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News Release

Last modified: Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Naming ceremonies Thursday and Friday for IU's two schools of public health

Both ceremonies will be broadcast live at broadcast.iu.edu.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 25, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS and BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University Public Health Initiative is conducting naming ceremonies this week in Indianapolis and Bloomington for IU's two new schools of public health -- the only such schools in Indiana.

"Indiana University's two new schools of public health will allow us to more effectively mobilize the great breadth and depth of expertise that exists within the university to address public health problems that impact the state of Indiana and its citizens," said IU President Michael A. McRobbie, who will preside over both ceremonies. "Together, the two schools will allow IU to approach education and research in public health in a comprehensive fashion, lead the way in cultivating a healthier Hoosier citizenry and help meet the most serious public health challenges facing the state, nation and world in the 21st century."

State Health Commissioner Gregory Larkin will be the featured speaker at both ceremonies.

• 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, in the University Place Conference Center Auditorium. The IU School of Public Health-Indianapolis will be named for a donor who will be disclosed at the ceremony. The new school grew from the Department of Public Health in the IU School of Medicine.
• 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, in the Tony A. Mobley Auditorium in the new School of Public Health-Bloomington. The School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, established at IU Bloomington in 1946, officially will be named the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington.

Indiana traditionally ranks poorly in major public health benchmarks, such as obesity, tobacco use, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Citing these and other Hoosier health needs, IU officials announced in 2009 plans to leverage the university's vast public health resources through the creation of schools of public health at IU Bloomington and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

The IU School of Public Health-Bloomington will have a rural community focus that will emphasize its strengths in social and behavioral health, environmental health sciences, epidemiology and community-based research and practice. In Indianapolis, the school will focus on strengths in the areas of urban health, health policy, biostatistics and epidemiology and on its strong connections to the IU School of Medicine on the IUPUI campus.

More about the ceremonies

IUPUI:

• Offering remarks and responses will be Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs Edwin Marshall, who also chairs the IU Public Health Coordinating Council; IUPUI Chancellor Charles R. Bantz; Marion County Health Director Virginia Caine; doctoral student Hanna Maxey; master's degree student Aleksander Overbey; and a representative for the donor.

IU Bloomington:

• Offering remarks during the ceremony will be Marshall; IU Executive Vice President and IU Bloomington Provost Lauren Robel; Interim Dean of the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington Mohammad Torabi; clinical professor Katie Grove; and doctoral student Margo Mullinax.

Earlier this year, the Council on Education for Public Health, an independent agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit schools of public health and public health programs, approved IU's request to begin the accreditation process for both schools. The two schools also have associate status in the Association of Schools of Public Health.

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