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Idaho State University closes two resource centers, shifts staff to student success and Title IX
Summary
President Rob Wagner told JFAC that ISU closed its diversity and gender resource centers effective Nov. 15, moving two FTE to student involvement and the university's office of equal opportunity/Title IX, and has created a Bengal Success Center focused on academic completion.
Idaho State University President Rob Wagner told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Jan. 29 that the university closed a diversity resource center and a gender resource center effective Nov. 15 and reallocated the two affected full‑time positions to student success functions.
"In the closing of those 2 centers, there were 2 FTE, 1 for each center. 1 of those FTE ... we moved that FTE to student involvement," Wagner said, adding that the other FTE moved to the university's office of equal opportunity under Title IX and that office now reports directly to the president.
Wagner said the moves were part of a broader shift to focus on academic student completion and to provide services across all campuses and populations. He described the creation of a Bengal Success Center "available for all of our students, traditional, nontraditional students, students at any of our campuses" with a singular focus on academic success.
Wagner told lawmakers the changes trace to 2024 work to improve student completion: the university reoriented student services away from narrowly defined centers and toward broader academic support and student involvement. He said some student‑led clubs and activities would be supported through student fees and that reassigning staff aligned resources to the university's completion goals.
The university also discussed ISU's participation in LAUNCH — a statewide tuition assistance program — with Wagner saying approximately 888 students at ISU are benefiting from LAUNCH in programs that match workforce needs such as nursing, radiographic science and dental hygiene.
Why this matters: The changes affect student support structure and staffing at a public university and reflect a stated institutional priority to increase completion and workforce alignment.
What's next: Wagner said the staffing moves are in place and the university will continue to present updates to the legislature about student success outcomes and workforce‑aligned program growth.
