Wells, McRobbie worked in different eras, promote one legacy

He loved students. He loved IU. He loved the white-sheet, fruit-layered cake from the Indiana Memorial Union. And although IU’s 11th president never loved a wife, he was married to the University.

Seventy years after Herman B Wells was named IU’s 11th president, current President Michael McRobbie continues to focus on students and growth.

At most, Wells worked with 16,000 students while McRobbie works with more than 100,000. Still, both have impacted the University.

Wells was born in 1902 and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in economics from IU. From 1938 to 1962, Wells was IU’s president and is now often referred to as the “father of IU” for his work.

When Wells was inaugurated on Dec. 1, 1938, classes were canceled so students could listen to his speech, according to the IU library archives Web site. 

During his presidency, IU’s student population increased in size from 5,000 students to 16,000.

Wells had a vision for IU’s future and ideas for how it could continue to grow, said Charlene Brown, associate director of the Wells Scholars Program.

“We forgive people because their imagination was limited by their time,” Brown said, “but his imagination broke through and saw this great university that could offer so much more to the students and faculty.”

To accomplish this goal, Wells traveled more than 33,000 miles to interview potential faculty members.

“His efforts to bring a great faculty, which in turn led to a great institution, has made Indiana University what it is today,” said Dick McKaig, dean of students.

One of the buildings Wells created was the IU Auditorium.

“When people were cutting the arts, he was building them up,” Brown said.

She said Wells’ love of the arts is what makes IU such an extraordinarily diverse place.

“He thought that if he could bring the arts to IU then he could bring the world to this southern Indiana university, and the students would have the experiences of the world whether they were from another country or a small town in Indiana like he was,” Brown said.

Wells was known for not only expanding the campus and student population, but also for protecting the green space. He made himself accessible to students by walking around campus or inviting them to fireside chats once a week.

Dan Derheimer, a member of the IU Sustainability Task Force, said Wells’ contributions to preserving green space was and still is important to IU.

“You shouldn’t have to remove trees to build buildings,” Derheimer said.

Wells is often given most of the credit for making the university what it is today, but without the work of presidents after him, the IU legacy wouldn’t be able to continue.

In Wells’ shadow

McRobbie is IU’s 18th president and is now in charge of a university quite different from the one Wells led 70 years ago.

Inaugurated on July 1, 2007, McRobbie is responsible for IU’s eight campuses that total more than 100,000 students, more than 5,000 full-time faculty, about 11,000 staff members and a budget of more than $2.5 billion.

McRobbie has a different background compared to Wells, coming from Australia, not a small Indiana town. McRobbie became the first vice president of information technology at IU in 1997, developing IU’s Information Technology Strategic Plan that has been a model for other universities across the nation.

He has made it a priority to increase space for students, teaching and research, and he has built on IU’s arts and humanities and life sciences programs.

“McRobbie comes from a technology background,” said James Capshew, associate professor of history and philosophy of science. “He is trying to be up-to-date in terms of communicating with students with technology.”

McRobbie declined several interview requests for this story from the Indiana Daily Student.

“I’m not sure how quickly people would have realized the work Dr. Wells did and how important it was after only a year and a half,” Brown said, “but McRobbie is committed to international engagement, and he has an understanding of the interconnectedness of the world and of the things Wells was known for.”

The 70 years since Herman B Wells’ presidency have left a legacy for students and faculty.

“Just take a look around,” said Timothy Londergan, director of the Wells Scholars Program. “Every part of this campus has been influenced and bettered by him, from the buildings to the faculty to the trees.”