching from their GUR courses, and to solicit other faculty members at Western to join. The original group, founded by Johann Neem from the History Department, includes Pete Stelling, Geology, Grace Wang, Environmental Studies, and Kendra Douglas, Modern & Classical Languages.