FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): A group of community and business leaders held a press conference at IPFW today to talk about their vision for the future of the soon-to-be-split campus, laying out eight specific goals to make both Indiana University-Fort Wayne and Purdue University-Fort Wayne “top 100” destinations for college students nationwide.
Ron Turpin says the effort comes after the business community has ignored IPFW for far too long:
“One of the reasons, in my opinion, that we’re at where we are today is… the business community has neglected IPFW. We want to rectify that.”
Among the goals, with a target date of 2027, is an effort to obtain “significant” new funding to make both campuses successful, as well as getting representation from northeast Indiana onto the Purdue Board of Trustees. Fort Wayne City Councilman Russ Jehl tells WOWO News that includes getting more funding from the state, and he hopes lawmakers are listening.
“Right now the State Legislature is still deciding the funding, still deciding the future of this university, so this is a great time for our voices to be heard.”
The vision also includes setting up a task force through Greater Fort Wayne, Inc. to create a foundation to attract local funding for both Indiana University-Fort Wayne and Purdue University-Fort Wayne, as well as developing a “seamless” partnership between the two schools where students at IU’s health school can obtain college credit by taking classes on the Purdue campus.
Turpin also responded to a question from a faculty member, who felt that the faculty had no input on the college’s future before trustees decided to split it, by saying that faculty members will be more than welcome to provide input on the plan, as will the community in general.
The fill vision is as follows:
- Building IU-Fort Wayne’s presence on the Coliseum Blvd campus by engaging Lutheran’s and Parkview’s networks to develop programs and research aligned with their missions and furthering medical science development.
- Purdue University-Fort Wayne will continue the development of the Coliseum campus, specializing in advanced manufacturing, medical devices, engineering, liberal arts, music and business. Purdue University-Fort Wayne will complement and further Purdue University’s globally recognized brand of academic excellence, particularly in STEM fields.
- Significant new funding which will be adequate for these goals must be a top priority for both institutions, the Legislature and the Northeast Indiana business and philanthropic communities.
- Both the IU-Fort Wayne and Purdue University-Fort Wayne campuses have a reconstituted, actively engaged Local Advisory Council, including local leadership and meaningful input.
- One local and independent foundation should be created to attract local funding for IU-Fort Wayne, and Purdue University-Fort Wayne.
- Northeast Indiana should have a representative on the Indiana and Purdue Boards of Trustees.
- Division I athletics must remain at Purdue University-Fort Wayne. Significant public relations resulting for Division I athletics will attract students from across the country and financial support locally. It will also generate the collegiate atmosphere that attracts top student and faculty talent.
- Local business leadership, in collaboration with local political, educational and non-profit leadership will form a standing task force through Greater Fort Wayne, Inc. (GFW) to help propel discussion, planning and execution of this vision.
