IPFW Student Government Rejects Recommendation to Split Campus
(April 15, 2016) — According to the results of a survey and series of open forums conducted by the Indiana-Purdue Student Government Association (IPSGA), a majority of students disagree with the proposal to split Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) into separate Purdue and IU campuses.
Today, IPSGA officers released a formal statement rejecting the proposed split. The statement details their process, the results they received, and their decision as student representatives.
The Statement:
The Indiana Purdue Student Government Association (IPSGA) is responsible for serving as the active voice for students of IPFW to the University and community. This organization is well aware of the recommendations provided by the LSA report and is prepared to address the concerns of the student body. After reading the report, many students, alumni, and faculty were left with more questions than answers. Specifically, the IPFW Community wants to know why Indiana University and Purdue University are considering splitting IPFW into two institutions.
To address these issues, the Student Senate conducted a survey to gather student opinions and to discover what the students had to say about the recommendations. In collaboration with various student organizations on campus, and with the help of staff and faculty, IPSGA was able to hold open forums that informed the IPFW community about the LSA report and answered many questions that were of concern. These forums were beneficial to the individuals that attended and raised important discussions. The conversations and opinions that were expressed reinforced the findings of the Student Senate’s survey results.
Thanks to the diligent work by all of those involved, it is safe to conclude that the students are confused, worried, and disappointed that student success was not the foremost concern in this conversation. Although there are few positive recommendations in the LSA report, it is apparent that the splitting of Indiana University and Purdue University from IPFW would be a detriment to the IPFW family, the Fort Wayne community, and everything this institution has accomplished in the last 50 years.
There is a sense of pride being an IPFW Mastodon. Being a student is not just about completing a degree from Indiana University (IU) or Purdue University (PU), it’s about forming one complete family under one name. One that allows the students to collaborate and learn with staff and faculty from two of the most influential Universities in the state of Indiana. From the student perspective, it is the best of both worlds.
As executive officers we are responsible for representing the students of IPFW and making decisions on their behalf. For this decision, we encouraged all students to express their opinions as this issue impacts all of Northeast Indiana. The student voice is powerful on IPFW’s campus and it certainly will not stay silent as decisions are made in this process. As executive officers, as students of IPFW, as one IPFW Mastodon family, and as representatives of 13,000 voices, we respectfully and wholeheartedly REJECT the recommendations set forth by the LSA Report.
- Wade Smith, Student Body President
- Alexander Sanderson, Vice President of Legislation
- Nathan Fawley, Vice President of Finance
- Jessie Graves, Vice President of Programming
About IPFW
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) is the largest university in northeast Indiana, offering more than 200 prestigious Indiana University and Purdue University degrees and certificates. More than 13,000 students of diverse ages, races, and nationalities belong to the IPFW family. The 688-acre campus in Fort Wayne is home to nearly 10,000 degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students. Through IPFW’s partnerships with area high schools, almost 3,300 high school students take dual-credit courses, simultaneously earning both high school and college credits. IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Learn more about us at ipfw.edu.
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