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Indiana Swimmers, Divers to Compete at U.S. Olympic Team Trials

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Forty athletes will represent the Indiana swimming and diving program at U.S. Olympic Team Trials between June 15-23, seeking qualification for the 2024 Paris Games.

Information

Thirty-one Hoosiers will compete in the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Indianapolis, June 15-23. For the first time ever, the event will be staged on a football field as Lucas Oil Stadium plays host to the qualifying event. Tickets are on sale here.

Indiana University is the proud sponsor of Student Night at swim trials on Thursday, June 20, as fans with a valid student ID can enjoy discounted prices at concession stands.

Nine divers are set to participate in the U.S. Olympic Diving Trials, running June 17-23 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Fans can watch both meets on NBC platforms. Peacock will stream preliminaries, while final sessions are available both on NBC and Peacock.

What to Watch For

Indiana’s list of participants features a mix of former Olympians and first-time hopefuls. Swimmers Lilly King and Blake Pieroni and diver Jessica Parratto can book their tickets to a third Olympics, while swimmers Michael Brinegar and Cody Miller and diver Andrew Capobianco have the chance to punch their ticket for a second time.

A five-time Olympic medalist, King enters the 2024 trials as the No. 1 seed in the 100-meter breaststroke – with the only seed time under 1:05 – and the No. 2 seed in the 200-meter breaststroke. Current IU swimmer Josh Matheny is the No. 2 and 3 seeds in the same events, respectively. Indiana filled the men’s breaststroke events, totaling 11 entries between the two distances. Among the group, 2016 Olympian Cody Miller is the No. 6 seed in the 100 breast.

Joining Matheny as a heavy contender for a first-time Olympic berth, Anna Peplowski will look to build on her freestyle momentum after surging during the collegiate season. Peplowski was a medalist in the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle events at the NCAA Championships and will have her best shot as the No. 7 seed in the 200-meter freestyle – set to be one of the meet’s most competitive event.

The top two in each swimming event are expected to make the Olympic team individually, should they also have hit an Olympic qualifying time standard. Up to the top six are expected to make the team in the 100m and 200m freestyles for relays.

In Knoxville, Capobianco and Parratto will return to compete in the events that they earned medals from. A silver medalist in Tokyo with fellow Hoosier Michael Hixon, Capobianco will dive from the 3-meter springboard alongside a different IU teammate in Quinn Henninger. The pair competed together at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in April Capobianco will also challenge in the individual 3-meter event against Henninger and Carson Tyler.

Tyler, the NCAA Champion in the 3-meter and platform diving events this spring, will compete in both events individually at trials. The rising senior was named the CSCAA Diver of the Year, Big Ten Diver of the Year and Big Ten Diver of the Championships after a dominant season on the boards.

Parratto will once again pair up with Arizona grad Delaney Schnell in the synchronized 10-meter event, from which the duo earned silver in Tokyo. More recently, Parratto and Schnell took bronze at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships. Parratto came out of retirement to pursue a third Olympics.

The winning team in the three synchro events makes the Olympic team. Individually, the top two men and top two women in springboard make the team. In platform, the men’s and women’s winners make the team.

Hoosiers at Trials

 

The following list includes the 40 athletes representing Indiana University at Olympic Trials.

U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials (31): Toby Barnett, Luke Barr, Michael Brinegar, Finn Brooks, Brendan Burns, Mason Carlton, Kabria Chapman, Mariah Denigan, Mya DeWitt, Tristan DeWitt, Michael Eastman, Anna Freed, Elyse Heiser, Harry Herrera, Lilly King, Josh Matheny, Owen McDonald, Kacey McKenna, Cody Miller, Kristina Paegle, Anna Peplowski, Blake Pieroni, Lucas Piunti, Maxwell Reich, Drew Reiter, Ella Ristic, Dylan Smiley, Reese Tiltmann, Ashley Turak, Gavin Wight, Jassen Yep

To see which events these Hoosiers are in, see the entry list.

U.S. Olympic Diving Trials (9): Andrew Capobianco, Anne Fowler, Kristen Hayden, Quinn Henninger, Jessica Parratto, Ella Roselli, Carson Tyler, Maxwell Weinrich, Lily Witte

To see which events these Hoosiers are in, see the entry list.

Already Qualified

 

Four Indiana swimmers have already punched their tickets to Paris. Mariah Denigan will represent Team USA in open water swimming and will also compete at U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter freestyle events. International athletes Tomer Frankel (Israel), Rafael Miroslaw (Germany) and Kai van Westering (Netherlands) have qualified for their respective countries.

Hoosier Olympic History

Few universities, or even nations can match Indiana University’s Olympic record. Indiana boasts 241 total Olympic berths, representing 26 countries. On 18 occasions, Olympic coaches have come from Indiana.

The Indiana University athlete medal count is at 121 including 60 gold, 23 silver and 38 bronze after the 2020 Tokyo Games. The Hoosiers have earned a medal at every Olympic Games they have competed in except 2004. The most productive year was 1968, with 17 medals for IU competitors in Mexico City.

 

UE’S SHALLENBERGER NAMED ABCA/RAWLINGS THIRD-TEAM ALL-AMERICA

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. –  University of Evansville graduate outfielder Mark Shallenberger (St. Louis, Mo./Priory) earned one of the nation’s top baseball honors on Friday, as he was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings Third-Team All-America squad in a vote of collegiate head coaches.  He is the first Purple Ace to be named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-America squad since outfielder Kevin Kaczmarski led the nation in hitting in 2015.
Shallenberger earned All-America honors after a season in which he earned first-team all-Missouri Valley Conference honors and Greenville (N.C.) Regional All-Tournament team honors for the Purple Aces.  He currently ranks in the NCAA’s Top 100 in 11 different offensive categories, including ranking 13th nationally in on-base percentage, a category he has ranked among the nation’s top 25 in for much of the season.  Shallenberger set program records for both runs scored (72) and hit-by-pitches (28), while posting the second-highest single-season hit total in UE history with 91.
Overall, Shallenberger hit a team-best .374 with a team-high 21 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs and 64 RBI.  He hit arguably the biggest home run in UE baseball history with a game-winning three-run home run in UE’s 6-5 victory over East Carolina to win the Greenville (N.C.) Regional and advance Evansville to its first-ever NCAA Tournament Super Regional appearance.
Shallenberger now joins an elite fraternity of UE players to earn ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors, as he is just the ninth Purple Ace to earn the award.  The previous eight UE players to earn ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors includes Andy Benes (1988), John MacCauley (1991), Marty Watson (1993), Jamey Carroll (1996), Steve Obenchain (2002), Cody Fick (2011), Kyle Freeland (2014), and Kevin Kaczmarski (2015).
Evansville went 39-26 this season, advancing on to the 2024 NCAA Tournament by winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title.  The Purple Aces won the Greenville (N.C.) Regional Tournament and forced #1 national seed Tennessee to the “if necessary” game three of the Knoxville Super Regional in UE’s first-ever NCAA Super Regional Tournament appearance.

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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Booked Last 24 Hours-Public

Gov. Holcomb concludes economic development trip to Belgium, France and Netherlands strengthening relationships with key industry partners

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INDIANAPOLIS –Governor Eric J. Holcomb and First Lady Janet Holcomb returned late last week from an economic development trip to Belgium, France and the Netherlands. The Governor and First Lady were joined by Indiana Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg and a delegation from the Applied Research Institute (ARI) in Belgium. While abroad, Gov. Holcomb and the delegation met with government officials, representatives from the semiconductor industry and leaders in energy. Gov. Holcomb paid respects to members of the armed forces during a visit to Normandy and traveled to Utah Beach with a Hoosier D-Day veteran.

CenterPoint Energy awards nearly $230,000 in grants to communities to fund safety-related projects

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CenterPoint has awarded more than $3.25 million in grants since the Community Safety Grants Program launched 

June 15, 2024

Evansville, Ind. – June 13, 2024 – This year, CenterPoint Energy’s Community Safety Grant program awarded more than 90 grants totaling nearly $230,000 in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, and Texas to fund safety-related equipment and projects in local communities.  

“At CenterPoint Energy, safety is our first core value and drives our efforts to provide safe and reliable energy to the customers and communities we are privileged to serve,” said June Deadrick, Vice President, Community Relations at CenterPoint Energy. “Through our Community Safety Grant Program, we support the work our emergency responders, local officials and many others do to help support the health and safety of our customers across our local communities.” 

CenterPoint awards grants of up to $2,500 through this program to support local communities in filling funding gaps that may exist in acquiring safety materials. Each community that CenterPoint serves can submit a grant application with information on a safety-related problem, issue or need in the community and how a Community Safety Grant could address those needs.   

Since launching the program in 2003, CenterPoint Energy has funded more than 1,600 safety-related projects and awarded over $3.25 million in grants to communities throughout the company’s six-state footprint for their safety initiatives. These grants have enabled communities to install public AEDs (automated external defibrillators), update emergency communication equipment, purchase personal protective equipment for first responders, install traffic control signs, purchase gas monitoring devices and many other projects.   

 

 

Attorney General Todd Rokita sues Anderson apartment owners for allegedly abandoning tenants, forcing families to fend for themselves

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Attorney General Todd Rokita sues Anderson apartment owners for allegedly abandoning tenants, forcing families to fend for themselves

Attorney General Todd Rokita is suing the owners of two Anderson apartment complexes for allegedly abandoning tenants — allowing Bingham Square Apartments and Madison Square Apartments to fall into such extreme disrepair as to render them entirely unlivable.

The defendants allegedly responsible for the abandonment are PR Bingham LLC; PR Madison LLC; Property Resource Associates LLC; and Gary Plichta.

“The way that hardworking Hoosiers are alleged to have been treated by these defendants is disgraceful,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Not every investment in real property can be successful, but it’s unconscionable to simply abandon these properties and force stranded families to figure out how to fend for themselves after they paid their rent.”

Defendants acquired Bingham Square Apartments in 2019 with a $2.7 million dollar loan from Landmark Bank and $900,000 in TIF Bonds from the Anderson Redevelopment Commission.

The lawsuit — filed by the Consumer Protection Division through its Homeowner Protection Unit — alleges that defendants thereafter walked away from the 129-unit complex and allowed its physical condition to totally deteriorate. As early as February 2021, utilities were shut off due to alleged nonpayment of utility charges to the City of Anderson.

The lawsuit likewise alleges that after being notified of at least 21 units not meeting Section 8 Housing Quality Standards by the Anderson Housing Authority, defendants cancelled their Section 8 contract and began evicting HUD-subsidized tenants from the property. Bingham Square Apartments has since been plagued by fires, flooding, utility outages, break-ins, and criminal trespassers.

The lawsuit likewise alleges that Madison Square Apartments experienced a similar fate.

After receiving $3.4 million dollars for the purchase and rehabilitation of this property, defendants allegedly abandoned tenants by the fall of 2022 — leaving behind an unsecured leasing office full of sensitive tenant information, including dozens of uncashed checks from years prior.

Trespassers are alleged to have taken hold of the property, cutting out electric meters in several buildings, stripping copper wire, and causing unsafe conditions wherein standing water was in contact with live electrical wires.

By May 2024 the defendants allegedly owed as much as $925,380 in unpaid utilities to the City of Anderson — a cost that will be borne by other ratepayers. Both properties were alleged to have been in the control of Gary Plichta and Property Resource Associates LLC, a company based out of Florida.

The lawsuit demands a jury trial, costs of prosecution, and other damages against the defendants for multiple violations of the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act, Home Loan Practices Act, and the Uniform Business Organizations Act.

“Our office intends to hold these defendants to account for the devastation they have caused to the City of Anderson and its constituents,” Attorney General Rokita said

The mission of the Homeowner Protection Unit is to protect the rights of all individuals involved in the housing market, including tenants, homeowners, and aspiring homeowners, by investigating and redressing deceptive acts in connection with mortgage lending and violations of relevant state and federal laws.

IOWA Molly Davis Named UE Women’s Basketball Graduate Assistant

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Davis spent the last two seasons as a player at Iowa

JUNE 13, 2024

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – After back-to-back appearances in the NCAA National Championship game as a student-athlete at the University of Iowa, Molly Davis has joined Robyn Scherr-Wells’ University of Evansville women’s basketball staff as a graduate assistant.

“I have had the pleasure of watching Molly play basketball since she was a freshman in high school. The thing that has always stood out to me about Molly is the joy that she plays with. Molly loves the game,” Scherr-Wells exclaimed.  “When her coaches at Iowa reached out to me about Molly’s interest in our graduate assistant position, I knew right away she would be a great fit. She has a high basketball IQ and is a hard worker.”

“Molly is a winner and has been a part of many successful teams. She will be a tremendous asset to our players in helping them understand all of the things that go into building a championship program. She has a bright future in coaching and I am excited for the opportunity to mentor her in her first coaching role!”

Davis brings a winning pedigree to the Purple Aces from her time at Iowa and Central Michigan.  Both of her seasons with the Hawkeyes saw the program advance to the National Championship game.  The guard started 27 games over the course of her final season at Iowa and posted solid numbers, averaging 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 53.9% from the field, 40.7% from outside and 85.7% from the line.

She scored in double figures on eight occasions with her top effort being an 18-point performance in a home win over 14th-ranked Indiana.  She added 17 in wins over Illinois and at Maryland.  In non-conference action, Davis recorded 13 points against #16 Kansas State in the Gulf Coast Showcase on her way to being named to the All-Tournament Team.  In her first season with the Hawkeyes, Davis played in all 38 games while making two starts.  Highlighting her inaugural year at Iowa was a 17-point game in a home win over Rutgers.

Prior to her time in the Big Ten, Davis spent her first three seasons at Central Michigan where she put up some of the top numbers in program history.  In her time with the Chippewas, Davis posted 17.7 points per game, setting the program scoring average record.  She made her mark across the CMU record book, ranking in the top 11 in four other statistics.  Davis was sixth in career free throw percentage (.794), seventh in assists (346), eighth in career 3-point makes (187) and 11th in career points (1,434).

As a junior in the 2021-22 campaign, Davis recorded 18.6 PPPG on her way to All-Mid-American Conference Second Team accolades.  She matched her career scoring mark with 32 points at Northeastern and versus Northern Illinois.  Davis completed the season fifth in the MAC in scoring, free throw percentage and minutes per game.

Davis enjoyed her best season with the Chippewas in 2020-21, finishing 23rd in the nation with a scoring average of 20.8 PPG.  The First Team All-MAC honoree led the MAC and was 13th nationally with 76 3-point makes.  Davis earned a spot on the MAC All-Tournament Team in a season that included her posting a career-best 32 points at Akron.  In her first season at CMU, Davis registered 14.3 PPG on her way to earning All-MAC Freshman accolades.

In the classroom, Davis put forth an equally impressive effort.  Majoring in Health Studies at Iowa, she recorded a 3.95 GPA and was named to the Dean’s List in each of her semesters at the university.  At Central Michigan, she majored in Exercise Science and finished with a 3.92 GPA along with Dean’s List recognition in each semester.

31 Republicans Challenge Biden’s Overtime Rule that Will Crush Small Businesses

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WASHINGTON—Today, Senator Mike Braun, Senator Bill Cassidy, Senator Tommy Tuberville, and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell are leading 31 total Republican Senators in challenging President Biden’s new Overtime Rule published by the Department of Labor.

This Overtime Rule increases the minimum salary threshold for overtime pay from the current $35,568 to 58,656 in January 2025, and then increase every three years.

Small businesses have been crushed by President Biden’s economy. Inflation has increased 20% since Biden took office as a direct result of his federal tax-and-spending binge, forcing small businesses to make hard choices like raising prices just to stay above water. President Biden’s approval rating is under 30% among small business owners, and has dropped consistently since he took office.

Biden’s Department of Labor now wants to apply the same heavy-handed government approach to wages, which have been outpaced by inflation for the past 26 months, with their new Overtime Rule.

This rule replaces a Trump rule from 2019 that set the salary threshold at $35,568. It is notable that Biden’s new proposed salary threshold ($55,068) is significantly higher than the one proposed by the Obama administration ($47,476) which was declared to be an invalid extension of executive authority in federal court. This follows President Biden’s precedent of ignoring judicial rulings, as he did when transferring of billions in student loan debt from borrowers to taxpayers.

The Senators are challenging the rule under the Congressional Review Act, and will introduce their disapproval resolution today.

The Senators challenging Biden’s Overtime Rule are Senators Mike Braun, Bill Cassidy, Tommy Tuberville, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Whip John Thune, Senator John Barrasso, Senator Steve Daines, Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Senator John Boozman, Senator Katie Britt, Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Senator John Cornyn, Senator Tom Cotton, Senator Kevin Cramer, Senator Mike Crapo, Senator Chuck Grassley, Senator Bill Hagerty, Senator John Hoeven, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, Senator John Kennedy, Senator James Lankford, Senator Cynthia Lummis, Senator Roger Marshall, Senator Jerry Moran, Senator Markwayne Mullin, Senator Pete Ricketts, Senator Jim Risch, Senator Tim Scott, Senator Roger Wicker, and Senator Todd Young.

“When the free market sets the price of labor, opportunity and prosperity are the result. When the federal government sets the price of labor by one-size-fits-all mandates, small businesses are forced to fire employees and close shop to make ends meet. We’re leading a challenge to this new Biden rule because this White House’s out-of-touch economic policies have been an unparalleled disaster for American wages.”—Sen. Mike Braun

“Americans are already struggling to make ends meet under Bidenomics. With inflation at 40-year highs and millions dropping out of the workforce, Biden’s overtime rule pours gasoline on the fire. Businesses shouldn’t be forced to choose between laying off their workers and raising prices on families.”—Dr. Bill Cassidy

 

“Joe Biden’s economy is bad enough for working families and small businesses without additional meddling from D.C. bureaucrats and the Biden administration. When Joe Biden takes away these options from small businesses, the employees looking to get better jobs and better pay will suffer the most.”—Sen. Tom Cotton

 

“Arbitrarily raising the overtime threshold by $20,000 is reckless and yet another example of Joe Biden’s regulatory war on the Mainstreet businesses that drive our economy. I’m proud to stand with and fight for our small businesses and schools that would be crushed if Biden had his way with this rule.”—Sen. Roger Marshall

“Here we go again with another one-size-fits-all approach that simply doesn’t make sense for small businesses, especially those in rural states like Mississippi where the cost of living is far lower.  We’ve seen blue cities and states issue unrealistic wage mandates with predictably bad outcomes for small business growth and jobs.  Now the Biden administration wants to go nationwide with these schemes.  This is another rule that needs to be stopped.” – Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith

“For more than three years, the Biden administration has punished small business owners across Wyoming with its record-breaking inflation rates and anti-growth policies. My Republican colleagues and I are proud to act as the last line of defense for small businesses across the country by blocking this administration’s misguided effort to force unrealistic salary thresholds on an industry it is already crushing.”—Sen. Cynthia Lummis

“After years of rising prices, small businesses need real relief, not more bureaucratic regulation and mandates. I strongly oppose this rule from the Biden Administration and will continue to support our Hoosier small businesses.”—Sen. Todd Young

“We continue to see the effects of the Biden Administration’s failed economic policies.  Burdensome, heavy-handed federal mandates harm small businesses; instead, we should be encouraging growth through free market policies.”—Sen. Mike Crapo

“The National Restaurant Association has serious concerns with the impact the overtime rule will have on restaurant operators, especially the significant cost increases that come with it so soon after an increase just four years ago. Input costs for operators have increased significantly since then, with a 30 percent increase in labor costs alone in the last four years. On top of that, the Department of Labor did not heed our concerns, especially as it relates to regional discrepancies and the burden of automatic increases every three years. We appreciate Sen. Braun showing his support of the industry by introducing this legislation to draw attention to problems with the DOL’s approach on this issue.” – Sean Kennedy, Executive Vice President, National Restaurant Association

 

 

Read the resolution HERE.

 This challenge is endorsed by:

    Heritage Action

  • International Franchise Association
  • National Restaurant Association

Indiana’s Best vie for 2024-2025 FFA leadership positions

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Indiana’s Best vie for 2024-2025 FFA leadership positions

INDIANAPOLIS (June 14, 2024) —Twelve Indiana FFA members from across the state are preparing for the opportunity to serve as an Indiana FFA state officer for the upcoming year. After a week of engagement during the 95th Indiana FFA State Convention June 17-20 in West Lafayette, seven individuals will be selected to fulfill the roles of president, secretary, northern region vice president, southern region vice president, treasurer, reporter and sentinel.

The candidates will participate in a rigorous interview and selection process, with the chosen candidates being announced on the final day of the convention, Thursday, June 20.

“Indiana FFA students represent our state so well, it is a pleasure to see so many students that strive for excellence,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “I look forward to working with the seven individuals selected to lead Indiana FFA this next year.”

Once selected, the newly-elected officers will embark on a year of service, providing direction and overseeing the development of the student-led organization, which has more than 14,000 members statewide.

Along with promoting FFA, agriculture and agricultural education, a majority of their responsibilities include conducting FFA chapter visits, facilitating leadership conferences, and hosting career and leadership development events, to name a few.

“There are so many well-qualified individuals vying to represent Indiana FFA on the state level,” said Don Lamb, Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director. “It will be a difficult task trying to choose just seven students to lead this state. I wish them all the best of luck on representing Indiana FFA.”

The 12 Indiana FFA State Officer candidates are:

  • Stephanie Berenda, South Newton FFA
  • Rylan Cooper, Warsaw FFA
  • Noah Butler, Prairie Heights FFA
  • Ethan Wolheter, Prairie Heights FFA
  • Kira King, Lebanon FFA
  • Makayla Hitt, Sullivan FFA
  • Cale Williams, Terre Haute South FFA
  • Sienna Alexander, Monrovia
  • Garrett Bolin, Indian Creek FFA
  • Camille Thopy, Southwestern Shelby FFA
  • Christina Caldwell, Connersville FFA
  • Kyatalin Baker, Switzerland County FFA

The 2024-2025 Indiana FFA state officer team will be announced on June 20 on inffa.org and on Indiana FFA’s social media channels.

FFA Officer Candidates

Vincennes University Board of Trustees pays tribute to Director of Athletics and Coach Harry Meeks

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VINCENNES, Ind. June 13, 2024 – Director of Athletics and Hall-of-Fame Women’s Basketball Coach Harry Meeks was honored on Wednesday, June 12, by the Vincennes University Board of Trustees.

During a meeting of the trustees, VU President Dr. Chuck Johnson presented a resolution of appreciation to Meeks, honoring his 33 years of service to the University.

Meeks, who announced his retirement in April, was praised by Board Chairman Mike Sievers and Johnson for his extraordinary leadership. Johnson congratulated Meeks on his outstanding career and tremendous contributions to Athletics and the University.

Johnson said, “He has always had a great amount of respect from within the institution and outside the institution. He has done nothing but enhance the University’s reputation, and it has been my pleasure to work directly with Harry over the last several years. The one thing I can say about Harry is he is a man of great integrity who has high values for both competitive teams and the academic success of players.”

In other business, the Board approved the promotions of three Generations Area 13 Agency on Aging and Disability staffers in the Workforce Development and Community Services Division. Catherine Jones (Director of Planning & Community Development), Crystal Winkler (Case Manager/Project Manager), and Valerie Wood (Case Manager) were all promoted to Professional Staff Level III.

Assistant Provost for Student Affairs Whitney Daugherty delivered a descriptive report, including an update on the VU Care Team, which focuses on the well-being of VU students. Daugherty shared that the Care Team has served a greater number of students than ever before. The team plays a crucial role in assisting students who need additional help managing their academic and social experiences like homesickness, personal difficulties, mental health concerns, and more.

Daugherty also highlighted the significant rise in student engagement at Student Affairs-sponsored events and activities. This marked increase reflects the success of recent Student Affairs initiatives aimed at fostering a vibrant campus community and enhancing student involvement. She shared photos of the $400,000 upgrade of the VU Bowling Centermachines. Daugherty noted that the Center has experienced a notable increase in usage, reflecting its popularity with students, faculty, staff, and the public.

Additionally, the Board heard a highly informative report from Vice President of Government Relations and Legal Affairs Tony Hahn regarding the 2024 Legislative Session

During his President’s Remarks, Johnson echoed the remarks of Chairman Sievers regarding the University’s compensation study, applauding the great work of the Financial Services Team, Human Resources Team, Executive Team, Board of Trustees, and VU partners.

Johnson shared that VU alumna and longtime assistant Ingrida Hartsfield has been named Interim Women’s Basketball Coach with Meeks retiring. In additional personnel news, he shared that Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Stephanie Stemle will serve as Interim Dean of VU Jasper as Christian Blome is leaving VUJ for a position as Assistant Vice President of Talent and Training Solutions at Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI).

Johnson pointed out that it is camp season at VU. He said the University expects to host around 2,600 school-age children on the Vincennes and Jasper campuses this summer. The youth are getting introduced to the opportunities available at VU by giving them a taste of college life.

He also provided an update on his recent trip to California, where he met Lothian Skelton, the widow of world-famous comedian and Vincennes native Red Skelton, in addition to a group of nearly 20 Chu Scholars who graduated from VU in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at the VU Jasper Campus.

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