Idaho university presidents tell Senate committee enrollment is rising, LAUNCH aids access and workforce gaps remain

At a Senate Education Committee hearing, the presidents of Lewis-Clark State College, Boise State University, the University of Idaho and Idaho State University told lawmakers their institutions are recovering enrollment and using the LAUNCH scholarship to expand access while seeking further investment to meet workforce needs.

The presidents presented enrollment, economic-impact and program data and described priorities including nursing, engineering, construction management, cybersecurity and expanded research capacity. Dr. Cynthia Pemberton, president of Lewis-Clark State College, said the eight public institutions in Idaho “serve over 43,000 students” collectively and generate “$4,500,000,000 in gross product annually.” She added that LC State remains a small, affordable institution focused on teaching and workforce preparation and that tuition and fees at LC State are $7,610 a year.

“We are a small institution that does big things,” Pemberton said, noting LC State’s role in…