Last year, University of Idaho administrators built a strategic development plan that mapped out the desired future growth of the university.
This year, UI President Chuck Staben said he hopes to take the first major steps toward achieving that growth.
“At the center of that plan are the same items we discussed last year,” Staben said. “I want us to grow enrollment at the undergraduate level, to grow additional high-impact research that is important to Idaho, but that also has a global relevance and to improve the university and do what we (call) ‘build a team,’ which is to improve the situation for faculty and staff on campus.”
This year’s enrollment initiatives include direct admittance for Idaho residents, new staffing in recruitment and retention areas and the ability to waive application fees for in-state students.
“We want to remove more and more barriers,” Staben said. “Some improvements to the financial aid process include prior year filing, which makes it easier for families to file their financial aid earlier and it’s easier for us to more quickly provide financial aid packages.”
In addition to changes in the application and financial aid processes, Staben said the administration is looking to strengthen academic and career advising.
John Wiencek, UI provost and executive vice president, said the plan to increase enrollment also involves improving retention rates by providing students with more access to resources.
“I’m concerned about our faculty and students, and making sure they’re in a position to succeed,” Wiencek said. “We’re trying to get all colleges and all units to look at the plan that was developed and have them develop specific tasks and operational goals for the next three years that will help us accomplish our goals.”
Wiencek said one concrete initiative that will be partially launched this fall is a reference center where students can be informed about various resources on campus. This center will include information about a number of different programs and resources, from study abroad programs to guidance on how to remedy financial aid problems.
“What I heard last year talking to ASUI is that it’s confusing,” Wiencek said. “Students don’t know where to go. By collocating everything in one spot, students can go up to the referral desk and be pointed in the right direction.”
Wiencek said that while other ideas have been proffered by the faculty, staff and administration, there are no other definite policy changes or initiatives taking place at this time.
When it comes to retention rates, Wiencek said he’s currently focused on providing first-year students with the support they need to continue on to their sophomore year.
“We want to put students in a better place to succeed academically so they will be Vandals coming back for sophomore year,” Wiencek said. “That would be my hope and aspiration, and I’m a firm believer it’s a very real possibility.”
In the years to come, Wiencek said he hopes to focus on the larger picture, such as long-term retention that ultimately leads to graduation, rather than retention rates from a year-to-year basis.
Staben said the new Vice President of Research and Economic Development, Janet Nelson, intends to work toward making the second part of the plan, increasing high-impact research, a reality.
“We’re trying to broaden our research with the Idaho National Laboratory and we’re interested in continuing to support our high-impact researchers on campus, but also to develop some new research and recruit more faculty,” Staben said.
Beyond hiring more faculty to encourage research growth, Staben said the university is moving toward a market-based compensation method to ensure fair compensation for faculty and staff.
Staben said the administration is also working on developing ways to internally hire more effectively and provide university faculty and staff with opportunities to improve their careers.
An additional development to the university staff is the permanent hiring of two administrative positions following the resignation of former UI Vice Provost of Student Affairs, Jean Kim.
“Jean Kim really was in two positions,” Wiencek said. “Before Jean, one person did enrollment management and another did student affairs. We’re going back to that kind of model.”
Wiencek said the current Dean of Students Blaine Eckles will take over management of the student affairs portfolio.
There are four candidates for the enrollment management position. Wiencek said the administration hopes to announce the permanent vice president for strategic enrollment management by the end of August.
Corrin Bond
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