(UI President Duane Nellis) updated them on his experiences since taking the president's job seven months ago and made a case for why he believes the UI is critical to Idaho's economy. "In the state of Idaho in the last 10 years ... higher education's proportion of the state budget has decreased in half of what it was, while prisons' has doubled," he said. Nellis said he thinks many state legislators and taxpayers in southern Idaho aren't completely aware of or don't fully appreciate the extent to which the UI reaches past Moscow, and that can have an effect on support for funding. He said people often forget about the UI's multiple extension offices and research sites in 42 of Idaho's 44 counties/Holly Bowen, Moscow-Pullman Daily News. More here.

Factoid: Daily News reporter Holly Bowen once published an underground newspaper at Post Falls High and editted the NIC Sentinel. She's a long-time Berry Picker.

Question: How important is the University of Idaho to you?