State Rep. Phil GiaQuinta offers support for IPFW designation change

INDIANAPOLIS – State Rep. Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) today issued the following statement in response to Purdue University President Mitch Daniels’ request that the designation of Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) be changed to “Metropolitan University” from “Regional Campus:”

“This decision marks the continued evolution of IPFW as the premiere four-year institution of higher learning in Northeast Indiana. I applaud President Daniels for making the request, and I will offer whatever support is needed to see it approved as quickly as possible by the Commission for Higher Education.

“Not only has IPFW seen steady enrollment growth in recent years, it also has served as a leading university in coursework that focuses on the growing fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). At the Indiana General Assembly, we have strived to increase state support for these disciplines, because they offer the greatest chances to attract the new wave of leaders in a changing global economy. The changes requested by President Daniels will only help to speed up this development.

“It has been my good fortune to spend a fair amount of time at IPFW through the years, and I can tell you that it already has defined itself as a destination point for faculty and students. These achievements come because of a commitment to a vision that recognizes the university’s unique place in Northeast Indiana.

“The actions requested today can only serve to continue IPFW’s march to the forefront of our state’s finest institutions of higher learning.”