Eye On Boise

Third UI prez finalist withdraws

March 30, 2009 4:03 p.m. • 7 comments

A third finalist for president of the University of Idaho, Dr. David Dooley, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Montana State, has withdrawn his name from consideration, leaving just two of the original five finalists in the running. The two: UI College of Law Dean Don Burnett, and former Colorado State University President Larry Penley. Dooley said he withdrew after “a series of cordial, candid and informative discussions” between him and the state Board of Education led to a mutual agreement “that our distinct visions for the role, scope, and future of the University of Idaho were not the right fit at this time.” You can read my full story here at spokesman.com.

Seven comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Callisto on March 30 at 6:01 p.m.
I think Dr. Dooley’s decision, and the reasons for his decision, are indicative of his good character, high integrity, and his desire to be more than a university-president-in-name-only.

Tim White shared his own opinion of the SBOE as he departed Idaho, and though his statements were brief and diplomatic, it was clear that he considered the SBOE one of the major impediments to improving higher education in Idaho.

Now the choice is between a) some one who is quite familiar with “the way we do things in Idaho” and who actually said that the reason for expanding the UI Law School to Boise was to “increase justice in Idaho” (as if there is a direct correlation between justice and the number of people who attend law school in a state), and b) a former administrator who apparently resigned under duress after transferring resources intended for academics to athletics programs.

It appears that either of the two remaining candidates will be much more compatible with the SBOE than Dr. Dooley.
Escapee on March 30 at 8:46 p.m.
Hey, if it turns out all the Qualified applicants bow out, I’ll be a “President in name only” at the University of Idaho…I hear the money’s pretty good…
palousian on March 31 at 6:28 a.m.
time for the SBOE to look in their own backyard and offer the job to current interim president Steven Daley-Laursen.
moscow_minidoka on March 31 at 10:35 a.m.
Former Ag Dean Larry Brannen (sp) would make a fine president of the UI. I wonder why he hasn’t been recruited.