---

News Release

Last modified: Wednesday, September 19, 2007

IU president launches project to engage students on 21st century's ideal college learning experience

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie announced today (Sept. 19) the creation of student advisory committees at Bloomington and Indianapolis to help him craft a vision of the ideal college living and learning environment for the 21st century.

Called VOICE (Vision of the Ideal College Environment), the project will seek input on a broad range of student life issues through student steering committees at IU Bloomington and Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.

The steering committees will oversee the work of five student subcommittees on each campus. The subcommittees will focus on:

• The Intellectual Environment;
• The Social Environment;
• The Campus Living Environment;
• The Off-Campus Student Experience; and
• Support Services for Students.

McRobbie said he launched this initiative so that he could hear directly from students, who often have a very different perspective on their environment from senior university administrators. He has asked each steering committee to produce a report in the spring semester.

"I want to find out what students think about the present campus environment and how they would make it better," McRobbie said. "We have many bright students at Indiana University with constructive thoughts about their college experience. I am eager to see what they can produce."

Trevor Fulk, president of Undergraduate Student Government at IUPUI, said that by using what today's students know and recognize as important, IU will be able to remain the vibrant university it is today.

"President McRobbie is showing great foresight in utilizing the resources of today to ensure a bright future for IUPUI," Fulk said. "I believe that the students' vision and work will give the university a clearer picture of where the future is going than just relying on the present."

W.T. Wright, IU Bloomington student body president added, "It's incredibly important that students seek an active role with this opportunity. I have said time and time again that learning takes place in more than just the classroom; this is the perfect chance for students to display campus leadership and involvement as well as set the tone for the future of IU Bloomington."

Current members of the steering committees at each campus are the following:

IU Bloomington

• Alex Shortle, Carmel, Ind., senior, business finance
• Kate FitzGerald, Carmel, Ind., senior, political science and economics
• Eric J. Gibson, New Palestine, Ind., junior, biology/chemistry
• Stephanie Grohovsky, Marion, Ind., senior, business marketing
• Matt Jarson, New Palestine, Ind., senior, political science
• Kristen King, Castle Rock, Colo., senior, human development/family studies
• Tyler Pace, Bloomington, Ind., a graduate student, informatics
• Michelle Sarin, Carmel, Ind., senior, biology
• W. T. Wright, Fort Wayne, Ind., junior, business finance

IUPUI

• Kathryn Carr, Sheridan, Ind., graduate student, science
• Trevor Fulk, Indianapolis, senior, electrical engineering
• Crystal Johnfauno, Indianapolis, senior, accounting, finance and international business.
• Martsyl Joseph, Indianapolis, graduate student, School of Public and Environmental Affairs
• Sarah Lynn Babb, Indianapolis, graduate student, liberal arts
• Sharee Myricks, Indianapolis, junior, University College
• Nick Noblet, Speedway, Ind., senior, Informatics
• Charity Nofziger, Indianapolis, a Ph.D. student, biology
• Mitchum Owen, Indianapolis, Business Graduate Student
• David Stout, Indianapolis, graduate student, philosophy
• Dan Trujillo, Indianapolis, higher education, Education Graduate Student

Additional students may be added to the steering committees. Students interested in getting involved with the subcommittees should contact IU Bloomington Dean of Students Dick McKaig at mckaig@indiana.edu or IUPUI Dean of Students Karen Whitney at whitney@iupui.edu.

---

---