Gov. Mitch Daniels' salary will quadruple after stepping into Purdue presidency Jan. 14

As Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels’ term in office comes to an end, he prepares to assume his position as the new Purdue president later this month.

The Purdue Board of Trustees made the decision official June 21, 2012, six days after former Purdue President France A. Córdova left her office.

In a press release from the Office of the President-elect, Daniels praised Purdue as an institution, complimenting its education initiatives in math, science, engineering and agriculture science. He said his first priority will be collaborating with faculty to help Purdue further its research and education initiatives.

“No institution of any kind means more to Indiana today or tomorrow as Purdue University. It educates at the highest level the engineers, scientists, agricultural experts and information technologists on whom our state and national success disproportionately depend,” Daniels said in a press release.

During his time in office as governor, Daniels passed legislation for education reform in Indiana. Between May 2011, he passed the nation’s largest school voucher program, which emphasized mobility and families’ choice. After Gov. Daniels signed the bill into law, he received praise from the Foundation for Educational Choice.

“This sends an important message to families across the country: meaningful education reform is possible,” Robert Enlow, president and CEO of the FEC, said in a press release.

His supporters credit him with repaying previous administration debt the state owed to Indiana’s public schools, state universities and local units of government and decreasing the overall debt by 40 percent.

More recently, he spoke at IU’s winter commencement ceremony Dec. 15, 2012.
Initially, after Purdue announced Daniels’ appointment, opposition rejected the idea and took to social media to rally support. An event on Facebook titled “Public Protest

Against Mitch Daniels as Purdue President” was scheduled for June 30, 2012.
Daniels had cut higher education by $150 million dollars in 2010. At Purdue, state funding fell from $262 million in 2009 to $233 million in 2011.

Students wrote about Daniels on the event page, saying “he was hostile towards public education and lacked the academic experience and credentials.”

The Parents and Educators against the Daniels and Bennett Educational Reform Group on Facebook also has garnered supporters with 4,329 likes as of Jan. 6.

In a press release from the Office of the President-elect, Trustees Chair Keith Krach said Daniels “had a passion for higher education and a love for the university.” 

Córdova made her remarks about Daniels in a press release citing “his creative thinking and skill in the legislative arena will be vital as Purdue continues to makes its case for state support of its core programs.”

Gov. Daniels will assume the position Jan. 14, after Ind. Gov.-elect Mike Pence is sworn into office.

— Anu Kumar