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Vincennes University Board of Trustees extends President Dr. Chuck Johnson’s contract to 2025

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VINCENNES, Ind., December 8, 2022 – The Vincennes University Board of Trustees voted to extend the contract of President Dr. Chuck Johnson an additional year during its regular meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at Updike Hall Center for Science, Engineering and Mathematics.

The Board extended Johnson’s contract through Dec. 31, 2025. Before he was appointed president in 2015, Johnson served as interim president for four months and provost for three years.

First Vice Chair Mike Sievers shared the Board’s sentiments and commented on its strong support of Johnson’s leadership.

“Speaking for the Board, we really appreciate the efforts of Dr. Chuck Johnson,” Sievers said. “We feel he’s really focused on the goals the Board set, and he has achieved a lot of those. We’re looking forward to continuing working with him.”

Since Johnson became the 22nd president of VU, he has overseen the development and growth of VU’s work-based learning partnerships with industry, including the Toyota Advanced Maintenance Technician (AMT) program in Southwest Indiana and Southeast Illinois, the Advanced Internship in Manufacturing (AIM) in Lafayette, the Career Advancement Partnership (CAP) in Dubois County, the Machinist Internship Program (MIP), the Cummins Technician Apprenticeship Program (TAP), Central and Hoosier INFRAME programs in Indianapolis, and the Amazon Apprenticeship program in Mechatronics and Automation at Plainfield and Vincennes. Johnson has also been extensively involved in the expansion of VU’s Early College program, including the development of Career and Technical Education Early Colleges with 18 career centers and cooperatives across Indiana, reaching thousands of Hoosier students.

Among the most recent initiatives spearheaded by Johnson is the creation of the Center for Applied Robotics and Automation and the development of a network of collaborative robot (cobot) labs throughout Indiana, in partnership with Telamon Robotics.

Johnson thanked the Board for its confidence in his leadership.

“I want to thank the Board for their continued support and faith in me in extending my contract and for all the great advice and confidence you have given me. I truly believe we are in a good position to continue moving forward,” Johnson said.

A swearing-in ceremony took place for Student Trustee Gayle Baugh during the meeting. She is a Special Education, Mild Intervention K-12 major from Greencastle, Indiana. University attorney Brent Stuckey swore in Baugh. Her term runs through Oct. 1, 2023.

Interim Director of Admissions Sarah McLin presented a report on enrollment and recruitment efforts for Spring Semester 2023 and Fall Semester 2023. She shared a positive report. Enrollment is up at all VU campuses for Spring Semester 2023 except for VU Jasper which is only slightly down, according to McLin.

Senior Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research Dr. Dale Pietrzak provided an update on how well prepared the University is for an upcoming Higher Learning Commission review team visit.

Other Board actions included the reinstatement of three Emergency Medical Services and Paramedic programs of study due to an increased need. The Board also approved the suspension of a Kinesiology and Sport, Wellness and Exercise Concentration which will allow for more clarity given that VU offers an Exercise Science concentration.

Re-elected as Board Officers were Mike Sievers as First Vice Chair; Reggie Henderson, as Second Vice Chair; and JR Gaylor, as Secretary.

UE Volleyball Announces Signees For 2023

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UE Volleyball Announces Signees For 2023

Aces Putting Together An Impressive Class

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Weeks after announcing the addition of one of the top 100 high school players in the nation for the second year in a row, University of Evansville head volleyball coach Fernando Morales has announced the signing six additional student-athletes to National Letters of Intent.  This group joins middle blocker Chloe Cline, who was a high school teammate of Evansville’s Kora Ruff.

Carlotta Pascual – Pin Hitter/ Middle Blocker – Mount Vernon, Ind.

Originally from Spain, Carlotta Pascual makes the quick trip to Evansville from Mount Vernon, Ind.  She recently completed her senior season at Mount Vernon HS where she put up solid numbers to wrap up her high school career.  Her father Rafael Pascual was named the MVP of the 1998 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.

Coach Morales on Pascual

“She is a very talented player that can play multiple positions and will grow a lot here in our program.”

Ainoah Cruz – Libero – Arecibo Puerto Rico

Regarded as her age group’s top libero in Puerto Rico, Cruz has worked with the Puerto Rico National Team program and was on the U-19 National Team.  Last month, she won the National High School Championship in Puerto Rico.  Her club team – Capitanas – finished in third place at the AAU National Championship last year in Orlando.

Coach Morales on Cruz

“Ainoah will come to give us depth in the libero position.  She is a very skilled player and dominates all techniques of her position.”

Luana Kuhn – Outside Hitter – Brazil

Kuhn joins the Purple Aces program from Brazil.  She was named her age group’s best outside hitter in her state on multiple occasions.  Kuhn brings a wealth of experience to the UE program given her age.

Coach Morales on Kuhn

“Luana is a very well-rounded player that dominates all the skills.  She brings international experience and will be a contributor to our team from day one.”

Angelica Gonzalez – Outside Hitter – Puerto Rico

Gonzalez has a family history with the sport of volleyball in Puerto Rico.  Both of her parents played at the professional level and for the National Team.  They were each regarded as the top blockers in Puerto Rico professional league history at one point in their careers.  Angelica has developed her volleyball career between Florida and Georgia where she played on some of the top club teams in the area.  Gonzalez was selected to the Georgia High School All-State Team.  She completed her high school career with Lassiter HS in Marietta, Ga.

Coach Morales on Gonzalez

“She has been getting better every year and is a big threat on the net both hitting and blocking.”

Lexi Owen – Setter – Owensboro, Ky.

Owen is regarded as one of the top setters in the area and enjoyed an excellent club season in 2021-22.  That success translated into her senior season at Daviess County HS.  She was recently named an All-County First Team player.

Coach Morales on Owen

“She will give us a lot of depth in the setting position and her competitiveness will make everyone better in our team.”

Holland Morris – Pin Hitter/Middle Blocker – Florence, Ky. 

Holland is a native of Florence, Ky. who played at Randall K. Cooper High School.  She is a versatile player who can play multiple positions including middle blocker, defensive specialist, right side and outside.  Morris was named to the 2022 AVCA All-American Watch List and was an All-Region Honorable Mention in 2021.

Coach Morales on Morris

“Holland is a very hard-working player always looking to get better.  She will bring a lot to our practices and will give us a lot because she can play in multiple spots.  Her abilities increase the depth of our team while giving us multiple options.”

 

SATURDAY | Santa Visits Willard

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EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

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EPD

 

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

MEDIA

FOOTNOTE: This information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.

 

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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Booked Last 24 Hours-Public

Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

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Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

Vanderburgh County Crash Report

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Crash Report

Committee Chairs Seated With Session Starting In January

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Committee Chairs Seated With Session Starting In January

Members of the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee discuss a bill in February. The committee was assigned nearly 70 bills in the 2022 session.

Photo by Isaac Gleitz

Sixteen legislators—nine representatives and seven senators—are taking on new roles, each leading one of the 23 House standing committees and 22 Senate standing committees for the 2023 session.

What are committees? 

Legislative committees exist to help lawmakers identify important issues, gather and evaluate information, and review bills in the early stages before they head to a chamber’s floor for larger discussion.

“Committees—they are the workhorses of the legislature,” said Andrew Downs, director of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics and Purdue University Fort Wayne associate professor of political science.

The majority of work on bills typically happens in committee because basically every bill is assigned to a committee, Downs said.

It’s good to be in charge because committee chairs have a big influence on what bills are heard, which is an essential part in a bill’s passage, Downs said. Committee chairs are influenced by what the chamber leader and their party say are the important issues for that session.

According to Downs, 20-30%, depending on the year, of all legislation introduced actually passes—so 70-80% dies.

“The chairs do try to work with the other committee members, it’s not like the chair just comes in with a big hammer and says, ‘Everything I want is what’s going to be heard.’ They just spend time talking to the other committee members,” Downs said.

He also said that committees give legislators a good opportunity to collaborate with one another and with the members of the other chamber to pass legislation they see as important.

The new workhorses

Downs said this year’s chair assignments saw a decent amount of turnover.

Chamber leaders give the assignments every two years after the November election, and the roles stay in effect for the members’ two-year terms.

In a Nov. 18 press release, when Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, announced the chairs for the upcoming session, he said he believes “some of the most important work in the legislature happens at the committee level.”

“We have a group of very talented committee chairs set for the upcoming session, and I look forward to working with these talented members as they help craft good policy for the people of Indiana.”

The new chairs are:

  • Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis, chair of the Corrections and Criminal Law Committee.
  • Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, chair of the Environmental Affairs Committee.
  • Sen. Eric Bassler, R-Shelburn, chair of the Ethics Committee.
  • Sen. Scott Baldwin, R-Noblesville, chair of the Insurance and Financial Institutions Committee.
  • Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, chair of the Joint Rules Committee.

Sen. Greg Walker, R-Columbus, and Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger, shifted to new committees. Walker will lead the Family and Child Services Committee, and Rogers is taking over the Pensions and Labor Committee.

On Dec. 2, House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, released the House committee chair appointments.

“I’m excited about the talents and wide range of experience that our chairs will bring to their committees, and I look forward to working closely with each of them,” Huston said in a press release. “As we head into the budget session, we have many challenges and opportunities in front of us, and I’m confident in our team’s abilities to vet and pass policies that put Hoosiers first.”

The new chairs are:

  • Rep. Michael Aylesworth, R-Hebron , chair of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.
  • Rep. Alan Morrison, R-Brazil, chair of the Environmental Affairs Committee.
  • Rep. Mike Speedy, R-Indianapolis, chair of the Financial Institutions Committee.
  • Rep. Chris May, R-Bedford, chair of the Local Government Committee.
  • Rep. Shane Lindauer, R-Jasper, chair of the Natural Resources Committee.
  • Rep. Ethan Manning, R-Denver, chair of the Public Policy Committee.
  • Rep. Karen Engleman, R-Georgetown, chair of the Statutory Committee on Ethics.

Two House lawmakers also shifting committees: Rep. Martin Carbaugh, R-Fort Wayne, is in charge of the new Insurance Committee, and Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Garrett, moved to chair the Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee.

FOOTNOTE: Sydney Byerly is a reporter at TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

Lt. Gov. Crouch Announce Participants For The 2023 “My Community, My Vision Initiative”

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Community planning program teaches high school-age student groups to
enhance development and quality of life in their communities

INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 8, 2022) – Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) have chosen seven participants for the My Community, My Vision (MCMV) program, which connects high school students across Indiana to each other and to their neighborhoods, towns, and cities. The student groups are as follows: the Batesville Mayor’s Youth Council, Frankton High School Students in Action, the Mayor’s Youth Council of Greensburg, Mishawaka Youth Advisory Council, the Monticello Next Generation Youth Advocates, the Ripley County Youth Outreach, and the Warren County Foundation Youth Council.

“Maintaining strong and viable communities is important to the health of Indiana, and we need future leaders to begin thinking about their own visions for their cities and towns,” said Crouch. “My Community, My Vision invites these future decision makers to share their ideas and plans with local officials.  By their involvement, student leaders will learn about the planning process and the collaborative efforts required to create and maintain vibrant communities.”

In collaboration with the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) Youth Council program and the Association of Indiana Municipalities (AIM) Mayoral Youth Council program, the seven selected cohorts of students representing communities across the state will participate in a four-month program consisting of in-person workshops and self-guided curriculum to assist them in planning and fundraising for a place-based community project. Utilizing elements of IHCDA’s crowd-granting CreatINg Places program, students who successfully strategize, plan, and raise a fundraising goal of between $5,000 and $50,000 towards their community project in the program’s duration will receive a matching grant from IHCDA.

“Placemaking is an important element of building stable communities where Hoosiers of all ages want to live, work, and play for years to come,” said Jacob Sipe, IHCDA Executive Director. “The My Community, My Vision program gives young people a chance to invest in their hometowns and make their voices heard. These students are the future of Indiana’s workforce, economy, and local leadership, and we can’t wait to see what ideas they bring to life through this program.”

Youth councils, alongside their foundation or local unit of government sponsor, will work throughout the spring semester to determine a project, craft a budget, develop a fundraising goal and strategy, and raise the needed funds for all materials during a 30-day fundraising campaign. Students will attend three required in-person workshops hosted by IHCDA where they will learn about different subjects such as placemaking, fundraising strategies, and stakeholder engagement to give students knowledge about the aspects of community planning, help reach their set project goal and provide networking and leadership opportunities. At the final in-person workshop, students will present their work and success to their peers and Indiana’s community development leaders.

Ivy Tech Offering Free Laptops To New Students Who Enroll In January And March

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EVANSVILLE, IN – Ivy Tech Community College Evansville is again providing free laptops for new students enrolling for the Spring 2023 semester*. Enrollment is currently underway and 8-week classes begin on January 17 and March 20.

Tuesdays@theTech is an event designed for students to come to campus to tour, meet advisors, talk about financial aid, and meet with career coaches. This event is a good way for individuals to learn more about Ivy Tech and its programs. To RSVP for Tuesdays@theTech go to https://link.ivytech.edu/TTT

To qualify for a free laptop, students who would like to start in January or March must first apply and enroll in classes. www.ivytech.edu/admissions/apply-now

Call 812-492-0106 for additional information.

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