Chuck Staben

Born and raised in Waukegan, Illinois, Staben has two sisters; their father was an engineer and manager at United States Steel, primarily at the wire products plant in Waukegan. Staben attended Waukegan Township High School and graduated in three years. He was a member of the swim and tennis teams, was Outstanding Math Student of the Year, and graduated as valedictorian.

Staben attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and majored in biochemistry. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, he graduated with honors, magna cum laude, in 1978. He earned his doctoral degree in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1984, serving as a graduate research and teaching assistant. Staben completed an industrial postdoctoral research fellowship at Chiron Research Laboratories from 1985 to 1986 and a postdoctoral research fellowship at Stanford University from 1987 to 1989.

Moving east to the University of Kentucky in Lexington in 1989, Staben was a professor of biology from 1989 to 2008, serving as the chair of the biology department {{nowrap|(2000–2004).}} He taught microbiology, genetics, bioinformatics, and introductory biology, winning awards including the College of Arts and Science's "Distinguished Teacher Award" from 1997 to 2000, that college's most prestigious teaching award.{{cite web|title=Chuck Staben named provost, VP for academic affairs at The U |url=http://www.usd.edu/news/2008/chuck-staben-named-provost-vp-for-academic-affairs-at-the-u|website=News|publisher=University of South Dakota|accessdate=March 16, 2016}}

From 2005 to 2008, he was the associate vice president for research at the University of Kentucky, acting as vice president from 2006 to 2007. From 2008 to 2014 Staben served as provost and vice president for academic affairs of the University of South Dakota in Vermillion.{{cite web|title=Meet the President |url=http://www.uidaho.edu/president/biographies |website=Meet the President|publisher=University of Idaho|accessdate=March 16, 2016}}

As 18th President of the University of Idaho, Staben sought to grow its enrollment and increase overall college attendance in Idaho.{{cite news|last1=Rudd|first1=Elizabeth|title=New UI president to focus on boosting enrollment |url=http://lmtribune.com/northwest/new-ui-president-to-focus-on-boosting-enrollment/article_889803b4-014c-5a15-b2da-ce6d622e4b46.html |accessdate=March 16, 2016|work=Lewiston Tribune|location=(Idaho)|date=March 4, 2014}} Working with the State Board of Education, in 2015 he advanced a "direct admissions" initiative that offered automatic admission to the state's public universities and colleges for qualified public high school seniors.{{cite news|last1=Patrick|first1=Mike|title=A mission to simplify |url=http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_1fd6e239-16af-5f8d-9a3f-fd871cac1b8c.html|accessdate=March 16, 2016|work=Coeur d'Alene Press|location=(Idaho)|date=June 30, 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Rozen|first1=Lee|title=Staben is a 'growth of enrollment' statesman|url=http://dnews.com/opinion/our-view-staben-is-a-growth-of-enrollment-statesman/article_a352fec6-a49a-53d9-8ff5-bde0223714a9.html|accessdate=March 16, 2016|work=Moscow-Pullman Daily News|location=Idaho-Washington)|date=October 29, 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Staben|first1=Chuck|title=Changing Idaho's college-going culture |url=http://www.idahoednews.org/voices/educators/changing-idahos-college-going-culture/|accessdate=March 16, 2016|work=Idaho Education News|date=October 16, 2015}}{{cite web |last1=State Higher Education Officers Association |title=State Higher Education Officers Association |url=http://www.sheeo.org/ |website=State Higher Education Officers Association |accessdate=31 October 2018}} Staben implemented additional changes to increase access to education, including free admission processing for all Idaho residents and a "durable admissions" program that allows student to defer admissions for up to four years after initial admission, accommodating students who have post-high school experiences such as religious missions, military service or "gap" years.

Staben maintained office hours where any student, faculty member, staff member, community member, or group was invited to meet with him. He and his wife, Mary Beth, participated in the Friendship Families program, hosting international students at their home throughout the year.{{cite news|last1=Staben |first1=Chuck|title=From the President|url=http://issuu.com/uidaho/docs/hwhi_fall_2015_issuu?e=0/31921834|accessdate=October 18, 2017 |work=Here We Have Idaho|agency=(University of Idaho)|date=Fall 2015|page=3}} Staben also challenged students to play him in racquetball, offering to buy lunch for the student who could beat him. In November 2015, he lost his first and only student match.{{cite news|last1=Shirley|first1=Hannah|title=Staben defeated—UI president has friendly racquetball competition with students |url=http://www.uiargonaut.com/2015/11/16/staben-defeated-ui-president-has-friendly-racquetball-competition-with-students/ |accessdate=March 16, 2016 |work=Idaho Argonaut |location=(Moscow)|agency=University of Idaho|date=November 16, 2015}}

Staben emphasized innovation in the university's research mission, updating intellectual property guidelines in 2014.{{cite news|last1=Weaver|first1=Matthew|title=UI president addresses ag funding, partnerships |url=http://www.capitalpress.com/Idaho/20140719/ui-president-addresses-ag-funding-partnerships|accessdate=March 16, 2016|work=Capital Press|date=July 19, 2014}} The revised approach allows industries to retain ownership of intellectual property while the university retains the right to publish and disseminate research results. The university noted that "the change already has generated projects – first among them, electrical engineering professor Brian K. Johnson's research into power systems modeling for Schweitzer Engineering Laboratory (SEL)."{{cite web|title=IP Policy|url=https://www.uidaho.edu/research/business/ip|website=Research |publisher=University of Idaho|accessdate=March 16, 2016}} Other agreements under the revised guidelines included Idaho Power and Micron. Staben also advanced a new Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (CAFE) for research that supports the dairy industry in Idaho.{{cite web |last1=Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment |title=Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment |url=https://www.uidaho.edu/research/entities/cafe |website=Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment |accessdate=31 October 2018}} Idaho's legislature appropriated $10 million for CAFE in 2017. University research expenditures grew 15 percent during Staben's tenure, reaching a high of $109.5 million in FY2017.{{cite web |title=University of Idaho Office of Research and Economic Development |url=https://www.uidaho.edu/research |website=University of Idaho Office of Research and Economic Development |accessdate=31 October 2018}}

During Staben's administration, the University of Idaho expanded its law program location in Boise to offer all three years of a Juris Doctor education in that city (in addition to the College of Law location in Moscow).{{cite web |last1=Staben |first1=Chuck |title=First-year U of I law school in Boise broadens accessibility for students |url=https://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article134684949.html |website=Idaho Statesman |publisher=Idaho Statesman |accessdate=31 October 2018}} In fall 2016 the university moved its Boise-based law school offerings to the newly renovated Idaho Law and Justice Learning Center at the former Ada County Courthouse.{{cite news|last1=Dutton|first1=Audrey|title=Old courthouse becomes new beating heart of Treasure Valley's legal community|url=http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/business-insider/article45312810.html|accessdate=March 16, 2016|work=Idaho Statesman|location=(Boise)|date=November 17, 2015}}

Working with the State Board of Education, Staben sought to expand the University of Idaho's participation in the WWAMI Regional Medical Education Program. The university received funding for 10 additional slots in the program in 2014 and 2015, with funding for five new positions for a total of 40 added by the Idaho legislature in spring 2016.{{cite news|last1=Russell |first1=Betsy|title=Medical ed programs win support in JFAC, including adding 5 WWAMI seats |url=http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2016/feb/25/medical-ed-programs-win-support-jfac-including-adding-5-wwami-seats/ |accessdate=March 16, 2016|work=Spokesman-Review|location=(Spokane, Washington)|date=February 26, 2015}} WWAMI implemented a new 1.5 year basic sciences curriculum and now houses all 80 students in renovated and new facilities.{{cite news |last1=Spence |first1=William |title=No bones about it: lab gets high marks |url=https://lmtribune.com/northwest/no-bones-about-it-lab-gets-high-marks/article_a718475c-4a07-5f2d-8ba1-7f4b30930911.html |accessdate=31 October 2018 |publisher=Lewiston Tribune |date=July 27, 2018}} In a state without its own public medical school, Staben called for bolstering all elements of the medical education pipeline – pre-medical education (including a new biomedical science undergraduate major), undergraduate medical education and residency opportunities.{{cite news|last1=Staben|first1=Chuck|title=WWAMI, U of I bolstering the future of medical education in Idaho|url=http://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article61190487.html|accessdate=March 16, 2016|work=Idaho Statesman|location=(Boise)|date=February 18, 2016}}

President Staben helped the university complete its successful “Inspiring Futures” fundraising campaign at $261M in 2015.{{cite news |last1=Harriman |first1=Peter |title=Significant donations help University of Idaho move ahead with its unique arena |url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/oct/04/significant-donations-help-university-of-idaho-mov/ |accessdate=31 October 2018 |publisher=Spokane Spokesman-Review |date=October 4, 2018}}

The University of Idaho rejoined the Big Sky Conference in football in fall 2018.

During Staben's tenure, the University of Idaho saw new program growth in areas such as computer science and online learning.{{cite news|last1=Russell|first1=Betsy|title=North Idaho College could offer four-year computer science degree |url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/mar/07/new-4-year-computer-science-degree-to-be-offered-i/|accessdate=March 16, 2016 |work=Spokesman-Review|location=(Spokane, Washington)|date=March 7, 2016}}{{cite web|title=College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences Launches Six New Online Degrees|url=http://www.uidaho.edu/news/news-articles/news-releases/2016-march/030216-classdegrees|website=News|publisher=University of Idaho|access-date=2016-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407172457/http://www.uidaho.edu/news/news-articles/news-releases/2016-march/030216-classdegrees|archive-date=2016-04-07|url-status=dead}}

On May 25, 2018, the Idaho State Board of Education announced that President Staben's contract would not be renewed beyond the 2018–2019 school year. Staben "will remain in the president role through June 2019."{{Cite web|url=https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/education/u-of-i-president-chuck-stabens-contract-wont-be-renewed-after-next-year/277-558276696|title=U of I President Chuck Staben's contract won't be renewed after next year}}

A 2020 story in the sports business website Sportico speculated that Staben's removal as president was partly due to his resistance to a board directive that the university reduce its annual athletics expenses by $1 million, which would bring expenses below a board-imposed cap on the amount of general education revenue that went to athletics. This cut was seen as likely to result in a net reduction of two varsity sports. Staben took a more holistic view of athletic department accounting than the board, arguing that when the tuition paid by non-scholarship athletes and those on partial scholarships was taken into account, the affected sports actually turned a net profit for the university. He prepared a 22-slide presentation asserting that dropping those sports would lead to a net loss in university revenue, and that adding more sports could actually increase overall revenue. The board would not allow him to present his case. In the Sportico story, Staben noted that by 2020, the athletic department was $1.5 million over the board's cap, up from the $1 million in 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.sportico.com/leagues/college-sports/2020/maybe-colleges-should-be-adding-sports-not-dropping-them-1234608297/ |title=Maybe Colleges Should Be Adding Sports, Not Dropping Them |first=Eben |last=Novy-Williams |website=Sportico |date=July 2, 2020 |access-date=June 11, 2024}}

After Staben stepped down as university president, he returned to classroom instruction as a professor of biology.{{Cite web|title=Casual Friday: Staben returns to the classroom, with eyes toward the future|url=https://lmtribune.com/northwest/casual-friday-staben-returns-to-the-classroom-with-eyes-toward-the-future/article_440e687f-4382-50ff-9b57-2cdc19bc665b.html|last=Clohessy|first=Craig|website=The Lewiston Tribune|language=en|access-date=2020-05-14}} Staben was succeeded as president by C. Scott Green, an alumnus of the University of Idaho and businessman.

Staben enjoys racquetball, bicycling, hiking and skiing, among other pursuits. He is married to Dr. Mary Beth Staben,{{cite web|url=http://www.uidaho.edu/president/biographies/dr-mary-beth-staben |publisher=University of Idaho |title=Dr. Mary Beth Staben |accessdate=October 18, 2017}} a practicing physician in Idaho. The couple have one daughter and two sons and reside in Moscow, Idaho.

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.uidaho.edu/president/biographies University of Idaho profile]

{{University of Idaho presidents}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Staben, Chuck}}

Category:1958 births

Category:Living people

Category:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni

Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni

Category:University of Kentucky faculty

Category:University of South Dakota faculty

Category:University of Idaho faculty

Category:People from Waukegan, Illinois

Category:Presidents of the University of Idaho