The IU community expressed preferences for the future chancellor of IU-Bloomington at 10 listening sessions Thursday and Friday at the Indiana Memorial Union.
The IU Board of Trustees approved the reinstatement of the position in June, along with the addition of a faculty fellow to the Office of the President.
“Every other IU campus, from Indianapolis to all regionals, are well-served by both a chancellor and an academic affairs vice chancellor,” IU President Pamela Whitten wrote in an email to the IU community in June. “As the university’s flagship campus, Bloomington deserves this same level of resource and attention.”
She wrote in an email in August that the chancellor will preside over all Bloomington campus operations, including budget, student affairs and enrollment.
The university partnered with search firm Isaacson, Miller along with a 16-member committee of IU students, faculty and staff in the search.
The firm worked with IU in the search for the IU Indianapolis chancellor in 2023 and the dean of the IU School of Public Health in 2017.
Vijay Saraswat, a partner with Isaacson, Miller, led the sessions. At faculty and undergraduate listening sessions Thursday, he opened by explaining the rationale behind reinstating the position, which is common among members of the Association of American Universities.
“It’s a similar situation where it’s a chancellor and a provost as a leadership dyad,” he said.
IU joined the association in 1909, which includes universities “on the leading edge of innovation, scholarship and solutions that contribute to scientific progress, economic development, security and well-being” according to its website.
Saraswat said the chancellor position is still evolving, particularly in its role inside Whitten’s office.
“The relationship with the president I think is obviously the most complex, and I would say right now the fuzziest in terms of articulating it,” he said.
IU announced in June the chancellor will also oversee the Office of the Provost and report directly to Whitten.
Raymond Wise, executive director of IU’s African American Arts Institute, was clear about what he wants, saying he is looking for an advocate who will step up for the university in the face of legislative pressure.
He also expressed concerns about funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs at IU, including the African American and African Diaspora Studies department, the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center and the African American Arts Institute.
“People are looking at the quantitative versus the qualitative,” he said. “They’re not looking at the impact of what these programs do whether they’re large or small.”
He said he wants someone who understands the value these programs bring to the university.
“I’m curious if we will have an advocate who will say, ‘these things are important, regardless of the numbers,’” he said.
Another faculty member said he wants someone who will bring balance to the university. Speakers at the sessions were told any feedback they contributed would be anonymous.
“We need someone who can broadly and find strategic ways to tap everybody’s value at the university,” he said. “We’ve become very lopsided, thinking only one area can save us. Whereas I think we all have amazing gifts to bring to the table. We need a leader who can see that and parlay that instead of leniency and reduction and marginalization as an answer.”
He also emphasized a focus on leadership skills.
“This person does not need to be the greatest scientist on the planet,” he said. “They need to be skilled in leadership, in strategic thinking, in inspiration, in core leadership skills.”
One faculty member raised a question about the history of the chancellor position at IU.
“Can I follow up with a question?” she said. “We know that IU did have a chancellor in the past? How much of that is going to look to the past?”
Kenneth Gros Louis was the campus’ most recent chancellor. He served from 2004 to 2006, when his title changed to University Chancellor Emeritus. In the 18 years without a chancellor, the IU president took the responsibilities of both president and chancellor.
Sharon Brehm preceded Gros Louis, serving as chancellor from 2001 to 2003.
Herman B Wells served as university’s first chancellor from 1962 until his death in 2000. He also served as president from 1938-62 and as interim president in 1968.
Danielle DeSawal, president of the Bloomington Faculty Council and co-chair of the search committee, responded, saying they have looked at the history but find it hard to compare old chancellors to the new chancellor.
“This place looks so different than back then,” she said. “I wouldn’t say that we are mirroring it, but rather we’re learning from it.”
Saraswat also chimed in.
“We don’t have a job description of what that role was,” he said.
At an undergraduate listening session Thursday, one student said she wants to see interaction with students.
“I think there is really a strong craving on this campus for students to be able to interact with the leadership,” she said.
She also said she thinks the university is too focused on generating revenue and is forgetting about the student experience.
“I think that (leadership should be) finding ways to better balance the budget so that the student experience is at the center,” she said. “I know that pretty much every organization I can think of is vastly underfunded.”
She added she wants to create more equity among programs, particularly the psychology department.
“I’m a psychology major,” she said. “The building is in horrible condition, and then I walk over to Kelley, and it is gorgeous, and they’ve got water filter fountains.”
She said she is not alone in thinking there is a resource disparity between departments.
“I’ve talked to a lot of students who feel frustrated not being in one of the ‘favorite child programs,’” she said.
Another student said she wants someone who is transparent, stays in touch and can easily inform students about campus initiatives or updates through social media.
A third student said she values character more than anything.
“I think it’s more about the moral characteristics of the human,” she said.
More information about the search for the chancellor, including applications and candidate nominations, is available on IU’s website.
