In this episode of the Bold Path Podcast, ISU President Robert Wagner talks with Vice President for Operations Brian Sagendorf about the vast operational enterprise that supports Idaho State University’s teaching, research, and student experience. They discuss the complexity of operating a multi-campus, residential research university, the role of facilities, HR, public safety, environmental health and safety, events, and IT, and how these areas are funded and organized. The conversation highlights ISU’s 30‑year campus master plan, the forthcoming life science building and student housing public‑private partnership, plans to expand the Meridian Health Sciences campus, and how strategic changes, such as integrating event services with auxiliary services, support long-term sustainability.
Brian Sagendorf serves as the Vice President for Operations at Idaho State University, where he provides strategic oversight for the institution’s core administrative and infrastructure units. With a deep background in public sector leadership and human resources, Brian manages a diverse portfolio that includes Facilities Services, Human Resources, Public Safety, Environmental Health and Safety, and University Events. Since joining the university’s executive leadership team, he has played an important role in modernizing campus infrastructure - most notably overseeing the development of the University’s current 30-year master plan, addressing an unprecedented volume of deferred maintenance needs for the Pocatello campus, leading capital project planning for a new Life Science Building, initiating visioning and development efforts for the expansion of the Meridian Health Science Campus, and leading efforts to enter into a public-private partnership in new student housing development.
Before stepping into his current role, Brian served as ISU’s Chief Human Resources Officer for nearly a decade and previously as the CHRO for the City of Idaho Falls. His leadership is defined by a commitment to institutional stability, collaborative problem-solving, and a "students-first" approach to campus planning. A trusted voice in Idaho higher education, Brian has also served as acting president for the university, ensuring continuity of leadership during executive leadership transition and representing ISU’s interests at the state level.
