[Vision2020] BYU-Idaho Enrollment

Jeff Harkins jeffh at moscow.com
Thu Oct 5 20:14:53 PDT 2006


B-

You are so out of touch with the real world.  Go interview some of 
the folks that have left Moscow - you may be enlightened.

At one point, all roads led to Palouse.  Today it is a scrap of its 
former self.

At one point, all roads led to Colfax.  Today it is a scrap of its former self.

At one point, all roads led to Moscow - now it pitches itself as open 
space, open minds - which most read as empty spaces, closed minds.

Right now, all roads appear to point to Pullman - if their momentum 
continues, they could have the center stage for many decades.

Will you be ready to do their bidding?  - I thought not.

At 02:48 PM 10/3/2006, you wrote:
>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
> > > > >
> > > > >=======================================================
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> > > > >  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
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> > > > >=======================================================
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > =======================================================
> > > >  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
>=======================================================




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