2010 Honorary Degree
William M. Plater
Doctor of Humane Letters
Dr. William M. Plater has distinguished himself as both a scholar and a visionary leader in higher education administration.
He initially served the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) for 16 years and joined Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) as professor, dean of the School of Liberal Arts and a graduate faculty member in 1983.
Throughout his 23-year tenure at IUPUI, Dr. Plater provided leadership through many administrative roles, from assistant dean and assistant director to acting chancellor, dean of faculties, and executive vice chancellor.
He played a pivotal role in advancing the growth and quality of academic programs at IUPUI, laid the foundation for graduate programs in various Purdue science and engineering fields, created the Office of International Affairs and helped to establish the IU Center for Urban Policy and the Environment.
As an advocate for and early adopter of advanced technologies for teaching, he also led the implementation of a five-year, $28 million student information system. Called “ANGEL,” the system was later commercialized, bringing more than $24 million to the university, and to-this-date is one of IUPUI’s largest examples of research commercialization.
Since stepping down as executive vice chancellor in 2006, Dr. Plater has continued to serve academia as a commissioner for accreditation in the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, as an organizer and moderator for several philanthropic conferences, as a consultant for the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and as director of the International Community Development. He also continues to teach IUPUI students as chancellor’s professor of public affairs.
In recognition of his excellence in the advancing the mission of IUPUI and his visionary leadership in higher education administration, William Plater is presented for the awarding of academic honors.
