Almost three and a half years and more than $20 million later,President Blaine Brownell is saying farewell to his chunk ofhistory at Ball State.
"He's a nice man, and I like him very much," Jeff Linder,associate vice president for governmental relations said."Everybody likes Blaine."
During his time at Ball State, Brownell, who is resigning at theend of January, built a reputation for being active andwell-informed in various campus departments, organizations andactivities, Linder said.
In January 2003, Brownell lobbied the Indiana Ways and MeansCommittee for a 7-percent increase in state funding when budgetcuts were hurting campuses across the state. The more the statefunded, the less students potentially had to pay.
Linder, who works with the Indiana General Assembly on behalf ofBall State, said Brownell worked well with the Board of Trustees,the state congress and others to retain the university's financialsecurity.
"We've had great success," Linder said. "We've all worked welltogether over the years and even in tough times we've been able toget additional funding."
These efforts were proved several times during Brownell'stenure. Ball State received the largest gift in university historyfrom the Lilly Endowment in August 2001. The $20 million grantprovided funding to build the iCommunication initiative.
And in February 2003, Brownell was on the team that helped get agrant worth $1.5 million from the Indiana 21st Century Research andTechnology Fund to build a nanoscience research center, whichopened September 2003.
Bubba Cunningham, director of intercollegiate atheletics, saidBrownell always favored stadium renovations the university hopes tobegin within the next several years.
These renovations include remodeling the press box andrestrooms.
Cunningham said Brownell was supportive of sports during histime as president.
"He truly understood what it takes to be a Division I athlete;the time, the resources (one puts into it); yet he appreciated theacademic work that must go along with it," Cunningham said.
Heather Shupp, executive director of university communications,said part of Brownell's success in garnering financial support forthe university came from his willingness to travel, which is morethan any president in Ball State history.
"Travel is an essential component of being a president thesedays," Shupp said. "There's no question that a significant amountof travel is essential. A president is expected to raise funds andform relationships.
"Ball State is in really good shape and advanced a lot duringthe three-and-a-half years Brownell's been president."
According to an article published in the Daily News Nov.19, 2002, Brownell and other members of the administration traveledeach year during his tenure to civil clubs and editorial boards toraise awareness of Ball State and foster productive relationships.And in November 2001, Brownell introduced a study-abroad internshipprogram that gives students the chance to live in Shenzhen,China.
Brownell also gave Ball State opportunities within Indiana. InOctober 2001, Ball State became the first public university in thestate to sponsor charter schools, which are schools that run undera contract of educational guidelines that are supervised by BallState.
Brownell helped the charter school process throughout its wholejourney, Roy Weaver, dean of Teachers College said.
"He was supportive of our efforts," Weaver said. "He provided apublic relations aspect to the iniative. He spoke about charterschools in public, he was a good listener, thoughtful and helpful.He was very much a team player."
Weaver said Brownell was one of the few Ball State presidents toattend the annual meeting of the American Association of Collegesof Teacher Education. This move showed that Brownell cared aboutthe success of Teachers College, Weaver said.
In the 2000-2001 school year, the Indiana State Policeinvestigated the University Police Department for allegations ofmisconduct. Brownell appointed a separate advisory board to conducta review of the UPD as well.
Gene Burton, director of public safety, said working withBrownell was never a problem.
"I found him very easy to deal with," Burton said. "I alwaysfound him to be very committed to the university and the Departmentof Public Safety itself."
Brownell even struck a chord with student leaders.
Jeff Duerstock, vice president of public relations and marketingfor the Inter-Fraternity Council, said he was shocked when helearned that Brownell had resigned.
"He was always there for students," Duerstock said, noting timeswhen Brownell would come to meetings and speak of his support forgreek organizations, even when three greek houses were expelledfrom campus during the 2002-2003 school year.
"I'm sure he had administration stuff to do but he was alwayshere for the students," Duerstock said.
Laurel Peffer, vice president of public relations for thePan-Hellenic Council, said Brownell always made himself availableto the council. Brownell wrote letters to incoming students aboutgreek life and "was extremely helpful," Peffer said.
"He made himself accessible to us," she said.
Even though some faculty will miss Brownell, most expressedhappiness for his new position.
Weaver said most people don't get the chance to do what theytruly want.
"[I]t appears to me he found a real opportunity to do somethinghe wants to do," Weaver said. "I wish him success."
Burton said Brownell's new employer, U21pedagogica, should feellucky.
"Our loss is their gain," Burton said. "I'm excited for him andthat he wants to try something new."
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