Founders Day: Celebrating continuity and change

By Gerald Bepko, Interim President of Indiana University

Of course, Bryan Hall is named after William Lowe Bryan, Indiana University’s president from 1902 to 1937. Just a ways out the back door is the statue of Herman B Wells, who laid the foundation of Indiana University’s academic excellence during his 25 years as president. And just past the Wells statue is Wylie Hall, named in honor of cousins Andrew Wylie, the first president of IU, and Theophilus Wylie, who served as a professor, librarian, superintendent of grounds, vice president and acting president.

As interim president, my term will be measured by months rather than years. I have a great appreciation for what these men accomplished during their long tenures as president. Often, it is easy to forget the legacy of the many university founders who are memorialized on campus. They made Indiana University what it has now become, one of the world’s great research universities.

On Founders Day, we remember those contributions. At the same time, we recognize the academic excellence that keeps their vision alive on all of IU’s campuses. It is a day that celebrates both continuity and change.

The elevation of Alexander Its, professor of mathematical sciences at IUPUI, and Fred Cate, professor of law at the IU School of Law—Bloomington, to the ranks of Distinguished Professors represents one part of our academic tradition. The awarding of the Lieber Memorial Teaching Associate Award to four IU Bloomington doctoral students—Matthew Brim, Julia Paulk, Kathryn Henderson and Carla Shirley—represents another. The range of awards our faculty members receive on Founders Day reflects the range of abilities required to be an excellent teacher.

The academic reputation of IU on all of its campuses depends both on the continuing efforts of our many experienced faculty members and our ability to develop promising new scholars. That reputation depends on the talents of our outstanding students—students who achieve greatly on their own campuses and then represent the academic quality of IU in the larger world—and on the faculty who create optimal conditions for learning.

Outstanding scholars and teachers, and bright, motivated students create the formula for academic success. Many things have changed at IU since the days of Andrew Wylie, but that has not.

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