August 28, 2024

JASPER, Ind. - In a meeting charged with optimism, the Vincennes University Board of Trustees acknowledged strategic investments in faculty and staff and heard reports of rising incoming enrollment at the Vincennes Campus and the vital impact of community partnerships. The meeting on Aug. 21 at the VU Jasper Campus culminated with a special recognition of an outstanding student leader.

Board of Trustees Chairman Mike Sievers praised the University and the Board for their investments in VU faculty and staff, including the salary improvements made to attract and retain the best employees. After an independent consultant undertook a 15-month compensation study, VU aligned salaries with market compensation rates at the start of the 2024–25 fiscal year. It has resulted in a new compensation management system that VU will utilize to stay competitive.

Sievers said, "I'm very proud that in just one year we were able to get significant changes made and completed some benchmarks that we are striving for."

Largest Incoming Class on Vincennes Campus since 2021

The Trustees heard news of positive trends from Director of Admissions Sarah McLin. She shared a series of exciting developments, reflecting an outstanding start to the new academic year.

VU kicked off Fall Semester 2024 with the largest incoming class on the Vincennes Campus since 2021, with just under 1,100 students. VU has also experienced a 20 percent increase in enrollment from Twin Rivers Career and Technical Education Cooperative on the Vincennes Campus. This program serves high school students from Knox, Sullivan, Daviess, Greene, and Martin counties, providing them with dual enrollment opportunities in high-demand fields. The University also has the largest number of housing contracts on the Vincennes Campus since 2020.

VU is attracting high-achieving students, according to McLin. The University has experienced a 60 percent increase in the number of incoming Trailblazers who were the Valedictorian or Salutatorian of their high school class. Preliminary first-day figures also revealed encouraging diversity growth, with an increase in African American students and Latino students compared to Fall Semester 2023. Additionally, VU is witnessing promising rises in its female and urban student populations. VU is also proud to report a rise in international students, both on the Vincennes Campus and through online programs.

"This speaks to the quantity of students, and the quality of students," McLin said.

A Model for Indiana in Workforce and Education Alignment

The Board heard an engaging report from the Interim Dean of VU Jasper Stephanie Stemle, the University's Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives.

Stemle shared how VU Jasper supports local high school students in numerous ways, including providing technical education to high school students in conjunction with the Patoka Valley Career and Technical Cooperative that serves Dubois and surrounding counties. According to Stemle, VUJ has 225 high students on the Jasper Campus for Fall Semester 2024 through dual enrollment and dual credit programs in high-demand pathways such as Construction Trades, Automation and Robotics, EMT, Health Careers and Criminal Justice, and most of these students are engaged in work-based learning opportunities with employers in Dubois County. She added that Patoka Valley students are participating in a Habitat for Humanity of Dubois County build as part of their VUJ courses. This is the fourth house in the past five years that VUJ has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to construct.

VUJ is also a partner of Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center, and more than 70 percent of recent graduates who received their license have gone on to work at Memorial Hospital. Stemle also shared an update about the LPN to BSN bachelor’s nursing program established in 2022, which provides an accelerated path for licensed practical nurses to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and transition to careers as registered nurses. She mentioned that the first students have graduated from the bachelor's program.

Stemle also highlighted Dubois County's robust manufacturing industry and VUJ's strong partnerships with companies such as Kimball Electronics, MasterBrand, OFS, Jasper Engines, and others through the Automation and Robotics Academy, Career Advancement Partnership program and customized business and industry training programs. She also shared that a new PLC lab in VUJ's Center for Technology, Innovation and Manufacturing (CTIM) will supplement training offered by VU Jasper. She also shared an important milestone from the VUJ Foundation, which has sponsored Scholastic Excellence Awards for five straight years. An impressive 120 students have received full tuition, a one-year $1,000 stipend and a laptop through the scholarship program.

VUJ is exploring more ways to reach adult learners and the area's growing Latino population with vital educational opportunities, according to Stemle. Additionally, nearly $3 million investments have been made at VU Jasper, including in new equipment and technology to enhance the affordable, high-quality education it provides.

Stemle said, "These investments ensure that the Jasper Campus continues to be a hub for cultivating local talent and contributing to the overall vibrancy of this community."

President’s Remarks

VU President Dr. Chuck Johnson introduced the new Director of Athletics John Meeks, to the trustees via video conferencing during his President’s Remarks. Meeks, an experienced athletics administrator and former men's college basketball coach, will begin his new role on Sept. 9. John Meeks succeeds Harry Meeks (no relation), the longstanding director of athletics who retired in June.

Johnson said, "John brings a lot of passion and intensity to this role, and we welcome John to the Trailblazer family."

Johnson also shared several important milestones, including that the fourth training class has graduated from VU's industrial maintenance training lab, which opened in 2023 in the Jackson County Learning Center in Seymour. Additionally, he shared that for 15 straight years, the College of Science Engineering and Mathematics' Pre-Pharmacy program has enjoyed a 100% acceptance rate to pharmacy schools nationwide.

History-making Student Trustee honored

Another joyous milestone was recognized as the meeting came to a close. The Board issued a Resolution of Appreciation to Student Trustee Gayle Baugh in honor of her distinguished service. Baugh is the only VU student trustee who has served two terms on the Board.

Baugh's current term expires Oct. 6, 2024, and she will graduate in December with a bachelor's degree in Special Education, Mild Intervention K–12. Baugh enthusiastically embraced her time at VU, serving not only as a trustee but also as a student tour guide for the Admissions Office, participating in the service-oriented Education Club, leading the Cheer Team as captain, being a part of the Horticulture Club and making the Dean's List.

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