New trustee has strong ties to IU

A doctor, teacher and inductee to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, Phil Eskew Jr. now faces a new challenge -- helping guide IU through new leadership changes as the newest member of the IU board of trustees. \n"I'm pretty excited; it's a great opportunity," Eskew said.\nHis family has overwhelmingly strong ties to IU. His daughter graduated from the IU School of Law in Indianapolis and is a practicing attorney. His son, Phil III, is an adjunct lecturer in the IU School of Library and Information Science and his wife and parents all have degrees from IU.\n"I've got two people teaching at IU," Eskew said. "Which, in my way of thinking, lets me have a good idea what's going on there."\nRiding on a good name and a strong written statement to alumni, Eskew didn't feel the need to campaign. His father, Phil Eskew Sr., as commissioner of the Indiana High School Athletic Association from 1962 to 1976, was instrumental in bringing women's sports to universities. \nA celebrated high school athlete in football, basketball and track, Eskew said he is a proud supporter of the Hoosiers. He has been a football and basketball season ticket holder since 1973. \nEskew was inducted into the \nIndiana Basketball Hall of Fame for \nadministrative work he did to ensure ease in the process of electing new members. \nHe speaks ambitiously about his tenure on the board of trustees, saying he wants to make IU a first-choice school for incoming freshmen.\n"I want IU to be a destination school," Eskew said. "I think we can do a better job. I want to make each department the best they can be." \nEskew left private practice in 1994 to become director of physician and patient relations at St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital.\nHe received his masters degree in 1970 from the IU School of Medicine and continued his work at the University by teaching as a clinical professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology and by being a lifetime member of the IU Alumni Association.\nA typical week for him includes supporting the president of the hospital and medical staff, handling complaints by physicians and solving general administrative problems -- all while continuing his teaching at St. Vincent and elsewhere around the country.\n"For the most part I put out fires and try to help others," Eskew said of his administrative hospital duties.\nIn his OB/GYN days, Eskew delivered more than 5,000 babies at St. Vincent Hospital, including current IU football wide receiver coach Bill Lynch. After moving to administrative work, he said he misses the days of delivering newborn children and the rush of handing a baby to its mother, but he still gets a thrill from teaching.\n"I never realized the high I get from teaching until I did it full time," he said.\nWhile acknowledging he doesn't have all the answers yet, Eskew said he has a reputation for asking a lot of questions and being a good listener. \nIU's biggest challenge is finding a new president, he said, adding the University needs a new leader who has a "vision for IU and a passion for the educational process."\nEskew has been receiving congratulatory calls and e-mails from fellow trustees and said he's excited to get to know them better. He has been told it takes around a year until he'll figure everything that's going on, but he's ready for the challenge and for being a member of the board.\n"I know some of (the trustees) already and have for several years," he said. "I think I'll fit in all right"