Nate Feltman: Support IU president and board of trustees

As an Indiana University alumnus, I have been heartened by the leadership shown by President Pamela Whitten and the board of trustees during one of the most challenging times in higher education and at IU. Rising costs, fewer students seeking higher education and rising intolerance of diverse viewpoints are among the many pressure points university leaders are navigating today.

When the board hired Whitten in 2021, they knew significant changes were necessary for IU to thrive in a quickly changing higher education landscape. They also understood the growing calls from Hoosier government leaders for IU to play a more prominent role in solving some of the state’s most pressing challenges, including poor public health, talent retention and workforce development, and innovation and economic vitality.

Unlike Purdue University, which had the benefit of Gov. Daniels’ unrelenting drive to eliminate waste and find efficiencies, IU had become inefficient and bloated with excess during prior administrations. Making matters worse, prior administrations bent over backward to appease Bloomington faculty, meaning regional campuses like IUPUI were deemphasized for fear of upsetting Bloomington faculty, many of whom have a “You win, I lose” mentality.

Last month, the Bloomington Faculty Council passed a vote of no confidence in Whitten (and her provost and executive vice president). Among their grievances was a lack of transparency on budget cuts along with the somewhat hysterical claim that the IU administration was “encroaching on both academic freedom and shared governance.” The petition also criticized IU leaders for not publicly supporting Dr. Caitlin Bernard. If the faculty were intellectually honest, they would have said they don’t want change. They want university leaders to bend to their political and ideological beliefs and allow only voices on campus that conform to their liberal ideologies.

If they were transparent, they would also state that they do not want to see the new Indiana University Indianapolis become the next preeminent urban research university, the stated goal of Whitten which has been applauded by city and state leaders who understand the economic development and talent-attraction opportunity. Too many Bloomington faculty have a zero-sum mentality, so when IU announced a $250 million investment to establish two life sciences institutes in Indianapolis, Bloomington faculty stewed.

Bloomington faculty were also rankled by IU leadership’s decision to invest $111 million in microelectronics and nanotechnology in partnership with Naval Surface Warfare Center at Crane. This investment ensures IU is at the cutting edge of research and development in the semiconductor space, an economic and talent development priority for the state and our country. But the fact that all resources are not going into the liberal arts and that any IU dollar could go to help advance our national security disturbs some Bloomington faculty.

The latest grievance from the Bloomington faculty is Whitten’s handling of the pro-Hamas protesters. Some of these protestors have a mixed-up view of free speech. They believe they have the right to threaten harm to other students, chant “Death to all Jewish people” and disturb operations of the university in direct violation of university policies. The president took the right action by warning protestors they were in violation of university policies and trespassing laws, and when the protestors did not heed the warning, arresting those violating the law.

Whitten and the trustees are taking actions that will ensure IU’s mission of groundbreaking research, teaching and service to Indiana and the world. They deserve our strong support.•

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Feltman is publisher of IBJ and CEO of IBJ Media. Send comments to nfeltman@ibj.com.