A Bold New Vision
August 12, 2022
Indiana Chamber
Indianapolis, Indiana
Hello everyone.
This is a big day in the history of an extraordinary institution—one that many of us are exceptionally proud of and whose future is very exciting.
I have been at IUPUI for 23 of its 52 years, as a professor, law school dean, and most recently, interim chancellor. I have seen thousands of our alumni go on to achieve distinction in every imaginable profession, and our faculty continually excel in teaching, research, and service.
Fifty-two years ago, legendary Indianapolis mayor – and later senator – Richard Lugar led a movement that arose out of the conviction that Indianapolis needed, and deserved, a world-class university campus. And for 52 years, that’s what we built.. It’s what I promise you we will continue to deliver.
I view today as a celebration of that achievement as we envision an even greater future built on the foundation of everything that has come before.
IUPUI Interim Chancellor Andrew R. Klein
Our goal is nothing less than being one of the preeminent urban university campuses in the country. We will remain dedicated to serving the people of our state and especially those of our capital city, just as we will remain committed to fostering an accessible, affordable, and inclusive campus for students of all backgrounds. And we will continue our enduring and evolving partnership with Purdue.
Let me emphasize that what we have announced today is a vision. Changing that vision into a reality will require the active participation of our faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders.
We know there will be questions along the way, and we’ll work together to find the answers with opportunities for input, feedback, and conversation. This is our chance—as Indianapolis’ urban campus—to reimagine ourselves and I can’t imagine a more exciting or rewarding challenge.
As President Whitten noted, the next two years will be a crucially important period of transformation. We are assembling working groups to identify and address issues that will enable a smooth transition , not only to make the realignment work in the short-term, but also to make the vision a reality in the long term. It will be challenging work, but—knowing our campus—I am confident we will succeed.
I invite all of my colleagues at IUPUI to join that effort: to share their ideas, hopes, and dreams. Together we can build a future worthy of our past and of the state and community we serve. As someone who has been at IUPUI for many years and is incredibly proud of all we have achieved, I am even more excited about this vision for our future.
Now I would like to welcome President Daniels and President Whitten back to the podium to take questions from the media.
Thank you.