A few weeks ago, former Argonaut editor Michael Kirk stopped by the office. While here, he showed the current editors one of his crowning achievements: a 1971 cover story featuring an administrator he’d named “Turkey of the Year.”
We dig tradition here at the Arg, so here’s a little end-of-the-semester fun. The Argonaut’s Turkeys (and Heroes) of the Year 2007.

The Turkeys

Wendy Shattuck: The associate vice president for marketing and strategic communication isn’t the only person behind the $900,000 “Open Space. Open Minds” ad campaign, but she’s certainly its driving promotional force. The pricey campaign has been met mostly by dislike or disinterest among students — not exactly a whopping success.
Shattuck has also taken the “strategic communication” part of her title a little too strategically, and certain branches of University Communications and Marketing have turned into public-relations monsters that seek to manipulate the media and kill any information that might make the university “look bad.” And to anyone who thinks The Arg should also be a PR vehicle for the university — you dudes are Turkeys, too.

Dennis Erickson: Mr. “I’m a Vandal ’til I retire” bolted for Arizona State as soon as the smell of sweet, sweet cash came drifting his way. He stopped only to insult the players and leave the university feeling like chumps on the way out of town. Hey Dennis? You didn’t exactly give us a winning season, anyway.

Lloyd Mues: The newest vice president of finance and administration has done a decent job, but his big failure was a honking huge one. The Wheatland Express funding situation could have been solved in one easy move early on, but instead it dragged on and on. When Mues finally decided to give the bus the money it needed, it was a little too late to look benevolent.

The ASUI Senate (sometimes): The Senate has done some good work this year, but it’s been so buried under petty squabbles and time-wasting that it’s hard to tell what that work was. Special Turkey shout-outs go to any senator who contributed to the death of the redistricting amendment, and to Sen. Justin Kempf for writing the total-waste-of-time Punchscan voting bill.

The State Board of Education: The SBOE supposedly supports students, yet it confusingly cut money from a modest fee proposal that was largely supported by students. UI needs money for programs, maintenance and more, and the SBOE has to approve it. Guys, we’re drowning here. Toss us a life jacket instead of an anchor.

• We criticize things at UI because we love this place and want it to be continuously better. But it would be wrong to call out Turkeys without recognizing the people whose work has made UI a happier, more effective place. Here they are…

The Heroes

Jack Brown, biodiesel guru: Brown, a UI professor of plant breeding and genetics, has kept UI at the forefront of alternative energy by helping secure a $2 million, five-year biodiesel research grant for the university. Brown is working to breed high-quality oilseed plants to create high-quality biofuel, and he’s involving UI students in the process. This research further proves that UI has the people and programs to make it a powerhouse in the alternative fuels market.

UI track and field and women’s golf teams: These upstanding student-athletes stomped all over the notion that Vandal athletes have no chance of winning. Women’s golf recently raked in first place in the WAC tournament. Several members of the track and field team broke records and were nationally ranked during the indoor season, and the men’s team placed third in the WAC. These students showed exemplary effort and teamwork, and are excellent representatives for UI.

The ASUI executive branch (sometimes): When leadership was necessary in the Wheatland Express bus debacle and the university bureaucracy wasn’t providing it, ASUI President Berto Cerrillo and Vice President Travis Shofner stepped in with a solution that made students happy. There were other moments when the guys got caught up in ASUI infighting, but the bus move was so smooth it makes their record as three-semester leaders shine.

Robb Akey: He’s not Dennis Erickson, and for that we’re thrilled. Akey has stepped in to provide solid leadership for a football team in need. His professional handling of the recent Marvin C. Jones Jr. coke-dealing case proves that he’s got the skills needed to whip the team into shape off the field as well as on. Akey may not get the worship Erickson did, but he doesn’t need it. He can be an excellent coach without billboards and T-shirts emblazoned with his face.

Volunteers: Alternative Service Break, KaBOOM!, Kids on Campus, blood drives, food drives, book drives — UI students have stepped up to offer their money and time to better the community and the world. Not only has the ASUI Center for Volunteerism and Social Action grown, there are hundreds of quiet acts of kindness at UI every day. Whether it’s picking up trash or building someone a new home, students are there to help, and we thank them.

• And that ends our list — for this year. Another semester will be here before we know it, and everyone at UI has the choice to be a Turkey or a Hero. Pick the best one.

	1. 07-05-2007 11:18
	"Turkey" moniker is misguided It's hard to believe that a student run newspaper advocates to charge its fellow students MORE in fees. The State Board takes it's responsibility and committment to hold matriculation fees and costs down. Why would you want not only your fellow students, but you to intentionally pay more? The Idaho Legislature is sending 8.4% more in funding to all higher education institutions this year, but yet the Argonaut wants you to pay even more? The fact is the University of Idaho requested a 5.9% increase in fees and was granted a 5.0% increase. The Argonaut is painting the change in the fee request as though the State Board is almost entirely cutting off funding from the University of Idaho. That assertion is worthy of a turkey nomination. What happened to just the facts? Registered

stateboard_of_education

	2. 08-05-2007 11:29
	I /want/ to pay more money I am a student of the University of Idaho and I want to pay more tuition and fees. The University is still dreadfully underfunded (even if the Legislature did increase funding) and if the State won't make up the difference, I want to. Otherwise, it affects the quality of my education when buildings are closed due to backlogged maintenance and when good professors leave because their pay is among the lowest of comparable universities. The students of the University of Idaho asked the State Board to pay more, and the State Board refused them. That's the simple fact that makes all the difference. Registered

nathanb

	3. 10-05-2007 16:51
	You've missed the point Assuming you are a member of the board, and not just someone with too much time on your hands, I have to point out that you've missed the entire point of our criticisms. The problem is that the board has taken micromanagement to a whole new level. This is the second year in a row that a budget that was approved by the student body and contained, at the very least, important student initiatives was toyed with by the board under the guise of "saving us from ourselves." Those student projects aren't covered by the Legislature. At least last year's cut had some practical purpose; the token amount you shaved off this year really accomplished nothing. It's like the board just wanted to remind us that they exist, and that they can jerk the chains whenever they want to. It surprises me that an important SBOE spokesperson like you could be so intellectually dishonest. Registered

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