[Vision2020] The UI Friday Letter for October 13, 2006

[Tom Hansen]

Copied and pasted below is the UI Friday Letter for October 13, 2006 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 Oct. 13, 2006

Dear Friends,

The value of a University of Idaho education is ultimately based on the
ability of our students and alumni to achieve and succeed. Our alums
certainly have done that in ways that bring great pride and distinction to
the University. But to ensure the incredibly high-value of an Idaho
education going forward, we must continually improve what and how we teach
and learn. 

As part of our Strategic Action Plan, we called for development of learning
outcomes for graduate and undergraduate students. What does this mean? 
It means we need a description of the desired and expected attributes and
skills our students must gain to become educated citizens through coherent,
integrated and intentional educational experiences in and outside of the
classroom. 

A motivated group of faculty, staff and students have worked to develop the
learning outcomes that recently were affirmed unanimously by Faculty
Council.  With an intentional double entendre title of "Learning Matters,"
they call for the ability to learn and integrate information across
disciplines; to use multiple thinking strategies to examine issues, explore
creative expression and solve problems; to communicate with respect and
understanding in a complex society; to explore one's life purpose and
meaning; and to practice exemplary principles of citizenship. A more
detailed presentation of the learning outcomes is available at: 

www.uihome.uidaho.edu/default.aspx?pid=92901

I thank this Implementation Team, led by Professor Jeanne Christiansen and
Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Bruce Pitman, for
their prompt action and visionary thinking. But their work is not done yet. 
The next steps are to integrate the learning outcomes into our teaching and
learning efforts throughout the tapestry of the University, to assess our
educational programs for their ability to address these goals, and make
improvements as warranted. By doing this, we will continuously maintain
programs which are recognized for their excellence...a lasting legacy for
the University of Idaho. 

Tim White
President

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

A memorial service for Professor of Forest Resources Steven J. Brunsfeld
will be held at 4 p.m. tomorrow at the Administrative Auditorium, followed
by a celebration of his life. Brunsfeld died October 6 after an 11-year
battle with cancer. He was 53. Steve concentrated his research in the
molecular systematics of woody plants, conservation biology, phylogenetics
and vegetation ecology.  He served as director of the Idaho Forest, Wildlife
and Range Research Herbarium from 1979 until his death. The family suggests
memorials be sent to Hospice of the Palouse, the Arboretum or the Stillinger
Herbarium.

Japanese Consul General Kazuo Tanaka of the Seattle Consulate is the keynote
speaker for the University of Idaho's October Martin Forum. His talk, "East
Asia Situations and U.S.-Japan Relations," will consider many regional
issues, including North Korea and China. Free and open to the public, the
lecture will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 in the university's Student Union
Building Gold Room.

C. Stephen Allred '64, '67 is the newly appointed Assistant Secretary of
Lands and Minerals at the U.S. Department of the Interior. Allred was
confirmed last week by unanimous consent in the Senate and will serve under
Idaho's previous governor and now Interior Secretary, Dirk Kempthorne. He
will be responsible for oversight of the Bureau of Land Management that
administers some 262 million acres of America's public lands, located
primarily in 12 Western states. Allred earned an undergraduate degree in
agricultural engineering and a master's degree in water resource engineering
at Idaho.

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Take care, Moscow (you, too, Vandals).

Tom Hansen
Vandalville, Idaho
UI '96


Came a tribe from the north brave and bold . . .

"Here We Have Idaho"
http://www.tomandrodna.com/HWHI.mp3

"I-D-A-H-O Idaho Idaho Go Go Go"
http://www.tomandrodna.com/Vandals.mp3