2026 PSA Conference and Sandison Lecture

The WWU Political Science Department is excited to host the 31st annual Political Science Association Student Conference on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

The conference will include seven student panels moderated by PLSC faculty.  Scheduled topics include U.S. Public Opinion, Border Security and Transnational Migration, U.S. Political Institutions and Voting Behavior, Comparative Politics and more. The panels will be on the fourth floor of Arntzen Hall from 8:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. 

At 2:30 p.m. there will be a roundtable discussion on "Trump v. U.S. (2024): The Supreme Court's Recent Executive Immunity Ruling," led by Professor Paul Chen and Washington Supreme Court Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis in the Biology Building Room 234.  This promises to be a very engaging discussion.

The final event of the day is the Gordon Sandison Memorial Lecture at 4 pm in Academic West 204.  Our speaker this year is Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta, a descendant of the Pueblo of Laguna, and the first Native American on the Washington State Supreme Court.  Her talk, "Descendant Daughter", will elucidate the impact of the federal government on the lives of indigenous people, present, past, and future and describe how a variety of federal Indian law policies towards tribes have impacted generations of her own family. The lecture will also be available to stream.  

A closing reception at 5 pm in the lobby of Academic West will round out the day and provide an informal opportunity for students, faculty and members of the community to gather, reflect on the conference presentations, and exchange ideas.  

All the events are free and open to the public.  All students, faculty, staff and members of the wider community are welcome to attend.