Daily News article 2/14-07
Nils Peterson
Wheatland Express burden alone
By Kate Baldwin, Daily News staff writer
Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - Page Updated at 12:12:55 PM
University of Idaho campus members asked administrators to give better
explanations of current issues - ranging from the end of funding for
the Wheatland Express commuter bus to a proposed dairy center in
southern Idaho - during a fireside chat Tuesday afternoon.
The chat featured Provost Doug Baker and Vice President for Finance
and Administration Lloyd Mues instead of President Tim White, who
could not attend because of landing delays in Lewiston that rerouted
his flight to Seattle.
The chats are designed to allow students, staff, and faculty to
approach administrators with their concerns. It also allows
administrators to clarify their actions.
Jana Joyce, a program specialist with the UI's math department, said
it was her first time attending.
Her main concerns were related to the UI's decision to stop funding
the Wheatland Express commuter bus between Moscow and the Washington
State University campus in Pullman. She said she was worried that
losing the service could affect the retention of students and faculty.
The Wheatland Express has been funded by both UI and Washington State
University for about 10 years. Each university contributes
approximately $100,000, which is then given to the Moscow Valley
Transit system to use as a soft match to apply for federal
transportation grants.
The UI announced in fall 2005 that it was considering ending its
financial support in August.
Mues said he couldn't justify using funds from the UI's general budget
to pay for something that had UI students among the lowest percentage
of riders. While he agreed that the bus is a wonderful thing, Mues
reiterated the stance that he has maintained since the 2005
announcement - those that ride it need to help pay for it.
The groups that use the service, like students, faculty and area
residents, need to find an alternative funding stream, he said.
Mues said the UI's student government - the Associated Students of the
University of Idaho - has stepped forward this week to try to fund
half of the cost. The student government proposed raising its annual
student fees to cover approximately $50,000.
Mues said the UI remains involved in helping groups find a workable
resolution to keep the service, though the UI can't shoulder the cost
burden alone.
Mues also addressed what he considered to be "misperceptions"
surrounding the proposed 1,500-head dairy center. He said the UI will
not use any appropriated money from the state to pay for the proposed
center.
Baker said the funding will be split between the UI, the Idaho
Legislature, and the Idaho dairy industry. The portion from the UI may
come from trading some of the university's land grant property that is
not being used, although that would first take a change in the Morrill
Act, the legislation that created the nation's land-grant colleges.
Mues also said that the state's needs brought the project to the
forefront.
"The dairy was not on our pressing priority list of what to do in the
near future," he said.
Idaho is moving quickly from fourth to third in the nation for its
growing dairy industry. Baker said with that growth, the state needs
to accommodate for the side effects like how to make the large-scale
centers more "green." The UI can play a strong role in developing
better facilities and dairy systems through its research capabilities.
All questions were answered during the chat, even those sent by e-
mail.
While those answers didn't solve Joyce's immediate concern, she said
she mainly wanted her points to be heard.
"It's a good forum for everyone to come and ask questions," she said.
Kate Baldwin can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 239, or by e-mail
at kbal...@dnews.com.