From Direction to Destination

This is the second of my notes on IU2030 and IU Indianapolis. As we move toward 2030, a clear destination and focused efforts will help keep us on track.

Progress

The goals and metrics under each pillar show exciting progress.

One example is Goal 1 in the Student Success pillar: the new School of Science pathway to the School of Medicine. The pathway attracted more than 460 applications for 25 openings. A parent shared that their child in the program is enjoying IU Indianapolis, while a second child has connected with a faculty member whose work interests them. Stories like this show how our faculty and staff make our academic strengths visible and meaningful to students and families.

We are also making strong progress on reducing DFW rates to 20% or lower in 80% of 100- and 200-level course sections. Thanks to our faculty, department chairs, and deans, we are on track to exceed this goal soon.

Precision

Some IU2030 metrics point us in the right direction but need a clearer destination. For example:

• Increase four- and six-year graduation rates to the top 25% of the peer group.
• Increase retention rates for first-year, full-time students to the top 25% of the peer group.

These goals raise important questions: Which institutions are in the peer group? Where in the top quartile are we aiming? Who tracks peer performance over time? Setting specific percentage targets for retention and graduation would make progress easier to monitor and act on.

The career-outcomes metric also needs clarity. A 90% positive outcome target is useful only if we agree on what “positive” means: experiential learning, internships, or a job offer within six months of graduation.

Consider also: Expand the number and scale of partnerships to address future workforce talent needs.

We need to define both the number of partnerships and what “scale” means: company size, student and faculty participation, or another measure. We also need a clear way to track future workforce needs.

Relevance

Finally, as we sharpen our measures, we should ask whether all our metrics remain relevant.
As always, I look forward to hearing from you.

Go Jags!

Latha Ramchand
Chancellor