The Idaho State Board of Education today appointed Dr. Robert Wagner as the 14th president of Idaho State University.
The Board approved a two and a half-year contract for Dr. Wagner during a virtual special Board meeting that originated at the ICCU Bengal Alumni Center on the ISU campus in Pocatello.
Dr. Wagner serves as Utah State University’s Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, the latest in a series of executive leadership positions he’s held at Utah State, which includes Vice President of Academic and Instructional Services, Executive Vice Provost and Dean, Academic and Instruction Services, and as Vice Provost of Regional Campuses and Distance Education. Earlier in his career, Dr. Wagner served as Special Assistant to the President of State University of New York at Albany.
“We had an outstanding group of finalists,” Board President Dr. Linda Clark said. “Dr. Wagner’s depth of leadership experience in various roles at a larger institution just 90 minutes south of ISU’s main campus and his vision for the institution moving forward helped make him the top candidate.”
Board Member Cindy Siddoway, an ISU alumna and search committee co-chair introduced Wagner today to the ISU campus community. “Dr. Wagner is a very sincere person,” Siddoway said. “He cares deeply about ISU, and its campus community. He’ll work hard to establish strong relationships with alumni and community leaders, and he will build on ISU’s recent momentum and be an outstanding leader and advocate for higher education in Idaho.”
Dr. Wagner earned his Ph.D. in Political Science at State University of New York at Albany. He also holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Utah and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Brigham Young University.
Dr. Wagner’s first day as ISU president will be on Monday, January 29, 2024. His annual salary will be $420,000.
In a separate action, the Board appointed Brian Sagendorf, ISU’s Vice President of Operations to serve as acting president starting on January 1, 2024 until Dr. Wagner assumes office later in the month.