One student has already taken up University of Idaho President Chuck Staben’s challenge to a friendly racquetball match.
Ushered in by the sound of trumpets, trombones, and other members of the UI marching band, UI President Chuck Staben gives his official Welcome Address for in the Administration Auditorium on March 3, 2014.
Staben, who made the challenge when he was first named UI’s 18th president in November, addressed the university Monday for the first time since officially taking office March 1.
“I’m pleased and honored to become — after what seems quite a long time since the November announcement — president here at the University of Idaho,” Staben said. “I was attracted here by the university’s academic reputation and by the opportunities that I see here. My wife and I think that Moscow will be a great place to set down roots, after five and half years apart during my time at South Dakota.”
Staben arrived in Moscow Feb. 22 and was welcomed by the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, which he said the university should be proud of. Staben said he took the week to get to know Moscow and the university a little better.
“I know that you’d like me to share some of my initial observations of the university and the state,” Staben said. “Please keep in mind these observations are not exhaustive … if you don’t hear about your organization or your group, don’t take offense. Just resolve to tell me about it later.”
Staben said he has been impressed by the passion expressed by the students, faculty, staff and alumni in just the short time he’s been here. He also noted the university’s research efforts, which he knew of even before his interest in the presidency.
“I knew of the bioinformatics and evolutionary biology work from my interaction with people from Idaho via the INBRE grant that Idaho has and that I was active in while was at the University of Kentucky,” Staben said.
Staben said he has already worked out at the Student Recreation Center, was able to attend the Chinese New Year celebration during one of his earlier visits and was able to support the Idaho women’s basketball team as it celebrated its first regular-season WAC championship win since the 1984-85 season.
“I’m sorry that I missed the track and field championship the other day, but I’m looking forward to watching our Vandals compete,” Staben said.
Staben was the provost and vice president of academic affairs at the University of South Dakota since 2008, and prior to USD, Staben served for 19 years in a variety of roles at the University of Kentucky. Staben’s academic background includes a bachelor’s and doctorate in biochemistry, as well as many years of research in the field.
Bill Goesling, Idaho State Board of Education member, introduced Staben and made note of Staben’s statewide, national and international recognition as a researcher and educator.
“He has a long track record of helping organizations achieve their goals,” Goesling said. “This was especially true at his last position as provost and vice president of academic affairs at the University of South Dakota. There his efforts have led to well-documented increases in enrollment, retention, graduation rate and funding.”
Those efforts are the same ones Staben said he is committed to making a priority at UI as well, because he said he knows the university faces those same challenges. Retention, enrollment, rising tuition, employee compensation, declining state support and diversity were just a few of the issues Staben addressed in his speech.
“I’d like to mention salaries, specifically,” Staben said. “One cannot buy the loyalty of highly-motivated, dedicated people like yourselves. Unfortunately, however, an employee can become discouraged and feel treated unfairly when pay slips behind appropriate comparisons and there’s little prospect of improvement. So I’d like to emphasize how much I appreciate the loyalty of our faculty and staff. But also that with your help in revenue generation and the efficient use of resources, we will make strong and, I believe, effective efforts to ensure improved compensation.”
One of Staben’s first efforts as president will be working with other university administrators and the state board, to determine and settle the tuition revenue issues for next year. The university’s official report on how much it will need to raise tuition to stay in the black is expected to be released later this week. He referred to the university as a financial burden on students and families, but said he appreciates the support of students who recognize the value of a UI education. He said he plans to work closely with budget and enrollment staff to make the university more efficient.
“You may hear me talk quite often about resources, but I want to state very clearly that the University of Idaho is not a business,” Staben said. “Resources are, however, essential for us to effect our mission. We will not seek revenue for revenue’s sake, but we will seek revenue opportunities consistent with our mission, so that we can be more effective in what is most valuable to us.”
Staben said he plans to make it clear to the state that higher education is not an expense, but rather an investment. He has already made efforts to increase enrollment, by working with an outside firm to help analyze where UI could do better in retaining and enrolling students. He said he will pay special attention to access, quality and diversity — particularly for first-generation and underserved populations in Idaho.
“We are a great public, research, land-grant university,” Staben said. “In that tradition we will excel in research and engagement, even as we face challenges in funding.”
Staben made clear that he believes universities should serve a purpose to change lives in extraordinary ways.
“I’m deeply honored to be here,” Staben said. “I’m deeply committed to being here and go Vandals.”
Kaitlyn Krasselt can be reached at [email protected]