This week many Vandals gathered in our state’s largest city for what’s known as “Higher Education Week.” The University of Idaho had an opportunity to present to the Idaho Legislature’s Joint-Finance and Appropriations Committee, as well as the House and Senate education committees. The message I’m sharing is simple: As our state’s public, land-grant research university, U of I is excelling in its mission to serve students, conduct innovative research and scholarship, and connect with our communities. We are well-positioned to continue our success. Gov. Brad Little set a positive tone for the week on Monday when he said, “A well-educated and well-trained population improves our overall prosperity as a state.” He also said, “I can tell you, unequivocally, a strong public education system attracts investment in new and existing businesses of all sizes. We all benefit from a strong economy.” At U of I, we believe higher education has an important role in promoting that broad-based prosperity. The Governor’s Opportunity Scholarship investment recommendation – an additional $7 million, or 50 percent increase, for this need- and merit-based scholarship program – offers a chance to promote higher education participation and address our state’s “go-on” challenges. In FY 2018, some 1,780 applicants were eligible for Opportunity Scholarship support but did not receive it due to funding limitations. Too many, we think, may have decided that college was unaffordable. We know that cost is a critical difference-maker for families considering college. And we believe it is so important to bring students to postsecondary education, in fact, that we are telling 500 qualified students that we believe they will be eligible for an Opportunity Scholarship Award. We’re willing to backstop that commitment with internal funds should they be necessary. We will put our money where our mouth is, as the saying goes. It is too important to our students and our state to do anything less. During legislative budget-making, a number of agencies that are a part of U of I or closely connected to us also have the opportunity to share information about their programs. Our Agricultural Research and Extension Service, in our College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, fosters valuable research and educational opportunities, for instance at our new Rinker Rock Creek Ranch where we seek to understand the effect of grazing on rangeland. Our Forest Utilization Research program, the Idaho Geological Survey, Idaho WWAMI Medical Education Program and WIMU Veterinary-Medicine partnership also provide important research, services and educational experiences. As I advocate for the university, I often point to the example of our alumni. Their success is the best possible ambassador for University of Idaho excellence. I enjoyed honoring our alumni at the Ada County Silver and Gold Celebration dinner last night. Each of our honorees, and in fact the whole group of Vandal friends and family, exemplify talent, hard work, and passion for service and involvement. Next week we’ll have a special anniversary – 130 years since the University of Idaho’s founding. But we are not stuck in the past. We are forward-looking, intent on growing, learning and innovating. The future is very bright for Idaho’s public, land-grant research university. | | Go Vandals! Chuck Staben President | | | | I was joined by a great team in Boise, including Provost and Executive Vice President John Wiencek, Vice President for Finance and Administration Brian Foisy, Vice President for Advancement Mary Kay McFadden, and Special Assistant Joe Stegner. We're proud to represent the Vandal Family! | | U of I Joins Effort Addressing Retention and Graduation The University of Idaho has joined 129 other public universities in a new, collaborative initiative to enhance student success: Powered by Publics: Scaling Student Success. Sponsored by the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, the initiative addresses college access, retention and graduation rates. Universities are clustered into smaller groups to more quickly implement best practices for student success. Addressing the retention and graduation rate of Idaho’s students is as important as the current statewide initiative to improve the rate at which students go on to higher education. | | LCSC and U of I Collaborate on Accelerated Law Degree Program Lewis-Clark State College students who want to pursue a law degree and are accepted into the University of Idaho College of Law will now have a quicker path to earn that degree thanks to a transfer articulation agreement between the two schools. LCSC students will have an opportunity to take part in the U of I College of Law’s 3+3 Program under the new agreement. That program allows undergraduate students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a juris doctor in six years instead of seven. Upon completion of an LCSC student’s third year of undergraduate study in the pre-law interdisciplinary degree program, that student can begin their first year of the law degree program at the U of I College of Law — simultaneously fulfilling their last year of undergraduate studies and completing their first year of law school. The agreement, which went into effect Jan. 7, 2019, includes a course-to-course transfer equivalency guide, which will allow a seamless transfer of credits from the U of I College of Law to LCSC. | | Study Shows Economic Boost from Eastern Idaho Reactor Plan Construction of an electric power generation facility in eastern Idaho that would utilize a group of small modular reactors could significantly boost the regional and state economies and increase U.S. carbon-free energy development, according to an economic impact study completed by the University of Idaho and Boise State University. The study looks at the economic impact of a 720-megawatt power facility using 12 small modular nuclear reactors at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site in southeast Idaho during the project’s four-year construction, as well as the ongoing impacts over its 40-year operations period. The Idaho Policy Institute at Boise State and the James A. and Louise McClure Center for Public Policy Research at U of I completed the study at the request of economic development and industry groups. It notes the project would complement research activities at INL and enhance nuclear energy-related research and development in Idaho. | | | | |