Nick: Who’d Want To Be UI Prez?

40 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

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  idawa on March 31 at 8:41 a.m.

  I’m a more than a little worried as to what this says about the future of higher education in the State. It is a sad turn of events that a state, who was founded by individuals who believed firmly in the concept of free, public education has been hijacked by conservatives that despise the concept. In this era, Idaho should be investing in education but the opposite it true, Idaho pols are taking the opportunity to gut it. They are just like the current White House staff, never let a crisis go unused, eh?

  I’m also worried for Idaho in general. Few other state’s prosperity was tied as closely to the housing boom as Idaho’s. The state’s growth was fueled by people ‘cashing out’ in other over-priced locals (ie California, et al) and relocating to Idaho - bringing new ideas and market demand for construction and services. Without this cash, demand, and idea influx, what is going to spur Idaho’s growth. Micron is laying off (I won’t be too surprised to see all it’s manufacturing off shored in a decade) and the tech sector is quite. What is in the future for Idaho…the pols clearly don’t think education is an answer?

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  JamesBond on March 31 at 9:15 a.m.

  There’s a lot of knee-jerking going on here. Why not have a reporter ask the ex-finalists and others in the know what the difference of opinion was all about? The media has reported only a headline—no one yet has told us what this is actually about.

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  jazzyvandal on March 31 at 9:22 a.m.

  I’m very concerned over the developments over the president search. I feel the legislature, governor, and the SBOE are all incompetent and clueless when it comes to education. Idaho is going down the tubes when it comes to the future generations of this state. Idaho is not investing in the future, and we will be stuck in the dark ages for many years to come.

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  idawa on March 31 at 9:27 a.m.

  I believe the candidates have repeatedly told reporters is a “difference of vision.” What is dissapointing is that no one is saying that those two vision are, what is the vision of the UofI that the SBE has that is so different then what a candidate has? I think we need some investigating but I don’t think the Idaho paper are up to the task.

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  moscow_minidoka on March 31 at 9:37 a.m.

  You get what you pay for. Idaho is not willing to pay for higher education; thus, higher education in Idaho is going down the toilet.

  These candidates backed out because a) they weren’t offered enough money to make it worth their while (only members of the BSU’s coaching staff are worth paying for, apparently) and b) they couldn’t bear the thought of having to deal with the obvious anti-education bias among Idaho’s political leadership.

  This is what happens when attitudes like Nonini’s are allowed to dominate the political landscape. It is very disheartening, depressing, and frustrating.

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  JamesBond on March 31 at 9:46 a.m.

  I’m not sure how Bob Nonini got into the middle of this, and I also don’t really get how “republicans” are to blame.

  Lots and lots of lashing out going on.

  I challenge our media reporters to report what is really going on here. What is the philosophical difference that has been alluded to in this story? You media people are reporting headlines, not stories. This is a big story, and it should be told in all its glorious detail.

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  moscow_minidoka on March 31 at 10:08 a.m.

  James - I only mentioned Nonini because his anti-education, anti-intellectual philosophy represents those Idahoans who not only have a distaste for public (and higher) education, but openly wish for its demise. I realize he has nothing to do with this specific situation, but he and his ilk are hell-bent on eroding support for public education in the state, so I think it was relevant.

  I didn’t say anything about Republicans being to blame, and unless my vision is failing, neither did anyone else.

  The “difference of vision” is nothing more than a euphemism, trust me. The “difference of vision” is that the candidate wants more money than the state is willing to pay, and that the candidate doesn’t want to have to deal with a state that is working overtime to destroy the very institution the candidate is supposed to helm.

  Who can blame these guys? Would you want to lead an institution that is being gutted by the very powers that are supposed to support it, in a state that views college professors as some sort of wicked, liberal (and godless) elite anti-American intellectuals?

  Do you think people like Bob Nonini, Zeb Bell, and Bryan Fischer help encourage competent and open-minded educational leaders to resettle in Idaho? Look around you… for an educator to voluntarily move to Idaho makes no sense whatsoever.

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  Sisyphus on March 31 at 10:08 a.m.

  “I’m not sure how Bob Nonini got into the middle of this, and I also don’t really get how “republicans” are to blame.”—its really not a difficult series of dots to connect Bondo. Idaho Republicans came in ready to slash and burn education funding for the first time in our state’s history. Their point man in the House is Nonini who sponsored legislation to suspend teacher contracts in times of dire need. Even though the dire need was suspended because of the stimulus package the legislation is proceeding through and stimulus money designated for education is being diverted to other projects. They are not using much rainy day money either which could be used to prop up education even though many of the newly unemployed want to use this free time to make themselves more marketable. Neither are they raising taxes to make up the shortfall which they are trying to do with transportation. During this session three finalists have dropped out and its not hard to conclude that its in part a result of a job prospect that will have to include making some nasty ugly decisions regarding personnel and whether a college will have to be closed again like they did with the Art and Architecture a few years back.

  I’m gonna laugh if they end with Burnett by default.

• 

  moscow_minidoka on March 31 at 10:09 a.m.

  “Lots and lots of lashing out going on.”

  I agree. That’s what happens when you’re being attacked.

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  Nick_Adams on March 31 at 10:14 a.m.

  JB: Bob is the Chair of the House Education committee and as such is one of the major players in setting the direction for public education.

  Certainly, not all Republicans are to blame. However, given their super-majority status, as well as the fact that they hold all the statewide offices, I believe it’s pretty easy to say that they’re the ones who need to be held accountable for decisions affecting Idaho’s education system.

  On a positivie note, I was excited to read that North Idaho native Don Soltman was just appointed to the State Board of Education. Don is an excellent choice.

• 

  JamesBond on March 31 at 11:34 a.m.

  The fact that the economy is crashing, causing revenues to plumet, might have something to do with the budgets of every single state entity, not to mention local governments, being cut.

  I remain completely unimpressed by people who whine about budget cuts when the economy is tanking and revenue is falling. Hello?!?! McFly??!?! Anybody home?

• 

  toadman on March 31 at 11:50 a.m.

  I tend to agree with 007 here. Complaining about budget cuts while the entire global economy is in the pooper is like bitching about not being able to watch American Idol because your house is burning down around you.

  Get. A. Grip.

  Stop being babies and make do with what you have for now. It’ll get better. It always does. There’s no use complaining about things we have no control over, it’s like complaining about the weather. You can’t change it, and complaining about it just makes you feel bad inside.

• 

  Cabbage Boy on March 31 at 11:51 a.m.

  “I remain completely unimpressed by people who whine about budget cuts when the economy is tanking and revenue is falling. Hello?!?! McFly??!?! Anybody home?”

  Aw come on JB, we all know the government is gonna “fix” this as soon as they use the crisis up.

• 

  cantyoureadthesigns on March 31 at 11:52 a.m.

  It’s known as eating the seed corn in farming.

• 

  Sisyphus on March 31 at 12:20 p.m.

  Yeah, no need to talk about the elephant in the room Bondo and Toad, its obvious to all. You’re taking backward steps in the discussion. My comments were not directed to the fact of the budget cuts but the misguided priorities of the politicians placing the programs on the chopping blocks. They’re using the economic circumstances to justify drastic and unnecessary actions against education. The Governor proposes raising taxes for transportation but agrees with slashing education budgets. What about that inconsistency don’t you get?

• 

  Nick_Adams on March 31 at 12:21 p.m.

  So, questioning the direction and priorities of our elected officials is now considered whining? When Bond criticizes Kempthorne-era policies = whining. Toad criticizes Bush’s war in Iraq = whining.

  The economic crisis does mean that there are going to be painful cuts in government services, however that doesn’t mean we have to accept them all blindly or bury our heads in the sand because “complaining/whining” won’t change anything.

  CYRTS nails it. This is about investing in our future. It goes to my original post that I can’t blame anyone for not wanting to take a job in education in Idaho right now—even for a University with the terrific legacy of the U of I.

• 

  JamesBond on March 31 at 2:41 p.m.

  Frankly, I think you need look no further than the leadership at the University of Idaho for its problems. Bob Nonini and the Republicans are straw men. The leadership at the University of Idaho has given us University Place, resulting in withering criticism of the Vandal culture by Larry Prince in his report, the Yardley Report, commissioned by the University of Idaho itself, echoed that same withering criticism. The logos on the rear ends and the cheerleader skirt controvery are two more stories, silly at best, that landed the University on the front pages of several national publications. This is a university that is just killing itself with its misguided and overinflated view of itself. The only people that take it seriously are its own alums. The rest of world watches in pained awe.

  Once Idaho quits trying to be everything and starts trying to be something, then it will begin to dig itself out the huge hole it has been digging for itself for years and years.

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  Tabitha_Fortis on April 01 at 8:15 a.m.

  JB: I think you’re missing Nick’s point completely. The University of Idaho is an important institution in our state. University outreach programs extend into all 44 counties in our state - providing top-notch higher education and professional development opportunities for thousands of Idahoans.

  Additionally, the University has received nearly $100 Million in research grants every year since 2003. Those research grants create and retain good paying jobs and attract great minds to our state.

  It’s in all of our best interests to have a president with vision and leadership at the University of Idaho. With Bob Nonini and his pals in the legislature constantly trying to castrate higher education budgets, Nick is right - The U of I will have a tough time finding the leader it needs.

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