Installation Address: The Power of Two by Chancellor Charles R. Bantz

University Place Conference Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
December 4, 2003

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Good morning-.

Thank you for joining us today. I also wish to join President Herbert in welcoming our distinguished guests: Mayor Peterson, Superintendent Carraway, Judge Barker, President Jischke, IU Board Chair Eichhorn, other trustees of Indiana University and Purdue University, and members of the community, the search committee members; the faculty, staff, and students; friends and colleagues from other universities.

Thank you all for being here. Thanks also to our sign-language interpreter, Janet Acevedo, and the musicians today-especially my friend from childhood-John Edward Hasse, Curator of American Music at the Smithsonian Institution.

Thanks for giving me a once-in-a lifetime opportunity today to recognize my family.

My mother, Harriet Dowdell Bantz, is here today. Mother shared her family tradition of learning, writing, and adventure-she is from the sturdy Irish who survived the "coffin ships" and risked moving to the Dakota Territory over 100 years ago.

But I have roots in Indiana, as well.

My great-grandfather, George Washington Bantz, was born in Delaware County, and my great-grandmother, Martha Hubbart, was born in Dearborn County. My father, their grandson, Douglas Bantz, is here in memory today. Dad taught us the values of hard work and lifelong learning.

My sister, Susan Richard, and my brother, Brian Bantz, are both here today-they have never stopped teaching me and helping me-they both are models of giving lives.

My daughter, Kristen Petronio, is here today-she continues to warm my heart as she has grown to become a young woman with a business career.

My wife, Sandra Petronio, is on stage today. A preeminent communication scholar, Sandra is my closest faculty colleague, my wisest friend, and my love- Sandra you have given me so much-thank you -Thank you.

I celebrate my own family today, but I also celebrate the IUPUI family.

Today, the 4th of December 2003, is a few days shy of 35 years since the fateful meeting when IU President Sutton and Purdue President Hovde proposed a partnership-bringing together two families-the IU family and the Purdue family-to create IUPUI. In December of 1968, the two Presidents launched the defining characteristic of IUPUI: the power of two. Two universities together for transformation.

The transformative power of family must be celebrated today.

The transformative power of two must be celebrated today.

As I assume the stewardship of IUPUI's future, I celebrate the transformative power of the IUPUI family-of all those people who made IUPUI what it is today. Starting with Chancellor Maynard K. Hine, Chancellor Glenn Irwin, and the chancellor for half the life of IUPUI-Chancellor Jerry Bepko. These leaders established the value of collaboration.

The transformative power of the IUPUI family continues today with my colleagues: Executive Vice Chancellor Bill Plater; Vice Chancellors Trudy Banta, Mark Brenner, Bob Martin, Cheryl Sullivan, and Karen Whitney; with the deans and faculty of the 21 schools that make up IUPUI; and with the staff that make so much happen.

The IUPUI family committed itself to the power of two. The IUPUI family committed itself to transforming an idea into a nationally recognized urban research university. And the transformation has been achieved-in fewer than 35 years.

The transformative power of two joined long-established schools with more recent programs. The transformative power of two brought professional schools in medicine, nursing, social work, dentistry, physical education, art, and law together with IU's and Purdue's extension programs in Indianapolis.

Since 1969, thousands of faculty and staff have worked-with the support of the mayors of Indianapolis, governors of Indiana, the General Assembly, and the trustees of Purdue and Indiana Universities to transform an idea into IUPUI.

Together, IUPUI consolidated programs once scattered over seven locations. Together, IUPUI developed a full spectrum of academic programs to serve nearly 30,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Together, IUPUI established nationally and internationally recognized research, scholarship, and creative activities. Together, IUPUI developed a family tradition of civic engagement with our community.

The power of two built fine laboratories on Michigan Street that are a far cry from the labs on 38th Street. The power of two brought us a long way from the days of faculty commuting from Bloomington and West Lafayette to teach extension classes. The power of two gave apartment-style housing to our students this year and, yes, the power of two built those parking garages. This transformation was achieved by the people of Indiana, supported by wise governmental and community leadership. It was led by committed leadership on the campus and in both universities.

All of us here today owe a deep debt to hundreds, nay thousands, who have made this happen-working in committees and in laboratories, working in offices and in classrooms, working in the community and in hospitals, working in studios and libraries. We thank you. Many of you who accomplished this are here today.

Let us all give recognition-both to you here and to those you represent- with a round of applause.

Today, it's time to invoke the power of two-again. At IUPUI, we know the power of two. Two world-renowned universities supporting excellence. We know that a committed partnership, shared values and vision, can double the aspirations and accomplishments of a family and a university.

We must invoke the power of two to help to create the Indiana, the U.S., the world, all of us wish to live in.

In recent months, President Martin Jischke has given voice to Purdue University's mission as a land-grant institution "to serve the citizens of Indiana, the United States, and the world through discovery that expands the realm of knowledge, learning through dissemination and preservation of knowledge, and engagement through exchange of knowledge."

Last month at the Economic Club of Indianapolis, President Adam Herbert articulated Indiana University's commitment to advancing Indiana through academic excellence, research, accessibility, and economic development by saying that, "through vision, strategic action, teamwork, and Hoosier resolve, we will build an Indiana as good as its promise."

As a campus of IU and a partner with Purdue, IUPUI's strategic plan is integral to those commitments. IUPUI's plan is to achieve

• Excellence in Teaching and Learning
• Excellence in Research/Scholarship, and Creative Activity
• Excellence in Civic Engagement
• And to achieve that excellence by promoting and enhancing collaboration, diversity, and best practices.

We must invoke the power of two-and-double our achievements in teaching and learning, in research, scholarship, and creative activity, and in civic engagement.

IUPUI is located at the center of Indianapolis and the center of Indiana. We have an obligation to contribute to the city and the state in every way a research university can contribute.

We must invoke the power of two-and-double our efforts in teaching and learning. IUPUI is nationally recognized for innovation in assessment and in student retention, and we've won awards for our first-year programs-yet there is more to do.

Indiana ranks near the bottom of states in the percentage of those 25 years of age and older with bachelor's degrees. IUPUI students received 2,429 bachelor's degrees last year.

That is not enough to serve Indiana.

We must invoke the power of two-and-double the number of bachelor's degrees completed at IUPUI. We will graduate 5,000 undergraduates by 2010. This is an audacious goal-but one worthy of the IUPUI family.

As we double the number of degree completions, we must invoke the power of two by redoubling our commitment to the quality of teaching and learning. I will ask a team to advise me on how to best achieve our goal of doubling completions and redoubling our commitment to the quality of teaching and learning. IUPUI will be a model urban research university-we will be a world leader-we will advance Indiana- with excellent teaching and learning.

We must call on the power of two-and-double our efforts in research, scholarship, and creative activity. The benchmark for the quality of a research university is the quality of our faculty and students.

Quality work is critical-whether it is the most creative painting, the definitive edition of Frederick Douglass, the best nursing regime for chronic illness, new innovation in life science, or computer imaging. Quality is difficult to assess, but IUPUI believes in assessment!

For some, research quality is judged by scientific peers who serve on committees that recommend research funding. When peers recommend scarce funds to a researcher on the IUPUI campus-whether that person is in clinical medicine, basic science, or applied engineering-it is recognition of quality by colleagues in a position to know.

We must invoke the power of two-and-double our receipt of research funding.

The School of Medicine has developed a plan to double its external research funding over the next 10 years-an excellent goal-but I am sure the school will actually double its present funding by 2010-in only 7 years.

The contributions of the school to health and quality of life are essential to fulfilling the obligations of a research university. We have been beneficiaries of investments in life sciences and information technology by the Lilly Endowment, the state of Indiana, and numerous generous private supporters. It is critical that we rapidly produce increasing returns.

The other schools at IUPUI are capable of doubling their research funding as well. Those IUPUI researchers already generate more than $29 million in research funding. I have no doubt my colleagues will double that achievement by 2010.

To assess what we must do to achieve this doubling of achievement, I will work with our faculty leadership to form a team to examine the means and the measures of research performance-so we are not only tracking research funding but also determining measures for all types of research, scholarship, and creative activity.

We must invoke the power of two-and-double IUPUI's commitment to being a community partner at home and abroad.

We are an urban research university with a goal of excellence in civic engagement. This is a core goal-the School of Medicine already has a partnership with Moi University in Kenya for research and clinical care. The School of Nursing "Mom-mobile" provides prenatal care in Indianapolis. IUPUI partners with the WESCO neighborhood association. Our undergraduate service learning program is recognized as one of the nation's premier programs by U.S. News and World Report.

The examples can go on and on because . . .

We at IUPUI are committed to civic engagement. We are citizens of Indianapolis, Indiana, the nation, and the world.

We want Indiana to be economically and socially strong.

We have a special obligation to be good citizens in a place where individuals, families, and organizations demonstrate extraordinary commitment to community.

In the last five months, I've learned about the past and present work of Sam Jones, Mike Carroll, Judy O'Bannon, Jerry and Jean Bepko, American United Life, Mays Chemical, and the Lilly Endowment.

I've witnessed the IUPUI comprehensive campaign receive more than 900 million dollars in support from our community. Indiana is a giving place.

We must invoke the power of two-and-double our efforts in civic engagement. We will double the number of students interning, double the number of students in service learning, double our efforts at transferring research into technologies that will help boost Indiana's economy.

By taking on these challenges, IUPUI will make an increasing difference to Indianapolis, to Indiana, and to the world. And we will approach the challenge with a redoubled commitment to promoting and enhancing collaboration, diversity, and best practices.

We cannot achieve the challenge of the power of two without enhancing collaboration. Collaboration is the hallmark of IUPUI-our name says it: Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis!

We cannot achieve the challenge of the power of two without enhancing diversity.

In my lifetime, women have grown to become half the annual number of college graduates. We have seen segregated schools outlawed and voting rights established. But the dream has not been fully realized. Today I am charging IUPUI's Diversity Cabinet with identifying how we can double our achievements in diversity.

We can achieve these goals with best practices. IUPUI has achieved national and international recognition for assessment and performance measurement. We will know where we're going and how we're doing and what we need to do to be better.

On this 4th day of December 2003, I am pleased to report that the IUPUI family is healthy. We are strong and confident. As we celebrate as a family what we've accomplished, we invoke the power of two-again.

It's only been 35 years. We can do more. The history of IUPUI has taught us that we are a sturdy family and, as a family, we pledge to redouble all our efforts-for the people of Indiana and the world.

Thank you.