Indiana, Purdue universities announce plans to break up IUPUI
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), a joint venture of Purdue and Indiana, will be split into two separate entities.
The two universities announced that the IUPUI campus will be transformed into separate academic organizations in which Indiana and Purdue will each govern their own programs. Completion of the realignment is expected in time for the fall 2024 semester.
Indiana University owns and operates the IUPUI campus, but certain programs grant Purdue degrees.
Plans call for Indiana University to take over operation of what is now the School of Science at IUPUI, except for its Department of Computer Science, which will become part of Purdue. Indiana will expand its Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering with new computer science programs in Indianapolis.
Indiana also expects to enhance integration of its science programs with its School of Medicine and other allied health science schools. In addition, Indiana will have responsibility for providing certain administrative services for both academic organizations and for maintaining the intercollegiate athletic program. Indiana also will continue to provide education program for the more than 27,000 students in other programs such as business, law, nursing, and social work.
Purdue will assume responsibility for engineering, computer science and technology as a fully integrated expansion of Purdue's programs in West Lafayette. The new structure will enable Purdue to grow engineering, technology and computer science enrollments in Indianapolis, and create opportunities for West Lafayette students to "study away" in Indianapolis while pursuing internship or cooperative work opportunities.
In addition to its new urban campus, Purdue intends to open a branch of its Purdue Applied Research Institute on or near the existing IUPUI. Overall, Purdue anticipates growing Indianapolis enrollment by more than 1,000 students, housing many together in a new residential building near their academic buildings.
District fires security firm fired after gun is left unattended at elementary school for a second time
The Beaufort County (S.C.) District has fired the company that provided school security after a guard left a gun unattended in an elementary school staff bathroom in September.
The Hilton Head Island Packet reports that it was the second incident this year in which a guard from GuardOne Security left a gun in a school bathroom.
Police say a guard left a gun unattended in a staff bathroom at Hilton Head Island School for Creative Arts and Daufuskie Island School in Hilton Head Island.
The earlier incident took place Feb. 1 at Mossy Oaks Elementary School in Beaufort. In that instance, a loaded 9mm gun was left unattended for three minutes in an unlocked staff bathroom. The weapon was found by a teacher who reported it to the principal.
A spokesman for GuardOne Security, a division of S&S Management, could not be reached for comment.
The school board approved the almost $1 million contract with S&S Management in September 2021. It called for 18 guards for the district’s elementary schools and early childhood centers. Middle and high schools have School Resource Officers assigned to them. The school district says it will be transitioning “swiftly” to a new security company.
Virginia Commonwealth University will pay nearly $1 million to family of hazing victim
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) says it will pay $995,000 to the family of Adam Oakes, a 19-year-old freshman who died last year from alcohol poisoning at a fraternity party.
In addition to the payment to the Oakes family, an agreement between the Oakes family and the university states that students must complete 12 credit hours at VCU before they are allowed to join a fraternity or sorority.
Alcohol will be prohibited at any activity of any fraternity or sorority that is attended by new members, and any alcohol served or consumed at an event sponsored, endorsed or organized by a student organization shall be provided by a licensed third-party vendor following advance notification with VCU.
"By working to honor Adam’s life and legacy, we are dedicated to creating a national model for universities and colleges across the country," VCU and the Oakes family said in a joint statement.
Oakes, a pledge to the Delta Chi fraternity, died on Feb. 27, 2021. At a fraternity event, he was given a bottle of whiskey and told to drink it. He died of alcohol poisoning.
