Idaho State University President Robert Wagner had his inaugural address

POCATELLO, Idaho (ISU PRESS RELEASE) – Idaho State University President Robert Wagner told the audience at his inaugural address Friday that the University will continue its strong commitment to helping every student achieve their goals, while looking towards strategic growth for the future. 

“We are here to create a better future for everyone who comes to Idaho State University -- a future where every student finds their path, every faculty and staff member feels empowered to innovate and lead, and every community we serve feels the profound impact of our work,” Wagner said.  

Wagner, who began serving as Idaho State University’s fourteenth president on January 29, 2024, spent his first several months visiting with faculty, students, staff and other members of the Idaho State University community in a listening initiative called “Bold Path Forward.” 

The University has seen tremendous success in recent years, Wagner said, including three straight years of enrollment growth, a nearly 11 percent increase in retention and increases in gifts to the University. The University has also increased its research expenditures and decreased its deficit. 

After listening to the University community, and the communities the University serves, Wagner told the crowd he planned to move the university toward a new strategic framework called Opportunity-Aligned Resourcing. 

The new framework will focus on aligning resources to meet five strategic goals: enrollment growth and student success, academic and research focus, advancing and enhancing physical infrastructure, external relationships and partnerships, and employee engagement, empowerment and connection. 

To focus on enrollment growth and student success, Wagner said the University will undergo a strategic enrollment management process and will look for ways to expand geographic reach, and to offer more economical ways for students to receive an education. 

Idaho State is also currently in the process of creating a comprehensive Campus Master Plan, which will guide infrastructure needs on all campuses, Wagner said. He also announced that the University is planning to launch its first comprehensive capital campaign in 25 years. 

“We stand at a pivotal moment in the history of Idaho State University. Our roots run deep, and our commitment to each other and the communities we serve is unwavering,” Wagner said. “As we look to the future, I see not just a continuation of our proud past, but the promise of a new era -- an era of growth, innovation and impact.”