VASEL FOR IUAbout Justin Vasel
Physicist. Governance advocate. IU alumnus working to strengthen our university.
For twelve years, I've called Bloomington home.
My journey at Indiana University began as a graduate student in physics,chasing questions about the fundamental nature of the universe. But somewhere along the way, I discovered another calling: making the university itself work better for the people it serves.
I didn't set out to become a governance advocate. But when you've invested years in a place, when you've seen how it can work at its best, you want to help it live up to that potential.
That's why I'm still here, still working to make IU stronger.
My IU Journey
I came to IU Bloomington in 2012 for a Ph.D. in physics. I stayed because I found a community worth investing in.
As a graduate student, I got involved with the Graduate and Professional Student Organization (GPSO), eventually serving as Vice President and chairing the Student Affairs Committee. I simultaneously represented graduate students on the Bloomington Faculty Council, giving me a window into how faculty governance worked and where it fell short.
I was selected to serve on the search committee for IU's Vice President of Research, which gave me firsthand experience with upper-administrative hiring. I saw how consequential these decisions are and how important it is that stakeholder voices are included.
Perhaps most significantly, I helped lead constitutional reforms that transformed GPSO into what is now the Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG). It taught me that governance structures aren't fixed—they can be improved when people are willing to do the work.
For these efforts, I received the inaugural Yolanda Treviño Service Award, recognizing commitment to enhancing student life at IU.
I earned my Ph.D. in 2021. But my connection to IU, and my investment in its future, didn't end with graduation.
Making a Difference
My time at IU wasn't just about participating in governance, it was about producing results that improved campus life:
Served on the Student Assistant Initiative in 2014, helping establish a food pantry for university community members struggling to make ends meet.
Addressed graduate student mental health challenges, working to expand resources and reduce stigma around seeking help.
Helped restructure student academic appointee pay schedules so graduate students could receive their first paycheck before having to pay their first full month's rent; a simple change that made a real difference.
Supported sustainable practices through fossil fuel divestment advocacy with the IU Foundation.
In 2022, organized an open letter signed by over 1,300 alumni supporting graduate students' right to fair labor practices and collective bargaining.
These experiences taught me that thoughtful governance can create real change when the right people are at the table and willing to listen.
Beyond the University
My doctoral research in experimental particle physics required meticulous analysis, collaboration across institutions, and evidence-based approaches to complex problems. As part of the NOvA collaboration, I worked with teams across the world to study neutrino oscillations and answer fundamental questions about why our universe exists at all.
Scientific training instilled in me a commitment to follow data rather than assumptions, ask probing questions, and pursue truth even when inconvenient. That's the essence of IU's motto: Lux et Veritas—Light and Truth.
Today, I apply these analytical skills in the national security sector, where I help address pressing challenges by translating complex technical information into actionable insights. This work has sharpened my ability to evaluate multifaceted proposals, understand complex budgets, and make decisions based on evidence rather than ideology.
Why This Matters to Me
When I filed to run for alumni trustee in 2025, I did so because I believed IU needed trustees who understood governance from the ground up and had strong connections to the university and its students, faculty, and staff.
Then the legislature eliminated the position entirely.
134 years of alumni elections, ended without meaningful public debate. A tradition that connected hundreds of thousands of graduates to their university, discontinued.
I could have moved on. But I believe IU is stronger when the people who built their lives around it—who carry its degree, who hire its graduates, who support its programs—have a meaningful role in its future.
That's why I became the lead plaintiff in Vasel v. Braun, a case supported by the ACLU of Indiana challenging the constitutionality of singling out Indiana University for the elimination of alumni-chosen trustees. And it's why I advocated for Senate Bill 110, which would restore alumni elections.
This isn't about opposition. It's about ensuring that alumni remain connected to the university they helped build.
Ready When You Are
If alumni elections are restored -- whether through the courts or the legislature -- I'm prepared to run on the same platform I filed with in 2025:
Transparency in decision-making—stakeholders deserve to understand not just what decisions are made, but why.
Authentic shared governance—faculty, staff, and student voices incorporated from the beginning of deliberations, not merely as an afterthought.
Principled leadership—standing firm on academic values even when facing external pressure or political headwinds.
Financial stewardship—balancing innovation with fiscal responsibility while prioritizing the university's educational mission.
Until then, I'll keep working to make sure that election can happen.