The Journal and Courier, Lafayette, Indiana

Incoming Ivy Tech president visits here

By BRIAN WALLHEIMER
bwallheimer@journalandcourier.com
June 6, 2007

Nicole Minniear is a criminal justice student at Ivy Tech Community College in Lafayette, but she really wanted to be a nurse.

She could have gone into nursing, but there was too long of a wait, she said.

Minniear, an Attica resident, told Ivy Tech statewide president-elect Tom Snyder Tuesday she wants an expanded nursing program at the college so students like her don't have to opt for their second career choices.

"With two kids, I have to get a job sooner rather than later," Minniear said.

That's the kind of input Snyder, who takes over the president's job in July, was hoping to hear. He stopped at the Lafayette campus as part of his tour of Ivy Tech's 14 regions.

Students told Snyder they wanted financial aid to be easier to understand, consistency in the information taught in distance learning courses in different classes and a more college-like atmosphere at the smaller Ivy Tech locations. They praised the college for its small class sizes and easy admissions process.

Snyder said the financial aid and distance learning issues were ones he would be taking up right away. He also said the Lafayette campus has the potential for a 25-year plan that could expand its size and offerings.

"The potential is that you can continue to draw students," Snyder said. "It's grown tremendously already."

The Lafayette campus is one of the fastest-growing in the college system and boasted more than 7,000 students last spring.

Snyder also said he envisions a more cohesive college in the future.

"My interest is to get Ivy Tech to start thinking of itself as one institution, because it has grown up as 14 regions," Snyder said.

Lafayette campus Chancellor David Bathe said he expects Snyder's business background -- he was president of Delco Remy International in Anderson and is chairman of Flagship Energy Systems in Anderson -- will help the Lafayette campuses focus on interacting with the community outside the college.

Bathe said the hope is businesses will benefit from the education Ivy Tech graduates get and those businesses can give back to Ivy Tech.