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Alumni elect Morris, re-elect Spears to IU Board of Trustees

For Immediate Release Jun 30, 2021

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University alumni have elected Jeremy Morris of Indianapolis to his first term and re-elected Donna Spears of Richmond, Indiana, to a second term on the IU Board of Trustees in an election that closed June 30.

Morris received 7,460 votes from 20,378 voters. He has three IU degrees, earning his bachelor’s degree in 2005, master’s in higher education and student affairs administration in 2007 and a J.D. from the IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2014. Morris serves as an assistant United States attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and as an adjunct law professor at the McKinney School.

“I am beyond honored and humbled to have been elected to the Indiana University Board of Trustees,” Morris said. “As a Black male, first-generation, three-time graduate of Indiana University, I know first-hand the prevailing issues impacting IU students and remain committed throughout my tenure as trustee to ensure students are at the heart of every decision.

“The diversity of the university will remain one of my main missions. I am encouraged by IU’s ongoing efforts to increase diversity and see an opportunity to invest more resources to ensure our institution is a more equitable and inclusive space for students, faculty, administration, staff and alumni. I am ready to work and look forward to my service on the board.”

The 2020 trustee election was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so trustee Patrick Shoulders served an extra year in his term and alumni selected two trustees in the 2021 election. Morris will serve a standard three-year term because he received the most votes, and Spears will serve an abbreviated two-year term after receiving 6,821 votes.

Spears was first elected to the board in 2018. She received her associate degree in 1978, bachelor’s degree in 1979 and Master of Public Administration in 1981, all from IU, and is an associate broker for Coldwell Banker.

“I am pleased to retain a seat on the IU Board of Trustees and to continue working with the other trustees who care so deeply about Indiana University,” Spears said. “I offer my congratulations to Jeremy Morris, who will be joining the board as our new trustee. I appreciate the support of all of the alumni who voted, and I pledge to continue to work hard to carry out the mission of our great university on behalf of our students, faculty, staff and alumni.

“I am especially pleased to work with our incoming President Pamela Whitten, and l look forward to helping her be successful. Indiana University is one of the most important institutions in our state, and I am grateful to play a role in leading it as a trustee.”

Of the nine members of the IU Board of Trustees, three are elected by IU graduates and six are appointed by the governor.

In accordance with state law, the alumni trustee election is conducted by the dean of University Libraries on the IU Bloomington campus, with assistance from the IU Alumni Association. Library staff and students were charged with counting the more than 36,000 ballots.

In addition to Morris and Spears, MaryEllen K. Bishop is the other alumni-elected trustee.

The six appointed trustees are Michael J. Mirro of Fort Wayne; Harry L. Gonso and James T. Morris, both of Indianapolis; W. Quinn Buckner and Melanie Walker, both of Bloomington; and student trustee Kelsey E. Binion of Fishers.

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