From the Desk of the Chancellor, Nov. 23, 2009

Chancellor Charles R. Bantz View print-quality image

I just returned from a pair of national meetings, the American Council on Education’s Commission on International Initiatives—where I’ve had occasion to talk about IUPUI’s strategic partnerships with Moi, Hidalgo, and Sun Yat Sen universities—and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.

I’m now the chair of the APLU’s new Commission for Urban Initiatives and vice chair of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities. IUPUI is at the forefront nationally in leading urban university initiatives because we have, throughout our history, made enhancing the success of our community a core part of our mission. As I mentioned in an earlier message,  we were recently recognized as a top-five in the nation “Best Neighbor University.”

At the APLU meeting, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan spoke about the need to rethink education policy from early childhood through the university and the need to increase both access and graduation. A main focus of the new Commission for Urban Initiatives I’m chairing will be the Education Pipeline / Urban Educator Corps, something we are addressing locally through the Talent Dividend Initiative that I described in my August “Greetings from IUPUI” newsletter.  My APLU presentation outlined IUPUI’s approach to the Talent Dividend. The Talent Dividend was central to my recent State of the Campus address.

The opportunities to serve national organizations such as APLU, the American Council on Education, and the Urban Serving Universities are part of the IUPUI civic engagement commitment. The reason we have an international reputation for civic engagement is because of the work of our students, staff, and faculty over the course of our history. At this time of the year, it is more apparent than ever how much impact IUPUI has on our community—whether through Jam the Jaguars Bus food drive, our United Way Campaign, Adopt-a-Family Holiday Giving program, BackPack Attack, or MLK Day of Service.

My thanks to all of you for your engagement with important community needs!