INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana University President Pamela Whitten highlighted significant growth in student success, transformative research and IU’s impact on the state during her 2024 State of the University address on Tuesday at IU Indianapolis. She touted major progress toward the IU 2030 strategic plan, with more than 432 initiatives supporting IU 2030 started or completed since the plan launched.
“When I became president of IU, I put forth an agenda to propel IU to new heights in student success, research, and service to our great state,” Whitten said. “With a sincere commitment to this vision, I realized that I needed to hear directly from citizens throughout our state, so I made it a priority to visit all of Indiana’s 92 counties. The conversations I had with Hoosiers from all walks of life and different backgrounds confirmed for me that the progress we are making toward our ambitious IU 2030 Strategic Plan is not just helping our students but is leading to a stronger, more vibrant, and more prosperous Indiana.”
Whitten delivered her remarks before an audience convened by the University Faculty Council.
She outlined several successes associated with each pillar of the strategic plan.
Student success
More students are choosing IU, with IU Bloomington setting an enrollment record for the fourth consecutive year at 48,424 students. Enrollment also increased at IU Indianapolis, IU East, IU Kokomo and IU South Bend.
In its inaugural year, IU Indianapolis saw a 9 percent increase in the size of the incoming freshman class.
IU remains a national model for easing the burden of student loan debt on students. Fifty-five percent of IU undergraduates across all campuses graduate with no student loan debt.
Fundraising rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, reaching nearly $275 million In fiscal year 2024. This included a 23% increase in support for student access and affordability.
New, innovative degree programs have been created, including a new Bachelor of Science in music business jointly offered by the Jacobs School of Music and the Kelley School of Business in Bloomington and a new Community and Organizational Leadership Studies program in the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IU Indianapolis.
A $1 million grant from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education supports expansion of student success coaches, who advocate for 21st Century Scholars at IU and aid their engagement, learning and growth.
IU continues to be the state’s research powerhouse, with research and development expenditures reaching $980 million in 2024, an increase of more than 28 percent since 2021.
A $4 million grant from Indiana’s Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative will advance microelectronics research, building on IU’s $111 million investment.
Investing in new faculty in biosciences, biotechnology and human health over the next five years as part of IU’s $250 million commitment to biosciences.
IU is advancing innovation and treatments for diabetes and metabolism, pediatric rare diseases, cancer and Alzheimer’s through the establishment of the Joint Center of Excellence for Point of Care Precision Medicine in Indianapolis, in partnership with the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute.
The IU School of Medicine is now ranked No. 13 among all public medical schools for National Institutes of Health funding, receiving more than $243 million in fiscal year 2023.
Service to the state
IU continues to mitigate the state’s nursing shortage, with the IU Indianapolis campus increasing incoming undergraduate nursing students by 76 percent in less than three years. Across all IU campuses, 2,737 undergraduate nursing students are enrolled this fall.
IU Innovates, a university-wide initiative supporting students and faculty in creating and growing startup ventures, has admitted 90 students into pre-incubation activities.
The support of a $16 million Lilly Endowment grant is boosting economic development in Bloomington and recruiting new businesses to the Trades District.
The Center for Rural Engagement, working with local communities, has launched 344 projects in 81 counties and engaged with 53,000 Indiana residents since its creation in 2018.
Whitten concluded her speech by promising IU will build on its momentum, with new initiatives in basic research, economic development and health sciences being unveiled soon.
“As we embark on this exciting journey, let us embrace the moment with the same spirit of innovation, determination and collaboration that has defined us thus far,” Whitten said. “Together, we will propel IU to even greater heights, enriching lives and communities not just across Indiana but around the globe.”