Universities benefit cities in many ways
With education reform on our minds and ballots, I've been thinking about the role of the university, particularly as it impacts North Idaho.
Most universities have a similar three-pronged mission: provide higher education and training, perform cutting-edge research, and reach out to the community with university resources - including expertise - to help solve prickly problems.
Collaboration with North Idaho College, Lewis-Clark State College, state, federal, county and city agencies, local K-12 schools and numerous community groups and businesses contributes to the success of all three components of the university's mission in North Idaho.
Our State Board of Education goal is for 60 percent of all Idahoans between the ages of 25 and 34 to hold a post-secondary degree or certificate by the year 2020. Currently less than 35 percent have achieved a certificate or degree beyond a high school diploma.
We can do better, and we are working across institutions to provide access to and opportunities for higher education in our region. The University of Idaho enjoys a unique and positive working relationship with NIC and with LCSC in pursuit of this goal. Excellent and affordable coursework at NIC provides the first two years of preparation for students to move on for University of Idaho and LCSC bachelor's degrees, in 22 different programs with upper division courses available here in North Idaho. We also offer more than a dozen graduate degree programs here.
Higher education is a significant investment of time and money. The data suggests that investment that yields strong returns: Both employability and earnings increase dramatically with higher educational attainment. A recent study from the non-partisan Lumina Foundation shows that job creation during this economic recovery, however sluggish, has almost exclusively benefited those with bachelor's degrees and higher. The unemployment rate for this group is 4.5 percent compared with over 20 percent for those with a high school diploma or less. That's a tangible ROI.
Increasingly, families are recognizing the value of higher education. One third of this fall's University of Idaho freshmen are the first in their families to go to college. That's a very encouraging trend.
University research facilities, including our laboratories here in North Idaho, enable advanced technical training, the exploration of big ideas, and the pursuit of basic knowledge. Locally, our research addresses practical problems in our community. For example, the Community Water Resource Center, housed at University of Idaho Coeur d'Alene, engages diverse stakeholders - including governmental and non-governmental agencies, regional tribes, corporate interests and citizen groups - working together to identify and address regional water quality issues. The CWRC has already been successful in retaining funding to increase awareness of water and environmental challenges. Our research should enable critical and dispassionate evaluation of water quality issues based on data
University research also impacts our region's public schools. The application of learning and management research, delivered through the Idaho Building Capacity program, has turned around dozens of local schools to achieve adequate yearly progress (AYP).
Local research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education directly impacts our K-12 students with programs like this summer's 'Environment of our Community' camp, sponsored by the Verizon Foundation. Our annual "Women in Science" program lets high school junior women interact with practicing woman scientists in a real-world laboratory experience. The National Science foundation-funded "Back to the Earth" project allows tribal students in our region to explore environmental issues, and promotes both scientific and cultural insight.
Our university outreach can impact in the community by promoting business development. The Laboratory for Applied Science Research (LASR) at the Jacklin Science and Technology Center in Post Falls connects local business research and development needs with university experts, then cuts through the red-tape to meet those needs. University faculty and students are always looking for real world R & D challenges to tackle.
We work to identify needs of the diverse business community in North Idaho. In concert with the Idaho Department of Commerce' emphasis on the tourism and recreation technology industries, the university is hosting a tourism and recreation speaker series for the public, here in Coeur d'Alene. Our recent cyber security workshop and lectures provided timely information to practicing professionals in our region, and enabled sharing of best practices. Our new nonprofit leadership training program provides an important resource for this sector that comprises over ten percent of our local economy.
The university in your back yard is thankful to work with many partners in the community to bring a broad, inclusive and critical perspective to real world issues. The university strives to live up to its origins; the Latin 'universus' means "all combined to one." That is a good target - to bring the universe to our city.
Charles Buck is the University of Idaho's Associate Vice President for North Idaho