OPINION: Is this really the way we want to tell our story

The University of Idaho was one of the last public universities in Idaho to cancel commencement and to indefinitely cancel face-to-face instruction. UI is Idaho’s only land-grant university and it is the oldest university in the state. So why is it we are making decisions last?

Faculty Senate Chair Terry Grieb told The Argonaut in an April 28 article that “more things were going on behind the scenes.” Meaning decisions and discussions were being held privately for longer periods of time than other universities.

These decisions were hard for university personnel to make, however, they need to be more upfront with students about these decisions. Even if it is just telling students they are unsure about when decisions are going to be made, it is better than leaving us in the dark.

Students have the right to know the timeline of these discussions especially since they are paying thousands of dollars in tuition each semester. According to UI’s website, full time undergraduate students pay $8,304 for instate tuition while full time out of state undergraduate students pay $27,540 for tuition. Not even including graduate or law students.

Many factors go into the decision of which college to attend. One of the deciding factors for several students is the campus environment. That includes classrooms, labs, professors, employment opportunities, sporting opportunities and countless other things UI has to offer.

The university can’t predict the future. We’re in a global pandemic, the world is messy and uncertain. However, students have the right to know whether classes are going to be online so they can make an informed decision about whether or not they want to take a break from school.

President C. Scott Green seems optimistic in the return to normal campus activity coming August — as can be seen through the email he sent on the Aug. 1 commencement ceremony — but students should be informed on what UI could look like if we aren’t able to return to in class instruction.

Online learning may be the only solution right now, but it is not the right way for most students to learn, and most students do not want to learn that way. If students know what they are getting into before the fall semester starts, they can take a break and return to college once things return to normal.

However, this isn’t the only issue in communication. UI needs to be more upfront regarding their decision-making process on the budget and the cuts they are making. On April 29, it was unclear what programs were announced for closing, merging and restructuring. It was unclear when the names of the programs would be released. On April 30, one day later, it was announced that material science, music, and geology and geography were the programs approved.

Green announced this in an email, shocking and discouraging those involved in those programs. If UI were more upfront about this timeline, this wouldn’t have come as much of a surprise.

UI needs to be more upfront about the decision-making process, whether it be for budget issues or for COVID-19 related issues. Although we do receive frequent emails from President C. Scott Green and other university personnel, those emails aren’t specific and leave students with questions.

Students have a right to know what is going on at their university they are paying thousands of dollars to go to. Allowing students to understand what conversations are happening shows students UI is on our side despite these hard times.

— Editorial Board