By By: Hope Fowler
Staff Writer
hfowlerg@iu.edu
A monumental occasion took place at IU South Bend on Tuesday, September 10th, 2019.
Susan Elrod was formally appointed the sixth Chancellor of IU South Bend. Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie led the ceremony with great satisfaction.
A historical moment for the largest IU regional campus is shared with it being the bicentennial year of the University.
The campus auditorium was filled with Chancellors from other IU campuses, trustees, faculty, students, advisory board members, among many others. President McRobbie is thrilled to have Dr. Elrod as a new important member of the IU system.
“We hope Chancellor Elrod will bring to IU South Bend the vision, values, experience, and passion for student success that made her such an attractive candidate for the chancellor position.”
He continued, “In Chancellor Elrod, we believe we have found that next strong and visionary leader who will further the educational mission of the campus, continue its remarkable expansion and lead it into a new era of partnership with the community it serves.”
Elrod’s academic and professional backgrounds are admirable. She is coming from a Vice Chancellor position from the University of Wisconsin. She previously held a position as the Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at California State University, Fresno. Additionally, she was an interim provost and Vice President for academic affairs at California State University, Chico.
She takes pride in being a well-rounded, knowledgeable scientist. She has a B.S. in Biological Science from California State University, Chico, holds a Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of California, Davis and was a postdoctoral fellow at Novozymes, Inc. in Davis, CA.
The IU community is elated to have Dr. Elrod on board. McRobbie is even more eager to see how she positively impacts the students.
“IU South Bend students can look forward to a leader who will be deeply committed to their success, to ensuring they earn their degrees, and to engaging them in meaningful campus projects.”
The ceremony concluded with Dr. Elrod giving her installation address. The future of IU South Bend seems to be in good hands. Elrod concludes, “IU South Bend is precisely where I’m supposed to be.”
