J-Rod said:
After Idaho lost its "flagship university" title this week...
I took a look at the story about changing the Mission Statement for the university. I had to roll my eyes because it also says that Boise State calls itself a "research university." The Carniege Foundation does not agree. From a research and academic standpoint, my understanding is that BSU is a joke compared to the University of Idaho.
Personally, I think it is an unfair and inaccurate treatment of the University of Idaho. The were demoted from Flagship & Land Grant (like Wyoming, Nebraska, Arizona, MIssouri and several Big Ten schools) to "land grant" which is more like CSU, Utah State, New Mexico State, and Auburn relative to the primary schools that have Law Schools and other major departments.
Idaho still is the flagship school and is academically the most respectable public school in the state. I always thought that Idaho was better than to insist on dumbing-down their education system so that the also-rans can feel better about themselves.
This is the first peice of institutional evidence that argues against the long-term potential of the University of Idaho as a conference partner with teams like Wyoming. It is not like they are any more remote or academically inferior to U.W. Boise, Fresno, UNLV, and New Mexico State are all a step down from us. If you are a non-athlete, which name do you want on your diploma when you are looking for a job or admission into graduate or post-graduate programs? It is certainly not Fresno State or Boise State.
