Purdue News
Purdue News
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July 14, 2000 Chancellor Yackel to retire next JulyHAMMOND, Ind. – James Yackel, who in his 10 years as chancellor of Purdue University Calumet has presided over increases in enrollment, student scholarship dollars, partnership activity with business and industry, and off-campus access opportunities to higher education, has announced that he will retire next July 1. "I’ll be 65 next year, and it’s been my plan all along to step down at that time," the Hammond residentand Sanborn, Minn. native said. "My years as chancellor have been interesting and rewarding, and there have been disappointments, too. But on balance, there’s a lot to feel good about concerning Purdue Calumet, how it’s perceived and its impact in the Calumet Region." Said Purdue University President Steven Beering, "Jim Yackel’s skillful leadership has positioned Purdue Calumet to play an invaluable role in Northwest Indiana's response to 21st century challenges. Jim is a highly-principled man whose unassuming leadership style has been effective in advancing the quality of Purdue Calumet’s educational programs and its stature within the Calumet Region’s business and industrial community." Beering, who will relinquish the Purdue presidency on Aug. 14, indicated he would suggest to his successor, Martin C. Jischke, that a committee be formed as soon as possible to conduct a search for a successor to Yackel. Yackel (pronounced YAH-kul), who came to Purdue Calumet in 1987 as vice chancellor for academic affairs from Purdue's West Lafayette campus, has directed a 10 percent enrollment surge since 1990. Officially, 9,352 students were enrolled last fall–highest of any Northwest Indiana post-secondary institution. Asked what has pleased him most about his years as chancellor, he points to minority enrollment gains. Since 1990, the number of African-American and Hispanic students has increased from 1,457 or 17 percent of the total body to 2,361 or 25 percent of the total body. "One of our long term goals has been that of getting our enrollment to reflect the demographic makeup of the Calumet Region; we are nearly there," he said. "The growth we have experienced in minority enrollment suggests a supportive campus environment for our students." Through Yackel’s leadership Purdue Calumet also has provided a supportive environment for business and industry and area school systems through increased partnership activities. Partnership initiatives"Early on, I said that we needed to be a partnership university," he said. "The key is developing partnerships that benefit the university and the community. To a great extent, I think we have done that." Advancing that objective during his administration has been the establishment of: "Whenever I have worked with him, I have been impressed with how focused he is on the benefit of our international programs to students, the community, and business and industry," said Harry Lepinske, director of Purdue Calumet’s Center for International Research and Education and International Business Development Programs. New academic programsAcademically, during the Yackel years new undergraduate degree programs have emerged in business; child and family services; technical business writing; nutrition, fitness and health; computer graphics technology; accounting; computer programming; process control instrumentation; networking; organizational leadership and supervision; and fitness management. Three master’s degree programs–accountancy, marriage and family therapy, and an MBA, including a Saturday offering for executives–also have been introduced. Some 15 professional certificate programs have been established as well. Seeds for many of those new programs were planted by academic advisory councils–groups of area professionals who advise university academic departments/schools. During his administration, Yackel has encouraged greater involvement and input from advisory councils. "We probably have 150 people serving on various academic advisory councils," Yackel said. "They have been helpful in that they provide a reality check–they help us understand what needs our community has, as well as coming to understand our institutional needs." According to Purdue Calumet Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Sandra Singer, "Purdue University Calumet has prospered under Chancellor Yackel’s leadership and understandably so. His vision for the university has been one that is both academically ambitious and ‘right for the Region.’ "As is true of most successful leaders, he is an exceptionally good problem solver, because he is able to examine all sides of an issue critically and dispassionately. This skill has brought obvious benefits to the university, two of which are: enrollment growth and an emphasis on evaluation of the quality of our programs and services to identify where we need to make improvements." Academic assessment, scholarship $$$ & campus developmentDuring the Yackel administration, an assessment program for evaluating the quality of education delivered to students has been implemented. According to a recent survey of alumni four, seven and 10 years out of school, 97 percent indicated that they consider their Purdue Calumet education as good as or better than the education of alumni from other colleges/universities. "While I was a student, Chancellor Yackel helped me tremendously with my professional development," said Michael Guevara, Class of 1994 alumnus and president of the Purdue Alumni Association-Calumet. "Once I graduated, I left with a tremendous feeling of confidence, not only in myself, but with the entire university experience. I wish him well in his future endeavors." Yackel’s years as chancellor also have seen nearly four times as many students receive privately funded scholarship dollars that have increased eight-fold. Campus development during his administration has featured construction of the Charlotte Riley Child Center; the Classroom Office Building; a conference center, which also houses one of two Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana simulators; renovation of Gene Stratton Porter Hall and the Edward D. Anderson Building; development of Founders Plaza in the center of campus; and the establishment of off-campus leasing arrangements for the Community Services Center northeast of campus and for instructional facilities in south Lake County at the Georgia Street Learning Center and Hellenic Cultural Center, both in Merrillville. Additionally, under Yackel’s administration, Purdue Calumet became the first Indiana campus to implement a smoke-free policy within its buildings. The emergence of the Georgia Street Learning Center and Hellenic Cultural Center came in the wake of a failed attempt during the mid-1990s, spearheaded by Yackel and Purdue Calumet, to partner with Indiana University Northwest and other local post-secondary institutions to increase access to higher education in an area of residential and commercial growth. The plan called for developing a single, Merrillville-based facility, where courses could have been offered by any of the partnering institutions. Ill-fated South Lake County centerThe plan met with political opposition, resulting in Purdue Calumet and the area’s other participating institutions going their separate ways with off-campus instruction. Yackel considers that failure one of his biggest disappointments as chancellor. "Our six area colleges and universities working together to establish a South Lake County Center for Higher Education was a practical, prudent response to the state’s desire that we collaborate to make a college education more accessible for Region residents," he said. "Similarly, I believe Purdue Calumet and IU Northwest can and should cooperate more. We collaborate on a few programs, and dialogue between the two campuses is good; but, overall, I would say cooperation between the two institutions has waxed and waned. It’s disappointing we don’t do more together." Increased partnering with area post-secondary institutions, notably Ivy Tech State College, figures to become a reality with the continued development of a community college system in Indiana. "Full development of the community college system also will warrant development of more professional and graduate level programs at Purdue Calumet," Yackel said. Commitment to technologyLooking back over his administration, he says the dynamics of the local higher education climate have changed, and Purdue Calumet has attempted to be as responsive as possible. "I recall when I first came here, we did a lot to try to convince adults of the importance of higher education and job marketability," he said. "Now, our emphasis is on the need to develop high tech skills. Institutionally, we continue to make a major investment in resources to keep up with technology. "Certainly that investment in instructional technology is a distinguishing characteristic of Purdue Calumet. But more importantly, we stand for providing a supportive learning environment for students." Yackel, who holds baccalaureate, masters and doctoral degrees in mathematics from the University of Minnesota, says his post-chancellor plans are uncertain, but he likely will remain in the Calumet Region. He and his wife, Erna, a professor of mathematics education at Purdue Calumet, have three grown children–two of whom are teaching in higher education; the other is an attorney. CONTACT: Wes Lukoshus, Phone: 219/989-2217 James Yackel, Phone: 219/989-2204
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