Comments on: CWI Joins Long List of Faltering Ventures

By: Tim Rhodes

Tim Rhodes — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 09:27:42 +0000

I hate to say it, but I told you so (original GUARDIAN submission on this 2 years ago warning of the empending disaster).

According to CWI public documents (http://www.cwidaho.cc/cwi-in-the-news/downloads/082708_09_budget_adoption.pdf), the school has a 2009 budget of $12.2 million. With 516 students currently registered, that means that current students would be responsible for coming up with $23,649 EACH this year to make CWI break EVEN. With the average student paying somewhere south of $3,000 per year for CWI tuition (I am being VERY nice with that number), that means the college is going to be $10.7 million in the red.

Of course, colleges aren’t supposed to be profitable ventures, so its okay for a governemnt organization to be $10.7 million in the hole, right?

By: Gordon

Gordon — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:58:40 +0000

I have an idea that would solve all these problems, as well as air pollution, traffic, health care, Mideast peace, illegal immigration, etc.
All the city, county, state and federal governments need to do is give me a few million dollars, and then sit back and wait while I complete my projects.
Please let them know they can start sending the money any time (It would make as much sense as most of what they’re doing, so why not?).

By: Duh

Duh — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:47:24 +0000

If you had actually read the article on Crescent Rim you would see that they are finishing the exterior and are holding on the project. The 12 people that read this site should take note.

By: Bill Smith

Bill Smith — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:33:24 +0000

Chris, I’d have to say you are right on this one. I hope someone can come in and finish it. It’s such a beautiful place in our city.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:54:44 +0000

You can add the monster (literally Morrison Center size) CRESCENT RIM CONDO PROJECT project to the list of failed developents – not a single unit is sold and the project is being MOTHBALLED.

The downtown has the “PIT” and now there are the “slabs” – completely unfinished slabs – that will be lucky to be done 2-4 years from now. So much for a “2-3 year project” as the developer told the City Council. It will end up being 5-8 years.

The nieghborhood should get cudos for predicing this all along. The developer also had to commit to paying $100,000 for street improvements and a traffic plan – and refuses to pay up.

The developer keeps saying that having enough money to finish the project is not a concern – so if that is the case then he should make good on the terms of the conditional use permit now or the city should revoke the permit for failure to perform.

We’ll see if money is not a concern…..having the money is a concern and most bet he doesn’t have it.

By: Bill Smith

Bill Smith — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:02:18 +0000

Cyclops,
I took my daughter out there two weeks ago to sign up. There is a giant, beautiful building out on Can-ada road next to the Idaho Center. They have more than enough classrooms. Go look for yourself. Let me know if you need directions or get them off the website. I signed my daughter up for classes this coming semester. I got perky, smiley staff members helping me. No demorilized staff anywhere. I have heard that MPC and Micron people are signing up to be retrained. And, there is a shortage of healthcare workers in this state (not doc’s, though)and it is only going to get worse. Do you have your head in the sand? There are plenty of trade positions that have a shortage of trained workers. Welding is one. Check it out. Also, what is wrong with kids like my daughter wanting to save a few dollars and get her general ed out of the way for less than half of a university? She will then transfer and get her 4 year degree. Why don’t YOU find out how many LPN’, Rad techs and dental techs we need? You will be surprised. My daughter would not be able to afford to go to school this semester if it were not for CWI. It’s just a fact. And, I’m signing up my younger high school daughter for a class so she can get a (cheaper) headstart on her college education. People just don’t get it. We need CWI. Not to compare it to Wal-mart, but it is sort of the same deal. You can get the same things there, same quality at the a much lower price than Target.

By: Cyclops

Cyclops — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:11:51 +0000

Bill, Please consider the following.
Enrollment at 25% of projection! Not “hoped for”, not “if we are lucky”, not “we believe”! THEIR PROJECTION! Maybe I missed it, was it plus or minus 75%?
A skeleton faculty at best! No brick and mortar! Not enough classroom furniture! A completely demoralized staff! And the bottom line is that your position is EXACTLY what TVCC told the mayor of Caldwell to justify their expansion!
People need to be re-trained? In what field? Just how many LPN’s, Radiation techs or Dental techs do we really need? Just wondering….

By: Clancy

Clancy — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:02:52 +0000

Here is a great perspective at the Idaho Business Review. Sounds like they thought “If you build it, they will come”. http://www.idahobusiness.net/archive.htm/2008/12/30/CWI-stumbles-to-start

By: Bill Smith

Bill Smith — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:51:41 +0000

I just did some research because I was curious about the Albertson Foundation’s gift of 2.5 M. So, this makes all of these comments irrelevant about CWI. It is not faltering. There is 7.5M more to come. It seems like people need to do their research. I also think people need to understand what it takes to start up a community college, especially at mid-year. I get tired of reading things on this blog that only criticize and also lacks research of the facts. People are losing their jobs here in the Valley. People need to be retrained. Maybe not today, but in the near future. We will need all of the affordable higher education we can get here in this Valley.

By: norma

norma — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:33:00 +0000

I’m just waiting for the house of cards to fall, and fall hard, all face down, with nothing left.