“We want to assure students, parents and community members that Purdue North Central remains an integral part of the Purdue University system,” - Chancellor James B. Dworkin. Download photo here.

Date: February 6, 2006
Contact: Carol Connelly, Director, Media & Communication Services, ext. 5267, cconnelly@pnc.edu

PNC Granted Academic Autonomy By Purdue Trustees

WESTVILLE –Purdue University North Central was granted full academic autonomy by the Purdue University Board of Trustees on Friday. Full academic autonomy gives PNC greater flexibility to develop and change its own curriculum, to hire its own faculty, set its own academic schedules, establish admissions and graduation requirements and develop new degree programs.

Having full academic autonomy does not change the strong affiliation between Purdue North Central and Purdue University. Students will not notice a difference in the classroom. Likewise, PNC students are assured of having every academic benefit that a Purdue education brings and graduates will continue to earn a Purdue University degree.

“Autonomy will allow us to better respond to the needs of our students and the needs of our local communities,” explained PNC Chancellor James B. Dworkin. “Our campus administration can better serve our students by instituting our own general education requirements, tailored to the educational goals of our students. We will be able to change our own curriculum, add new courses or modify and update courses so that we can ensure our coursework is contemporary and relevant. As an autonomous campus, we are also free to establish our own admissions criteria.”

PNC students will see no difference in their academics, classroom instruction, financial aid or advising processes, said Dworkin. Prior to the autonomy decision by the Purdue Board of Trustees, nine of the 12 PNC baccalaureate degrees and nine of 11 of the associate degrees were already academically autonomous. The decision by the trustees means that the entire campus has academic autonomy, which also includes any future programs developed at PNC.

“We want to assure students, parents and community members that Purdue North Central remains an integral part of the Purdue University system,” said Dworkin. “In no way has our Purdue affiliation changed. We continue to offer students a Purdue degree that is known world-wide for excellence.”
With academic autonomy the hiring of full-time and part-time faculty becomes easier, explained Dr. James Pula, vice chancellor for Academic Affairs.

“We no longer need to gain approval from the various academic departments in West Lafayette, which eliminates potential delays and allows us to be more responsive to needs in hiring faculty and to scheduling multiple sections of courses. Similarly, academic autonomy brings to the PNC faculty greater control over the tenure and promotion process for our faculty,” he noted.

“Overall, academic autonomy allows us more latitude in organizing our academic structure to make better use of our resources. This will increase our ability to support our faculty, serve our students and respond to the needs of the business, professional and community constituencies we serve in Northwest Indiana.
PNC has had financial autonomy for many years. Both Purdue University Calumet and Indiana University - Purdue University Fort Wayne have academic autonomy.

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