[Vision2020] BYU-Idaho Enrollment
Bill London
london at moscow.com
Tue Oct 3 14:48:51 PDT 2006
J-
In your earlier post, you spoke of making a significant change in this
community. You wrote that we needed to embrace change and growth.
I tried to bring some specificity to that language when I asked about
your reaction to the Naylor Farms permit. In response, you noted that you
did not favor the Naylor Farms industrial model of growth, but instead
wanted clean high-tech businesses.
I hope that is an accurate summary of this discussion so far.
My point now is that what you are asking for (infusion of high-tech
businesses) is the status quo. Everybody wants that. Every city and county
in the US, and probably the world, wants clean well-paying high-tech
businesses. So, that is not new. With Alturas park, the business
incubator, the LEDC, and all, Moscow is already doing that.
So, I wonder -- what is your point? when you talk about embracing
growth and change, if the growth and change is carefully directed toward
clean high-tech businesses, I do not think you will find very many people
disagreeing. That is the Holy Grail of economic development these days --
and one that I support.
I think Moscow can recruit these in-demand high-tech businesses, either
by drawing them in or by growing them from the UI/WSU. But the reason they
would choose to settle here (remember they are being bribed by cities and
counties from all over to move to those locations) is that they like the
quality of life here.
The owners of those businesses like bike paths and good schools and a
vibrant cultural life. They do not like freeways, strip malls, and huge
Walmarts.
So, Jerry, what is it that you want to change about Moscow in your goal
of embracing growth?
BL
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry Weitz" <gweitz at moscow.com>
To: "Bill London" <london at moscow.com>; "Tom Trail" <ttrail at moscow.com>;
<vision2020 at mail-gw.fsr.net>
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 9:34 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] BYU-Idaho Enrollment
> Bill, Naylor Farms is not the type of growth I have ever pushed. What I
am
> talking about is a Stanford Research Park....Schweitzer type companies.
In
> this week's Kiplinger Report under trends, the letter reports a 30%
> increase (from 25 years ago) of young people moving to and remaining in
> urban areas. There are rural areas that are fighting back to keep their
> youth and/or recruit youth to their regions by offering strong tax
> incentives and in some cases, free land for businesses these youth are
> starting. Incidently, there are more upstart high tech companies in the US
> than ever in our history. Moscow is not an area that focuses on retaining
> our youth since job creation is not on the radar screen. In one
editorial,
> I suggested that the county buy Naylor farms and turn it into a
> business/ed research park. I talked with Sid Eder and Paul Kimmell about
> this concept.
>
> Would you agree such a business/ed park could reverse UI's decline? MIT
has
> less enrollment than UI and its graduates/faculty have spun off over 4,000
> companies and these companies collectively employ 1.1Million
> Folks. Route 128 in Boston in bristling with firms that are examples of
> bus/ed. Micron, for example, donated $5 million to BSU for two Phd
> programs in engineering. Micron used to donate to UI and I was told by an
> engineering prof that Micron-UI donations have dryed up, however
Schweitzer
> donates heavily to both WSU and UI. Gone are the days of extractive
> industries. I do not think it would take too many companies to reverse
the
> town's outlook. I do not believe our area will become an urban
> center. Research shows that in 1910, with the students are factored out,
> there was more population on the Palouse (Whitman and Latah Counties) than
> in year 2000. I am not afraid of growth, however there has been almost no
> planning. When you visited Walla Walla, did you feel the optimism and
> experience a very nicely laid out community? When I went to college in
> the mid 60's, Walla Walla was still complaining about not being the
capitol
> of WN and had a no-can-do-it attitude. When one extractive industry
> (timber) declined, Walla Walla refocused and came up with the wine
> industry. WWCommuniy College just started about when I graduated and has
> matured nicely. Whitman and Walla Walla College, the two privates, work
> together. The public k-12 is very progressive. Safe highways are lobbied
> for and Walla Walla has over a square mile of business park. Their
chamber
> is very organized and its web page is excellent. Walla Walla is a city of
> the arts.
>
> So what I am saying, we could do the same and by doing the same, I believe
> UI's fortunes will be enhanced and Moscow will benefit.
> Jerry
> At 03:20 PM 10/1/06, Bill London wrote:
> >Jerry:
> >A question: Naylor Farms, in their pitch for a county permit for the
> >operation of their mining operation north of Moscow, promised growth,
> >economic development, jobs, and economic diversification -- in short,
> >everything you have said that you support. Do you believe that the Latah
> >County Commissioners were wrong to deny Naylor Farms the option of
> >developing their land in that manner?
> >BL
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Jerry Weitz" <gweitz at moscow.com>
> >To: "Tom Trail" <ttrail at moscow.com>; <vision2020 at mail-gw.fsr.net>
> >Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2006 11:16 PM
> >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] BYU-Idaho Enrollment
> >
> >
> > > UI needs a boost with a business/ed research park similar to say
Chapel
> > > Hill, N.C.. WSU/Pullman/IU/Moscow are the assets. As Ed Schweitzer
> > > said, we live in a sea of land and a declining population.
Schweitzer
> > > Engineering has a challenge in recruitment and expansion due to the
lack
> >of
> > > housing and population. Schweitzer has said that his company in not
in
> >the
> > > real estate business, yet had to develop over 90 acres for housing.
The
> >no
> > > growth folks are hurting the UI, our area's potential, and Schweitzer.
> > >
> > > The UI is down 737 students state wide, with a decline of 628 at the
> > > Moscow campus. BSU is up 277 to 18,876 (BSU has increased enrollment
9
> >out
> > > of the last 10 years). BYU/Idaho is up 1220 students. Within five
years,
> > > at present growth rates, BYU/Idaho will see 20,000 students and within
10
> > > years 30,000. Recall, BYU/Idaho with President Kim Clark, the
immediate
> > > former dean of Harvard Business School, has three imperitives: 1)
Vastly
> > > increase enrollment, 2) vastly improve educational quality, and 3)
keep
> > > relative educational costs down. Note that BYU/Provo turns away
> > > qualifiedsutdents-- about as many that apply.. I would guess: one of
the
> > > church's motives for expansion. BYU/Provo is a high educational
quality
> > > school. UI will most likely benefit at the graduate level due to
BYU/Idaho
> > > enrollment increases and mostly likely will see a decline in LDS kids
at
> > > the undergraduate level.
> > >
> > > ISU has lost about10% this year ( a decline of over 1200 ). UI
officials
> > > anticipated that its Twin Falls campus would suffer large declines and
> >made
> > > the right move to transfer out. Presently, UI's commendable response
is
> > > to place a lot of effort into recruitment and quality, however all
Idaho
> > > Public Universities will following suit and the competition will be
> > > strong. The result may be little net gain.
> > >
> > > There will be a push by UI to have a strong presence in CDA.
Presently,
> > > for example, CDA has been begging UI for a MBA program in their
> > > area. Money is the issue.. Gonzaga has filled the MBA role so far
and is
> > > expensive. The MBA needs to be tailored for the working professional.
> > >
> > > Here is the challange: If the community keeps up with its petty
politics,
> > > such as stopping safe highways, serving an eviction notice to the
> > > Alternative High School, not dealing with water and other
> > > infrastructure..schools, losing its commerical base to the Pullman
> > > corridor, then the UI will have to accept declines in status, funding,
and
> > > enrollment. It will be like Ohio University vs Ohio State University
in
> > > dealing with BSU. All of higher ed will now have to compete with k-12
if
> > > the economy softens due to the sales tax shift.
> > > Boise will get a community college and should.. adding more
competition
> >for
> > > the ed dollar.
> > >
> > > Yet, there exists a tremendous potential here on the Palouse for a
robust
> > > economy and thriving Universities. Think of the possiblities in
> > > alternative energy, global warming solutions (after all the ozone
layer
> >has
> > > almost been restored), agriculture, water, etc. and the spin off's.
> >Think
> > > of how much value Schweitzer Engineering has added to humankind and
this
> > > area. Think of how the UI's reputation would be enhanced..the MIT of
the
> > > west. The Palouse Universities have the potential of being defining
21th
> > > Century institutions. The community must embrace growth and change
(the
> > > only constant).
> > >
> > > Now Tom, what are you going to do and what postion are you going to
> > > take? Jerry
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > At 04:12 PM 9/26/06, Tom Trail wrote:
> > > >Visionaires:
> > > >
> > > >One should keep an eye on the enrollment trends in S.E. Idaho. The
> > > >enrollment at BYU-Idaho in Rexburg is over 15,000, and experts
predict
> > > >that within a few years it will overtake BSU and thus become the
largest
> > > >institution of higher learning in Idaho. The 9% drop in enrollment
at
> > > >ISU may be partially attributed competition with BYU-Idaho.
> > > >
> > > >Rep. Tom Trail
> > > >--
> > > >Dr. Tom Trail
> > > >International Trails
> > > >1375 Mt. View Rd.
> > > >Moscow, Id. 83843
> > > >Tel: (208) 882-6077
> > > >Fax: (208) 882-0896
> > > >e mail ttrail at moscow.com
> > > >
> > > >=======================================================
> > > > List services made available by First Step Internet,
> > > > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> > > > http://www.fsr.net
> > > > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> > > >=======================================================
> > >
> > >
> > > =======================================================
> > > List services made available by First Step Internet,
> > > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> > > http://www.fsr.net
> > > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> > > =======================================================
> > >
>
>
More information about the Vision2020
mailing list