FAQ for Purdue faculty, staff, students on IU, Purdue announcement for vision of Indianapolis campus

Frequently Asked Questions for Purdue faculty, staff, students

What is happening?

Indiana’s two world-class public research universities, Indiana University and Purdue University, are taking their 52-year-old collaborative IUPUI vision to the next level: creating a next-generation urban campus in which each institution operates independently, leveraging the strength of both globally respected reputations. Under the new structure, both universities will be able to expand academic and research portfolios, investing millions of dollars in both individual and collaborative efforts.  

Why was the decision made?

The dramatically growing needs of our state call for a correspondingly bold move to provide the world-class higher education and research capabilities our economy needs. Central Indiana business and community leaders have expressed concern about shortages of talent well-trained in the engineering, sciences, technological and health care disciplines, and a related gap in local capacity for high-end research.

The plan will increase the number of job-ready graduates in an innovation-led economy, fuel economic growth in the region and the state, and enhance service to the Indianapolis community and beyond. It also provides a platform for collaboration in which each university’s strengths will enhance funding opportunities for joint research initiatives, including creation of a joint health sciences engineering institute. This new institute will develop new life-enhancing therapies and technologies while simultaneously creating a highly sought-after pool of professionals whose unique research and training will create startups and attract new companies to Indiana.

Why now?

IUPUI has been innovative, resourceful and collaborative in serving the needs of Indianapolis, Central Indiana, and the state, educating hundreds of thousands of people, bringing leadership and engagement to our state. As successful as it has been, we are reaching the limits of what can be accomplished in the existing partnership structure. A new structure will give each university the flexibility to invest and grow to the extent Indianapolis and the state needs them to.

What is the timing of the change? 

Over the next year, IU and Purdue will work together to develop the full operational plan for the transition, with the realignment expected to be completed in time for the fall 2024 semester. Few, if any, changes, in the current model will be made before that date.

What will happen to the IU and Purdue programs on campus?

IU will continue to own and operate the Indianapolis campus.

Purdue will assume responsibility for engineering, computer science and technology as a fully integrated expansion of Purdue West Lafayette. The new structure will allow Purdue to grow engineering, technology and computer science enrollments in Indianapolis, and create exciting opportunities for current West Lafayette students to “study away” in Indianapolis while pursuing internship or cooperative work opportunities with Indianapolis companies.

In addition to its new urban campus, Purdue intends to open a branch of its Purdue Applied Research Institute on or near the current IUPUI. Overall, Purdue anticipates growing today’s Indianapolis enrollment by more than 1,000 students, housing many together in a new residential building near their academic buildings.  

IU will take over operation of what is now the School of Science at IUPUI, except for its Department of Computer and Information Science, which will become part of Purdue.

In addition to Purdue’s computer science programs in Indianapolis, IU will accelerate training for tomorrow’s IT workforce by expanding its Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering with new computer science programs in Indianapolis.  

IU also expects to enhance integration of its science programs with its School of Medicine and other allied health science schools, expanding the number of students who will be prepared for health science-based careers, improving the pipeline of doctors and nurses and keeping more graduates in the state. IU will also establish innovative collaborations in new research areas, which will benefit the state through increased funding and resulting startups.

In addition, IU will have responsibility for providing certain administrative services for both academic organizations and for maintaining the intercollegiate athletic program. IU will continue to provide innovative educational experiences for the more than 27,000 students in other IU programs such as business, law, nursing, social work and a wide range of other academic disciplines. 

Will IUPUI keep its existing name?

Purdue, IU and IUPUI will operate under their respective identities in Indianapolis after the transition. The exact names for each university’s presence in Indianapolis will be one of the projects of our working groups. While IUPUI will cease to exist as a unique entity, its proud legacy and degree programs will continue through this new model.

What is the process for working through the details of the restructure?  How will faculty, staff, and students be engaged?

Purdue and IU will engage a set of working groups to develop specific operational plans for the realignment. These work groups will likely include the following areas: HR and Finance, Student Success, Facilities, IT/Systems, Enrollment Management, Communication and Branding, Research, Donor and Alumni, and Athletics.

What is Purdue working to address in the restructuring?

Central Indiana business and community leaders have expressed concern about shortages of talent well-trained in the engineering and technological disciplines, and a related paucity of local capacity for high-end research. These leaders have been explicit in their desire for a dramatically expanded Purdue presence in Indianapolis.

Many companies have reported that they are sometimes forced to contract or invest elsewhere due to these shortfalls of top-quality talent. The number of job-ready Purdue STEM graduates there needs to grow. 

While many graduates of the flagship West Lafayette campus find their way to internships and jobs in Central Indiana, a large opportunity exists to engage more of them with Indy-area firms if they were residents in Indianapolis for a year or more of their Purdue experience.

Likewise, Purdue’s research assets and portfolio in Indianapolis needs to expand dramatically to meet the needs of companies in Central Indiana. As part of this expansion, there is a need and desire for a deeper research partnership with Indiana University and especially the Indiana School of Medicine.

While it has been valuable and important, Purdue’s engagement in Indianapolis is no longer adequate to serve the talent and research needs of a dynamic, more technology-driven local economy. 

What are the benefits of the separation for Purdue students?

The separation will provide a high-quality choice for students who want a Purdue engineering, computer science, or technology (Polytechnic) degree but have a preference for studying in an urban setting. Longer term, the plan is to fully integrate the Indianapolis campus with West Lafayette, making it possible for West Lafayette students to spend time in Indianapolis and continue progress toward their degree while pursuing work opportunities with Indianapolis firms.   

In addition, this separation will allow Purdue to develop an even deeper relationship with and support for Purdue Polytechnic High Schools and other STEM pipeline building programs in greater Indianapolis.

What are the benefits of the separation for Purdue West Lafayette faculty?

Among the many benefits of an urban presence are possibilities for tighter faculty-industry collaborations, improved access to the Indianapolis entrepreneurial ecosystem, better opportunities to attract faculty who prefer an urban lifestyle, advantages for dual-career hires, and deeper connections to the IU Medical School.

What are the benefits of the separation for current IUPUI faculty and staff?

IUPUI faculty and staff who are part of the Purdue programs being transferred will become full members of the Purdue family and will benefit from an expanded Purdue presence in Indianapolis. The new relationship with Purdue West Lafayette is expected to expand opportunities for faculty to teach/conduct research. 

What are the benefits to the greater Indianapolis community?

Currently, about 5,100 students are pursuing Purdue degrees at Indianapolis. An estimated 86% of these graduates will take their first jobs in Indiana, making an important contribution to the state’s 21st century economy. Longer term, the plan is to fully integrate the Indianapolis campus with West Lafayette. With this move, Purdue anticipates growing today’s Indianapolis enrollment by more than 1,000 students, providing more STEM graduates to take jobs in Indianapolis. In addition, through expansions of the Purdue research portfolio, including launching a branch of the Purdue Applied Research Institute, Indianapolis will benefit from a much deeper Purdue research presence and the collaborations and partnerships that presence will support.

What will be the relationship between Purdue West Lafayette and Indianapolis after the restructure?

The plan is to fully integrate Indianapolis programs with their Purdue West Lafayette counterparts. Longer term, engineering, computer science and technology (Polytechnic) courses taught in Indianapolis will have equivalence with classes taught in West Lafayette. When the transition is fully complete, a Purdue West Lafayette degree would be awarded to students in Indianapolis upon graduation.

What will the new Purdue campus be called?

Final naming and branding for the Purdue University campus in Indianapolis has not been decided on and will be one of the early priorities.

How will Purdue West Lafayette be impacted by this restructure?

Day-to-day operations in West Lafayette will not be impacted by the restructure in the short run. Longer term, the separation will give Purdue West Lafayette students easier access to work for Indianapolis firms while continuing their academic progress toward a degree. Faculty may have opportunities to teach/conduct research in Indianapolis. In general, the Indianapolis campus will be an expansion of West Lafayette activity – a new urban campus

How will current undergraduate students be impacted by the restructure?

Credits earned by students enrolled at the Indianapolis campus prior to the realignment date of July 1, 2024 will be fully transferable to IU or Purdue. Both universities have agreed to use their best efforts to negotiate a program transfer agreement, to be effective as of July 1, 2023 (one year prior to the realignment date), in a manner allowing students to have a seamless educational experience and for student credits to transfer between universities.

How will future Indianapolis campus undergraduate students be impacted by the restructure?

Ultimately, students enrolling at the Indianapolis campus in a major, degree or program within the Purdue realigned academic units will be admitted as Purdue students using the admission standards of Purdue West Lafayette. There will likely be some transition period before this occurs.

What degrees will be offered in Indianapolis by Purdue after the change?

The plan is for students to earn Purdue West Lafayette degrees in engineering, technology (Polytechnic) and computer science in Indianapolis. 

I am currently in the IUPUI College of Science in a program other than Computer Science – can I still graduate with a Purdue degree?

Yes. For three years following the July 1, 2024 realignment date, students enrolled in a degree on or prior to that day may choose to receive a degree from either IU or Purdue upon graduation if their program is being transferred to the other university.

How will core classes be delivered?

The separation will allow for course equivalence across the board to promote maximum flexibility between Purdue West Lafayette and Indianapolis. However, Purdue students at the Indianapolis campus may be expected to enroll in general education courses and programs offered by IU.

How will student services be provided to Purdue students

After the separation, Purdue students at the Indianapolis campus will have access and the ability to join and participate in all student services and extracurricular student activities offered by IU at the Indianapolis campus. That includes student housing and dining, parking, student organizations, associations, groups, clubs and societies, library access and usage, health, wellness and counseling services and other student support resources, athletic events, recreation and intramural sports and such other extracurricular activities, services and resources. IU will issue Purdue students enrolled at the Indianapolis campus student identification cards required for participation in the student services.

How will the restructure impact graduate students? 

When the transition is fully implemented, Indianapolis graduate programs will be merged with Purdue West Lafayette programs, all governed by the Graduate School. A Purdue West Lafayette degree would be awarded.  

How will my faculty contract/tenure be handled?

After the separation, Purdue will assume all rights and obligations of the appointment letter of each tenured IU transferred faculty – i.e., if a faculty member at IUPUI has tenure, that faculty member will hold tenure at Purdue West Lafayette in the College of Engineering, the College of Science, or the Polytechnic Institute. However, the specific organizational structure for the Indianapolis urban campus is still in the planning phase and may differ from the current IUPUI structure. Accordingly, the tenure home for individual faculty members may be different than their current IUPUI appointment – for example, a current IUPUI electrical and computer engineering faculty member’s tenure home may be in the Polytechnic Institute in West Lafayette.

How will my compensation/benefits be impacted by the transition to Purdue?

One of the working groups will be addressing this topic, but every effort will be made to ensure compensation and benefits are comparable to current levels.

Will staff members keep their jobs after the restructure?

Purdue plans to offer all staff members who are employed by IU on June 30, 2023 employment after the separation is complete on June 30, 2024.

What physical facilities will be assigned to Purdue?

Space and physical facilities will be the focus of a work group and will be determined over the coming year.

Will any new facilities be constructed?

The working groups will explore additional building projects, including a possible new residence hall, to support growth in Purdue enrollment.

How will research be impacted by the restructure? What plans are being made?

In addition to its new urban campus, Purdue intends to open a branch of its Purdue Applied Research Institute in Indianapolis. Purdue and IU have also agreed to the creation of a new health sciences engineering institute to harness the power of the universities’ collective academic and research strengths and ongoing collaboration between Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and other Purdue health-related disciplines, and Indiana University’s School of Medicine and health-related disciplines to develop new life-enhancing therapies and technologies while simultaneously creating a highly sought-after pool of professionals whose unique research and training will create startups and attract new companies to Indiana.

How will tuition be handled?

Each university will set and collect its own tuition and fees. Purdue student fees for services provided by IU will be set by IU at the same level as it charges its own students for such fees.