Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis officially split in two Monday following an official agreement made June 12.
IU Indianapolis and Purdue University Indianapolis will become two independent campuses in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, separated for the first time since IUPUI’s inception.
IUPUI formed in 1969 as a merger of the two most prominent higher education institutions in Indiana, Purdue University and IU-Bloomington. Then-Indianapolis mayor Richard Lugar called for “a great state university in Indianapolis” the year prior, according to IUPUI’s website. Since then, it was considered “Indiana’s premier urban research university.” According to the most recent IUPUI statistics, it enrolled more than 25,000 graduate and undergraduate students for the 2023-24 academic year.
The separation was agreed upon in August 2022 by the Board of Trustees of both Purdue and IU, the IDS reported.
“The creation of independent campuses will enable the two higher education powerhouses to build upon their incredible legacies of excellence and impact to meet the needs of Indiana and its capital city for decades to come,” according to a June 14 IU press release.
IU Indianapolis will absorb almost all of IUPUI’s more than 500 academic programs. It will supplement its existing repertoire of programs with IU’s applied computer sciences program and expand the Luddy School of Engineering in Indianapolis.
IU Indianapolis will also construct SciTech Corridor, a new building on campus intended to “advance STEM education and curriculum for Hoosiers,” according to a 2022 IU press release.
Indianapolis mayor Joe Hogsett officially designated July 1 as “IU Indianapolis Day”, according to an IU press release Monday. IU Indianapolis will retain the “Jaguars” as the school’s mascot.
Purdue University Indianapolis will incorporate the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology and Computer Science in the Science School from IUPUI, as well as implementing some schools from its West Lafayette branch, including the Mitchell E. Daniels School of Business.
Indiana state lawmakers adopted a budget in April 2023 allocating $60 million to each school to build new facilities on their respective campuses. The IU Board of Trustees approved plans for a new IU-Indianapolis athletics center to complement existing facilities in a June 14 board meeting. Capital Planning and Facilities Vice President Thomas Morrison described it as “one of the true needs of the Indianapolis campus.” The new facility will seat 4,500 and serve primarily as an NCAA Division I basketball and volleyball court.
The separation of the two universities is intended to bolster the capabilities and capacity of both campuses, with the hope of attracting new students and creating jobs within the city and Central Indiana. Central Indiana community leaders and business owners are hopeful the separation will help fill jobs in engineering, sciences, technological and health care careers, according to the press release.
“IUPUI’s realignment will create a transformational change across Indiana’s landscape and far beyond,” Indiana governor Eric Holcomb said in the June 14 press release. “As Purdue and Indiana University — two of our state’s globally competitive universities – continue to focus on their individual strengths, they will also now create an epicenter for research and a training ground for future focused innovative fields to ensure students are ready for the modern-day economy.”
Frequently asked questions about the separation can be found here.
