Campus’ ‘secret’ Board of Aeons works for change

Twelve students share a powerful role with the ability to influence and advise President Michael McRobbie on different campus issues.

These 12 students make up the Board of Aeons, which conducts research on topics concerning IU students throughout the year.

“President (William Lowe) Bryan wanted an opportunity to connect students with faculty and administration,” said Kelly Kish, adviser for the board and a research specialist for the Office of the President. “He and a few faculty members devised a plan to have 12, at that point senior men, come together and form a board of advisers to the president.”

Through the years changes have been made to the board since its creation in 1921.
Women now serve, and although it remains primarily an upperclassmen group, several sophomores have joined the Aeons. One is on the board now.

At one point, the board began working closely with the vice chancellors on the Bloomington campus. IU Chancellor Ken Gros Louis remembers the hardworking students. 

“I always enjoyed working with them,” he said. “They are a very important group on campus.”

Gros Louis said the group represents the diverse student population including greeks, nongreeks, minorities and students who have been active in other organizations.

Many students don’t know of the board’s existence, yet many of its past members have gone on and done great things, becoming famous both to the University and the world. Some of these members are Edward L. Hutton, Ernie Pyle and Thomas A. Atkins. 

“A lot of these folks tend to resurface in really significant ways for the University, some as donors and others as volunteers,” Kish said.

The board discretely joins the student body and takes notes on what can be improved on campus. 

“We research about issues that affect the students and student topics,” said senior Jack McCarthy, president of the board. “We look at the issues and try to solve them.”

In the past, the board has researched how to improve academic advising and technology. Students might be surprised at the amount of changes the Aeons have brought to campus. 

From redefining the Wells Scholars Program to supporting print release stations at the Herman B Wells Library, the Aeons have planted many seeds throughout their existence.

They recommended support groups that eventually became the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Support Services and helped support the Living
Learning Centers in the residence halls. With these kinds of goals, many boards don’t get to see their impact during their undergraduate years.

“We are different from those groups who impact change right away,” McCarthy said. “We might not be able to see it right away, but we have the opportunity to work with a president who has set these long term goals, and we can maybe see it down the road.”