[Vision2020] The UI Friday Letter for July 25, 2008

Fri Jul 25 06:48:21 PDT 2008

Copied and pasted below is the UI Friday Leter for July 25, 2008.

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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
July 25, 2008

Dear Friends,

Today I'd like to expand upon the themes I identified for my tenure as 
president in my inaugural Friday Letter: momentum, interdependence and 
action. I am doing so as I think about the critically important junctures 
that lie immediately ahead for the University of Idaho. As we approach the 
fall, we prepare for decisions by the Idaho State Board of Education or 
Legislature that will be particularly significant as we continue to build 
and shape this institution for the future.

The University holds an educational and research leadership position in 
Idaho, and by extension, in the region, nation and world. Our flagship 
status means that, by nature, we are Idaho's national university. Our 
peers and competitors - and the standards against which we must measure 
ourselves - are set in every state in the nation where a "University 
of..." or a leading "State University" resides.

The University's land-grant charter also means that we have a 
responsibility to the citizens of Idaho to extend and enhance our 
leadership position.  To do that, we are emphasizing four priorities in 
our imminent work with the board and legislature. Making progress in these 
areas means we will not only continue to fulfill our mission, but we will 
sustain and grow our position of leadership, excellence and impact in the 
state, region and nation - and ensure that we continue to provide 
meaningful service to humankind. Therefore, the following four areas of 
education and endeavor, and the specific University initiatives associated 
with them, are at the top of the list of priorities we are addressing 
immediately in my presidency:

* Law Across the Professions. The board will be presented with our 
implementation and business plan for extending our law program to the 
state capital. Doing so will satisfy the current and growing demand for 
public legal education and legal services in Idaho, and will allow for 
curricular specialization in areas of direct relevance to that region 
(e.g., intellectual property and business law, including international 
business transactions and trade).

* Medical Education and Research. We will present a proposal to similarly 
meet growing educational demand in the medical sciences, by extending to a 
second year the Idaho-based portion of the WWAMI (Washington-Wyoming-
Alaska-Montana-Idaho) Medical Education Program.

* Energy for a Sustainable Future. The legislature will hear our request 
to fund faculty positions at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies 
(CAES) - a facility that leverages the combined power of several public 
and private entities to solve energy related challenges in the region and 
nation.

* Expanding Higher Education in Northern Idaho. The board will resume 
discussions regarding our proposal to better fulfill our educational 
mission in this part of the state, by meeting educational demand there 
through strategic, needs-based growth. 

Planning for each of these initiatives has been well underway, in some 
cases for years. And again, decisions affecting their next phases are 
imminent. I believe these particular endeavors also exemplify our pledge 
to sustain institutional momentum, and to take action on priorities for 
the University, for Idaho and for society. But each of these undertakings 
also embodies my third theme: interdependence. The University of Idaho is 
not working in isolation on these priorities. Each represents an active 
partnership among two or more institutions in the state; each demonstrates 
our collective desire and ability to come together around key issues for 
Idaho. 

I want to publicly thank our partners in the state. This is, quite simply, 
how we must consistently engage going forward: working together for the 
betterment of Idaho and the world through sound strategy, close 
collaboration and educational and research leadership. I have made it a 
priority for my first weeks on the job to reach out to each of my fellow 
presidents - to explore mutual interests, roles, goals and specific 
priorities, and to sustain our partnership.

What is not on the list of priorities I've discussed here?  Many 
additional ones, ongoing program needs and new initiatives...from building 
athletics, academic and cultural excellence by investing in the ASUI-
Kibbie Activity Center, to increasing research dollars. I welcome your 
partnership, as together we address needs and desires across the spectrum 
of our wonderful, growing and evolving University of Idaho.

Steven B. Daley-Laursen
President

Here's the latest news from the University of Idaho: Two Vandal golfers 
were recognized as 2007-08 All-American Scholars by the National Golf 
Coaches Association this month. Amanda Jacobs and Dani Madden participated 
in at least 50 percent of team competitions and achieved a minimum 3.5 
grade-point average. Jacobs, a senior last season from Portland, Ore., is 
majoring in business and human resources. Madden, a redshirt freshman last 
season from Woodinville, Wash., is majoring in marketing.

A collection of materials relating to Basque culture and history will have 
a permanent home in southern Idaho. The University of Idaho has given the 
more than 3,400 volumes, housed for a number of years at the Basque Museum 
and Cultural Center, to Boise State University's Albertsons Library for 
its permanent collection. The University of Idaho materials join the Pete 
Cenarrusa Basque Collection at Boise State. As one of the Albertsons 
Library Special Collections, it consists of correspondence, writings, 
subject files, photographs and artifacts, focusing on Basque politics and 
culture throughout the world from 1938-2006. The University of Idaho began 
collecting Basque related materials in 1964 under the leadership of 
alumnus Boyd Martin and then-head librarian Lee Zimmerman. 

Richard Spence, professor and chair of history, has published "Secret 
Agent 666: Aleister Crowley, British Intelligence and the Occult." Crowley 
(1875-1947) was known as a practitioner of black magic and the father of 
modern occultism. The book reveals new facets of Crowley's life and raises 
new questions about his character. Spence also is the author of "Trust No 
One: The Secret World of Sidney Reilly" and "Boris Savinkov: Renegade on 
the Left." Spence has appeared on the History Channel and delivered 
speeches at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. 

The College of Art and Architecture will host a design workshop Aug. 4-8 
to give prospective students and others a chance to experience the world 
of design. The Design Discovery Summer Program is an intensive one-week 
course for those interested in architecture, virtual technology design, 
landscape architecture, and art and interior design. Tuition for the 
program is $65 for high school students and $200 for all other 
participants. For more information, contact Randall Teal at 
rteal at uidaho.edu. 

To honor the legacy of Professor Sandra Haarsager, friends and former 
students have established a scholarship in the School of Journalism and 
Mass Media within the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. Dr. 
Haarsager, a University of Idaho faculty member and administrator for 
nearly two decades, passed away Oct. 6, 2007.  The Sandra Haarsager 
Journalism Scholarship Endowment recognizes her enthusiasm for the 
practice of journalism and the study of mass media. The scholarship will 
support students who demonstrate Haarsager's intellectual curiosity, 
interdisciplinary interests and strong writing skills. For information 
about giving to the scholarship fund or to the College of Letters, Arts 
and Social Sciences, please contact Jennie Hall at 208-885-5013 or e-mail 
jenniej at uidaho.edu.

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Seeya at Farmers' Market, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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

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