VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Board of Trustees held its annual meeting on Oct. 7 at Green Activities Center and two board members were sworn in as new trustee members.

Kelly Clauss and Dartanyan Abney took the oath of office to begin their roles as trustees. Clauss (Jasper) is Vice President of Medical Practice Management and Support Services at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center in Jasper. She will serve until Oct. 2, 2022. Clauss is a Vincennes native and a VU alumna. She played basketball for the Trailblazers during the 1984-85 season and majored in social work.

Abney (Walton) will serve as Student Trustee until Oct. 4, 2020. Abney is studying Multimedia Communications. He graduated from the Graphic Design Occupational Program in May.

Gov. Eric Holcomb reappointed five trustees to the board:

• R. Scott Brand (Carmel), Senior Vice President of Quality Control at Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., will serve until Oct. 3, 2021.
• Reginald Henderson (McCordsville), Vice President and General Manager of Telamon Energy Solutions, will serve until Oct. 2, 2022.
• George Ridgway (Bloomington), Chief Architect for Cook Group, Inc., will serve until Oct. 2, 2022.
• Michael Sievers (Vincennes), owner of Sievers & Companies, will serve until Oct. 3, 2021.
• John Stachura (Vincennes), Vice President and General Manager of Solar Sources Underground LLC, will serve until Oct. 3, 2021.

The Board of Trustees also awarded contracts for the University’s upcoming French Quarter to Wolfe Construction of Vincennes and Kerns Excavating of Bicknell. According to Linda Waldroup, Vincennes University’s Vice President of Financial Services, “The First and Second Street corridor is an important connection between Vincennes University, the Wabash riverfront and the Main Street areas of Vincennes. This redevelopment will promote the natural path between Vincennes University, the William Henry Harrison Presidential Mansion, the downtown shops and restaurants, and the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park. For many years the railroad tracks South of campus have divided the campus and the city. The addition of the French Quarter will encourage more pedestrian traffic along this historic avenue - enriching the experience of our students and those living and working in Vincennes.”

The French Quarter will feature a French-Creole inspired apartment complex, which will be instrumental in recruiting even more students to Vincennes University’s bachelor degree programs.

Waldroup thanked the VU Architectural Services team for their diligent work on the development of this project.

In other business:

• The Board voted to extend the contract of VU President Dr. Charles Johnson another year through 2022.
• Members selected Stachura to another term as chair.
• Members heard a report from Director of Admissions Heidi Whitehead on early application trends for 2020 and numbers are trending above the same date last year.

VINCENNES UNIVERSITY - Indiana’s First College

VU is state-supported with campuses in Vincennes and Jasper, the Aviation Technology Center and American Sign Language program in Indianapolis, Early College Career and Technical Education Centers, and additional sites such as the Gene Haas Training and Education Center in Lebanon, the Logistics Training and Education Center in Plainfield, and the Gibson County Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics in Fort Branch. A leader in developing Early Colleges statewide, VU also offers instruction at military sites throughout the nation.

In addition to offering a wide range of associate degree and certificate programs, VU also offers bachelor’s degree programs in technology, homeland security, nursing, secondary education programs in mathematics and science, and special education/elementary education.

VU enrolls students from throughout Indiana, 35 other states, and 17 countries. Tuition and fees are the lowest among Indiana campuses with residence halls. VU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Founded in 1801, VU is Indiana’s first college and is the only college in the nation founded by an individual who would later become President of the United States. William Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. President, founded VU while serving as governor of the Indiana Territory. More information is available at www.vinu.edu.

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Vincennes University Newsroom

MARCIA MARTINEZ, University Life Reporter & Sports Information Director
   812-888-4164 office, 314-599-1519 cell, VUNews@vinu.edu, mmartinez@vinu.edu
VINCENNES UNIVERSITY, Department of University Relations, www.vinu.edu/news/newsroom