Indiana State University administrators on Friday approved a resolution reaffirming the name of the Hulman Center, the university’s multi-purpose arena that recently underwent a $ 50 million renovation.

The headquarters of the men’s and women’s basketball teams opened in 1973. In October 1973, the trustees approved the appointment of the Hulman Civic University Center in honor of Anton Hulman Jr. and his wife, Mary Hulman. “as the main benefactors of the ISU”, according to the resolution.

The resolution underscored the financial support of the Hulman family in the original construction of the facility, as well as the continued support of the Hulman-George family not only from the ISU, but from the Terre Haute community.

Andrea Angel, ISU vice president for academic advancement and CEO of the foundation, said that when the trustees appointed the Hulman Civic University Center in 1973, “it was because of their tremendous support … but it There was no grant agreement on file. Things were done a little differently then.

Nothing was in the records or the board records, Angel said. When she met the family, “it was important for them to know that the name Hulman Center would be used at this facility and it was also important for the university to assure them that this would be the case.”

Friday’s action was intended to “reaffirm this university’s commitment to the Hulman family for their decades of philanthropy to the ISU and Terre Haute,” Angel said.

The university has a policy for the naming of buildings.

Angel said the administrator’s action was more of a “good faith decision” on the part of the university to assure the Hulman-George family “we had no intention of changing the name, but we wanted to make sure it was on our records “and acted accordingly at a public meeting.

Remuneration of teachers

During part of the meeting where representatives of governance groups have the opportunity to speak, Keri Yousif, President of the ISU Faculty Senate, discussed the importance of a better compensation for faculty and all employees.

Professors recognize the recent overall salary increase, as well as the current budget and enrollment climate, she said.

“Nonetheless, they have expressed, in numerous forums, their concern about the stagnation of wages in the state of Indiana, without merit increases and adequate adjustments for several years,” said Yousif.

Professors are concerned about the growing difficulty in recruiting and retaining faculty in the state of Indiana, a problem also evident with academic staff, she said.

“As we move forward with the Indiana State Advantage, we need to invest in the faculty and staff who make this promise a reality,” Yousif said. “The investment should not only be congratulatory, but equal in pay, pay that is fair and keeps pace with external factors, such as cost of living and inflation. “

Yousif called on the ISU to invest in its employees, “the same employees who have weathered the pandemic and – most importantly – are getting us through the storm on firm ground, one graduate at a time.”

In October, directors approved a base salary increase of $ 500 for most employees, although salaries for executive-level employees remained stable.

After the meeting, Curtis said the university remained committed to improving employee compensation. “We value our faculty and staff and are looking at the ability to better support them all the time, which we have done this year to the best of our ability,” she said.

In October, Curtis said of the $ 500 increase: “We realize this is modest, but we look forward to the times when we can do even more. “

In other matters, the trustees:

• Voted to confer 684 degrees on students in winter graduation ceremonies Friday night and today, including 177 graduate students and 507 undergraduates.

• Received an update on key performance indicators related to strategic plans. Highlights included an increase in distance degrees awarded from 468 in 2016 to 669 in 2021; high placement rates for the 2019 and 2020 promotions in jobs, graduate school or the military; and success in increasing private financial support for the university and increasing endowment.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or [email protected] Follow Sue on Twitter @TribStarSue.