State board removes ‘flagship’ from UI mission over university’s objections

Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho’s oldest public university is opposing efforts to remove the word “flagship” from their mission statement. The state Board of Education approved changes Thursday to the mission statements for all of Idaho’s public universities. Board members said they want to promote a collegial relationship between the schools and use of the word “flagship” in the University of Idaho mission statement suggests a special prominence. The school was founded in 1889, a year before statehood, and its mission statement current says: “The University of Idaho is the state’s flagship and land-grant research university.” The board voted to remove word “flagship” amid strong objections from university president Duane Nellis. Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines “flagship” as “the finest, largest, or most important one of a series, network, or chain.”

Idaho Statesman reporter Brian Murphy has a full report here .