The Indiana State University board on Friday gave President Deborah Curtis, shown here in a March 2020 file photo, a three-year contract extension through June 30, 2025. Curtis and the board agreed her annual salary will remain at the current rate of $345,100. Staff file photo by Joseph C. Garza
Indiana State University President Deborah Curtis received a three-year contract extension through June 30, 2025, Friday following action by the board of trustees.
Curtis and the board agreed her annual salary will remain at the current rate of $345,100; the intent was to be consistent with faculty and staff, who did not receive across-the-board pay increases this year.
“President Curtis has demonstrated effective leadership during her tenure as president, especially in managing on-campus operations for the 2020-21 academic year under difficult and uncertain conditions,” said Jeff Taylor, chair of the trustees, in a statement.
“Despite these challenges, Dr. Curtis has led the campus in development of the new strategic plan ... which sets the way forward for ISU over the next four years.
“We are looking forward to seeing the university continue its excellent work in carrying out its mission and advance to new levels under her leadership,” Taylor said.
The board of trustees may approve salary increases at a future time, and Curtis is eligible for any future across-the-board increases implemented for faculty and staff.
Curtis thanked trustees for their support. “We have a lot of work ahead of us ... The landscape out there is changing.” The future of higher education will not be what it was in fall of 2019, she said.
She added, “I truly believe Indiana State is poised and ready to take on this new frontier in higher ed and this [strategic] plan will help us do that. ... I look forward to continuing this work.”
Curtis, ISU’s 12th president, began her tenure in January 2018, and her initial contract was for 3 1/2 years through June 30, 2021.
Historically, Indiana State has conducted a presidential review in the president’s third year but the review of Curtis was delayed last year due to the pandemic. At that time, the board extended Curtis’ contract through June 30, 2022, to allow time for a comprehensive performance review conducted by an outside consultant.
Her contract coincides with the strategic plan endorsed by trustees Friday; it extends through 2025.
The plan includes goals to address the issues of advancing equity and inclusive excellence; expanding access to higher education and increasing degree attainment; preparing graduates for meaningful careers; ensuring ISU’s sustainability through enrollment, fiscal management and increased fundraising; and enhancing the university’s reputation and pride.
In an interview, Curtis said, “It’s an exciting time. We’re going to come out of this pandemic and we’re going to tackle the challenges that everybody in higher education is facing, but we’re going to do it in our own Indiana State way” through the strategic plan, she said.
Colleges in the Midwest have anticipated a marked decline in the number of college-going high school students within the next few years, but the pandemic has accelerated that drop.
For budgeting purposes, ISU is projecting another enrollment decline in the fall, with enrollment projected at 10,325; last fall the actual enrollment was 10,830. Numbers could improve if people regain confidence and more decide to return to college, Curtis said.
The strategic plan focuses on sustaining ISU through enrollment growth, which will mean reaching out to adult learners who may need or want further education, yet can’t come to campus, Curtis said.
Another focus will be reducing the achievement gap that exists in college completion rates for at-risk and students of color on campus. ISU has received significant grant funding from the Lilly Endowment to address student success.
While ISU faces challenges, “We can be gloomy about it or we can choose to be excited about it. What we offer, our programs, is what the state of Indiana needs in its workforce,” she said.
Curtis also was looking forward to four in-person commencement ceremonies this weekend, which could not take place last year because of the pandemic.
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