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reflector.uindy.edu
APRIL 5, 2023
UIndy appoints new president
Presidential Search Committee, Board of Trustees name Tanuja Singh president-elect for UIndy By Kassandra Darnell
her the right leader at the right time for UIndy, and we are so excited to welcome EDITOR-IN-CHIEF her to Indianapolis.” Singh is a self-proclaimed believer It was announced on March 21 that in higher education and said it is the the Board of Trustees unanimously one thing that changes people’s lives. chose Tanuja Singh as the University She thinks there is quite possibly no of Indianapolis’ 10th president other profession that impacts lives as after a global search, according to a much as higher education does. This led press release f rom Associate Vice her to leadership positions, keeping in President for Communications Garrison mind how she could help students with Carr. Singh, who will assume the role their accomplishments. on July 1, made public appearances “It [leadership] has involved working on campus the day her presidency very closely with faculty, with industry, was announced. This included a with government organizations, to live-streamed event that featured an create those kinds of opportunities for armchair conversation with Chair of our students so that when they graduate, the Board of Trustees David Resnick or even when they are going to school, and meet-and-greet receptions in the they are doing experiential learning…, Schwitzer Student Center. they're doing international [things], Singh is currently the Provost and they're doing high impact practices,” Senior Vice President of Academic Singh said. “And when I was a provost, Affairs at Loyola I was doing similar University New things, but a little Orleans, according more of creating ...This opportunity came to the press release. more alliances with She has also held industry, starting along and I said, ’Well, positions at St. new programs, Mary’s University this is a perfect fit.' c r e a t i n g in San Antonio, opportunities for Te x a s , and us to engage much Northern Illinois University more intentionally with, say, hospital in DeK alb, I l linois. W hile systems, etc. And then, of course, this working at Loyola University New opportunity came along and I said, Orleans, Singh implemented strategic ‘Well, this is a perfect fit.’” plans within academic affairs, worked to There are many characteristics that improve curriculum for the relevance of Singh said she brings to the table, today’s students and strengthened the including what she calls boundary Office of the Provost to better benefit spanning, where she can convey the the campus community, according to serious concepts of academia to people the press release. She has worked in in industry and the government and higher education and academics for establish links between academia and almost 30 years. the real world. To Singh, she said “A hallmark of Dr. Singh’s career is academia is the real world, so it is aligning talent and priority,” Resnick important to establish these connections. said in the press release. “She has been Additionally, Singh considers herself forward-looking in ensuring that her a “future of work” expert. She said she institutions are meeting the expectations looks not only at the world today but of today’s learners and employers. As where it will be years from now and higher education is rapidly changing, what talents and skill sets students will and with it the demands of our students need to thrive in the future, allowing her and community partners, this makes > See President on Page 3
Photo contributed by the University of Indianapolis
Tanuja Singh stands in front of Esch Hall on the University of Indianapolis campus. It was announced on March 21 that Singh will serve as the university's tenth president. Singh will assume her official role as UIndy's president on July 1, according to a UIndy press release.
Student government returning to campus By Anika Yoder FEATURE EDITOR
The University of Indianapolis Office of Student Affairs is introducing the Student Government Association for the 2023-2024 academic year to create a more traditional form of student representation by instituting student government by way of the Student Government Association for the 2023-24 academic year, according to an email sent by Senior Associate Dean of Student Life and Leadership Steven Freck on March 1. The email said SGA will aim to represent the voice of UIndy students and work with administration to enact meaningful change on behalf of the student campus community. According to Freck, SGA used to exist as Indianapolis Student Government, but over time was restructured to combine different student leadership organizations into the Student Leadership and Activities Board. Students, faculty and staff—as well as executive leadership—voiced a desire to see a more formalized student government, according to Freck, and the idea is that the SGA
government is important to participating will provide a service for students to students because it provides clarity for voice their needs. them moving forward within their careers “So that's kind of the hope is that when seeking employment or further this formalized body will serve to really education. look at what students would like to see in their unique experience, what they're really enjoying and things that could be improved upon,” Freck said. According to Vice President for Student Experience, Success and Belonging Amber Smith, the relaunch of SGA does not mean the dissolution of SLAB, but that the two separate groups will continue to work on campus. SGA will function as a student government and SLAB will operate as a university programming council. Smith said typically in a university structure there is a group of students that work together to bring ideas f o r programming and engagement, and then another group which is student government that exists as Providing a body to voice c lear and wel lconcerns to help re c o g n i z e d t i t l e s a n d impact change to work Graphic by Hannah Hadley definitions of an organization with administration. helps employers better Smith said the student
INSIDE: OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 NEWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5 FEATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ENTERTAINMENT . . . . . . . . . 7 RETROSPECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . 8
understand the roles a student took on during their academic careers, according to Smith. “ Whenever a student writes a resume and they take it to graduate school, or they take it to their job, I need it to be clear what you did,” Smith said. “And if I put [that] you're in student government, and you served as vice president, everybody knows what that is… We have to be definitive because it impacts the way the students journey in the future is.” Junior international relations and political science major Bryce Logan is running for SGA President alongside his running mate and vice presidential candidate junior political science major Harley Avery, according to Freck. Logan said he decided to run with Avery based on both of their shared political science disciplines and his international relations training, as SGA would allow them to implement what the y have learned in coursework through the leadership positions. “ We w a n t e d t o ensure that the students have a voice. We've noticed, especially coming off of COVID[-19], a lot of people are a little bit
lackadaisical with getting back into the swing of things socially and as well academically,” Logan said. “So being able to speak up about what certain changes are being made to UIndy [is what we want to do].” Students will vote for a presidentvice president ticket, according to the SGA Overview document from Student Affairs. The ticket with the most votes will win. According to Freck, there are four pairs of students running: • Stephano Ibarra Shishido and Erick Cavazos • Bryce Logan and Harley Avery • Abigail Wittenmyer and Kelli Thomas • Marliss Winfrey and Cesar Rivera The Office of Student Affairs will hold the inaugural SGA election from April 17-20, according to Freck. The winning presidential team will be able to choose their cabinet, Freck said. “I think more than ever, [students should view it as an opportunity for their input on campus matters to be heard,” Freck said. “So the students elected into these positions really are here to work with students at every level to hear what they want to see on campus.”
INDIANA SENATE BILL 12
UINDY SWIMMING & DIVING
CELEBRATING RAMADAN
IN SB 12 allows parental complaints about books in school libraries and for certain reading materials to be banned. Read one writer’s opinion about the issue on Page 2.
The University of Indianapolis’ men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams competed in the NCAA DII Championships recently. Check out Sports Page 5 to learn more.
Members of the UIndy community celebrate the ninth month of the Islamic calendar with fasting and reflection. Take a deeper look into one of Islam’s faith traditions on Page 6.
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