The battle over the leadership roles of the IU president, which the trustees tried to put to rest a year ago when they restructured the University administration at their January 2005 meeting, seems to have resurfaced again.\nUniversity Faculty Council representatives Ted Miller, an IU Bloomington public affairs professor, and Bart Ng, an IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis mathematics professor, spent the entirety of their briefings to the board of trustees Friday discussing an open letter the IUPUI faculty sent to the trustees. The professors requested more attention from the next IU president and a high research profile.\nThe two-page letter, dated Jan. 18, protests the trustees' Agenda for a Future of Distinction, which, according to the letter, relegates IUPUI to teaching students and stifles the faculty's ability to conduct meaningful research.\n"In order for Indiana University to achieve greatness, both campuses must be recognized, valued and supported as equal partners."\nThe faculty, according to the letter, want IUPUI to be recognized as a research campus in its own right.\nTrustee Tom Reilly questioned the state's ability to fund a third major research campus since Indiana, which he said is a small state, already funds IUB and Purdue University.
IU makes pledge for environmental responsibility and sustainability\nVice President and Chief Operating Officer Terry Clapacs briefed the trustees Friday on IU's initiatives to improve the University's environmental record. Clapacs also announced the creation of a 16-member sustainability task force.\nHe and the trustees acknowledged the D-plus grade IU received from the recent College Sustainability Report Card 2007, though they said the task force had been in the works before the report card was released.\nClapacs said energy usage has fallen on the IU campus in the past years resulting in an estimated savings of $15.2 million.\nIU President Adam Herbert said IU will also seek a high level of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification for the its future buildings. The certification means that the buildings will have to meet high standards of environmental friendliness, including being water and energy efficient.
Trustees approve $2 million \ntelecommunications duct repair\nThe board of trustees unanimously approved a measure to repair and replace telecommunications ducts and manholes. Repairing the ducts, which were damaged by their proximity to steam lines, will improve the reliability of the phone and Internet networks across campus. \nThe repairs are slated for the south edge of Seventh Street, the west edge of Union Street and through the west side of the east Eigenmann parking lot, according to an agenda for the trustees meeting.
