[Vision2020] (no subject)

[Mike In Moscow Idaho]

It has now been over a week since the SBOE removed Flagship
from the mission statement of the University of Idaho.  To my knowledge there has been no statement
from the board or from its members about this decision.  I assume the board is hoping this blows over
and everyone forgets about the whole affair.  However, given that the next meeting is in Moscow I can assure the board
that this will not be the case.  


I wonder if it might not be time for a ballot initiative to separate
oversight of the states intuitions of Higher Ed from SBOE oversight.  The SBOE truly does have a lot to manage, and
at the moment is struggling with effectively executing their oversight of both
K-12 and Higher Ed.  It is not just the
University of Idaho that is frustrated as evidenced by the problems the board
is having with Idaho State University.  And I think the other schools also have their complaints.  In a way, the attempt to “homogenize” the
mission statements of the schools reflects the difficulty the board has recognizing
the unique mission of each institute of Higher Ed in Idaho and coordinating
them.  Perhaps all the Higher Ed institutions
would be better served by having their own board of regents that understand the
unique mission of each school.  Such a
board would not fall victim to infighting and politics the way the current
board members are labeled as “pro UI, or pro BSU, etc.)  The alternative argument is that one board
can present a unified front to the legislature resulting in Higher Ed having
more clout.  However, as the last few
years indicate, this is not the case.  Education,
especially Higher Ed has bore a very large chunk of the state cutbacks in
recent years.  Yes, separate boards would
result in more competition and perhaps less cooperation, but don’t we live in a
state that extols the virtues of competition?  And given the cutback to K-12, perhaps the SBOE could do a better job if
they focused only on K-12.  Or are there
real benefits to having one board with responsibility for all education?  For instance, as I understand it Washington
is going the other way, and combining their separate boards.  So, there are good arguments for one
board.  I would be interested in hearing all
viewpoints.  


So here is my question for discussion.  Is it time to remove Higher Ed from the SBOE
and give each school its own board? 


I look forward to everyone’s thoughts… 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20120226/e0d83711/attachment-0001.html>