Two Months as Chancellor

Today marks the end of my second month as chancellor of IU Indianapolis. During this time, I have met with many faculty, staff, and students across campus, as well as key faculty and staff leadership groups, student groups, and members of the community.

My takeaways

First, our students are talented, engaged, and appreciate the preparation they receive as they plan their careers and future. They also like and use every opportunity to enhance their skills be it through co-op programs and internships, or research initiatives. During my visit to Dr. Randall Roper’s lab in the School of Science, I was impressed by the students’ interest in research and their clear understanding of how their work can help address disease burdens in our society.

My second take-away: our faculty are deeply engaged and bring a can-do attitude. That last phrase is one that I have heard often, but here at IU Indianapolis, it is a value we live by. I hear it in the way IUPUI Faculty Council looks for solutions when they discuss upcoming changes such as changes to our email addresses. I see it in the way that faculty in the McKinney School of Law create opportunities for law students to get real-world experience through a multitude of legal clinics. I find it in the high impact and community-focused research on COVID and contact-tracing that the Fairbanks School of Public Health led.

In my meeting with the Department Chairs Leadership Group on April 11, one faculty leader asked about how we operationalize and measure impact, another asked about ways to overcome disciplinary siloes, and a third asked how we can better support students who need financial aid. These questions are about actions needed to achieve our goals, and demonstrate the solutions-focused approach that is characteristic of our faculty.

Finally, the connection to community that is embedded in our DNA – whether it is the community-facing events and support through art and artwork at the Herron School, the ability to offer learning experiences at the Madam Walker Legacy Center through the work of faculty like Dr. Joseph Tucker Edmonds and Dr. Patricia Turley, the hosting of events like the Naturalization Ceremony, the 500,000+ hours of service by students in the School of Social Work, the programming offered by our School of Education that allows us to be among the top 3 universities who graduate teachers for our state – our university has so much to be proud of as we serve our citizens and state.

Our strategic plan led by President Whitten’s visionary and thoughtful leadership is exciting, and, with support from our Board of Trustees, we have much to look forward to. Working together we will write the next chapter of our history knowing that it is the legacy of your hard work and dedication that brought us here.

Many have played an important role in creating this legacy, and I am truly grateful for your dedication and commitment to our institution. Institutional knowledge is one thing, what is special at IU Indianapolis is the understanding and respect for our campus traditions and practices that I see in everyone I meet.

I want to share with you two events that honor our history that will occur in the coming weeks.

On April 13, we will host a celebration of life event for Chancellor Emeritus Jerry Bepko. Following his impressive service as dean of the McKinney School of Law, Chancellor Bepko led the IUPUI campus from 1986 to 2002. He passed away last fall. I am deeply grateful for his leadership and his time at our university.

On April 29, we will celebrate the history of IUPUI and honor the legacy that has brought us to this point in our history. I look forward to seeing you on the 29th from 3:00 to 5:00 in the Campus Center, Room 450, as we celebrate our past and look forward into an exciting future. The event will include friends and colleagues, speakers, displays that honor campus traditions, and more. Don’t forget to wear your Jaguar colors.

Go Jags!

Latha Ramchand
Chancellor