[Vision2020] The UI Friday Letter from UI President Tim White (April 13, 2007)

[Tom Hansen]

Copied and pasted below is the UI Friday Letter from UI President Tim White
for April 13, 2007.

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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 April 13, 2007

Dear Friends,

The 2007 legislative session was one of the most supportive of higher
education in several years. Governor Otter and the Legislature responded
with a state budget that will benefit the University of Idaho in many ways.

* Our highest priority, attention to employee compensation, was addressed
through a 5 percent increase to the University's appropriation-funded salary
base, effective July 2007. Salary adjustments will be made based primarily
on merit, as well as market forces.

* The University has critically important maintenance and life safety needs.
We will receive a portion of the $70 million provided by the Legislature to
all state agencies to meet those needs.

* KUID-TV will be upgraded to provide digital service with a $900,000
appropriation, and life safety issues in the studios also will be addressed.

* Funding was provided to support two additional students in the WWAMI
(Washington-Wyoming-Alaska-Montana-Idaho) Medical Education Program; this
brings to 20 the number of Idaho students in the program each year.

* The Legislature provided $10 million for a new needs-based scholarship
endowment program, with $1.9 million in future years to support the
scholarship program. 

* Finally, Gov. Otter recommended a major increase in support for the Higher
Education Research Council's competitive research grants program, and the
Legislature doubled support for the program to $3 million per year.

Many of these new appropriations and programs benefit not just the
University of Idaho, but higher education throughout the state. We are most
grateful.

Tim White
President

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

The University opened the doors of its new Multicultural Student Center on
Tuesday. It is located in the Teaching and Learning Center Room 229. In
2006, students approved a $2 fee to support diversity initiatives on campus.
The umbrella group, Unity, which includes representatives from about 20
student organizations, identified a multicultural student center on campus
as its top priority for the funds.  The center was designed by environmental
studies student Hanna Persson.

The University has doubled its scholarship funds available to in-state high
school student leaders. Beginning with the class of 2007, Idaho high school
seniors who currently are president of their senior class, high school
student body or school's honor society and have at least a 3.0 cumulative
grade point average will receive $1,000. The scholarship now is renewable
for a second year if students maintain a 2.8 GPA at the University.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Take care, Vandals.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, 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