Idaho State University President Robert Wagner reassured the campus community Wednesday that the institution remains on solid footing despite state cuts, restructuring and job losses.

“ISU is not in crisis,” Wagner said during his State of the University address. “We are sharpening our focus, aligning our structure with our priorities.”

But challenges of crisis proportions have plagued the university and Idaho’s other four-year institutions this school year — pushing Wagner’s speech into the spotlight.

Following state holdbacks for universities this year and next, ISU recently cut 44 positions, merged colleges and restructured programs as part of a sweeping effort to shore up its finances.

“These past months have been incredibly difficult,” Wagner acknowledged, referring to “changes that touch nearly every corner of this university.”

Still, Wagner quickly pivoted to a series of promises for the state and its workforce — what he called a “contract for Idaho.”

The framework outlines what Wagner described as a public commitment to the university’s role in serving the state, while allowing him to strike an optimistic tone despite continued uncertainty.

He pointed to signs of momentum.

ISU’s enrollment sits at 13,933 students, and undergraduate enrollment has reached a 10-year high. First-time enrollment is the highest since 2011, and the university’s 74% retention rate is the highest in school history, Wagner said.

Other pillars of the “contract for Idaho” range from a focus on affordability to an emphasis on health programs and nuclear energy education.

ISU’s tuition is lower than that of both Boise State University and the University of Idaho. Wagner also touted about $53 million in scholarships and other aid awarded last fiscal year.

“Affordability can be the difference between enrolling or delaying a dream,” Wagner said.

Still, ISU has not avoided passing along some costs to students. “Modest” fee increases — in line with other Idaho universities, Wagner told EdNews last month — are part of the plan to absorb state cuts.

The State Board of Education will set fiscal year 2027 tuition rates in April. ISU will share any changes following board approval, an ISU budget plan stemming from state cuts reads.

Wagner also emphasized the university’s role in training Idaho’s workforce, particularly in health care. ISU enrolls about 3,000 students in health-related programs.

He also highlighted ties with the nearby Idaho National Laboratory, casting ISU as “the nuclear education institution in the West.”

“We are Idaho’s nuclear university,” he said.

Wagner also highlighted:

• A forthcoming “Bold Path” podcast aimed at explaining decisions and improving transparency for faculty and staff concerned about recent changes.
• A continued focus on rural students through dual-credit and other outreach programs.
• The university’s economic impact, noting that 92% of students are Idaho residents.