UI president pays Sandpoint visit

SANDPOINT — The University of Idaho’s biggest cheerleader reminded Sandpoint Rotarians Wednesday that Idaho’s oldest university is here for the long run.

UI President Duane Nellis told the Vandal-friendly crowd that “we want to own North Idaho.”

The University of Idaho, which was actually founded one year before Idaho earned statehood, is addressing ongoing challenges such as funding while preparing for the future, he said.

UI has been forced to cut $23 million from its budget and has eliminated or consolidated 45 programs during the past two years, Nellis said.

Add this to more than $200 million in deferred maintenance on campus and a person gets a feeling Nellis doesn’t mind getting out of his office from time to time to visit boosters and to see the state.

As budget woes have challenged Idaho’s entire educational system, the two highest enrollment freshman classes in school history have found their way to Moscow.

And once a student begins at UI there is a good chance he or she will graduate. UI’s graduation rate is twice as high as any other Idaho university.

The Libby High School class of 1972 graduate has many fond memories of stopping in Sandpoint when his family would drive from Libby to Spokane.

“I loved Connie’s for breakfast,” he said. “It was just the right time to eat on our trips.” He also was a fan of the Pastime Restaurant.

With his Northwest roots, Nellis feels like Moscow and North Idaho are like coming home.

Nellis took over the presidency in 2009 and in a short amount of time he has come to realize the challenges and potential the University of Idaho offers.

On the one hand, ag research centers such as the one in Sandpoint have been “temporarily suspended,” while at the same time alumni giving jumped from $21 million two years ago to $26 million last year.

Even though annual student fees at UI are a reasonable $5,400 (versus $9,200 at Washington State University) somewhere lost in the equation is that UI has a $1 billion economic impact on the state every year.

While the current challenges are real, the future of Idaho’s land grant college is bright, Nellis said.

He cited increased public-private partnerships with leading Idaho businesses as a way to prepare UI graduates for success.

“Our graduates are hard workers and don’t think anyone owes them anything when they go to work,” he said. “They don’t expect to be the boss on the first day.”

UI students also learn the importance of giving back to Idaho communities. The university is one of five national finalists for a prestigious community service award that will be named soon.

Nellis is hopeful the University of Idaho campus in Sandpoint will become a reality but understands the future lies in the stock price of Coldwater Creek.

“We have great plans and great drawings but we have to wait for the economy to pick up,” he said. “We have the land and are holding on to it.”

One Rotarian asked Nellis if the campus would look at one of downtown Sandpoint’s vacant buildings as a starting point for UI classes.

“That’s something we should look at,” he said.