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UI Professor Named To Head Boise Engineering Program

Associated Press

Larry Stauffer, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Idaho, has been given a three-year appointment as director of Idaho’s engineering programs in Boise.

The school said Tuesday that at the end of Stauffer’s term a national search will be conducted for an associate dean for the college, replacing the director position.

Stauffer will direct a beefed-up engineering program at Boise. After complaints from microchip manufacturer Micron Technology that its educational needs weren’t being met, the last Legislature allocated an extra $2 million to improve engineering courses in Boise.

Micron offered the state $6 million to start a stand-alone engineering program at Boise State University, but the Board of Education rejected the idea in favor of continuing Idaho’s classes in Boise.

Besides the $2 million, the University of Idaho reallocated $500,000 of its resources to the Boise program. In addition, the Legislature approved $500,000 for design of new facilities.

Ten new University of Idaho faculty were assigned to the Boise programs and five staff were added. That gives Stauffer 17 faculty and nine staff.

Stauffer will be responsible for dealing with Boise State University and carrying out educational and research responsibilities of the program.

“There are big changes involved with the expansion of the program,” he said. “We’ve grown quite a bit, and now, we offer bachelor’s through doctoral degrees in mechanical, electrical and civil engineering.”

Previously, the program offered a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering and bachelor through doctoral degrees in electrical engineering.

UI administrators and Boise State employees, including Steve Affleck, chair of the Boise State Department of Construction Management and Engineering, will share space in the College of Technology Building.

Boise State President Charles Ruch said employment in southwestern Idaho’s more than 50 high technology companies has increased 43 percent since 1990.