2014-2015 was filled with change, both good and bad
With a week left to go, classes winding down and the graduating seniors preparing for the world of true adulthood, another year at the University of Idaho comes to a close.
The 2014-2015 academic year has been one of ups and downs and plenty of change for the University of Idaho.
In the fall we said goodbye to long-time Dean of Students Bruce Pitman (we’ve heard he’s currently enjoying retirement somewhere in Europe), Pita Pit closed and the university welcomed a number of new administrators.
The 2014 Homecoming celebrated the 125th anniversary of the university and hundreds of alumni visited campus to witness the Vandals’ lone win of the season.
The Kiva Theater was demolished to make way for a completely redone Education building, and construction on the first new building in more than a decade began when UI President Chuck Staben broke ground on the Integrated Research and Innovation Center.
Progress has yet to be made on a new event center, but we know Athletic Director Rob Spear isn’t about to give up on the 40-year project just yet.
In his first full year as president, Staben’s administration has been in a state of turnover and restructuring. A slew of new administrators, including some yet to be hired, will be ready to take on their first full year when students return in the fall.
Staben has also listened to arguments on both sides of the Tobacco Free Campus debate, he has lobbied for improving the salaries of the employees he knows keep this place running and he oversaw the lowest tuition increase in a decade.
While his first academic year has been far from perfect and much of it was spent simply learning the ropes and traditions, it appears there are positive changes for UI on the horizon.
The UI Greek system was forced to adjust to a new set of rules and regulations, and while the transition was bumpy and the kinks are still being worked out, it’s clear safety has been the primary concern of everyone involved.
The 2015 semester got off to a rough start when in January, the community was struck by a senseless tragedy that left three dead and one injured at the hands of a disturbed individual.
But, as this town and this university tend to do, we came together through an outpouring of love and support and did not let the unfortunate actions of a single person define the year.
And finally, this year saw one of the most interesting ASUI presidential elections in recent years, with three strong candidates running for ASUI’s top spot.
In the end, ASUI welcomed back a familiar face as Max Cowan began his second term as president.
Nate Fisher’s leadership through the year has been consistent and strong, and next year he will serve as the student lobbyist in Boise — a position he seems perfectly suited for as a representative of UI.
It’s been a year to remember, at least the parts we can recall. And now, as the year comes to an end and the changes continue, it’s clear the university is in good hands.
This year’s graduates will head out into the world and attempt to change it, or at least make enough money to eat more than Ramen every day, and UI will continue to grow and adapt as it welcomes another class of first-year students.
But for now, we say congratulations to the Class of 2015 and cheers to three months of what’s sure to be a much-needed summer break.
You’ve earned it.
— KK