Roundup

UI degrees offered in Idaho Falls

UI agribusiness major Holly Ward may never see the UI campus at Moscow. Her campus is the modern University Place at Idaho Falls, where UI, Idaho State University, and Ricks College are cooperating in ways unthinkable even five years ago to bring UI bachelor's degree programs to southeastern Idaho.

The Ricks College graduate and wife of a Rexburg farmer knew she wanted to continue her education and position herself for work in agribusiness. Unable to leave her family, she enrolled in a business management program at ISU. ÒAs soon as I found out they were offering this program in Idaho Falls, I changed,Ó says Ward.

ÒI think the program's going to be a real success," she says. "I think there are a lot of people in my position."

Chris McIntosh, coordinator of the year-old agribusiness program at Idaho Falls, says they range from recent Ricks College graduates to people in their late 40s and early 50s who never finished college. "The potential is going to be tremendous."

This fall, the UI introduced a bachelor's program in plant science at Idaho Falls and will start a horticulture program in the spring.

University Place at Idaho Falls draws students from one of the state's fast-growing regions and top agricultural areas.

Incoming students transfer credits from other institutions and take core classes at Ricks and from ISU at University Place. Most students enter with some college credits, says Juliet Windes, who helps coordinate the plant science program. A few are "starting from scratch."

UI delivers the upper-level classesÑin person at University Place, by interactive video, and by videotape backed up with faculty contact via email and telephone.

"The College of Agriculture and the University of Idaho must meet the educational needs of southeastern Idaho," says John Hammel, director of academic programs.

"The program makes so much sense because ISU offers good courses at Idaho Falls," says agricultural economist Larry Makus, who helped plan the agribusiness program. "We ought to be working together." --Diane Noel