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[what_else_can_i_do]

I'm applying here and heard some good things from a friend.  Wondering what the larger community thinks of Boise State and Idaho in general.  Closest I've been to Idaho is flying over at 50K feet! :)

[what_else_can_i_do]

It always amazes me when I put a small school name up, and tons of folks know about it, then I put up a place like BSU and I can here my question echo in the vacuum!  I am just surprised no one has been in contact with the school! :)

[zuzu_]

Closest I've been to Idaho is flying over at 50K feet! :)

The closest I've been to Idaho is watching Napoleon Dynamite.

[prof_smartypants]

I've considered applying to jobs that have been posted there, but last year 2 tt jobs were frozen, and they're having issues with the department I'd be joining (revolving chairs, no senior faculty, etc). But unless you're in my field (and it seems no one here is), then that's probably irrelevant.

But when I was seriously considering the school, I found that Boise is supposed to be a lovely, outdoorsy city. Beautiful, if cold. White. Very white. They have a "flexible" time sharing process where you can choose how to spend your time between service, teaching, and research and your tenure is based on the allocation that you choose.

Oh, and they have smurf turf. Bonus.

[pink_]

I applied for a job there when I was on the market the first year, but I didn't get an interview, so the closest I've been is the website.

[msparticularity]

Sorry I didn't see this when you posted it. I haven't been there personally, but my dad has been on the visiting team for their accreditation process a couple of times. So, what I offer here is a combination of his input when I was thinking of applying for a position there, combined with what I heard from my grad students (at my former U) who had done undergrad work there.

Boise is an attractive and outdoorsy environment. It has a mix of the so-called "city amenities" (read: big box stores) and some small-town features such as reasonable size and lots of access to outdoor recreation. It's a high desert environment, so nighttime and winter temperatures are brisk, and there are lots of sunny days per year. Also lots of wind.

Idaho is a state with a significant Mormon population, and that brings both benefits and challenges. In general, the state is not terribly diverse: lots of white kids. There is a good level of family and community support for education, although the state-level funding is not wonderful. So, the students one gets are reasonably cooperative and prepared, not terribly diverse, and not necessarily terribly critical thinkers. HP (I think) chose Boise for a fairly major corporate office based upon a well-educated population, good quality of life, and reasonable cost of living.

The university--as indicated by its name--is in the "State" category as opposed to the "University of" category. In practice, this means that the teaching load is heavier than at flagship institutions, but it also has research aspirations, so publications are expected.

Overall, actually, I think it might not be a bad match for your experiences and expertise--and I truly believe it would be a better experience for you than your current setting!

[stickball]

Idaho is a great place to live if you don't mind white bread, ultra conservative government, heavy religious emphasis, and a legacy of former senator Larry Craig's policies and attitudes.  With that said, Idaho is beautiful, safe, and a great place if you like the outdoors.  BSU, while not the flagship university, is the largest university and better funded than its sister schools.  This is due to the fact that it's in Boise, near the large corporate headquarters and the legislature.  It's grown considerably in the last 10-15 years, and is quite strong/well-funded in the sciences and engineering.  Not so much in the humanities, although I suspect the humanities will be just fine these days.

The city of Boise has grown significantly in the last 15 years and has a lot going for it if you don't mind the lack of cultural and ethnic diversity.

[cacahuate]

I lived in Idaho for 12 years, a few hours from Boise, and stopped over there every now and again. BSU is not where I went to undergrad, so I can speak more generally to Boise and Idaho. I think BSU may get more attention because of their improving football program.

Boise is attached to smaller cities that are growing, making a decent-sized urban area in Idaho terms.

There are hidden pockets of diversity in Idaho, thanks to Native Americans both on and off reservations, as well as immigrant populations. You can find Thai or Indian food in the strangest places. There are some international students. Even among the white folk, there are pockets of liberal subculture - lots of artists and hippy/green types. I suspect that the Mormon influence in Boise might be a bit less than in the eastern side of the state. College towns in Idaho do reliably vote bluer than the rest of the state.

There's a very happening night scene in Boise because of the students and the proximity of Mountain Home Air Force Base.

There is so much to do in Idaho if you like the outdoors and can stand to be cold. You need to be able to deal with snow from October to June, and maybe all year in really high elevations. It is super windy. It gets really nicely cool at night, such that you need sweatshirts and jeans to watch 4th of July fireworks. Always have gear with you in case you are stuck somewhere in a car - the weather changes quickly and outside towns, people can be few and far between.

I loved Idaho. I hope to someday be back in that general area. I miss elk and moose. I love that the wild is so close to the civilized. Boise could make someone very happy.