INDIANAPOLIS \u2014 After a historic launch and impressive first year in the capital city, Purdue has named a new chief operating officer for the university\u2019s continued growth in Indianapolis as the urban part of its main campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s enhanced presence in the state\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“As one of the four university-wide strategic initiatives, Indianapolis is Purdue\u2019s first urban expansion of the main campus,\u201d said Purdue President Mung Chiang. \u201cDan Hasler has done an incredible job as the inaugural COO of Indianapolis, collaborating across Purdue and leading this complex, transformational \u2018startup\u2019 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs 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\u2019s SVP for Administrative Operations,\u201d continued Chiang. \u201cHe will work closely with David Umulis, the chief academic officer for Indianapolis in the provost\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having been a key player in launching Purdue\u2019s urban expansion, Cline brings deep knowledge of the university\u2019s vision for Indianapolis. Over the past several years, he and the Administrative Operations team have provided essential operational support to establish and grow Purdue\u2019s 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<\/a> to the Purdue Board of Trustees that outlines the university\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHaving witnessed firsthand the impressive growth in Indianapolis over the past few years, I\u2019m excited to help shape Purdue\u2019s next chapter in the capital city,\u201d Cline said. \u201cAs a Purdue alumnus and longtime Indianapolis resident, I\u2019m 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\u2019re well-positioned to make a lasting difference in Indianapolis and the broader central Indiana region.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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 \u2014 a 46% and 60% increase, respectively \u2014 over the 2024-25 academic year. These additions are intentionally aligned with high-demand fields that tap into Indianapolis\u2019 and Indiana\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cline, who earned a bachelor\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019s communications team as executive vice president and the Purdue Research Foundation as its president. During Purdue President Emeritus Mitch Daniels\u2019 time as Indiana\u2019s governor, Hasler served as both the state\u2019s secretary of commerce and CEO of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Hasler\u2019s retirement marks more than four decades of service as an innovative and respected business leader in both the public and private sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019s only top 10 public university, most trusted university and most innovative university, Purdue is focused and committed to strengthening its presence in Indiana\u2019s 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\u2019s STEM pipeline and tech ecosystem, fueling impact for our region and the world. Learn more at https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\nAbout Purdue University in Indianapolis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n