IU South Bend is taking a proactive approach to prepare the campus for a strong future in response to declining college going rates and the effect of the pandemic. In 2020, the rate of Indiana high school students going to college was 53%, the lowest in a generation. This is 6 percentage points lower than the past year, and 12 percentage points lower than five years ago. Despite this, IU South Bend enrollment is rebounding. The campus has launched several major initiatives to expand its reach and impact.
The campus is focused on new partnerships with K-12 schools for career pathways and Indiana College Core credits, parent and family engagement, and a novel “map the gap” program for high school students taking a gap year. The campus is also ramping up its support for students by bringing IU’s Groups Scholars program to IU South Bend, creating a new undergraduate advising center and, with funding from a $2 million federal grant, creating enhanced coaching, tutoring, and internship opportunities for students. A new academic master plan will help to ensure academic programs are meeting the needs of our region and a new academic organizational structure will help the campus maximize academic synergies and shared efficiencies while remaining true to the mission and values of IU South Bend. New facilities include a state-of-the-art health sciences simulation center and a center for innovation and entrepreneurship. The campus has also expanded its reach into the community by leading a coalition of community partners working together to solve the healthcare talent crisis. All of these efforts are guided by the campus’ new IU 2030 strategic plan to help the campus build a brighter future.
“We have been here for over 100 years, and we will be here for another 100 or more. We are working hard to be responsible stewards of the tuition and state dollars we receive, while offering the highest quality programs that meet student, employer and community needs. The lens through which we are viewing all we do is students and community first. That is our mission, and we are proud to be the only public university serving the South Bend-Elkhart region and beyond.” Chancellor Elrod
To learn more, visit IU South Bend Major Campus Initiatives. The IU 2030 strategic plan for IU South Bend can also be found at IU South Bend 2030.
