Fort Wayne Chancellor Carwein announces plans to retire

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Vicky Carwein, the chancellor of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne since 2012, plans to retire from her position by the end of 2017, Purdue President Mitch Daniels announced Wednesday (April 5).

Daniels said he and Carwein have discussed since last summer her intent to step down as the end of her five-year commitment to IPFW neared. Daniels said a search committee will be appointed within the coming weeks with the goal of having a new chancellor in place at the beginning or soon after the start of the 2017-18 academic year.

Over the past five years, Carwein has overseen a multi-year effort to turn an inherited $12 million deficit into a balanced budget. She has instituted budgeting and accounting processes to effect transparency of decision-making, and budget and enrollment data, and has restructured senior administration to more effectively and efficiently align functions to the goals of improved recruitment and retention. During Carwein’s tenure, IPFW has acquired $29.1 million in private giving, has completed the first-ever inclusive strategic planning process and has implemented a tuition incentive to encourage previous IPFW students who did not graduate to complete their bachelor’s degrees.

“The chancellor came to IPFW at a challenging time, and I thank her for her commitment to addressing serious financial problems and for making tough decisions to put the campus on more stable footing,” Daniels said. “I have asked Chancellor Carwein to conclude a number of assignments prior to her leaving IPFW, including overseeing work associated with the new structure for Purdue’s presence in Northeast Indiana.”

The respective trustees of Purdue and Indiana universities in December approved a plan of realignment for the governance structure of IPFW, which provides that Purdue will continue to have authority and responsibility for managing and operating the Fort Wayne campus. Each university will focus on its respective academic areas, with IU focusing on a new health sciences initiative and with Purdue exploring potential new programs to serve the region’s economic priorities. The realignment, subject to various conditions and ancillary agreements, will occur on July 1, 2018. The boards are expected to vote on the final agreements this summer.

Carwein came to Purdue from Washington State University Tri-Cities in Richland, Wash., where she served as chancellor. Prior to that, she was president at Westfield State College in Westfield, Mass., and chancellor at the University of Washington, Tacoma.