Following Nov. 17’s State of the Campus address by Chancellor Nasser H. Paydar, here are additional points of note from the chancellor and a link to read or watch the full speech on the Office of the Chancellor’s website.
Question: Professor John Watson, president of the IUPUI Faculty Council, mentioned that this was your first 100 percent virtual State of the Campus address. What difference, if any, did the virtual format make?
Chancellor Paydar: The virtual format posed some interesting challenges this year. One of the important goals of my State of the Campus address has been to offer a forum where the campus comes together to recognize the outstanding work of our faculty, staff and students. Often between 200 and 300 people gather, in either the Campus Center Theater or Hine Hall Auditorium, for the event, which is live-streamed for online delivery.
At this year’s virtual State of the Campus, we welcomed more than 700 people from across campus and in the community. This was a tremendously positive outcome of the switch to the virtual format.
Q: What are Red Ribbon guests, and how are they selected?
CP: Since my first State of the Campus address, I have invited Red Ribbon guests to the event. These are people from the campus and the broader community who – in one way or another – have demonstrated a special commitment to IUPUI or have achieved notable recognition over the course of the year. They are selected by members of my cabinet and receive special invitations, and, when we have had our live, in-person events, I have recognized them in my remarks and asked them to stand for our applause and thanks.
This year, Red Ribbon guests still received special invitations and were commended in my address. In addition, we were able to feature their IUPUI pride in the graphics that preceded and followed my address.
Q: You mentioned IUPUI’s impact on the community especially in terms of research projects. Could you talk about economic impact specifically?
CP: Just last month, the university released an economic impact study, which measures the positive effects IUPUI has on the community. According to that study, IUPUI’s total annual economic impact is a remarkable $2.3 billion in the Indianapolis region.
With nearly 9,000 employees, more than 29,000 students and more than 210,000 graduates, IUPUI has a tremendous impact that extends around the world and that continues to expand with every year and every graduating class.
Just last year, we graduated 7,250 students. In our 2019 First Destination survey of our graduates, the most recent survey data of our graduates available, 94 percent of those who responded reported positive career outcomes with employment or further education. Seventy-two percent reported full-time employment, with an average starting salary of $42,410.
And the vast majority of those graduates – more than 90 percent – are staying right here in Indiana.
We are working not only to have an economic impact on the city and state but to build talent that spurs greater progress.
Q: Students have received different types of support through the Jags Check-in telephone campaign and other initiatives that you mentioned. What are other ways members of the IUPUI community can help support students during this challenging time?
CP: We were able to meet the emergency needs of many students thanks to the IUPUI Student Emergency Relief Fund. Faculty, staff, retirees and friends of campus quickly raised tens of thousands of dollars and provided emergency support for dozens of IUPUI students in need, supplementing support from the CARES Act as well as from school emergency funds.
I would like to add here that our students are still confronting new hardships every day, and I would encourage you – if you are able – to support the IUPUI Student Emergency Relief Fund.
Q: Would you like to add anything else, Chancellor Paydar?
CP: Yes, I would like to add one important message. I mentioned at the opening and closing of my State of the Campus address that the common thread that holds the story of IUPUI together is people.
I want to emphasize at every available opportunity how grateful I am to the faculty, staff and students of IUPUI for facing what may be the greatest collective challenge of our generation. Your vigilance in wearing masks, observing safe physical distancing and ensuring that our spaces remain as clean as possible has helped us make it through this fall semester on campus. More than that, your energy, determination and support for one another has really seen us through.
I deeply appreciate all that our faculty and staff are doing to help our students succeed at this most difficult time, and I appreciate all that everyone is doing, with extra responsibilities at work and at home, juggling caregiving, health challenges and so much other added stress.
With clinical trials of vaccines seeing such success and treatment options under development, we are going to make it through this together and see the dawn of a new day after the pandemic. I look forward to that day more than I can tell you.
