By SAMANTHA HENIG

Idaho lawmakers considered new legislation to combat the high cost of remedial education and to expand the community-college system during the 2006 session, but both measures failed.

One bill would have toughened high-school-graduation requirements in mathematics and science, and was meant, in part, to reduce the $2-million that the state spends on remedial education for college students each year. The bill was championed by the State Board of Education, but failed to garner strong support. The Board of Education said it would draft a new proposal in 2007.

Idaho's Legislature also punted on a proposal by Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, a Republican, to spend $5-million for community-college expansion. Mr. Kemp-thorne, who is now U.S. secretary of the interior, suggested using existing buildings, like public schools and government offices, as a way to make the project more affordable for the state, and classes more accessible for students.

Proponents of the plan argued that the state needs more community colleges. It has just two — North Idaho College, in Coeur d'Alene, and the College of Southern Idaho, in Twin Falls. Treasure Valley Community College, in Ontario, Ore., has tried to fill the void in Boise by operating a satellite campus there, but many Idahoans believe the state should have its own community college in its largest city. Opponents of the plan worried that it would impose a heavy tax burden on citizens and siphon away funds needed at the county level.

After months of debate, the House Education Committee voted to postpone action on the proposal, and legislators approved a bill that authorized studying the issue further during the summer of 2006.

Discussion did lead to action at Boise State University, where a requirement that students must take a course on diversity is set to go into effect for freshmen in the fall of 2006. The change has been in the works since 2002 at the university, where 80 percent of the students are white. Many courses already in the core curriculum are being revamped to add more focus on gender, sexual orientation, class, race, or religion, so that students can meet the diversity requirement without having to take a separate course.

Idaho is enjoying a strong economy, and lawmakers approved spending of $243.7-million on public colleges and universities for 2006-7, a 4.1-percent increase. Tuition at four-year institutions was set to increase by an average of 5.7 percent for undergraduates.

In personnel news, Idaho State University selected a new president, Arthur Vailas, who began his term on July 1. He replaced Michael Gallagher, who had served as interim president for nine months. In his first public speech, Mr. Vailas endorsed Mr. Gallagher's proposal to make Idaho State the site of the state's first medical school.

At the University of Idaho, Aicha Elshabini became the dean of the College of Engineering in June 2006, making her the second female engineering dean in the state's history.