[Vision2020] Rep. Tom Trail and the State Board of Education

[Tom Hansen]

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On April 18th, State Representative Tom Trail presented the following commentary to representatives of the Idaho State Board of Education at the University of Idaho Student Union Building.

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    "I want to thank the OSBE to address the still simmering flagship institution issue.  Many of us believe that the Board could have handled this issue in a more effective manner.  There was little opportunity for public input and discussion.

     On the other hand the Board should be complimented on their decision.  At no time in history has the ire of Vandal alumni, students, and supporters been raised to such a high level.  This has resulted in stronger support and enthusiasm for the UI than ever before.

     But this still doesn't make the decision right.  It reflects a choice that should cause concern for all Idaho citizens.   The choice is whether to encourage excellence or reduce all universities to the lowest common denominator.

     Imagine the Board telling Boise State that it could no longer refer to itself as having a top ranked football program but that it could only refer to the Broncos as just another Idaho public university football team, no better or worse than the rest.  We should encourage not discourage the Broncos' achievement on the gridiron.

     Similarly we would encourage the Board to acknowledge and celebrate the University of Idaho for its history and accomplishments and academic and research strengths.  A Flagship University is used to refer to the first established public research university in a given state.  It is typically a research intensive institution, grants doctoral degrees, and as former U. of California Berhadl said of Flagship Universities, the term applies in all cases to the fully mature public universities serving in most states.

     Both nationally and internationally the University of Idaho is recognized as the State's Flagship institution.  For example, the U.S. Department of Education list the University of Idaho as Idaho's Flagship institution as well as other universities in all of the other 49 states.  The Board's decision now leaves the Flagship designation in Idaho empty.  We know that the University of Idaho's record of more national merit scholars than any other university in the Pacific northwest, a First Tier research institution, and generating 73 percent of the competitive research dollars in the state and status of a land grant institution.  The achievement would qualify the UI as the Flagship Institution in any of the other 49 states.  I strongly recommend that the Board not try to micromanage our institutions but let our outstanding educational leaders--presidents, faculty, and staff built and utilize the respective strengths of our institutions for marketing and recruitment purposes, and that the Board reconsider their poorly conceived
decision."

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown