Argonaut T h e
U n i v e r s i t y
o f
I d a h o
For, of and by the students since 1898
uiargonaut.com
thursday, september 27, 2018
ADMINISTRATION
Staben projects enrollment decrease At final State of the University, UI President Chuck Staben announced a projected decrease in enrollment Meredith Spelbring Argonaut
Enrollment of full-time, on-campus students for the 2018 school year is projected to have gone down, University of Idaho President Chuck Staben said at the annual State of the University Address Tuesday. Staben said the lower enrollment numbers have led to “financial challenges” in the coming year. “We have been planning, as you know, that our enrollment we grow will help sustain the expenditures we’ve made at the university,” Staben said in the address. “But we have not grown enrollment and we are facing financial challenges in the next year.” Staben said the university will “have an ongoing and transparent discussion throughout
the year” to be led by Vice President for Finance Brian Foisy. Official enrollment numbers are expected to be released Oct. 15, Staben said, with the decrease predicted to be minimal. The projection for a decreased number of enrolled students comes from a weekly projection, Staben said in an interview after his speech. Staben said the university needs to address a “structural deficit” in the budget in which expenditures outweigh revenue as a university by making “structural budget reallocations.” The outgoing administrator due to leave when his contract expires next June also addressed budget deficits within the athletics department, which he said is projected to have a $1 million deficit this fiscal year. The deficit was $750,000 at the end of last fiscal year, which ended this summer. “We’re trying to resolve that in a positive way,” Staben said in his address. “But it will take time, and it may take some sacrifice and no small amount of different thinking.” SEE ENROLLMENT PAGE 4
Brandon Hill | Argonaut
CAMPUS LIFE
Courtesy Photos | The Groggett Family
Katherine Groggett, a third-year student and president of the UI Delta Delta Delta Sorority chapter, died in a car crash Sept. 14.
Loved ones remember Katherine Groggett Family and friends reflect on and celebrate life of deceased UI student, Katherine Groggett Kyle Pfannenstiel Argonaut
Before she departed for what would be her last trip home, Katherine Groggett left a sticky note on the desk of her roommate and close friend Brenna Garro. The end of the note read “Life throws curveballs when we least expect them, but they pass with time and a lot of love.” The note was signed with a heart. “It’s weird. Even when she’s gone, she knows what to say,” Garro said. “I’ve been keeping that note in mind. Whenever I get sad I think of it — she would want us to mourn, but she would want us to carry on. I’ve just been thinking of that and it’s gotten me through.” Garro brought it with her when she and
the University of Idaho Delta Delta Delta Sorority chapter traveled south to Boise for Groggett’s celebration of life. While there, she gave it to Groggett’s bereaving parents. “It’s almost like a precursor of what it’s almost like for us, too,” Katherine’s mother, Christy Ploof Groggett, said of the note. Katherine Groggett, a third-year student and president of her sorority’s chapter, died in a car crash Sept. 14. Groggett was the youngest of three siblings. Her older brother, Nate Groggett, described her as a passionate person who was “always a joy” and possessed a smile that “lit up everyone’s day.” The University of Idaho junior, who studied nutrition and food science, had participated in dance programs since her youth. Katherine came to UI with a fullride scholarship for dance, according to her mother, Christy Ploof Groggett. She originally majored in dance and physical therapy, but later switched her major to food science and nutrition.
Whenever she and Garro, her roommate, would go out to parties together, Garro said Katherine would liven the room. “Whenever we went out together, she would just be the goofy person with me,” she said. “Even though she was in the dance program, every time we went to a party she could not dance to save her life. I don’t know what it was, but she was just the goofiest person.” Another example of her giddy nature Garro offered was a time during their sophomore year at UI in which the two drove up to Moscow from the Treasure Valley separately, but still together in spirit. “We were in separate cars but we had these walkie talkies and we talked the entire six hours up,” Garro said. “We were just singing back-and-forth on the walkie talkies and making weird comments about what we saw and we played eye-spy. We weren’t together — I was in front of her — but we were having a really good time.” Groggett said her daughter walked early — at 8 months old.
“She was always a little bit ahead of everybody,” Christy said. Groggett said her daughter was a leader in her dance team at a young age. As a round of older classmates left, Groggett said Katherine became someone to look up to for younger incoming dancer, earning her the nickname “Mama G.” She was a hard-worker in and out of the classroom growing up. Groggett said her daughter could often be found dancing in studio until late at night. Katherine Groggett’s significant other of roughly six months, Ian Mcgonegal, said Groggett was always letting those around her know how much she cared for them. “Even in hard times, she tried her best to stay positive, and that’s probably one of the best things I admired about her,” Mcgonegal said. Kyle Pfannenstiel can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu or on Twitter @pfannyyy.
IN THIS ISSUE
UI students find community in campus quidditch club. SPORTS, 8
News, 1
Arts, 5
Sports, 8
Opinion, 11
Staben’s State of the University falls flat. Read our view. OPINION, 11
University of Idaho
Bangladesh students to showcase culture at UI event. ARTS, 5
Volume 121, Issue no. 6
Recyclable