Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026
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Bachelor’s in AI coming to UI AI degree program to begin fall 2026 under CS dept. Joshua Reisenfeld ARGONAUT
A Bachelor of Science and minor in artificial intelligence at the University of Idaho were approved at the Faculty Senate meeting on Feb. 3. The B.S. curriculum is part of the College of Engineering computer science department and is a four-year 120 credit degree program. It would begin in the 2026-27 academic year.
One of the driving factors, according to previous chair of the UI CS department, Terence Soule, is competition among other Idaho colleges. Boise State University began their B.S. in AI in the fall of 2025, and Idaho State University will begin their program at the same time as UI in fall 2026. Current CS department chair Steve
Wang said that more than 30 institutions already have a B.S. in AI program. According to Wang, shifting attitudes and oversaturation in the CS degree market have led to a decrease in enrollment in general CS programs nationwide. However, specialized programs such as UI’s cybersecurity degree, which began in
2020, continues to grow. “If we want to be competitive, I think we need degrees in this area,” Soule said at the senate meeting. The department has been developing the degree program for over a year, according to Soule, but was postponed for input from Wang, who began as chair in fall 2025. The
curriculum builds on the CS department’s existing programs and courses, with a focus on how to develop and use AI technologies. Soule stated it was not a degree in AI application, but such program could be developed in the future without significant overlap. SEE AI MAJOR, PAGE 3
Staff say active shooter is main safety concern 2026 employee safety and security report discussed at faculty senate Joshua Reisenfeld ARGONAUT
Aubrey Sharp | Argonaut
University of Idaho student Molly Haeberle rides the mechanical bull at the ASUI Winter Social on Wednesday, Feb. 25
Plea and sentencing begin for the four who burglarized fraternities One of four sentenced; cases against three others still pending Paige Wilton ARGONAUT Two months after six University of Idaho fraternities were burglarized, the four offenders are beginning their individual pleas and sentences. As of Feb. 25, Latah County District Court has published the sentencing for one perpetrator, who will serve community service and probation.
The perpetrators, Grant Abendroth, Traiden Cummings, Aidan Prakash and Silas “Wogayu” Qualls, were caught and arrested on Dec. 21 after fleeing the scene. Though each of the men made an initial court appearance on Dec. 22, the individual pleas and sentences just began with Prakash appearing in court for his hearing on Feb. 18. According to public state records, Prakash pleaded guilty to unlawful entry as well as petit theft. He was sentenced to 40 hours of mandated community service hours to be completed by June 18, 2026. He will also face a
probation period of nearly a year, which will be active between Feb. 18, 2026, and Feb. 17, 2027. While both Cummings and Qualls were originally set to appear separately on Feb. 25, Cummings’ trial was rescheduled to March 25 for reasons unknown. The results of Qualls’ trial, which occurred at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 25, have yet to be released to the public as of Wednesday night. Abendroth’s sentencing is scheduled for March 4. The stolen items mostly included personal items such as backpacks, jewelry and a cellphone, and items meaningful to the fraternities, such as paddles and
framed pictures, according to Moscow Police Department Capt. Dustin Blaker. A framed picture worth $3,000 is listed in court records as among the valuables taken. All four men are 2025 graduates of Moscow High School, with Abendroth, Prakash and Qualls enrolling in UI after graduation, where they all joined the fraternity Theta Chi. Cummings is not affiliated with the university. In the wake of the crime, it’s unclear whether Theta Chi has taken action against the three members.
More than half—55%— of faculty and staff at the University of Idaho reported their greatest concern about campus safety was the potential for an active shooter. At the faculty senate meeting on Feb. 17, Kristin Haltinner, a professor of sociology, presented the findings gathered by the ad hoc committee on employee safety and security formed in fall 2025. The key takeaways were that 36% of sure respondents reported a situation in which they felt unsafe or threatened. Around 40% of women and non-binary employees and around 55% of employees of color reported such experiences. The measures of concern identified in the survey include harassment, threats or stalking from the public, students or other employees, online harassment and active shooters. Employees with prior experiences of feeling threatened or unsafe responded that they felt significantly higher levels of concern across all measures. The largest category of people reported to be causing these discomforts were undergraduate students at 31%, followed by community members at 15%. Despite this statistic,
42% of employees expressed the most concerns about threats from community members, which Haltinner explained was likely a fear of the abstract other. “We tend to fear people we don’t know, and we know students,” she said. The committee recommended the creation of a victim advisor group to support employees navigating situations in which they experience harassment or a loss of safety at UI, which would connect the person to appropriate services including counseling, medical, law enforcement or legal support. Haltinner suggested that the senate create an ad hoc committee charged with developing a policy on the use of e-bikes and scooters on campus as an element of pedestrian safety. The committee also recommended that the faculty senate serve as a conduit for distributing information to ensure employees are aware of ongoing safety planning by campus security. Such projects include the installation of electronic locks on campus buildings, the addition of buttons to classrooms that enable faculty to call campus security in the event of a non-emergency situation, improving campus lighting and increasing the visibility of campus security and the Moscow Police Department. The response rates for faculty and staff were around 25% while the response rates for graduate students were less than 10%, according to Haltinner.
Reagan Jones | Argonaut
The Saint Cassian chamber choir lie on the ground after the opening scene of the musical “Ride the Cyclone.” See page 8 for more photos IN THIS ISSUE
Mock trial team competes in Seattle
Jackson Rasmussen emerges as a star for Idaho
LIFE, 5 News, 1-4
Life, 5-7
Gallery, 8
Sports, 9-12
Opinion, 13-15
International student enrollment dips
SPORTS, 9
OPINION, 13 University of Idaho
Volume 127, Issue no. 9
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