Trustees meeting to review excellence fee

During the next two days, the IU board of trustees will convene at the IU-Purdue University Indianapolis to discuss the future of the University. \nOf the many important issues being covered at the meeting, IU-Bloomington's Commitment to Excellence initiative will be highlighted. According to a statement released by IU, the Commitment to Excellence program, which was established in the 2002-03 academic year, aims to bring in about $26 million to hire more full-time professors and staff, create new interdisciplinary science programs, and attract high-achieving Hoosier high school students.\nThe money is being raised from a separate $1,000 fee charged to students who started at IU in the fall of 2002.\nIU-Bloomington Interim Chancellor Ken Gros Louis will inform the board on the status and progress of the initiative.\nThursday's meeting in Indianapolis will update the trustees on any developments in the Commitment to Excellence program, said IU Vice President of Public Affairs and Governmental Relations Bill Stephan.\n"The discussion points will be given by Chancellor Gros Louis," Stephan said. "He will provide an overview of the Commitment to Excellence funds for the board. The chancellor will be giving a progress report."\nStephan, who presented the board with the intentions and goals of Commitment to Excellence at the board's June 2002 meeting, said the program is essential to keep IU in the upper tier of the Big Ten and public research universities.\n"At the time (Former IU President Myles Brand) thought it was an important initiative," he said. "We established a fee to keep the best faculty, attract Hoosier students and invest in the life sciences. This is not a unique program. Other Big Ten schools are making similar investments."\nBoard of trustee member Sue Talbot said the meeting will be open to the general public.\nTalbot also said the issues scheduled to be covered on the agenda will be the only issues being discussed.\n"There aren't any unresolved issues from the previous meeting," she said. \nThursday and Friday will be very important for Commitment to Excellence, said Gros Louis.\n"I will be making recommendations to the finance committee and then to the board," he said. "There will be six proposals and synopses for each one. These will be highly focused and strategic investments for undergraduate education."\nGros Louis said the two-day meeting will allow board members and the public to voice their concerns and opinions. Following the meeting, there will be more in-depth information regarding the proposals and funding.\n"The board and the public will be allowed to ask questions on the proposals and how they are being funded," Gros Louis said.\n-- Contact staff writer Eric Tash at etash@indiana.edu.