|
| |
CHAPTER ONE: 1120
HISTORY, MISSION, GENERAL ORGANIZATION, AND GOVERNANCE
July 2006
1120
ORIGINS AND GROWTH OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO
PREAMBLE: This section sketches a very brief history of
the University of Idaho. Fuller
information can be found in Statutes and Decisions Relating to the University of
Idaho by Harrison Dale, former president of the university (Boise, 1944) [see
the Appendix], Beacon for Mountain and Plain: Story of the University of Idaho
by Rafe Gibbs (Moscow, University of Idaho Press, 1962), This Crested Hill: An
Illustrated History of the University of Idaho by Keith C. Peterson (Moscow,
University of Idaho Press, 1987). This
section was written by the Faculty Secretary’s Office for the 1979 edition of
the Handbook and has been updated so as to maintain currency of information from
time to time since. Unless
otherwise noted, the text is as of July 1996. [ed./rev. 7-98]
CONTENTS:
A.
Origins
B.
The University Today
A. ORIGINS. [See also Appendix I.]
A-1. Recognizing that education was vital to the development of Idaho, the
legislature set as a major objective the establishment of an institution that
would offer to all the people of the territory, on equal terms, higher education
that would excel not only in the arts, letters, and sciences, but also in the
agricultural and mechanic arts. The
federal government’s extensive land grants, particularly under the Morrill Act
of 1862, provided substantial assistance in this undertaking. Subsequent federal legislation provided further for the teaching function
of the institution and for programs of research and extension. In all, approximately 240,000 acres were allocated to the support of
Idaho’s land-grant institution.
A-2. After selecting Moscow as the site for the new university, in part
because Moscow was located in the "center of one of the richest and most
populous agricultural sections in the entire Northwest" and the surrounding
area was not subject to the "vicissitudes of booms, excitement, or
speculation,"
the University of Idaho was founded January 30, 1889, by an act of the 15th and
last territorial legislature. That
act, commonly known as the university’s charter, became a part of Idaho’s
organic law by virtue of its confirmation under article IX, section 10,
of the state constitution when Idaho was admitted to the union. As the constitution of 1890 provides, "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." Under these provisions, the
University of Idaho was given status as a constitutional entity. Though the university is to be governed under regulations as may be
prescribed by law, the regents were specifically given control of the funds and
conditions of employment. Thus, the
Board of Regents (designated in the territorial act as a body corporate and
named "The Regents of the University of Idaho") has wide-ranging
authority not inherent in the governing board of the other institutions in
Idaho’s state system of higher education.
A-3. The regents were also empowered to appoint the university president
to administer the institution and serve as president of the university faculty
and of the constituent and associated faculties. As provided in the territorial act, the president is the "executive
head of the instructional force" and gives "general direction to the
instruction and scientific investigation of the university." The act also entrusted
the immediate government of the University of Idaho to the faculty. The tradition that the faculty, the president, and the regents are
jointly responsible for governing this university has continued to the present.
A-4. James H. Forney was named acting president from 1881-1892 and Franklin B. Gault
became the first president, welcoming about 30 students and one other
professor when the university officially opened its doors, October 3, 1892. Most of the students who entered in 1892 were at the preparatory level;
thus, the first graduating class in 1896 numbered only four (two men and two
women). The following year the
first master’s degree was awarded, and the next year saw the appointment of a
new president, Joseph P. Blanton, who served until 1900. Since then, UI has had the following presidents: James A. MacLean (1900-1913), Melvin A. Brannon (1914-1917), Ernest H.
Lindley (1917-1920), Alfred H. Upham (1920-1928), Frederick J. Kelly
(1928-1930), Mervin G. Neale (1930-1937), Harrison C. Dale (1937-1946), Jesse E.
Buchanan (1946-1954), Donald R. Theophilus (1954-1965), Ernest W. Hartung
(1965-1977), Richard D. Gibb
(1977-1989), Elisabeth A. Zinser (1989-1995), Thomas O. Bell, Interim President
(1995-1996), and Robert A. Hoover, (1996-2003), Gary G. Michael, Interim
President (2003-2004), and Timothy P. White, who took office in 2004. [rev.
7-06]
A-5. The university catalog for 1893 states that the "college or
department of arts," "the college or department of letters," and
"the college or department of agriculture" offered five
"collegiate courses": "the classical; the scientific; the
mechanic arts and civil engineering; the agriculture; the English." The
College of Letters and Science was formally established in 1900. Colleges established later, though not necessarily under their current
names, are: Agriculture (1901),
Engineering (1907), Law (1909), Mines and Earth Resources (1917), Forestry,
Wildlife and Range Sciences (1917), Education (1920), Business and Economics
(1925), and Art and Architecture (1981). Graduate
work has been under the supervision of the College of Graduate Studies since it
was created in 1925. The Lionel
Hampton School of Music (1969) and the School of Communication (1972) function
within the College of Letters and Science, and the Margaret Ritchie School of
Family and Consumer Sciences (1974) functions within the College of Agriculture. At UI, schools are not independent academic units.
B. THE UNIVERSITY TODAY.
B-1. The University of Idaho serves as the flagship research and land-grant institution of the
state, is a Carnegie Doctoral/Research-Extensive institution, is a principal center for professional
education, and is the state’s preeminent center for comprehensive and
research-oriented graduate programs. [ed. 7-06]
B-2. UI is a member of the National Association of State Universities and
Land-Grant Colleges. It is
accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and accredited
or approved for specific programs by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology, American Bar Association, American Chemical Society, American
Dietetics Association, American Society of Landscape Architects, Association of
American Law Schools, Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related
Educational Programs, National Architectural Accrediting Board, National
Association of Schools of art and Design, National
Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Schools of Music,
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and Society of American
Foresters. [ed. 7-06]
B-3. As noted in A-1, substantial federal land grants were made available
during the territorial days and allocated to the university; the income from
these properties still contributes to its support. Nevertheless, the
institution’s main support is from annual legislative appropriations and,
primarily for auxiliary services, from student fees. The university also receives gifts, grants, and endowments for
scholarships, teaching, research, and development from many sources, both public
and private, in part through the UI Foundation and the Idaho Research
Foundation.
B-4. Since its small beginning, the student body has grown to over 13,000
undergraduate, graduate and professional students and is made up largely of full-time students who live on campus or
within easy commuting distance. Though
most of the students come from Idaho, every state in the union and approximately
85 foreign countries are represented. There
are more than 750 full-time faculty members in teaching, research, and service
and approximately 1500 staff and professional personnel. In addition, the university operates instructional/outreach-
and research centers and stations around the state, offers a wide variety of high-school
and college courses by correspondence, conducts general extension services and
continuing-education programs in many localities, and participates in numerous interinstitutional programs. The
main campus alone now covers over 300 acres and is the site of more than 50
major buildings. Other university
lands, including the nearby university farms and experimental forest, exceed
8,000 acres. [ed. 7-06]
B-5. Following deliberations and recommendations from the specially
appointed University Vision and Resources Task Force (summer 2004) and
subsequent open commentary period, the sixteenth president of the University,
Timothy P. White, developed the Plan for Renewal of People, Programs and Place
(February 2005). The Plan is crafted around our identity as a student-centered,
research-extensive and engaged learning community. The plan may be viewed on the
web at:
http://www.president.uidaho.edu/documents/Strategic%20Directions2-11-05.pdf&pid=78760&doc=1
[rev. 7-06]
Back to Table of Contents
Forward to 1140
|
