Record freshman class, record minority student numbers begin bicentennial academic year
For its Bicentennial Year, Indiana University is again welcoming its largest freshman class in its history and its largest number of minority students.
For the third consecutive year, IU campuses set records for incoming beginner student populations with 16,162 students, including record classes at IU Bloomington (8,291) and IUPUI (4,295).
IU has set a new record for diversity this year with a total of 22,068 degree-seeking minority students – the third consecutive year that IU’s student body has exceeded 20,000 degree-seeking minority students.
Total official enrollment was 90,754 degree-seeking students on seven campuses, a small decline of 0.8 percent from fall 2018. These figures were as of Sept. 2, the official IU census day for the fall semester.
IU to collect voluntary information about disability, veteran status
IU employees will be asked to identify their disability and veteran status the next time they log in to authenticate into a university system. This information is collected because the university receives federal funds for things like research and student loans and is considered a federal contractor. And to meet federal contractor requirements, IU must periodically survey their employees to allow them to self-identify as a veteran or person with a disability.
The information collected is confidential and not shared with departments or supervisors. It is also voluntary to participate. However, employees are encouraged to make these designations because it helps IU do a better job serving its employees.
Employees with a disability may choose to separately request a workplace accommodation by contacting their supervisor or the designated offices on their campus. Any medical condition that substantially limits a major life activity is considered a disability.
Employees with questions about their veteran status can learn more from the Department of Labor.
For questions about this survey or IU’s affirmative action compliance responsibilities, contact the Office of Institutional Equity for assistance.
IU campuses celebrate Constitution Day
The Maurer School of Law, the McKinney School of Law and IUPUC will host events Sept. 17 in honor of Constitution Day.
- IU Bloomington: Trevor Potter, the former Republican chairman of the Federal Election Commission and the founder and president of the nonprofit Campaign Legal Center, will speak from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Moot Court Room in Baier Hall. His talk, “Constitutional Challenges Facing Our Democracy: The Roberts Court’s Wrong Turns on Campaign Finance, Gerrymandering and Voting Rights,” is sponsored by the IU Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, the IU Maurer School of Law chapter of the American Constitution Society and Reverse Citizens United. Provost and Executive Vice President Lauren Robel will introduce Potter, and a reception will follow his talk.
- IUPUI: IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law will celebrate its 125th anniversary on Constitution Day with a champagne toast and anniversary reception from 6:45 to 8 p.m. in the atrium of Inlow Hall.
- IUPUC: As part of its annual participation in Constitution Day, IUPUC is honoring the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment by hosting a voter registration drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Columbus Learning Center. The event will include music, historical information about the suffrage movement, a lecture and a birthday cake to celebrate.
Register to vote
Every year millions of Americans can’t vote because they either missed a registration deadline, didn’t update their registration or don’t know how to register. National Voter Registration Day, an annual holiday first observed in 2012, aims to change that. This year, it’s Sept. 24, and volunteers and organizers will be out helping voters to register.
Watch Welcome Week highlights
The fall semester is underway at Indiana University campuses across the state. And while each campus is different, they all kicked off the year with a slew of activities before classes started.
Description of the following video:
[Video: Students at Indiana University participate in a “Color Run.” A large group of students are celebrating by throwing paint at the end of a 5K.]
[Words appear in top-left: WELCOME BACK]
[Words appear in bottom-right corner: INDIANA UNIVERSITY]
[Words appear in bottom-left next to a geolocation marker icon: IU South Bend]
[Video: Students at IU South Bend participate in a “glow party”; on campus. The room is dark, and all that can be seen is the glow-in-the-dark gear that students are wearing while dancing. Then a drag queen dances on stage at the same glow party. The color of the spotlight changes around her as she dances. Then a large, stuffed teddy bear can be seen being pushed on a shopping cart on move-in day.]
[Words appear in bottom-left next to a geolocation marker icon: IUPUI]
[Video: Students at IUPUI play “inflatable bumper cars” as part of a Weeks of Welcome event. They are wearing large inflatable balls over their heads and running in to one another to knock opposing team members over. Then Chancellor Nasser Paydar, dressed in a suit and tie, practices rowing with a Regatta student wearing an IUPUI tank top at a Weeks of Welcome event. Next, a large group of students dance on the balcony of the campus center. Then a faculty member is seen dishing ice cream to students at the annual Ice Cream Social. Lastly, a group of students are seen laughing with their arms around each other.]
[Words appear in bottom-left next to a geolocation marker icon: IU Bloomington]
[Video: Students’ belongings are piled up outside an IU Bloomington residence hall on move-in day as a vehicle is parked outside for unloading. Then a close-up of students dancing at a Week of Welcome concert can be seen. Lastly, two students are shown sliding down an inflatable slide.]
[Words appear in bottom-left next to a geolocation marker icon: IU Southeast]
[Video: A student at IU Southeast poses for a picture holding a life-size social media frame that says “First day of school!” Next, a wide-shot of campus is shown. Student groups have set up tents and informational booths for Weeks of Welcome near the famous clocktower on campus as other students gather around picnic tables.]
[Words appear in bottom-left next to a geolocation marker icon: IU Kokomo]
[Video: A student at IU Kokomo jumps on a giant trampoline while tethered between two bungee cords. Then two students are seen playing corn hole. Lastly, a group of students gets a tour of campus as their guide speaks to the group.]
[Screen goes to black]
[IU trident appears]
[Words appear: Indiana University]
[END OF TRANSCRIPT]
