For the past month, the University of Idaho and Moscow community have seen five candidates stake their claim for the university’s top position. Although all candidates offered strong resumes and persuasive presentations, Jack Payne stood out as the strongest and most qualified candidate — and should be the one announced as UI’s president when the decision is made by the State Board of Education later this month.
Payne has extensive experience and knowledge of land grant research institutions and the key role they play for the state.
During his open forum, Payne showed an understanding of the issues that affect UI and although he may not have offered specific plans to address them, Payne revealed an ideology and leadership style that would guide major institutional-wide decisions.
Another one of Payne’s strengths was his willingness to open up “lines of communications” with many different groups on campus such as faculty, staff and students to solve large institutional problems.
He was one of the few candidates to emphasize transparency and clarity in his leadership style — traits desperately needed on multiple administrative levels at UI.
Payne was comfortable on stage, engaged with the audience and proved capable of communicating effectively in a public arena. Along with developing a long-term vision for UI, the president has to be a confident figurehead for the university community and more importantly, have the confidence to sell UI’s value to donors and citizens across the state.
But it was not just Payne’s open forum presentation that demonstrated he was the strongest candidate, as much as it was his career-long experience working for land grant universities across the United States. Payne has served multiple roles at these universities, from adjunct professor to his current position as senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida.
The experience gained in present and past positions will allow him to effectively perform the role as president and address the many financial struggles UI has seen in recent years through his fundraising skills.
Payne’s past experience and leadership values will allow UI to move forward as the reputable land grant institution Idaho is and should continue to be.
–RT