[Vision2020] UI Friday Letter for August 17, 2007

[Tom Hansen]

Copied and pasted below is the UI Friday Letter for August 17, 2007 -

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University of Idaho
Office of the President
Moscow, Idaho 83844-3151
Phone: 208-885-6365
Fax: 208-885-6558

The Friday Letter
A Newsletter for University of Idaho Alumni and Friends Aug. 17, 2007

Dear Friends,

It seems to me that there is an even greater buzz of happy activity than
usual for this very special week of the year - even more excitement,
anticipation and enjoyment on campus, as students and parents, faculty and
staff prepare for the beginning of Fall classes. 

This week I had the pleasure of welcoming new faculty members to the 2007-08
academic year. We have 64 great new, permanent faculty this year, all poised
to help lead the transformational learning experience that our alumni can
attest is a hallmark of the University of Idaho.  The new 64 represent about
10% of the permanent faculty positions at the University. The renewal of our
faculty is further testament to the resurgence of interest in, and
expectations for, the University of Idaho.

I also helped students who are brand new to the University check in and move
into their campus residences. Karen, Logan and I will lead the traditional
procession across campus with these same students on Sunday. It will be the
first half of their roundtrip Hello Walk; the second half comes when they
earn their degree. We'll end at a line of deans and administrators, wearing
aprons and wielding spatulas and spoons, who will launch these students into
their first semester with a fine barbecue picnic dinner.


It is a wonderful time at the University of Idaho. Campus visits and
undergraduate application numbers have risen over last year's figures, and
we will know on the tenth day of the term what our official enrollment
numbers are. Our students, faculty and alumni continue to make news with
high quality work and life achievements that truly impact Idaho, the nation
and the world. Our outstanding staff members - from Financial Aid to Food
Services, from the Library to Residence Life - continue to work so very hard
to make the University of Idaho experience all that it should be, for all
who come here. A special commendation is warranted for our Facilities
Services staff, who have worked tirelessly to maintain the grounds during
this long hot summer. Thank you all ... the beauty of campus is stunning.  

Welcome to Fall 2007, and Go Vandals!

Tim White
President

Here's the latest news from the University of Idaho:

Third-year law student Kinzo Mihara will soon be on the go through five
states. The Clarksburg, Md. resident has been tapped to create and promote
student diversity initiatives at regional law schools. He will serve as a
lieutenant governor of diversity for the American Bar Association Law
Student Division. Mihara, who identifies his heritage as racially mixed, is
eager to share and adapt what he's observed of the College of Law's formal
and informal efforts to promote and support diversity. He will be
responsible for ABA-approved law schools in the 12th circuit, which includes
Idaho, Alaska, Montana, Oregon and Washington. He plans to collect students'
stories about their experiences in law school and the journey that brought
them there. He will also oversee Diversity Day events on the Idaho campus on
March 2, 2008, as well as events across the region he oversees.

It's a "go" for new Sandpoint campus.  Last week, the State Board of
Education gave final approval to move forward with a new University of Idaho
campus in Sandpoint; classes are projected to begin in fall 2009. The
development is a private-public project between the University of Idaho and
north Idaho's Wild Rose Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization. The
innovative development calls for the University to sell 77 acres of land in
Sandpoint to Wild Rose; the foundation will build educational facilities on
the property; and after a period of time, will gift the land and buildings
back to the university.  The more than $30 million project will see
construction of four new buildings for performing arts learning,
agricultural and life sciences, education, administration and center
operations, and a student union. 

David L. Gale, a 1968 business graduate and his wife, Raedene, have
established the Nettie Gale Memorial Scholarship Endowment in honor of
Dave's mother who had, in Dave's words, "a major influence on her children's
lives and their career decisions." The scholarship is for graduates of
Potlatch High School. Dave is a native of Potlatch, Idaho and attended all
12 years of school there. After college, Dave commenced a long and
productive career with the Alaskan state government in Juneau. He and
Raedene met and married in Alaska. In 1983, he retired and they moved to the
Bellingham, Washington, area where they owned and operated two businesses
until 1997 when they retired again. Dave says he received what he considered
a first-rate education at Idaho that launched him on a fruitful and
rewarding career track. Knowing that many students struggle financially to
get through college, he and Raedene are pleased to be able to share some of
their successes with deserving students from his hometown. To learn more
about how you could create an endowed scholarship, please call the
University's Office of Development at (208) 885-9026 or e-mail Ed McBride at
mcbride at uidaho.edu. 

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college
students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)