Overview
History
Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) was created in 1970, one year after the creation of IUPUI. Dr. Emerson Gilbert served as director from 1970 until 1977, when Dr. Paul R. Bippen became the campus's campus' second director. Dr. Bippen became dean in 1994, and the name of the campus was changed from IUPUI Columbus to IUPU Columbus. In January 2004, Nasser H. Paydar, Ph.D., became vice chancellor and dean of IUPUC. In July 2007, Dr. Paydar was appointed chancellor of IU East and Jay Howard, Ph.D., took over as vice chancellor and dean after 15 years of service with IUPUC. The Purdue Statewide Technology program was established at IUPUC in 1984 and has been housed at the campus since that time. The program was renamed Purdue University College of Technology in 2005. In 2000, The Lilly Endowment awarded a $5 million grant for the development of the Columbus Learning Center. In February of 2003, the State Budget Committee released funds already approved by the Indiana legislature to build the Learning Center. This facility has housed IUPUC faculty, staff, and programs, no comma since the fall of 2005. During the 2000-2001 academic year, the IU and Purdue Boards of Trustees approved the associate degree in chemistry, bachelor bachelor's degrees in business, education, nursing, and psychology, and the M.B.A. to be offered at IUPUC. In 2004, agreements were reached with IUPUI to offer joint bachelor bachelor's degree programs in engineering, informatics, labor studies, public and environmental affairs, and tourism, conventions, and event management. In April of 2007, IUPUC received its first major appropriation from the State of Indiana to support the growth of programs and faculty.