President Herbert's State of the University Speech

So yesterday was President Herbert's State of the University Speech... and the Indy Star did another outstanding job of reporting on the speech. Not! Pathetic coverage.

IU on improving course, president says - Indystar.com

At least Trevor Brown, an IU Journalism Student listened to the speech and completed a well written article for the IDS.

Herbert outlines IU initiatives for year - idsnews.com

Some key areas:

Life Sciences Research

One specific goal Herbert declared was to make IU a leader in cancer research.

"We have such an array of strengths in cancer research, diagnosis and treatment that I established a goal for Indiana University to become one of the top five cancer centers in the nation," Herbert said.

Faculty Issues

Stating that IU's average faculty salary ranks ninth in the Big Ten, Herbert said he wants to aggressively address this situation to attract and retain faculty who are at the top of their field.

Herbert said he will be submitting a proposal to the University Faculty Council within a few months that will increase the minimum salary increments attached to promotions at each professorial level and will create a new faculty rank beyond professor.

Herbert also offered a warning that IU must devote attention to the predicted upcoming wave of faculty retirements.

"We must prepare to recruit and retain IU's next generation of intellectual leaders and other institutional leaders," Herbert said.

Arts and Humanities

Saying that IU must remain at its foundation a liberal arts university, Herbert included strengthening IU's arts and humanities program as one of his top priorities.

During the previous year's State of the University address, Herbert announced an IU-funded plan to increase research and creative activity in arts and humanities. After receiving $5 million from the Lilly Endowment, IU has now created the New Frontiers initiative, aimed at providing grants to several of the school's fine arts programs.

Advancing Indiana

As the title of his speech, "Creating a Future of Shared Purpose," strengthening the economy of Indiana was fittingly among Herbert's goals outlined during the address.

Herbert said it should be IU's goal to create, attract and keep more high-wage jobs in the state to help Indiana's economy.

"If we are to create a future of shared purpose for Indiana University, we must become increasingly more strategic in our priority planning and investments," Herbert said. "We must find new ways to advance IU and the state of Indiana."

National and Global Challenges

As European, Asian and Australian institutions are now rivaling American higher education, Herbert said IU should compete more aggressively for top faculty and graduate students, prepare its students for a global economy and expand partnerships to continue globalization at IU.

Whew... at least the IDS article shows that President Herbert has some ideas for IU. After reading the IndyStar article, I just figured he was as out to lunch as Mike Davis.