UI Campus Could Come To Post Falls Research Facility Would Offer Advanced Degrees, Extension Service

Post Falls could get a major new University of Idaho research campus to be run in cooperation with Washington State University, North Idaho College, industry and government agencies.

The Research, Graduate and Continuing Education Park is proposed along the Spokane River in a matter of months, UI President Robert Hoover said Friday.

Jim Hawkins, former Idaho state commerce director, said three companies that could bring in hundreds of jobs consider the park “critical” in deciding whether to build new plants in North Idaho.

“These companies that we’ve been talking with, their full commitment will be made when they hear from the Board of Regents,” Hawkins told the Idaho State Board of Education Friday.

Board members were receptive to the project, and agreed to hear a formal presentation on it at their January meeting.

“I personally think it’s a very exciting project,” said board member Curtis Eaton.

Hoover said he won’t request any money for the project beyond that already outlined in his budget for the coming year. “This is an opportunity to significantly bring new resources to the table that we haven’t had before,” he said.

The research park would include both educational buildings and manufacturing plants. It would offer master’s and doctoral degrees, conduct research, and run an “extension service” similar to traditional agricultural extensions, but aimed at the construction, mining and forestry industries.

Continuing education also would be a key component, Hoover said, with North Idaho College handling that end. NIC already has its work force training center at the proposed site, the Riverbend Commerce Park.

The research park proposal was made possible when Jacklin Land Co. - owners of the commerce park - agreed to donate 30 to 36 acres to get the project started. Additional land gifts could come later from the same company.

The grass-seed farming Jacklin family is an important partner in the project, Hoover said.

Said Hawkins, “Corporations … that have looked at this property said they’ve never seen a nicer setting.”

The research center plans were unveiled as part of a presentation on how all the higher education agencies in North Idaho can collaborate. That review was requested by state board member Judy Meyer of Hayden Lake last spring.

NIC, UI and Lewis-Clark State College all offer services in North Idaho. Since the presidents of the three schools began meeting after Meyer’s request, UI has agreed to drop a business course that duplicated an LCSC offering, and LCSC has dropped an education course that repeated a UI class.

The three are working together on a long-range plan for higher education in North Idaho. Among the ideas are moving all but education, associate- and bachelor’s-degree programs off the main NIC campus to a technical center, then featuring academic programs from all three schools on the main campus.

“The three of us serve more than 6,000 students in that region,” Hoover told the board. “We’re now looking at how to share resources, facilities and staffs.”

The Post Falls proposal would be even broader, bringing in industry partners and possibly attracting some federal funding.

Water resources research, tied to the cleanup of mining wastes in the region, would be a prime function there, Hoover said.

The center also would focus on science and engineering for some of North Idaho’s key industries: mining and materials; electronic components and systems; and wood products. The center’s research also could address tourism and recreation.

With its location next to Interstate 90 and just across the state line on the Idaho side, the center would serve students, businesses and employees, Hoover said.

Hawkins, who has been volunteering his time to work on the project for several months, heaped praise on Hoover.

“You can see how he’s brought people together and how they’re working as a team,” Hawkins said.

NIC President Bob Bennett called the center “a wonderful idea.”

“They say Kootenai County is one of the fastest growing counties in Idaho,” he said. “I think if we are going to bring industry here we’ve got to provide some type of educational support.”

, DataTimes