TO:

CC:

PurdueUniversityBoardofTrustees
PresidentMitchDaniels,PurdueUniversity
PresidentMichaelMcRobbie,IndianaUniversity
ChancellorVickyCarwein,IndianaUniversityPurdueUniversityFortWayne
NortheastIndianaRegionalPartnershipsRegionalOpportunitiesCouncil
JeffreyMalanson,PresidingOfficeroftheIPFWSenate
AndrewDowns,SpeakeroftheIndianaUniversityfacultyofIPFW
MarkMasters,SpeakerofthePurdueUniversityfacultyofIPFW
Friday,December9,2016
RealignmentagreementresponsefromIPFWAlumniAssociationBoard

DATE:
SUBJECT:

Approximatelyoneweekago,theIUBoardofTrusteesvoted72infavoroftherecentlyproposedrealignment
agreementofIndianaUniversityPurdueUniversityFortWayne,andsinceourIPFWAlumniAssociationlearnedof
thisnews,wehaveeachdonealotofthinking.Ourexecutivecommitteeconductedaspecialmeetingon
Wednesday,Dec.7todiscussthoughts,reactions,andconsiderationsofwhatthefuturemayholdforIPFWandits
57,000alumniwerepresentthroughouttheyear.

Onethingiscertaininourthoughts:Webelievethisverybigpotentiallywrongdecisionisbeingdrivenby
politics,power,andmoney;andnotbydata;anddefinitelynotbywhatsbestforthethrivingeconomyof
northeastIndiana.OuralumniassociationsentaninitialLSAresponsetoSen.Long,bothpresidents,and
ChancellorCarweininMay2016.Wewereverydisappointedthatourcollectiveresponsewasnotacknowledged
atthatpointintime.Astheleadershipandrepresentativebodyofall57,000IPFWalumni,wedecidedtoissuea
collectiveresponse,becausewetakeourdutyseriouslyinrepresentingalumni.

Inreviewingtherealignmentagreement,wehadseveralthoughtsandquestionsforyoutoconsider:
Separatingthecampusintotwoentities(albeitsharedservicesatsomelevel)wouldbeastepbackward
forthiscommunity.Iftherealignmentofprogramsisnecessary,whynotjustletthatportionbeasisand
stilloperateasoneuniversity,twogreatnames?
ButinsteadgeneraleducationandliberalartsrequirementswillbeofferedonlythroughPurdue
University,whichisnotwhatPurdueisknownforatitsbase.
Italsolooksliketherewillbetwosetsoftuitionfees.Whatdoesthismeanforfinancialaid/transfer,and
whatkindofconfusionwillthiscreate?
Thisalsobringsupanotherconcern,whichwehighlightedinourinitialresponse.Ifastudenthasthe
intentofearningabachelorsdegreeinahealthprogram,itseemshe/shehastofirstattendPurdue
Universityforgeneraleducationrequirements.HowdoesthatlookintheeyesoftheStateandthe
CommissionsforHigherEducation?Doesthatmeanfirsttime,fulltime,degreeseekingstudentswould
startatPurdueUniversityandthentransfertoIndianaUniversity?Theycertainlycouldntbegranted
conditionaladmittanceiftheywerejustbeginningtheirjourneythroughtheirgeneraleducation
requirements?So,wouldthismeanthatstudentswouldbeforcedtoofficiallytransferbetweentwo
entities,thusmakingthemafailureintheeyesofthestate?Thiswouldthenmeanthedatawouldskew
heavilynegativeagainstPurduesFortWayneCampus.ORwilltheybegrantedadmissiontoIUandtake
classesthroughPurdueFortWayneasagueststudenttoavoidthetransfercomplication?
HowabouttheIUdegreesthatwillbeswitchingovertoPurdueUniversity,likethewellrespectedRichard
T.DoermerSchoolofBusiness?OrhowaboutthedegreesthatPurdueUniversityWestLafayetteisnot
approvedbytheCommissionforHigherEducationtooffer?Willtherebesomesortofdispensation
offeredbytheCHE,orwillPurdueneedtodosomefastworktogetthoseapproved?Oristhisthe
beginningoftheendforthoseprograms,inordertofurthereliminateprogramsofstudyinnortheast
Indiana?
Therealignmentagreementisconvolutedatbest.Ifstudentsuccessistrulythemissionsofthe
institutions,letsevaluatehowthesechangescouldpossiblyimpactstudentsfromapositiveperspective.
Howwillstateappropriationsworkbetweentworegionalcampuses?Howdoesthathelporhurt
northeastIndianahighereducationmovingforward?

ThereferencetoDivisionIAthleticsisveryvague,onlymentioningtheuniversitysdesiretoremain
DivisionIandallowingbothPurdueandIUstudentstheopportunitytoparticipate.Ifoneknowsanything
abouthowtheNCAAoperates,itseasytoassumethatsaslim(tozero)chanceofhappening,which
wouldbringittoaprogramthatislimitedonlytoPurdueFortWaynestudents.Andthenwhatdoesthat
looklike?Howdoesthatimpactrecruitingeffortsandsuccessdowntheroad?Atwhatpointwillthe
homecampusesdeterminetheFortWayneCampusneedstostepdowntoDivisionIIorlower?And,
why?
Thebriefmentionofhowalumniassociationsandmembershipswilloperatewereveryhome
universitycentricwithanafterthoughtoforotherFortWayneCampusassociation.Thisclauseleads
ustobelieveIUandPurduewillassumeandcollectallalumnidues,whichwouldnotreturnanythingto
theFortWayneCampus,whichisdifferentthanourcurrentarrangement.So,whatdoesthatmeanfor
thealumniassociationmovingforward?Wherewouldprogramfundingcomefrom?Wherewouldalumni
scholarshipdollarscomefrom?Doyouknowthismovecouldpotentiallyalienate57,000alumniandthe
donorbasethatcomeswithit?
Regardingthepotentialuniversitynamechange:Itseemsasthoughthiswasaddressedminimallyinthe
agreementtoavoidapotentialoutburstofthecommunity.HopefullycommunitytheinputisREALLY
sought,becauseweknowverylittleinputhasbeentakenintoconsiderationuptothispoint.Thelast
thingweneedatthispointisanotheractionofformalityinorderforceanagenda.

Somebiggerquestionstoconsider,whichmightwarrantafeasibilitystudytoultimatelymakeadatadriven
decision,include:
Whatwillthiscostintermsofsheernumberswithenrollmentandretention?
Whatwillthiscoststudentsfinanciallydifferentthanitisnow?
WhattuitionratedoesanIUstudentpayiftheyaretakingaPurduegeneraleducationcourse?
Whatkindofcostarewelookingatifanamechangecomesintoplay(e.g.signage,logos,collateral,
stationery,businesscards,highwayandstreetsignage)?Guessingthiscouldbemillions?

IPFWisoneofthestrongestbrandsthatflowsthroughthis10countynortheastIndianaregion,andits57,000
alumnicomefromalloverglobe.Ouralumniassociationboardconsistsofsuccessful,engagedalumni,andwe
wouldlikeforyoutotaketheuniversitysstanceandthealumnisstanceseriouslybeforevotinginfavorofthis
agreementattheupcomingPurdueUniversityBoardofTrusteesmeeting.

Onbehalfof57,000IPFWproudalumniOnbehalfofFortWayneandnortheastIndiana
OnbehalfoftheIPFWAlumniAssociation
Weurgeyoutovoteagainsttherealignmentbeingputforthnextweek.

Wellanxiouslybeawaitingtheresultsofthisvoteandfullyintendtoengageourboardfurther,aswellasreach
outtothe50+yearsofengagedboardmemberstosolicittheirinputforfutureaction.

Respectfully,andmostofall,IPFWPROUD,
TheIPFWAlumniAssociationBoardofDirectors
AndrewWelch,President(B.A.00&B.S.B03)
CarolingFoster,PresidentElect(B.A.04&MPA10)
ReubenAlbaugh,Treasurer(B.A.04)
CourtneyTrout,SecretaryandIURep(B.S.12)
JasonDaenens,AtLarge(B.S.08)
KathyCarr,AtLarge(M.S.83)
JoeCavacini,AtLarge(B.S.95)

HollyBarnett,AtLarge(B.S.14)
HeatherTeagarden,AtLarge(B.S.B.96)
JessicaMiller,AtLarge(B.S.09)
AndrewBourne,AtLarge(M.S.12)
AudreyDonat,AtLarge(B.A.14)
SarahPtak,AtLarge(B.A.05)

Attachments:IPFWAABoardofDirectorsopinionfromMay2016,photoofIUandPurdueindowntownFortWayneinthe
1950s;aerialphotoofIPFWasitexiststodayonEastColiseumBoulevardinFortWayne

OPINION:TheIPFWAlumniAssociationBoardofDirectorsunanimouslyrejectstherecommendationsintheJanuary2016LSA
study,andisinsupportofeitheranimmediatedismissalofthestudyanditsrecommendationoranextensionthatallowsfor
adequatecollectionofquantitativeandqualitativedataasitrelatestotheuniversitysalumniandtheinstitutionmeetingthe
needsofthenortheastIndianaeconomy.Whilewearewillingtoconsiderchange,weareopposedtochangingtheeducational
missionoftheuniversityalongwiththestronguniversityimageIPFWhasbuiltoverthelast50years.

RATIONALE:

Thestudy,whilelengthy,appearstoberushedandfilledwithconjectureandweak/inaccuratedata.

TherecommendationsseemimpulsivewithoutvisiblesupportfromthenortheastIndianacommunityindustry
professionals,educationalproviders,andtheCityofFortWaynecitizensandelectedofficials.

CONCERNS:

Appropriateconversations,suchasfocusgroups,havenotbeencarriedouttogatherthetrueopinionofthe
stakeholderstotheuniversity.

Adequateconversationswithuniversitydonorsandfriendshavenotoccurred,whichcouldimpactcurrentandfuture
philanthropicsupporttotheuniversityifdegreeprogramsweretobemovedfromonedegreegrantinginstitutionto
another(oreliminated).

TherecommendationswilldiscouragealumnitostayinnortheastIndianaandwilldiscourageloyaltyandfuture
engagementwithIPFWinanyway.

SinceJanuary,theuniversityhasalreadyseenanimpactonemployeemorale,newemployeehiring,andnewstudent
recruitmentbasedupontheunforeseenfutureoftheuniversity.Itcouldalsoimpactretentionofcurrentstudents
fromspringtofall,andbeyond.

Inthestudy,itcontinuouslytouchesuponlowIPEDScompletionrates.Asyouknow,thisisthefundingmodelfor
firsttime,fulltime,degreeseekingstudents,completingthedegreerequirementswithin150percentofthetime.A
fewthingsthatneedtobecalledattentiontohereisthatnortheastIndianaseconomyhasvastlyimproved,somany
studentshavechangedtheirfulltimestatustoparttimeduetobeingintheworkforceandfamiliestocareforalong
withthisattainmentgoal.Thatchange,alongwithanytransfer,impactsthoserates.Andstatisticsshowthat50
percentofcollegefreshmenchangetheirmajorsatleastoncebeforegraduation.Iftheuniversitiesweresplit
enrollmentinstitutions,afulltimestudentmovingfromPurduetoIndiana(orviceversa)wouldbeconsidereda
failuremovingforwardunderthismodelwhichwouldcompoundtheIPEDScompletionrates.AstheFortWayne
Senatepointedout,whileIPFWsitsatonly12.9%ICHEcompletionrates,itis#1incompletionratesatasix(40.6%)
and8year(49.7%)timeframe.Thisfurtherreinforcesthefactthatmoreandmoreparttimestudentsarecompleting
theirdegreerequirementsincomparisontootherIndianaandPurdueregionals.

IndianaenrolledstudentswouldlikelynotbeeligibleforNCAAintercollegiateathletics.

CurrentIUprogramsthatarenthealth/medicalfocusedneedaplanforretention,becauseweassumemanycannot
transitiontoPurdueifprogram(s)arenotCHEapprovedandaccreditedwithinthePurduesystem(e.g.Theatre,
VisualCommunications)

Whyhastherenotbeentheformationofanypublicworkgroupsforconversation,toincludeIPFWfaculty,staff,
students,alumni,donors,andcommunitymembers?Therearemanystakeholderstotheuniversitywhoarewillingto
providetheirexpertiseandguidancetoadviseandhelpaidthefuturegrowthofIPFWinnortheastIndiana,whilealso
supportingthemissionsofbothIndianaandPurdue.Itseemsasthoughthisstudy,andtheopinionsthatgoalong
withit,weredevelopedwithoneendgoalwhileatthesametimeabandoningthehistoryoftheuniversityandthe
communitythatsupportsitanditsgraduates.

IPFWAARECOMMENDATIONS:TheIPFWAlumniAssociationBoardofDirectorsrecommendstheworkgroupanddecision
makersstronglyconsiderthehistoryofIPFWandwhatithasprovidednortheastIndianaoverthelast50+years.Wehopeit
allowstheuniversityadministrationtoworkinconjunctionwithbothIndianaandPurduetodevelopaplanthatworksforallin
compromiseandtonotlosesightofstudentsuccessandregionaleconomicimpact.ThenewMultisystemMetropolitan
Universitydesignationneedstimeforrollout,dataonimpacttobestudied,andfuturerecommendationstomade.IPFWhasso
manywonderfulthingshappeningoncampuswithstudents,includingthesecondhighestaveragepassrateontheregistered
nurselicensingexamofallbaccalaureatenursingprograms;numberonerankingamongallIndianacollegeanduniversitieson
studentsocialmobility;theSymphonicWindEnsembleperformanceatCarnegieHall;oneofthetop60mostaffordable
engineeringprograms;themostsuccessfulstudentathleteacademicreporttheuniversityhaseverseen;60percentincreasein
bachelorsdegreesproducedoverthelast10years;ItsAACSBInternationalaccreditedRichardT.DoermerSchoolofBusiness,
whichhasreceivednationalrecognitioninwhichmostgraduatesstayinnortheastIndiana;andmostofall,30,000alumniliving
andworkinginnortheastIndiana.ThenumberonesellingpointofIPFWinits50yearshasalwaysbeenthefactthatnortheast
Indianaresidentscanseamlesslyattainadegreeinhighereducationwithabreadthofoptionsinasingleenrollmentuniversity
withtwoawardinginstitutionsbehindit.