Bill description: SB 1234 would reduce public access to the list of top candidates during the presidential search process at a four-year, public university.

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Does it in any way restrict public access to information related to government activity or otherwise compromise government transparency or accountability? Conversely, does it increase public access to information related to government activity or increase government transparency or accountability? 

This bill would reduce public access to the list of top candidates during the presidential search process at the state’s four-year public universities. The state of Idaho has four public universities with four-year programs: Boise State University (BSU), Idaho State University (ISU), Lewis-Clark State College (LCSC), and the University of Idaho (U of I). 

This bill would require the Idaho State Board of Education to release only the names of the top three finalists for the position of president at any of these universities. For cases when there are fewer than three finalists, then the entire application pool will be open to the public. 

Currently, ISBE must disclose the top five candidates. This bill would reduce the requirement down to three even though, in the past, ISBE has been willing and able to disclose the required list of five candidates. For instance, in the 2019 BSU presidential search, the 2019 U of I search, and the 2018 ISU search, the board of education publicly released a list of the five finalists. 

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