IPFW and its Centers for Excellence

By Michael Wartell, Chancellor of IPFW

IPFW is a growing, vibrant part of the community, not only in Fort Wayne, but also throughout the 11-county area we serve in northeastern Indiana. We are very proud of the accomplishments of our faculty, students and staff. And we are especially proud of the seven Centers of Excellence that have been established here.

Many people might say a university itself is supposed to be a center of excellence. Why do you have these specific centers? The answer is really quite simple. We want not only to be the best, but to be recognized as the best, especially in these areas.

IPFW began planning the Centers of Excellence four years ago. The first one, the Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management, commonly called the Herp Center, began operations in January 2000.

Each center has to meet five criteria established by the university: the center must augment current IPFW strengths and create a community of scholars; be tied to an academic program that will provide opportunities for students; have the potential to attract external support; be multidisciplinary; and be a value to the Fort Wayne community.

Once a center meets the criteria, the university provides seed money and a three-year commitment of support. That support includes a stipend for the director, access to clerical support, a modest operating budget to cover equipment, supplies and travel, and funding for a graduate student or faculty assistant.

IPFW’s Centers of Excellence now include the Archaeological Survey, the Behavioral Health and Family Studies Institute, the Center for the Built Environment, the Community Research Institute, the Community Resources Development Center, the Herp Center and the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics.

As we highlight these centers in this edition of IU Home Pages, I hope you will see why they truly are Centers of Excellence.