After 15 years of leading Boise State University, Dr. Bob Kustra announced today he plans to retire in June. While at the helm of the university, Kustra grew the university’s School of Public Service and the College of Innovation and Design. Among those weighing in on the retirement announcement is Boise Mayor Dave Bieter.
According to the mayor, Kustra put Boise State on a path to greatness. In a statement, Bieter says he knew from his first meeting with Kustra in 2003 he was the right person for the job.
During his first address to the university community in 2003, Kustra challenged the school to become a leading research institution. After a decade and a half under his leadership, BSU is the state’s largest graduate school and secured $50 million in research grants this past year.
Mayor Bieter calls the trajectory Kustra put the university on “astounding” and says he’s accomplished far more than he could have anticipated in the early 2000s.
During Kustra’s tenure, BSU has worked closely with the city. The university’s entire computer science program was relocated to a facility in downtown Boise.
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