Opinion: A strong foundation for Idaho State University

Through wars. Through recessions. Through enrollment swings. Through political shifts. Through moments of real uncertainty.

And each time, ISU endured. Not because change did not happen, but because it did, and the institution evolved.

Right now, ISU is navigating another moment of adjustment. Like other public agencies and institutions in Idaho, we are responding to state budget reductions and a changing financial landscape. In recent weeks, there has been discussion in the community, some thoughtful, some speculative, and some simply inaccurate, about what these changes mean for ISU.

Let me be clear.

ISU is not shuttering colleges.

ISU is not abandoning its mission.

ISU is not in crisis.

And, what we have done is not a knee-jerk reaction or without thoughtful deliberation and care.

What we are doing is calculated, strategic, and strengthening our foundation and adapting to the changing landscape unfolding around us.

I am deeply proud of this institution and its community. Over the past several months, faculty and staff engaged in one of the most participatory planning efforts in our history. Hundreds of ideas were submitted. Listening sessions were held. Our students asked how they could help. Difficult questions were addressed while innovative ideas were proffered. We did it the way an institution should…together. From that work, a clear, multi-point strategy emerged: initiate structural redesign, strengthen our academic core, develop operational efficiencies, invest in people and performance, and establish new, diverse revenue streams.

That work has led to restructuring (i.e., merging) some colleges for better collaboration, aligning programs more strategically, consolidating services and adjusting staffing into more efficient organizations. While also developing new revenue opportunities. In the case of our College of Education, its new home as a School of Education within a brand-new college will reemphasize its importance while reinforcing and building new interdisciplinary pathways for students. For our new, stand-alone School of the Arts, they are being given an opportunity to be entrepreneurial, with a goal of providing even greater impact and contributions within the community. Our fundamental research mission is being reinforced following a re-commitment we started a year ago. Many other plans are being implemented to accomplish our goals. ISU is moving forward boldly.

It is true that some members of our Bengal community have been impacted. We do not celebrate job loss. These changes affect colleagues and friends who have contributed their time, talent, and care to Idaho State University, and I recognize the personal impact this can have on them and their families. Many of the eliminated positions we identified were vacant, or the incumbent had already planned to leave by the summer. Yet, some were not, and those decisions were difficult and they affect people who care deeply about ISU. That is not lost on me. With every decision related to job reductions, we made a sincere effort to be equitable in the way we handled job loss across administrators, faculty, and staff.

True fiscal sustainability requires discipline and growth. Or, said another way, efficiency and new revenue generation.

We will continue to pursue opportunities through research innovation, health sciences expansion, entrepreneurial partnerships, and enrollment growth. At the same time, we will examine how we operate. Energy use, facilities scheduling, scholarship models, and administrative practices all deserve careful review so that more resources can be focused directly on students. You will see exciting things happening at ISU - in Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Meridian, and Twin Falls.

These are fluid times. Change happens and will continue to happen. But uncertainty does not mean instability, nor does it mean being institutionally static. What remains constant is our mission and how we respond within the dynamic landscape we operate.

We will not forget our ultimate role within the communities we serve: our students become the nurses who provide care in our hospitals, the pharmacists who serve our communities, the teachers who inspire in our local schools, the engineers and energy researchers who drive innovation, and the first-generation college graduates whose lives are transformed by access to opportunity. Along with fulfilling our academic mission for Idaho’s communities, we also provide athletic competition to cheer for, creative works to entertain, and research to drive economic development.

When ISU is strong, our communities are strong. And, we are strong, moving boldly forward, together, for another 125 years.