Indiana University East - History

History

Indiana University East grew out of an extension established at Earlham College that was operated cooperatively by Earlham and Indiana University. In 1967, the arrangement was expanded to include Purdue and Ball State Universities and the extension became the Eastern Indiana Center of Earlham College.

In 1969, reflecting the community's response to this opportunity to take state university courses at home, Richmond citizens formed an association known as Eastern Indiana Community College, Inc., to raise funds for the construction of a new campus. Following a successful campaign in which they raised over $1 million, members of the community college organization, with the consent of the four educational institutions involved in the center, asked Indiana University to establish a regional campus in Richmond and to assume responsibility for the operation.

The Indiana General Assembly approved this plan, and on July 1, 1971, the Eastern Indiana Center of Earlham College became Indiana University East, the sixth campus in the Indiana University regional system. On October 3, 1972, ground was broken at the new campus site north of Richmond. The first building, an all-purpose academic facility, was completed in late 1974 and dedicated February 23, 1975. IU East earned its first accreditation in 1975.

The Indiana University East campus included 225 acres (0.911 km²) of land, purchased with community donations, on the northern edge of Richmond, Indiana. Of those 225 acres (0.91 km2), 174 acres (0.70 km2) are for IU East and 51 acres (0.21 km²) are for other non-IU East post-secondary educational uses, such as Ivy Tech Community College.

Whitewater Hall opened in 1976 as the first of four buildings. Whitewater Hall hosts Vivian Auditorium, the Campus Bookstore, and the Offices of Admissions, Financial Aid, Bursar and Registrar, English Department, The School of Natural Science and Mathematics, and administration. Hayes Hall opened in 1992 and houses the Campus Library, Information Technology, School of Nursing, School of Business and Economics, Center for Teaching & Learning, and Center for Health Promotion. Middlefork Hall opened in 1995 and houses the School of Humanities and Social Sciences including the art studios, the School of Education, School of Social Work and the Purdue University College of Technology programs. Middlefork Hall was renamed to Tom Raper Hall, in honor of the largest ever bequest to Indiana University East by longtime Board of Advisors member and former community member Tom Raper. The renaming became official on August 18, 2009. Springwood Hall opened in 1999 is home to the Office of the Chancellor, the athletics program, Office of External Affairs, Campus Life office, Music program and studios, lastly the Graf Recreation Center. The Graf Recreation Center contains the coffee bar, Bear Creek Coffee, weight facility, and half-court basketball gym.

Additionally, the IU East Henry County Danielson Learning Center was dedicated in May 1999 to serve the citizens of Henry County, Indiana. IU East offers degree programs off-campus at the Ivy Tech Community College in Lawrenceburg Riverfront Campus and in Connersville, Indiana.

In 2007, Chancellor David Fulton retired. Dr. Nasser Paydar, formerly of IUPUC in Columbus, Indiana, assumed the role of Chancellor. Under his leadership, IU East was re-visioned and re-invented as a school focused on undergraduate and graduate programs; all associate degree programs were ended. IU East joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and adopted a new mascot (The Red Wolves). IU East student-athletes participate in five men’s and five women’s varsity sports. On May 14, 2012, the university announced Dr. Nasser Paydar will assume the role of Executive Vice Chancellor of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). While a nationwide search for a new Chancellor is underway, IU East announced Larry Richards, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs and professor of informatics and management at IU East, will be the interim Chancellor effective June 15, 2012.

IU East is both a traditional campus that and a virtual campus with select online degree completion programs.

Since awarding its first bachelor’s degrees in 1977, IU East has expanded its academic portfolio to include 60 bachelor’s degree options and selected master’s degrees. IU East is the fastest growing university campus in Indiana.