‘I got so much out of this place’

C. Scott Green is not new to Moscow or University of Idaho.

UI’s 19th president has a history with the university that spans far beyond his July 1, 2019 start date. Green graduated from UI in 1984 with a degree in accounting after serving as the student body president and with years of involvement in many campus organizations.

“I am the luckiest guy on the planet because I have had that full experience and now I have the opportunity to give back. I got so much
out of this place,” Green said. “The fact that I was a student here, the fact that I grew up on campus as a child even, I have a different viewpoint than somebody who is just coming in and starting to learn about the university. I’ve got that history. It is part of who I am. And because of that, I think it uniquely positions me to help us move forward.”

Green is the fourth person to assume the role in the last decade and he said he has no plans to leave the role any time soon, citing consistent change as cause for instability.

“The university has always had a proud heritage as the state’s land grant institution and I think over the past 10 years we’ve kind of lost our way. I call it our lost decade,” Green said. “And it is not because anybody led badly. I think everyone had good ideas and really good intentions. I just think that when you change leaders that much you don’t really have any continuity and real direction. So that is what I hope to bring to the university: some stability and direction.”

After several strategic plans from various presidents over the last decade, Green said he hopes to refocus the university on three things he considers chief to UI’s future: student success, research and sharing the university’s story.

Green’s plan for student success not only emphasizes go-on rates for students and ensuring graduation in a timely manner to keep debt low but it also aims to keep lines of communication open with students.

“I just remember what it was like to be listened to and I just want to ensure that the students are listened to,” Green said of his time as a student.

In an early effort to build a bridge between students and administration, Green said he plans to establish a student council-like group to keep the conversation surrounding campus issues going.

“We would like to know what students would like to see on campus,”
he said. “I don’t envision this as something where they come to the administration to ask for money. This is something more like, ‘Here are our issues. Let’s think about what is really important and how to address those.’”

The university — as Green inherited it — has significant obstacles ahead.Just two days into taking the helm at UI, Green said he and his team began totackle the looming budget deficit facing the university.

“No president wants their first few days to be dealing with budget issues. Itis just something that, unfortunately, we inherited. It has been going on a long time,” he said. “We have only balanced our operating budgets three of the last seven years. It is not something I wanted to take on when I came here, but we clearly have to address it.”

As UI continues to work on balancing the budgets, Green said the day-to- day impacts on students should be slim to none.

What students should expect in Green’s early time in his presidency is energy and activity across campus, he said. Long term? He said he is here to stay

“Where am I going to go? The University of Idaho is the only place I want to work, so I am here until either the community doesn’t want me here anymore or the State Board (doesn’t), or I can’t function, (because) I am just unable to, (due to) old age,” Green said.

While he said he is not there yet, he hopes to eventually be there. But for now, he said, “I think I’ve got a few years left.”

Meredith Spelbring can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @mere0415