Michael B. Cline to take on the additional role as chief operating officer for Indianapolis starting 2026

INDIANAPOLIS — After a historic launch and impressive first year in the capital city, Purdue has named a new chief operating officer for the university’s continued growth in Indianapolis as the urban part of its main campus.

Michael B. Cline, senior vice president for administrative operations at Purdue, is adding chief operating officer for Indianapolis to his duties starting January 2026, taking charge of Purdue’s enhanced presence in the state’s capital. Cline will begin his transition into the new role to succeed Dan Hasler, who will retire in December following three years of leading the Indianapolis preparation and launch.

“As one of the four university-wide strategic initiatives, Indianapolis is Purdue’s first urban expansion of the main campus,” said Purdue President Mung Chiang. “Dan Hasler has done an incredible job as the inaugural COO of Indianapolis, collaborating across Purdue and leading this complex, transformational ‘startup’ from ideation and negotiation through preparation and the actual launch. As originally planned and as Dan retires from this assignment at the end of 2025, there will be a smooth transition of the Indianapolis operation from Dan to Mike Cline.

“As a 35-year resident of Indianapolis and a key leader of our state and university throughout the years, Mike will take on the additional responsibility while continuing as the university’s SVP for Administrative Operations,” continued Chiang. “He will work closely with David Umulis, the chief academic officer for Indianapolis in the provost’s office, along with many colleagues, neighbors and partners to unlock unique opportunities for Purdue students and faculty while advancing jobs, workforce and innovation in our capital city.”

Having been a key player in launching Purdue’s urban expansion, Cline brings deep knowledge of the university’s vision for Indianapolis. Over the past several years, he and the Administrative Operations team have provided essential operational support to establish and grow Purdue’s presence in the capital city, ensuring a welcoming and safe student experience. On Friday (June 6), Cline and his team unveiled a comprehensive conceptual campus master plan to the Purdue Board of Trustees that outlines the university’s 50-year presence in Indianapolis. The plan envisions 16 new buildings on 28 acres with 4.5 million gross square feet to support up to 5,320 total university residence beds and an enrollment of 15,000 students.

“Having witnessed firsthand the impressive growth in Indianapolis over the past few years, I’m excited to help shape Purdue’s next chapter in the capital city,” Cline said. “As a Purdue alumnus and longtime Indianapolis resident, I’m especially energized by the positive impact Purdue will have on the city I call home. With our expanding physical presence, strong foundation of industry collaborations and continued help from our civic and neighborhood partners, we’re well-positioned to make a lasting difference in Indianapolis and the broader central Indiana region.”

In the near-term, Purdue has already cultivated relationships with 55 companies in central Indiana to provide students with internship, co-op, research and career opportunities. Purdue has also established 10 physical locations across Indianapolis, including strategic partnerships and shared spaces with industry leaders such as Elanco, Dallara, SpectronRx and many more. Over the next two years, Purdue will also introduce at least six new undergraduate and graduate programs — a 46% and 60% increase, respectively — over the 2024-25 academic year. These additions are intentionally aligned with high-demand fields that tap into Indianapolis’ and Indiana’s existing strengths, including advanced manufacturing, sports science, construction technology and pharmaceutical engineering, helping shape the future workforce with trained and job-ready graduates, promoting talent retention and economic development for the city and state.

Cline, who earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Purdue, has decades of experience in both the public and private sectors. He returned to his alma mater in 2013 as vice president for physical facilities with responsibility for the design and construction of all university facilities, the operation and maintenance of existing buildings, and the Wade Utility Plant. Cline’s role then expanded to include capital programming, campus master planning, sustainability, real estate, procurement, public safety, environmental health and safety, supplier diversity, parking, transportation, and Purdue’s airport. In this role, Cline manages over 1,300 employees at the West Lafayette location alone, along with a $300 million capital program and a $200 million annual operating budget.

Hasler, who originally retired from the university in 2020, returned two years later to help launch Purdue University in Indianapolis when the split from IUPUI was first announced in 2022. His other roles at Purdue included leading the university’s communications team as executive vice president and the Purdue Research Foundation as its president. During Purdue President Emeritus Mitch Daniels’ time as Indiana’s governor, Hasler served as both the state’s secretary of commerce and CEO of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Hasler’s retirement marks more than four decades of service as an innovative and respected business leader in both the public and private sector.

About Purdue University in Indianapolis

Purdue University in Indianapolis is a fully integrated expansion of West Lafayette, extending to central Indiana the academic rigor and accessible excellence for which Purdue is known. As the state’s only top 10 public university, most trusted university and most innovative university, Purdue is focused and committed to strengthening its presence in Indiana’s industrial and technological center. Purdue University in Indianapolis is creating an innovative, STEM-based collegiate experience by connecting future-ready Purdue students and faculty in Indianapolis to local businesses to accelerate Indiana’s STEM pipeline and tech ecosystem, fueling impact for our region and the world. Learn more at https://www.purdue.edu/indianapolis.