U of I Names First Female President in University History, Dr. Beverly
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
VOLUME83, ISSUE10 “EDUCATIONFOR SERVICE” APRIL13,2005 THE Acousitc Cat- NCAA brings fish band REFLECTOR festivites to profile I I UofI See Page 6. UNIVERSITYOF INDIANAPOLIS 1400 EASTHANNA AVENUE INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46227 INEW PRESIDENT U of I names first female president in university history, Dr. Beverly Pitts Most notably, she was acting president filled out by each of the people able to Jessica Elston at BSU. Opnion Editor talk to the candidates while they were on Pitts thought the University of India- campus. From that, the committee debated The university has been searching for napolis was particularly appealing and and almost unanimously selected Pitts to a replacement for Pkesident Jerry Israel’s decided to return to a smaller school. “I be the new president. since his announcement of retirement have a background at a liberal arts school. Israel said not only did Pitts have came last fall. After narrowing down the I was a student at Anderson University more than adequate credentials, she came 80 candidates to four, the presidential and I went back there and taught. Our son highly recommended from her current search committee interviewed the remain- is a graduate of Anderson University, So position at BSU. “That tells you what you ing candidates and chose Dr. Beverly Pitts, the church related, small university was see is what you get. The long experience provost and vice president for academic always something that was very appealing of working with her, which is much more affairs at Ball State University, as Israel’s to me,” she said. important than a three hour interview, successor. Pitts traveled from BSU to Indianapo- reflects the same characteristics that we Sue Anne Gilroy, chair of the presi- lis to go through a three-day interview saw,” he said. dential search committee, said she felt process, the same as the other final can- On March 14 it was announced that the search was almost flawless. The didates. While on campus, she met with Pitts would take over the presidency. Israel search firm “made sure we had a deep the different advisory groups as well as said he feels she will have no problem pool of applicants,” she saiq. The search the presidential search committee itself. making the transition from a state school firy the university hired, Corn-Ferry, “This is a university that has a wonder- to a private one. contacted Pitts when the position became ful and dedicated board of trustees. That “She’d be very comfortable walking available. I was so apparent in the search process,” between both worlds,” he said. “That of- “Since I’ve been the acting president, she said. fers the university the opportunity to be I‘ve been contacted about a lot of posi- “I really enjoyed the campus visit. a major player in those larger issues that tions. I really wasn’t looking at a lot of They created a sense in which everyone affect Indiana education in general. We them. I knew about the University of in the campus community could have haven’t had a person like that who has Indianapolis, and when I learned about a chance to meet me and learn some worked in both sectors. She really has that one I was very excited about it,” things about me. I thought it was one of the opportunity to build some bridges Pitts said. the most positive search processes I’ve that may never have been built in this Photo by Crystle Collins Pitts began her career in academia ever been through, and I’ve been through state.” at Anderson University. She attended several.” Gilroy said that she feels Pitts will be New university President, Dr. Beverly Pltts, gave her undergraduate school there, earning Although Israel did not actually take able to balance what she’s learned at both a Bachelor’s degree in English. Pitts part in selecting a new president, he was public and private schools and be able to acceptance speech on Mar. 23. Pitts was announced as then transferred to Ball State’s graduate in contact with the search committee. grow from the experiences. “I think she President to the university and community and spoke on school, where she received a Master’s “They wanted to know how does this will listen, reflect and challenge what her plans for her presidency. Pitts said that her favorite in journalism as well as a Doctorate in feel from the campus’s perspective, so I potential we still have,” Gilroy said. higher education. gave them that kind of feedback,” Israel Pitts said she believes the transition thing about higher education is “watching an 18 year- She returned to Anderson University said. “We know she was the first choice will be fairly easy because she has always old become a 22 year-old.’’ Pitts has worked in private and founded the university’s first de- based on almost everyone that the search tried to make BSU feel more close-knit and public university settings and says she is “ready to partment of communications. She has committee [talked to].” than other state schools. held various positions at both Anderson Gilroy said that the committee paid a (continued on page 3, see New Presi- make U of I my home.” University and Ball State University. great deal of attention to the evaluations dent) IBANNER PROJECT U of I begins implementing mutli-million dollar software system on campus separate databases that you had to keep According to Russell several options Craig Haupert in sync, which is very difficult,” Russell were explored before U of I decided to The Banner Systems Entertainment Editor said. Banner does away with the separate implement the Banner system. n databases, allowing information to flow “We had to decide as a campus where and interact with each other. we wanted to go with our processes. Ashortcoming of the Plus system was Did we want to use another product like that it had to be shut down for a period of People Soft or custom write it in house. time every day to input new data. “The [We] narrowed it down, and it looked system had to gather data, then shutdown like the leap from Plus to Bamer was so the new data could be processed. the most economic and the best fit for us If you wanted to get online and look as a campus.” The University of Indianapolis is in the at your schedule or change something U of I began implementing Ban- process of implementing a $3.5 million after 7 p.m. you couldn’t,” Russell said. ner in Dec. 2003. The entire project is software system called Banner, which will Banner allows students and faculty to expected to take three years and should manage all the information on campus. access the system at any time of the day end in Dec. 2006. The project has three Banner will replace the current system and changes made to the system will be distinct phases. called Plus, declared out of date by Uni- instantaneous as well. Phase One, the financial component, versity of Indianapolis officials involved The Banner system will offer new was completed July 1,2004. Phase Two, with the implementation of Banner. features for students, most notably online human resources and payroll went live “Banner will help us change the way class registration performed anywhere Jan. I, 2005. U of I is beginning Phase we work with data in order to reach out to at anytime. Three the student information systems, campus,” said Mary Beth Bagg, Banner “You can do it [register for classes] at which includes financial aid and ad- project manager and U of I registrar. 4 a.m. in your pajamas, from your dorm vancement. The new system is an enterprise re- room if you wanted to,” Russell said. In order to make the switch from Plus The old Plus sysfoms source planning (ERP) solution. An ERP The multi-million dollar system to Banner, U of I has been undergoing an provides a set of software applications that change has fostered little resistance or extensive training process. The process manage everything from campus grades complaints from the faculty and staff at involves bringing in consultants from and course information to degree audits U of I, but there have been some con- SunGard, the company that owns Ban- and financial aid. cerns over the lengthy implementation ner, to train select faculty and personel According to Jeff Russell chief in- process. at U of 1. formation officer and Banner co-project “One concern is the learning curve at Training alsooccursoffcampus at sites leader, Banner will serve the needs of fi- a time when we are busier than we have determined by SunGard. According to nance departments, human resources and everbeen before,” said Joe Burnell, chair Greg Smith, Director of Housing, this year student information systems. With the old of the faculty senate. “A second concern 13 faculty members from U of I attended system (Plus) each department typically is that it is very expensive. We would like a conference called SunGard Summit in has its own computer system optimized to spend money on things more directly Honolulu, Hawaii, from March 6-9. for the particular ways that the department related to teaching, but we do understand “They have a big conference every does its work. Banner combines all these that this is one of those things that you year that we attend. It is training and systems into a single, integrated software have to spend money on.” collaboration,” Bagg said. “Users of the program that runs off a single database, Bagg said that the old system had system all gather together and share ideas so that the various departments can more been in use since 1987 and that a com- on how they make Banner work at their easily share information and communi- fort level had been established with it.