Brenna Patrick

Staff Writer

ISU’s historical “I” recently began slipping down the side of Red Hill raising many questions regarding its future.

Due to erosion and other environmental factors the “I” reportedly poses a safety risk as it slowly inches down the hill. As of right now there are no definite solutions to the problem.

In a press release sent this summer, Public Information Specialist Andrew Taylor wrote, “Idaho State University officials have determined the iconic ‘I’ on Red Hill in Pocatello poses a safety risk and a committee comprised of students, faculty, alumni and community members has been formed to make recommendations on the structure’s future.”

Taylor added that “a trail on Red Hill located downhill closest to the ‘I’ has been closed and will remain closed until safety issues have been resolved. The east side of this upper trail on Red Hill is cordoned-off and has signs declaring the closed area on its north and south ends.”

Taylor said the ISU Facilities Department did a study of Red Hill earlier this year and noticed its slipping state which raised a red flag for the department.
”ISU will now engage the services of an independent Idaho registered professional engineer to further assess the safety concerns, review ISU’s internal reports and make recommendations on repairing or replacing the ‘I,’” said Taylor.

In the same press release, ISU President Arthur C. Vailas said, “As we review the issues identified in the three studies, our goal is to preserve the history of this university and resolve any safety concerns.”

The “I” has been on ISU grounds since 1926.

According to “A Centennial Chronicle” by Diane Olsen the “I” was originally the letter “T” because ISU was a two-year technical institute. It was created in 1919 but “no one considered erosion a problem and the city proceeded to use gravel from Red Hill to fill the potholes” around the “T.”

As ISU grew as a school, students called for it to become a four year institution but ISU’s department heads weren’t all on board with the idea.

The school underwent other major renovations at the time but nothing was done about the “T”.

On Oct. 28, 1926, the students of ISU made the decision to go up the hill and turn the “T” into the numeral four to symbolize their needs of a school where they could get a four year degree for everyone in the community to see.

A flag was placed over top of it but it didn’t last long.

Once the school became a university in 1927 an “I” was created on top of the hill that has become a reminder of the fight the students went through to get their university.