Ferguson to leave board of trustees at month's end

IU board of trustees member Stephen Ferguson will be leaving the board after 12 years of service due to recurring health issues.

A little more than two years ago, blood clots moved from Ferguson’s left leg to his lung, he said, making it hard for him to sit for long periods of time. He said his physician recently suggested stepping down from the position.

“In May there was a trustees meeting and graduation,” he said. “I can’t keep blood circulation going sitting for that long.”

Before being appointed to the board, Ferguson served on a higher education commission for nearly five years.

“I’ve been in higher education a long time,” he said. “Nearly 17 years in higher education.”

Ferguson said he grew up around IU and attended the IU Maurer School of Law.

“It’s a wonderful institution,” he said. “It’s an extremely important institution to the state and the Bloomington community. I wanted to help benefit the University.”

Though there are still things Ferguson would like the board to accomplish, he said a lot of progress has been made in the last 12 years.

“There are further things I would have liked to see accomplished or participated in,” he said. “I will always be involved with IU in one way or another.”

At the end of Ferguson’s term on June 30, Gov. Mitch Daniels will appoint a new member to the board of trustees to take Ferguson’s place.

“It’s my understanding that Jack Gill may be leaving too, due to health problems,” Ferguson said, “so there will be a few appointed and one elected.”

— Bailey Loosemore