At JFAC President Green details University of Idaho’s pending program changes: Phoenix deal status, DEI office reorganization, WWAMI and INL partnerships

President C. Scott Green told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Jan. 27 that several program and partnership items are in active transition at the University of Idaho: a potential affiliation or acquisition with the University of Phoenix, reorganization following the State Board of Education resolution on DEI offices, potential changes to the WWAMI medical education partnership, and continuing and expanded collaboration with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and water research entities.

Why it matters: Each of these programmatic items affects workforce pipelines, statewide education access (MD training and veterans’ services), institutional reputation and potential private funds or liabilities.

University of Phoenix acquisition status

Green described a negotiated agreement with Phoenix sellers that extended an exclusivity period through June 10 (date cited in testimony) and allows the sellers to continue talking to other bidders. “The agreement would say if they decide not to proceed with us, and decide to go with somebody else or enter the public markets, we do have a breakup fee of up to $20,000,000 to cover our expenses,” Green told the committee. He said the university had already received $5 million under the agreement to offset expenses and that if a larger fee were collected the university would aim to deploy remainder funds into high‑demand workforce programs. Green stressed any legislative path forward would require committee and Legislature consideration.

DEI offices and student support reorganization

Responding to committee questions about the State Board of Education resolution limiting DEI offices, Green said the university “shut down our offices at the end of 2024.” He explained that positions in the former Office of Equity and Diversity, Multicultural Affairs, the Black/African‑American Cultural Center, the LGBTQA office and a women’s center were dissolved and staff reassigned; the chief diversity officer position was eliminated and that person will serve as Executive Director of Tribal Relations. Green emphasized the university’s intent to “lead with care and intentionality” and said ongoing student support functions would be placed under the Dean of Students and first‑generation and retention programs (Vandal Success; first‑generation student support) would be available to all students. The Dean of Students and other administrators testified that job descriptions for reassigned staff were rewritten to serve broader student populations and that some positions have not been refilled.

WWAMI and MD‑training partnership considerations

On the state’s WWAMI medical training partnership (a collaboration historically managed through the State Board of Education), Green said the university has discussed possible affiliation arrangements with other medical schools and is “discussing a mutually beneficial partnership” with the University of Utah as a potential partner to expand rural healthcare capacity. He said any change would require State Board approval and possibly legislative review, and that incoming classes to the current WWAMI arrangement would continue for the foreseeable future.

INL, energy and water research partnerships

Green highlighted continued and new research collaboration with INL. He told the committee the university would “sign and formalize our super agreement with INL” to focus on nuclear materials and fuel cycling engineering, nuclear integrated energy systems, and power engineering and secure cyber‑physical systems. Green described ongoing water research (Idaho Water Resources Research Institute leadership hire, Palouse Basin recharge work, Coeur d’Alene water quality efforts) and an expanded Energy Institute under an external gift. He framed these partnerships as advancing workforce and state economic priorities.

Ending: Committee members requested additional documentation on reassigned job descriptions, and Green agreed to provide the committee with job descriptions and clarifications on where any potential Phoenix breakup fee would appear in university fund balances. No committee votes or formal actions were taken during this session.