Gary Hieftje (left), Norm Overly and Susan Gubar led the faculty effort for the IU Endowment Campaign for the Bloomington Campus.

Bloomington faculty rise to occasion of 'historic moment' in campus funding

Caught between long-term trends of declining state support and an increasing need for alternative funding sources, the university is at a significant juncture, one that Susan Gubar defines as an "historic moment."

That's the reason, said the Distinguished Professor of English, that IUB faculty have responded so positively to the Bloomington campus endowment campaign.

Gubar, together with Gary Hietfje, chair of the IUB Department of Chemistry, and Norm Overly, professor emeritus of education at IUB, are chairmen of the campaign's fund-raising among faculty, an endeavor that has reaped tremendous dividends. To date, their efforts, and those of the 35 faculty volunteers who spearheaded the effort in the schools and departments, have produced gifts of more than $13 million and "more to come.

"The campaign's been extraordinarily successful," Gubar acknowledged. "I have to give much credit to Ed Kominowski at the foundation, and the school and department volunteers. I think faculty realize that research institutions are under tremendous pressures financially."

Overly, too, was impressed. "In the aggregate, the response was much better than I anticipated. The amount is of less importance to me than the number of persons who participate, because it's an indicator of overall concern for the university. From my own perspective, this is evidence of the faculty's commitment to the university as a whole."

Faculty members have historically participated in fairly large numbers in university financial contributions, noted Heitfje, but he was struck by the "overwhelming monetary contribution this time. Some have contributed their retirement money. It shows how much faith and hope they have in IU."

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