October 23, 2009

Dear Friends,

Last week, Boise State was visited by 11 distinguished individuals from universities across the Northwest as part of our 10-year reaccreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. The results are not yet final, but on the last day of the visit, the chair of the evaluation team addressed a campus audience to give us their preliminary thoughts. He began by stating how impressed he was by the spirit, dedication and nearly unanimous support and determination from the faculty, staff and students toward the common vision and direction of Boise State today. His statement did not surprise me as it firmly aligns with what I have heard in my conversations across campus. However, it struck me on this occasion as especially heartening, not only because our enthusiasm was so readily apparent, but also because it came at a time when we are strained by available resources.

We are committed to succeed despite recent budget reductions, which not only have taken a toll here in Idaho, but also are being felt across the country in ways that are much more drastic. Increased pressure on the state budget to fund Medicaid and corrections at a time when tax revenues are down raises questions about the appropriate level of support for a “public” university. Currently, only 22 percent of Boise State’s overall operating budget comes from the state’s general account appropriation. While this appropriation remains critical, it is indicative of a national trend, where state support for public universities and colleges has been reduced as budgets are squeezed and reliance on student tuition and fees increases.

As a part-time optimist, I can see that this trend provides an opportunity to discuss the future of public higher education. It necessitates a careful look at our system and how all of Idaho’s institutions of higher learning can work together to achieve efficiency in serving our students and our state. At Boise State, we look forward to this discussion and how we can help shape the future of higher education in Idaho.

I have no doubt that the drive and solidarity that pervades our campus and make Boise State such a unique and wonderful place to be also will push us to the forefront of reform and help ensure that a Boise State education remains among the best values and experiences for Idaho citizens for generations to come.

As always, thank you for all that you do for Boise State. Go Broncos!

Sincerely,

Bob Kustra

 

Here are a few recent or upcoming items of interest from Boise State University:

Boise State University is offering its inaugural intersession term between the fall and spring semesters this year. The condensed session in December and January offers 25 different classes ranging from one-credit workshops to three-credit upper-division and graduate classes. Courses are available in general business and economics, criminal justice, communication, education, English, finance, geophysics, health, marketing, political science, management, philosophy and theatre arts.

Gregory Raymond, a political science professor at Boise State, has been named the first occupant of the Frank and Bethine Church Chair of Public Affairs, an endowed chair housed in Boise State’s College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs. Raymond long has been associated with the Frank Church Institute at Boise State, which was established in 1982 to honor the achievements and to carry forward the principles of the late U.S. Sen. Frank Church of Idaho. Raymond’s charge in his five-year tenure is to emphasize “those ideals which the senator held dear – a strong belief in the rule of law, eloquence firmly based in reason, and an unwavering faith in the American political system.”

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Boise State University a grant of $4.9 million over the next five years to establish a National Geothermal Data System (NGDS). The project recognizes Boise State’s prominence in this research area and will impact the development and use of geothermal energy across the country. Boise State leads a team of major partners in the Geothermal Data Consortium, which includes the University of Utah, Oregon Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Nevada, Reno and the Geoscience Information Network led by the Arizona Geological Survey.

Peter Müllner and David Dunand, professors of materials science and engineering at Boise State University and Northwestern University, respectively, published dramatic new research results Sept. 13 in Nature Materials, the leading research journal in materials science. The research is focused on a nickel-manganese-gallium alloy that changes shape when exposed to a magnetic field. The alloy can be activated millions of times and has potential applications in next generation printers, green car engines and surgical tools, and could enable innovations in fields like biomedicine and microrobotics.

Boise State alumni across the Treasure Valley and beyond are being called on to support their individual colleges in the annual Phonathon. Friends of the university also are being called and asked to make a gift to the university’s annual fund, which supports a variety of scholarships and academic programs. The Phonathon kicked off Sept. 16 and will run through Nov. 22. Those interested in making a gift can go to boisestate.edu/campaign/ or call (208) 426-3276.