Idaho Falls Education Advisory Council

Meeting Minutes

April 9, 2003

Samuel H. Bennion Student Union Building

Attendees: Jim McFadden (Chair), Michael Lineberry, President Pitcher, President Miles LaRowe, Phil Packer, Jennifer Fisher, Larry Branen, Ann Meikle-Howell, Bob Stiger, John Hansen, Marge Foster, Carol Baldwin, Sandra Feldman, Mark Young, Scott Hinchsberger, Harold Blackman, Dave Radford, Dan Hatch, Carol Lowe, Jerry Brady, Gail Hernandez, Ed House, Carol Spain, Connie Gomez

ITEM 1: Welcome and Approval of the December 10, 2002, Meeting Minutes

Chair Jim McFadden welcomed.

John Hansen moved approval of the December 10, 2002 minutes, with one spelling correction. Mark Young seconded. Motion carried.

ITEM 2: Introduction of Attendees

Attendees introduced themselves.

ITEM 3: Committee Reports

Community and Business Education Needs: The committee has not met since December. The Diversity subcommittee has completed their first goal and the diversity brochure will be sent to print and distribution. Ann Meikle-Howell briefly outlined the direction of the diversity subcommittee. The group has established a network between them that did not exist prior to the formation of the group. The subcommittee will meet in May and one time during the summer to keep the momentum going. The second priority of this committee is business retention and work needs to begin on this area. New leadership needs to be established. With the new leadership, new targets can be suggested. Ann Meikle-Howell briefed the advisory council on the progress of the Diversity subcommittee. Their brochure has been finalized and is ready to go to print.

Facilities Planning: Mayor Milam was unable to attend the meeting, Jim McFadden read her statement. Bob Stiger stated that the Center for Science and Technology building was still on hold with several different factors affecting the forward progress of the building. Bob Stiger gave a brief overview for the new entrance to University Place and the increased parking spaces.

Public Relations and Community Awareness: Marge Foster reported that the committee did meet and had the opportunity to work with ISU, UI and EITC on the upcoming marketing campaign. The theme from the last two years was kept, however this new campaign will focus on faculty members. The new billboards should be ready in the near future. On March 20 the Region VI Career Fair was held at University Place and approximately 1,300 high school juniors attend the fair.

ITEM 4: Institutional Reports

Idaho State University: Jennifer Fisher reported on Idaho State University and gave greetings from President Bowen. ISU is making progress in fulfilling their mission. Every aspect of ISU has been affected by the 18% budget cuts. ISU has lost key positions, every effort is being made to meet the needs of the students, the main operating budgets have decreased and a new classroom building has been put on hold. With the cuts of part time and adjunct faculty it is not possible to open up new sections of class when other sections fill. Jennifer thanked all the members who signed the letter to the governor. Economic difficulties make fund-raising very important, $700,000 in scholarships were awarded to students from the upper Snake River valley. Spring 2003 enrollment was up 1% overall. The Idaho Falls center is actually up 4 ½ to 5%, with more full time students enrolled. Classroom space is tight in Idaho Falls. There are six rooms dedicated to televised classes, and they are full all the time. EITC has allowed us to use some of their rooms. Future growth is dependent upon funding. Dr. Ed House spoke on the new Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering, a collaboration between ISU and Argonne. Dr. House stated that Dr. Michael Lineberry had been selected to be the new director. Dr. Lineberry stated that the new institute is expected to reinvigorate Nuclear Science and Engineering. There is an effort being made to bring University of Idaho into the collaboration. ISU brings Nuclear Science and Nuclear Engineering. UI brings core engineering disciplines and material science. Dr. Lineberry stated that the new institute would couple itself with research that is currently going on at the INEEL and advertise to faculty and students that they can have access to nuclear facilities. Argonne and INEEL get a resource pool of future employees.

University of Idaho: With President Hoover on a leave of absence, President Pitcher addressed the advisory council as the interim president. President Pitcher expressed his appreciation of the advisory council’s support for Higher Education. These times are difficult and challenging, and the local staff and faculty are to be commended for their hard work. There is an increase in students who are both new students and students who are returning for further professional, graduate and advance training, due to the difficult economic times. It is critical that the institutions do all they can to create programs for them. UI is continuing to work closely with INRA in the subsurface science programs. UI is committed to work with the region in providing workforce training in supporting the cleanup effort. The economic development activity that has been talked about is part of UI’s mission and responsibility and collaboration with the partners here. UI will refine strategies within the next few months when additional information on the INEEL contract bid becomes available. The master plan is critical to the growth and goals of the Idaho Falls center.

Eastern Idaho Technical College: President LaRowe gave greetings from EITC. President LaRowe stated that there were several resignations being turned in. Mary Ann Carlson will be leaving EITC within 30 days and President LaRowe has also turned in his resignation effective June 30, 2003. President LaRowe stated that it had been a pleasure being associated with EITC. At the January SBOE meeting it was proposed that the new Health Education building be built at University Place. President LaRowe urged the advisory council to support the request that the building be built at EITC. EITC has secured grant money, land and has a completed architectural rendering. The Health Education building will be shared with ISU’s Health Education program. Jim McFadden expressed gratitude to President LaRowe for his service.

BYU Idaho: Phil Packer reported on the changes taking place at BYU-Idaho. BYUI has added 30 faculty members, 15 new and 15 replacements. BYUI has gone to a 3-track system in an effort to accommodate more students. BYUI wants to increase the enrollment during summer. Students are encouraged to use their off time to work as interns. The accreditation should be complete by the summer of 2004. BYUI is expecting to graduate 600 students in April, their first four-year graduates. BYUI’s travel programs have been curtailed due to the war. There are a number of BYUI faculty members working on their doctorates at University Place.

ITEM 8: General Discussion of Legislative Session

When the agenda was put together, the hope was that Senator Bart Davis would be in attendance, that the legislative session would be over and he would be here to discuss the outcome from the last legislative meeting. Jim McFadden gave background information from the December Advisory Council Meeting. The council was encouraged to work with the institutions, to help in anyway possible. The co-chairs of the Joint Finance Appropriations committee traveled around the state and Jim McFadden was contacted by UI to present testimony before the committee regarding University Place in early February. The Advisory Council urged Governor Kempthorne to veto the last budget presented and he did, however there is still a long way to go. President Pitcher was in Boise and Jim McFadden asked him to give his comments on the budget status. President Pitcher spoke on two major efforts, first the bonding proposal and the prospect for funding increases. The governor has recommended 4.2% increase for general education. This increase would mainly go to the MCO (maintenance current operations budget). The House has passed a ½% sales tax increase, but the next steps are unclear. The focus currently is on encouraging JFAC to approve a budget that would be above the ½% increase. Freezing the budgets where they currently are would further impact the schools.

ITEM 9: Question and Answer Period

Jim McFadden thanked everyone who signed the letter sent to the governor. He stated that Senator Bart Davis is very supportive of increasing funding for Higher Education. Everyone was encouraged to email Senator Davis and thank him for his support and urge more pressure. Jim asked the council members to contact the local legislative members, to encourage them to consider the impact of further budget cuts on education. John Hansen stated he felt that it is evident that the connection between the people who make the decisions and those who are impacted by their decisions is growing wider. Mark Young stated that there are ways to access the legislators to let them know that there are constituents who support tax increases. Presently, there is a false perception being given to the legislature because the people who are making the most noise are those who do not favor a tax increase. The people who are being affected need to make their opinions known. It must be made known to the legislators what is at stake. The needs of the students are not being met because classes are full, and there are not enough instructors. This is the type of information that needs to be passed on. We need to ask, what kind of state do we want to be; a great state, a mediocre state, or a backwards state? Oregon has created a 100 million dollar fund to attract businesses. We have no such fund; in fact we are cutting back our Department of Commerce. Use your email to contact your representative; anyone needing an address should contact Jim McFadden. Harold Blackman stated that when the INEEL brings in new employees, they are always asked what are the higher education opportunities. The suggestion was made to contact the local major employers and get them to express their opinions. The question was asked if the advisory council could assess what other states are doing to thrive under this economic environment and make a plan to assist with funding questions. Jim McFadden stated that it would be appropriate for the council to address and research this issue, but remembering that the advisory council can only act in an advisory capacity. Another suggestion was to come up with standard emails that could be sent out addressing different education issues to the legislature. The emphasis needs to be that budget cuts do not simply impact positions, but they impact the ability to offer or continue various programs. Everyone was encouraged to attend his or her respective committee meetings.

ITEM 10: Closing Remarks/Adjournment

The next meeting will be August 13.

Meeting adjourned.