[Vision2020] The UI Friday Letter from UI President White (May 13, 2005)

[Tom Hansen]

Copied and pasted below is today's (May 13, 2005) UI Friday Letter from UI
President White.

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University of Idaho
Office of the President
Moscow, Idaho 83844-3151
Phone: 208-885-6365
Fax: 208-885-6558

The Friday Letter
A Newsletter for University of Idaho Alumni and Friends May 13, 2005

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow, we cap our week of commencement celebrations with the Moscow
campus ceremony. The University will be awarding a record number of degrees
this year - 1,864 students applied for graduation this spring. 
In addition, 1,053 students received degrees at the December 2004
commencement, bringing the total of graduates this year to 2,917. It has
been inspiring and rewarding to take part in ceremonies at Boise, Idaho
Falls and Coeur d'Alene and share in honoring the accomplishments of our
students. Many thanks to the University of Idaho faculty and staff, along
with the families and friends for helping these students achieve such
wonderful success. We wish all our graduates the very best in all that is
next, and welcome them into a new life-long relationship with the University
of Idaho as alumni.

At commencement, we also recognize the accomplishments and contributions of
a number of alumni and friends. President's Medallion recipients include
Sen. James and Louise McClure; Delbert Farmer, Shoshone-Bannock tribal
member; Scott Reed of Coeur d'Alene, an environmental and water issues
attorney; and Gary Michael, former University of Idaho president and retired
CEO of Albertson, Inc. Alumnus Thomas Wright will present the commencement
address tomorrow and receive an honorary degree. Tom is a life-long
educator, and through his inspiration and philanthropy, has improved the
lives of children through the preparation of teachers, especially special
education teachers. The UI Alumni Association has inducted four new members
into the Hall of Fame - Carl Berry '62 of Mill Valley, Calif.; Allen Derr
'51 of Boise; Dale Bosworth '66 of Washington, D.C.; and the late Gerald
Bierwag '58.

UI celebrated its first commencement in 1896 and presented degrees to four
students. Humble beginnings, but the genesis for the greatness the
University of Idaho is today. Congratulations to all our graduates and
honorees.

Tim White
President

Here's the latest news from the University of Idaho:

* UI mule clones Idaho Gem and Idaho Star are headed for the races. But
first the pair must complete nearly a year of training before they reach a
racetrack in 2006. That's when the mules will prove their fitness to race
and address the debate about whether genetics or environment makes for
winners or "also rans." UI leased the clones to businessmen Don Jacklin of
Post Falls, and Roger Downey of Albuquerque, N.M., who serve as president
and vice president respectively of the American Mule Racing Association. The
next 10 months will be devoted to getting the clones more acquainted to
handling, the saddle and carrying a rider, Jacklin said. The third mule
clone, Utah Pioneer, will remain on campus.

* Statistics show that the average college student leaves academe with
thousands of dollars of debt. UI is offering a way to help reduce student
loan debt - even though students still may be in school and not ready to
start payments. Students may apply for a federal Direct Consolidation Loan -
a small step that may save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. 
Those who hold Direct Stafford Loans can consolidate their loan(s), locking
in the current historically low interest rates, similar to refinancing.
Additional information about the advantages and disadvantages of the federal
direct loan consolidation program is available at the UI financial aid Web
site at www.students.uidaho.edu/finaid.

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Take care, Moscow.

Tom Hansen

"What is objectionable, what is dangerous, about extremists is not that they
are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say
about their cause, but what they say about their opponents."

-- Robert F. Kennedy