3 trustees start terms on board

Three individuals from various walks of life have been appointed by Gov. Mitch Daniel to serve on the IU board of trustees, the 9-person panel that decides University matters ranging from tuition increases to firing of athletic coaches.\nDr. William Cast, Thomas Reilly Jr. and Casey Cox will be drawing from different pools of experience when they begin official trustee business next month. They bring experience from the medical community, chemical industry, state higher education system and IU student government. Each offered his thoughts on the biggest obstacles IU will face in the coming year. \n"I think that maintaining access and opportunity on a limited budget is probably the most difficult thing we're facing," said Cast, a 1962 graduate of the IU School of Medicine and founder and former chair of the DuPont Hospital in Fort Wayne. \nCast was one of the founders of the Canterbury School, a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school in Fort Wayne, in addition to operating a private practice, Ear Nose and Throat Specialists, since 1969. \nCast said IU faces a difficult balance between remaining accessible to students of the state, while striving to remain a significant force among other research institutions. \nCast said because of IU's size and influence the University must endure the burden of providing education to state residents and acting as a leading force of economic development in areas such as life sciences. \nCox, who was president of the IU Student Association and is currently attending IU-Bloomington's School of Law, agrees IU needs to excel in research in order to stay on top. \n"Every year we should be able to look and see research grants and money coming in. I would like to see areas of faculty retention getting better and better," Cox said. \nHe also mentioned a recent public relations problem facing the University. \n"We need to increase our positive image," he said. "There's been some criticism of the University in the last couple of weeks, and we need to be sensitive to that."\nCast pointed out IU often has a lot to publicize with breakthroughs in various departments and schools but often this information drowns in the wake of numerous successes. \nReilly believes IU should devote more energy and attention to its rankings against other research institutions. Speaking from experience, he described the rankings as a clear indicator of quality to high-profile employers. \n"I come out of the chemical industry," he said. "The CEOs of our chemical industry know that (IU's) chemistry department has some very good young people in it."\nFor 13 years, Reilly was chair of Reilly Industries and president and CEO of the American Chemistry Council. He also brings experience managing educational institutions. He served as chair of the Butler University board of trustees and chair of the Committee on Higher Education for the Indiana Government Efficiency Commission.\nA priority for Reilly is for the University to stay on top of the fields of life sciences and information technology, both for the sake of the state's economy and the livelihoods of IU's students. \n"Life sciences is important for economic development, but it's also important for the reputation of the University," he said. "If you want to go to a high ranked place, study with the very best people, get a great job, any place in the world afterwards, you have to go to a great school"