Presidential communication

Letter from the President

Office of the President, president@uidaho.edu | Oct. 9, 2026

Dear Vandals,

Joe Vandal has the beard, the high-fives and the trademark grin. He’s also famously hard to pin down for an answer. Jane Vandal, on the other hand, never dodges a question.

The University of Idaho’s AI-powered student engagement assistant fields queries about everything from admission applications to graduation requirements, at any hour of the day or night. Trained on more than 4,000 U of I web pages, the university’s intranet and nearly 50 interviews with university employees and students, Jane also carries the institution’s voice — warm, direct and unmistakably Vandal.

The knowledge base, in other words, took real people to build.

“Sometimes students don’t know who to ask or where to look,” said Jenny Chapman, coordinator of fitness programs for U of I Recreation and Wellbeing, who helped shape Jane’s understanding of the Student Recreation Center. “Talking with Jane is a great first step to figuring out the next step. We told her things you won’t find on the website and tried to give her the vibe of what someone can expect when they walk in.”

That behind-the-scenes work has paid off. Since soft-launching on the U of I website in May, Jane has fielded more than 14,000 messages from more than 6,500 people, covering financial aid, housing, academic programs and everything in between. The assistant resolves more than 98% of conversations; the rest go to university staff.

And much of that work happens when other offices are closed. The U of I Office of Admissions ends its day at 5 p.m. — which happens to be when Jane’s traffic peaks.

“Prospective students researching at 11 p.m. on a Sunday are making decisions in real time,” said College of Business and Economics Dean Lisa Victoravich. “The competitive advantage is not efficiency — it is presence at the moment it matters.”

Website visitors can interact with Jane via text or over the phone in more than 60 languages. At 3:52 a.m. one Sunday, a parent asked Jane about campus mobility assistance and got a detailed, accurate response in 13 seconds.

The shift toward AI-assisted service isn’t hypothetical at the U of I. Students and prospective Vandals increasingly expect to ask questions at any hour and get a prompt response. After Jane guided one incoming student through a multistep onboarding process, the student recapped her progress, telling Jane: “Awesome, I’ve requested a Vandal Card, set up my Vandal email and account, and contacted my academic advisor to register for classes. What else?” Another prospective student explored some academic options before signing off with, “This is awesome. I’ll look more, but if nothing else catches my eye I will join your university in food science.”

Jane Vandal helps advance Pillar Five of the university’s strategic plan, Optimize Operational Excellence, while giving the Vandal Family and visitors from around the world another way to get the assistance they need, whenever they need it. The U of I has earned national recognition for incorporating AI into higher education, and we’re proud to accelerate that work in practical, thoughtful, Vandal-centric ways.

Go Vandals!

C. Scott Green
President

Snapshots

Vandals earn Team of the Week honors after big win

The Vandal Football team earned a series of accolades and national awards after its dramatic win over Montana State, including the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week. Idaho earned its first win of the season, 35-34 over the Bobcats, the defending FCS national champions.
Learn more about the awards.

New engineering degrees aim to boost Idaho industries

The U of I’s new degrees in industrial and systems engineering are designed to meet growing workforce needs in Idaho’s semiconductor, agribusiness, advanced manufacturing and aerospace industries. Bachelor’s and master’s degrees are available, with flexible options for students in Moscow and working professionals across the state.
Learn more about the new degrees.

U of I researchers keep water sources safe

Faculty members from the U of I’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences are helping communities around the Northwest assess potential water-quality risks in the wake of wildfires. Erin Brooks and Mariana Dobre worked on the Water Erosion Prediction Project to simulate erosion, runoff and sediment delivery in watersheds.
Learn more about the erosion model.

Did you know?

Vandal quarterback Joshua Wood was named Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his heroics in the Vandals’ win over Montana State in the Kibbie Dome.