Christopher Callahan, dean of the Water Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University, said he doesn’t want to be any university’s president, but the next president of the University of Idaho.
“I don’t want to be a university president, I want to be the president of this university,” Callahan said at the fourth UI Presidential Candidate Forum Thursday.
Callahan, a first-generation college student, worked at the University of Maryland, another land-grant university, for 15 years. He has been at Arizona State University for 13 years.
Callahan, who considers himself to be a builder and designer rather than a caretaker, anticipated the question which was asked of all three candidates who presented at forums earlier on in the week regarding the length of time he anticipated to stay at UI if chosen.
“Looking from the outside in, it’s almost like somehow U of I is perceived as the triple-A farm team and let me tell you, that this is not a triple-a farm team. This is a major league team and it deserves somebody who is going to stay,” Callahan said.
Callahan, having previously worked at a land-grant institution, commended UI’s research efforts. He noted a new Pew Research study which shows public opinion of higher education is decreasing and blamed the decrease partially on university failures to communicate what research they are conducting and how it affects society.
“The challenges that you face that so many universities around the country face to me are just as exciting (as the strengths of UI),” Callahan said.
Callahan said the retention rate at ASU has risen by just over 15 percent, from 78 percent to 93 percent, since his arrival at the university.
The next UI President, who will be chosen by the Idaho State Board of Education, will be named by April, according to previous reporting from The Argonaut.
Feedback on the candidates may be submitted on the search website.
Elizabeth Marshall can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @EJMarshall_