[Vision2020] U of I Discrimination to Veterans

[Paul Rumelhart]

Here are a couple of links with information.  One is from the Faculty / 
Staff Handbook and the other is from the State of Idaho department of 
labor.  Both discuss policies having to do with veterans and employment. 

http://www.webs.uidaho.edu/fsh/3060.html
http://dhr.idaho.gov/Default.aspx?TabId=979&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

The difference appears to be that the University of Idaho follows the 
federal guidelines which prevent discrimination against veterans similar 
to gender, ethnicity, etc., and the State gives veterans a small 
preference to use for scoring purposes.  Thus, if a contest for a 
position is close and the veteran is slightly less qualified than the 
other applicant, the veteran will be chosen if the job is a State job, 
the other applicant will be chosen if the job is at the U of I.

As for the constitutional exemption, I assume they are talking about 
Article IX, section 10 of the State constitution 
(http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/idstat/IC/ArtIXSect10.htm):

Section 10.State University -- Location, regents, and lands. The 
location of the University of Idaho, as established by existing laws, is 
hereby confirmed. All the rights, immunities, franchises, and 
endowments, heretofore granted thereto by the territory of Idaho are 
hereby perpetuated unto the said university. The regents shall have the 
general supervision of the university, and the control and direction of 
all the funds of, and appropriations to, the university, under such 
regulations as may be prescribed by law. No university lands shall be 
sold for less than ten dollars per acre, and in subdivisions not to 
exceed one hundred and sixty acres, to any one person, company or 
corporation.

I assume it's the "All the rights, immunities, franchises, and 
endowments, heretofore granted thereto by the territory of Idaho are 
hereby perpetuated unto the said university. " part that they are 
referring to.  I don't know what rights or immunities the territory of 
Idaho might have bestowed upon the University.  Also, IANAL (I am not a 
lawyer), so I don't know how this would be applied on the question of 
veteran's rights.

For full disclosure, I'm a programmer that has worked for the University 
of Idaho on HR data, but I am not speaking for the University, nor am I 
qualified to do so on this topic.  I just wanted to seek out some of 
this data for discussion purposes.  I don't know what my personal 
opinion is on this subject, but whatever it is I wouldn't construe it to 
match that of the University. 

Paul


bear at moscow.com wrote:
> Tom and Visionaries,
>
> I opened the paper this morning and discovered the our Congressman, Walt Minnick, will be
> the 
> graduation speaker at U of I this year.
>
> I sent him the following, and request that if you support our returning veterans, you join
> in and 
> send him a message also. It is too easy to feel good and support returning veterans by 
> wrapping a yellow ribbon around a tree, please support veterans by doing something
> positive, 
> even if it only involves sending our elected and appointed officials an e-mail.
>
> "Walt,
>  I am very disappointed that you have decided to appear as the graduation speaker at the 
> University of Idaho, as they openly discriminate against the veterans of the state of
> Idaho by 
> refusing to comply with Idaho Code 65 in regards to veteran hiring  preferences. The 
> University, because of it's constitutional status does not have a veterans preference even
>
> though all other the other government entities are required to comply with the state law.
> Your 
> appearance at the U of I as their speaker, lends the support of your office to their
> flagrant 
> position. If you have any doubts about the U of I's policy, I can send you the
> documentation I 
> received from the hiring manager, MsKathy Vellegas. I also wrote to the acting president
> of the 
> university, and have to date been ignored. As you know, the state legislature has recently
>
> approved a proposal to change the constitution of Idaho to enable the university to charge
>
> tuition, but as this referendum to change the constitution does nothing to make the
> university 
> comply, I will be campaigning against it."
>
>
>
>
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