FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2025
I am deeply alarmed by the last-minute provision inserted into the state budget bill that would eliminate all alumni-elected positions on the Indiana University Board of Trustees, ending a 133-year tradition of alumni representation in university governance.
This provision, buried on pages 181-182 of the 215-page budget document released yesterday evening, would fundamentally alter IU’s governance structure by removing the three alumni-elected trustee positions that have been part of the Board since 1891. Instead, all nine members would be appointed by the governor, concentrating control of Indiana’s flagship university in a single political office.
As a candidate for IU Trustee and a proud IU alumnus, I strongly oppose this change for several reasons:
- First, this significant governance shift was introduced without any public debate, committee hearings, or stakeholder input. A change of this magnitude deserves thoughtful consideration and transparent discussion, not inclusion as a non-budgetary item in a last-minute appropriations bill.
- Second, the current structure ensures that IU’s alumni have a direct voice in university governance. Alumni bring valuable perspective, institutional knowledge, and a deep commitment to IU’s long-term success that complements the governor-appointed trustees.
- Third, this change would make IU an outlier among Indiana’s public universities. Purdue, Ball State, and Indiana State all maintain alumni input in their governance structures, recognizing the importance of alumni representation.
I urge all IU alumni and supporters to contact their state representatives immediately before today’s vote to express opposition to this provision. While I am personally affected as a candidate in the current trustee election, this issue transcends any individual candidacy. This is about preserving a crucial element of shared governance that has served Indiana University well for over a century.
I remain committed to the principles of transparency, shared governance, and principled leadership that have guided my campaign, values that are directly threatened by this legislative maneuver.
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Contact:
Justin A. Vasel
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.VaselForIU.com
