August 25, 2006

Dear Friends:

Last week, I delivered my State of the University address to Boise State’s faculty and staff. A transcript of the full address is available online at www.boisestate.edu, but I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some points of emphasis.

If I could highlight two key messages from the speech, they would be the need to ensure our students’ success and to maintain our commitment to transform Boise State into a metropolitan research university of distinction.

It is imperative that our students receive the support they need because if they do not succeed, nothing else we might accomplish really matters. In the coming years, the university plans to implement a number of initiatives and strategies to assure that our students receive the support they need to succeed.

Certainly, one such strategy is to increase residential opportunities for our students who choose to live on campus. There is solid evidence that students who live on campus close to fellow students, classes and learning resources experience higher rates of retention and graduation. For that reason, we were delighted to learn that our residence halls and apartments this year are at 100 percent capacity with some students on waiting lists for room assignments.

Last year, in order to attract more high-ability students and thanks to the Langroise Family Scholarship, we welcomed our first cohort of National Merit Scholars. They came to us from Lewiston, Boise, Idaho Falls and Pocatello. This year, we welcome another cohort, this time more in keeping with our metropolitan mission since four out of five come from towns in the Treasure Valley: Caldwell, Meridian and two from Eagle. Idaho has been losing its best and brightest to out-of-state schools for too long and I’m proud to say that we are playing a role in keeping Idaho’s young scholars here in our state.

We also created the Capital Scholars program two years ago to attract more of Idaho’s top students by inviting them to campus as juniors, introducing them to our academic and student programs, and awarding them a scholarship if they choose to come to Boise State. That first junior class we invited two years ago starts college this fall and we are pleased to see that of the first group of 39 students, 18 have chosen to attend Boise State, another good example of our success at building a reputation of academic quality and halting the brain drain to other states.

But in many cases, the problem begins before college. Not enough of Idaho’s high school students are enrolling in some form of postsecondary education, and of those who do enroll, too many drop out during or at the conclusion of the first year. It will take the work of our entire faculty and staff in creating and sustaining an environment that dramatically improves our students’ success.

Given the university’s location and the pivotal role Boise State continues to play in our region, it only makes sense for us — from both an efficiency and effectiveness standpoint — to play the lead role in the education of our citizens and the research that serves as the foundation of our economy and our communities.

In my speech, I pointed out that our commitment to respond to regional needs while striving for national excellence is clearly delineated in our strategic plan “Charting the Course.” This strategic plan is a reminder of the four themes guiding Boise State’s future: academic excellence, public engagement, vibrant culture and exceptional research.  It shows our destination, the goals we need to work on to get us there, and some milestones along the way to judge our progress. The goals don’t necessarily reflect everything Boise State will do, but rather signify the most critical areas to be addressed in order for us to achieve our vision.

The following developments over the last few months are clear indicators that we are well on the way to eventually attaining that vision:

New and expanded degrees and program offerings: Beginning this semester, they include a Ph.D. in geosciences, Idaho’s first and only Executive MBA program, and master’s degree programs in hydrologic sciences and educational leadership. To provide the expertise necessary to impart such knowledge,  I noted in the speech that 51 new faculty members were joining the university this year.

The early stages of a comprehensive fund-raising campaign: This effort will quite literally define, in ways that the state government’s limited resources cannot, the future of the university.  It is worth noting that the Boise State Foundation has posted its two best fund-raising years with $13.9 million in fiscal year 2006 and $18.1 million in FY ’05.

Sound financial management: The university continues to manage its resources wisely through the judicious use of our financial reserves. Examples include our recent purchase of the University Inn and other properties near the main campus and the remodeling of research lab space.

Facility construction: The list includes the ongoing building of the Interactive Learning Center, due for completion in June 2007, as well as plans for the expansion and renovation of the Student Union; the construction of a student health, wellness and counseling center/nursing building and a parking garage; and long-range plans for a College of Business and Economics building.

As you can see, there is plenty underway on at Boise State as we gear up for the 2006-07 academic year. We hope you have an enjoyable rest of the summer and we look forward to your continued support of and interest in the university.

As always, thanks for all you do for Boise State.

 

Best Regards,

Bob Kustra
President