The Idaho State Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to approve academic transitional leave for University of Idaho President Chuck Staben to teach biology courses at the university next year.
The item was approved without discussion.
UI Director of Communications Jodi Walker said Staben is undecided if he will accept the position as faculty.
“He has not made a decision on his future,” she said. “This is one option available to him.”
Walker said in the meantime he is actively seeking other jobs while he remains president until the end of June.
Staben cannot approve his own academic transitional leave, according to the materials, so this request will be brought before the Board.
Staben would earn $160,000 a year as a tenured professor. The item also stipulates that he shall not be paid less than the highest paid full professor in that college.
Staben last taught a biology course in 2007 at the University of Kentucky.
The leave “would be used by Dr. Staben to prepare for a teaching assignment in January (2020),” according to board meeting materials.
“This time is also anticipated to be used to evaluate Dr. Staben’s research and whether that can be incorporated into the existing research programs or whether Dr. Staben would develop an alternative research program within the department,” the materials show. “Given the advances in this field, Dr. Staben believes it would be in his best interest and that of his future students to allow him time to prepare such an assignment.”
The leave must also be approved by Provost & Executive Vice President John Wiencek, Walker said.
Staben has been with UI as president since March 2014. His contract is set to expire in June. Staben will earn $385,230 in his final year at UI.
Kyle Pfannenstiel can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @pfannyyy.