Last week President George W. Bush came under fire for supporting the spending of over $40 million dollars in private funds on his second inauguration. Bush defended his decision, and his donors, and the show went on without fail.
Not everyone is as extravagant, however.
This week, another President, Ball State's Jo Ann Gora, announced her plans to bypass any sort of inauguration for her whatsoever, opting instead to give the money to future students.
The effort, a sign of her commitment to "putting students first," was applauded by newly installed Gov. Mitch Daniels at the Indiana Statehouse on Wednesday.
We join him in his praise.
Using the $150,000 the school saved in direct and indirect costs by not having inaugural events, Gora created the Inauguration Scholarship Fund. The program has an "initial goal" of awarding $20,000 scholarships to 15 freshmen this fall. The money will be used in conjunction with benefactor donations to help cover the total cost of the scholarships. Additionally, Inaugural Scholarship recipients will receive the Presidential Scholarship, which is half of tuition.
The Inaugural Scholarship money will go only to students from Indiana, and the recipients will come from the pool of Whitinger Scholars program candidates. The decision to keep the scholarship money in-state is vital in fighting the "brain drain" that has plagued this state for years.
Gora acknowledged that a large chunk of this funding, that from the Inauguration plans, is one-time only. However, she is working with the university and private donors to ensure funding for future classes.
Some might be quick to argue that the money will not affect current students or only awards more money to students already receiving scholarship. Still, it is a gesture of good will and is a big step for Gora in proving her good intentions toward Ball State's student body.
We salute her efforts and look forward to seeing the future benefits that lie ahead for those who call Ball State home.
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