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IU Trustees approve IU East land sale for Ivy Tech expansion
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Trustees of Indiana University today (Sept. 17) approved the sale of property currently a part of the IU East campus, in order to accommodate the proposed building expansion of Ivy Tech State College Region 9.
This property, according to IU Trustee President John Walda, will support the continued growth of Ivy Tech facilities in Richmond.
"Given the history of the development of higher education in Richmond," Walda said, "IU believes that the Richmond community should be an active partner in the planning for its community college. Therefore, we are prepared to convey the land to a Wayne County community organization, with the expectation it will be used in a way which best supports the efforts of the partnerships to establish the future of the community college system in Richmond."
The IU trustees and administration support the proposed community college initiative and believe it is vital to the Richmond community.
"We believe this suggested initiative can be implemented in east central Indiana, based on the existing partnerships among IU East, Ivy Tech and Purdue University School of Technology programs," said IU President Myles Brand. "IU is in agreement with Ivy Tech President Jerry Lamkin that IU East and Ivy Tech should establish a partnership in Richmond in order to design and implement a model community college."
This arrangement, Brand maintains, is in full compliance with the statute that created the proposed community college plan and was approved by the 1999 Indiana General Assembly, and it does not require any change in the statute to be implemented.
In approving the land sale, the trustees stipulated that if after a period of time this partnership proves unable to provide the promised educational services, the community is free to permit the use of the land by other educational institutions.
"I am confident," said IU East Chancellor David Fulton, "that this solution respects the wishes of the community to allow Ivy Tech to expand its facilities at the present location. It entrusts the community with continuing the vision set forth in the early 1970s with the gift of land to co-locate IU East and Ivy Tech in a single educational park.
"We believe that the current and future educational needs of our region can be met with the resources of the institutions now on the existing campus, thus avoiding the inefficient use of state resources that would result from an unnecessary duplication of existing programs and degrees."
Because of the laws governing charitable gifts, IU must sell the land at its appraised value. However, the university assures that any income derived from this sale will be reinvested in infrastructure to support the IU East/Ivy Tech campus.
(DeAnna Hines, 812-855-0850, djhines@indiana.edu or Joanne Matika, 765-973-8305)