IPFW Chancellor Announces Plans To Retire This Year

Dear Campus Community, I write to share a decision I made and shared with President Daniels last summer, that is, my retirement as Chancellor in 2017. The specific date of my retirement has not been set as President Daniels has asked me to complete a number of projects that are in process, many related to realignment, and to remain until the search for a new chancellor has been concluded. Despite the uncertainty of continual studies of governance during my tenure and enrollment and financial challenges, the outstanding work of faculty and staff, success of students and graduates, and significant institutional impact upon the community and region have been advanced and will continue to grow into the future. I am proud of the many accomplishments over these past years and know they foretell a bright and prosperous future for this campus as it transitions wholly to Purdue University. It has been my honor to have met and worked with so many faculty and staff who demonstrate their commitment to student success every single day and go well beyond what is required in service to our students. You will lead this institution to even more successes in the future. I have had the great fortune and opportunity throughout my career to work with people who had a real fire to make things happen, to distinguish their institutions in new and progressive ways, to change the world, and they did. It is one of my greatest sources of satisfaction and pride to count these individuals as colleagues and friends and to have shared in the achievements. This institution has before it an unparalleled opportunity to re-envision itself, building upon its 50+ years standing in northeast Indiana, and create a truly distinguished future. I thank all of you here and in the community who have the fire and sense of urgency needed to accomplish this and for the privilege of working with you. I thank you for the inspiration you bring and for your commitment to a strong, prosperous and thriving future. The preparation work to launch that future will soon be completed. I am excited about the opportunities your new chancellor will have to lead Purdue Fort Wayne into the next 50 years. I look forward to continuing the work over the next few to several months and wish you all the very best!

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Vicky Carwein, the chancellor of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne since 2012, plans to retire from her position by the end of 2017, Purdue President Mitch Daniels announced Wednesday (April 5). Daniels said he and Carwein have discussed since last summer her intent to step down as the end of her five-year commitment to IPFW neared. Daniels said a search committee will be appointed within the coming weeks with the goal of having a new chancellor in place at the beginning or soon after the start of the 2017-18 academic year. Over the past five years, Carwein has overseen a multi-year effort to turn an inherited $12 million deficit into a balanced budget. She has instituted budgeting and accounting processes to effect transparency of decision-making, and budget and enrollment data, and has restructured senior administration to more effectively and efficiently align functions to the goals of improved recruitment and retention. During Carwein’s tenure, IPFW has acquired $29.1 million in private giving, has completed the first-ever inclusive strategic planning process and has implemented a tuition incentive to encourage previous IPFW students who did not graduate to complete their bachelor’s degrees. “The chancellor came to IPFW at a challenging time, and I thank her for her commitment to addressing serious financial problems and for making tough decisions to put the campus on more stable footing,” Daniels said. “I have asked Chancellor Carwein to conclude a number of assignments prior to her leaving IPFW, including overseeing work associated with the new structure for Purdue’s presence in Northeast Indiana.” The respective trustees of Purdue and Indiana universities in December approved a plan of realignment for the governance structure of IPFW, which provides that Purdue will continue to have authority and responsibility for managing and operating the Fort Wayne campus. Each university will focus on its respective academic areas, with IU focusing on a new health sciences initiative and with Purdue exploring potential new programs to serve the region’s economic priorities. The realignment, subject to various conditions and ancillary agreements, will occur on July 1, 2018. The boards are expected to vote on the final agreements this summer. Carwein came to Purdue from Washington State University Tri-Cities in Richland, Wash., where she served as chancellor. Prior to that, she was president at Westfield State College in Westfield, Mass., and chancellor at the University of Washington, Tacoma.