The coronavirus pandemic has been hard on all of us. I decided, after serving as a professor for almost 2 years, to retire from the University of Idaho. Though I would be willing to return to higher education as a president, as a consultant, or perhaps in some other capacity, for now I am home, enjoying skiing, hiking, biking, cooking…and thinking about my next adventure, a thru hike of the Pacific Crest Trail that I plan to start on May 11. So, please don’t expect to see alot of higher ed, and look for my postings on thru hiking.
Serving as president of a university is a challenging, yet uniquely rewarding experience. Those who have served know that the presidency can be an isolated, and isolating experience. Our intent is to share a thought or experience on topics ranging from presidential priorities to finance to athletics on a weekly basis. We also want to encourage attributed or anonymous comment, so that presidents and chancellors may have a forum for meaningful dialogue about issues in higher education today. Those who work with presidents or who might like to become a president, or anyone interested in higher education may also find some information of value. And, thereby, we can all work together to improve higher education…which is the reason to be a president.
A Google search can reveal more than anyone wants to know, or more than one may wish to reveal, in seconds. Highlights of a search on this author will tell you that I attended public universities: the University of Illinois-Urbana as an undergraduate biochemistry major and the University of California-Berkeley to earn my PhD in biochemistry. I completed one postdoctoral stint at Chiron Corporation, a successful startup biotech firm, followed by another stint at Stanford University. I spent the next 19 years as a professor, department chair, associate Vice President for research, and Acting Head of the Research Office at the University of Kentucky. I then spent 5 years as Provost at the University of South Dakota, followed by most recent 5 year tenure as President of the University of Idaho. My experience – and the particular viewpoint of this blog – has been shaped by my career working for primarily large public, research-intensive universities with a strong biomedical slant.
As President at Idaho – along with faculty, staff, students, and the people of Idaho – we faced several challenges. The state has one of the lowest college-going rates in the US, which is correlated with low per capita income. Idaho’s universities historically conduct less research than most states; Idaho is one of the few states where government research (Idaho National Lab) and industrial research and development (Micron, Hewlett-Packard, and Simplot to name a few) dwarf academic research. As President, I am proudest of the improvements we made in admissions and scholarships, such as our statewide Direct Admit program, the University of Idaho’s Durable Admissions and a 50% increase in state need-based scholarships. The 20% increase in extramural research funds, modernization of our research facilities, and improved industrial relations due to improved contracting were gratifying accomplishments in the research arena. Record fundraising enhanced multiple aspects of the University, including allowing groundbreaking for a novel, mass timber arena for basketball.
Of course, that quick Google search will also reveal controversy over Athletics: an unprecedented move from FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) to FCS (Football Championship Subdivision); a difficult “Me Too” situation with a long-serving Athletic Director; and budget challenges. Ultimately, these and other differences with the State Board of Education led to a nonrenewal of my contract…and the opportunity to consider how better to serve higher education, and, maybe most importantly, to blog!
Blog Editor, Sarah King Staben, completed a BA in Art History with a major in English at the University of Louisville. Sarah married into the family this summer, and felt she could not refuse her new father-in-law’s invitation to assist with this blog by providing both a fresh point of view as well as her considerable editing and writing skills.
Other Contributors:
You may notice at times that each of my family members contributes a point of view to the blog…much as they contributed to my presidency. If you are blessed by an intelligent and informed family…listen to them (I should have done that even more often!). My wife, Mary Beth Staben, is a hospitalist physician working in Boise, Idaho. Mac Staben, our oldest son, began his residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Pennsylvania in 2019. Cal Staben (Sarah’s spouse) began his Emergency Medicine Residency at the University of Louisville in 2018. Our youngest, Rae Staben, began medical school at Vanderbilt University in 2019.