Since its inception in 1999, KISU FM Radio has been housed in Student Affairs, the assumption being that the station was primarily a student resource. Much has changed, however, impacting programming and funding. While KISU partners with a wide range of departments with students and faculty from diverse academic disciplines, the majority of KISU’s community partners and contributing stakeholders are engaging from outside of the university. Indeed, KISU is now among the most outward-facing elements at Idaho State University and is the main connection to ISU for many in Eastern Idaho.
After months of consultation with representatives from the university--including staff, faculty, and students--as well as the community, the decision has been made to house the station in Advancement to increase its visibility and influence within the University and the larger community, position it to help serve the University’s mission to engage with and impact communities through partnerships and services, and garner broader-based financial support for the station, alleviating some of the pressure on student fees. The station’s operation and programming will continue unaffected by this transition, but moving the station under Advancement will encourage campus- and community-wide engagement and encourage broader investment in this valuable community resource.
Anyone with questions or concerns about the change should contact Ryan Sargent, executive director, alumni relations and advancement communications at (208) 282-4735 or ryansargent@isu.edu.