Welcome!
Welcome to the Indiana University Relations Report! As our team begins its work in 2024, we want to provide our colleagues, friends and partners across the state with information about the truly amazing work members of the IU community are doing to improve the health and well-being of Hoosiers. We hope this report can be informative, entertaining and useful to you. Our team is available as a resource to everyone, including state and federal policymakers, business leaders, and community and regional partners, interested in how IU can best leverage the university’s talent and resources to make our campuses, state and country a better place.
For this first edition of the 2024 report, we wanted to provide a quick primer on the Indiana General Assembly, which has begun its 2024 short session in earnest. Legislators have filed over 710 bills thus far, several committees have begun meeting, and several priority bills have already passed out of committee to advance to the full House and Senate for further action next week. This year’s legislative session will go through mid-March, tackling a wide variety of issues impacting the Hoosier state.
As the legislative session evolves, this weekly report will provide updates on the happenings at the Statehouse and information on bills the university is tracking. Next week, we will highlight specific bills, as the bill filing deadline was Tuesday in the Senate and yesterday in the House.
We hope each of you have a safe, healthy and happy 2024, and we look forward to communicating with all of you soon.
State of the State Address and Legislator Priorities
This past Tuesday, Jan. 9, term-limited Gov. Eric Holcomb delivered his eighth and final State of the State address. He detailed the accomplishments of his administration and previewed yet-to-come milestones. Gov. Holcomb called the state’s efforts to create generational change “The Indiana Model,” saying it was a team effort to move the state forward on various initiatives. He said, “We must work with our public universities to make college more accessible bycreating more three-year and associate degree options.” IU President Pamela Whitten attended the address again this year, which was her third as president.
The beginning of the legislative session presents an opportunity to hear about the legislative priorities of state leaders. Gov. Holcomb introduced his priorities for the final year of his administration on Monday, Jan. 8. His “Next Level Agenda” reflects some of the same topic areas covered in his State of the State address the following day. Each of the four legislative caucuses have also introduced their legislative priorities, which can be reviewed here:
Senate Republicans
Senate Democrats
House Republicans
House Democrats
Economic Engagement Update
Major wins for Indiana’s microelectronics industry
The closing days of 2023 delivered the news that NHanced Semiconductors will invest $152 million in renovating a Cook Medical facility in Bloomington, Ind., which is expected to create at least 250 high-wage jobs. The Illinois-based design and manufacturing innovator will turn the mostly unused Cook property, located at 301 N. Curry Pike, into a microelectronics and packaging facility.
NHanced also announced that it will host a ribbon-cutting, to be held next Friday, Jan. 19, for a new 150,000-square-foot fabrication facility at the new microelectronics campus at WestGate@Crane Technology Park, located adjacent to Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division. NHanced is investing more than $236 million to build and equip the new facility at the Westgate One campus, which will be the first semiconductor foundry in the U.S. built specifically for advanced package manufacturing. The company expects to create up to 413 jobs in the new plant.
The major news from NHanced comes on the heels of IU’s historic recent announcement that it will invest at least $111 million in initiatives that will advance the university’s leadership in microelectronics, while also boosting the growth of microelectronics and nanotechnology industries across Indiana and the nation. IU’s financial commitment includes support for academic and research programs, new faculty appointments, state-of-the-art facilities and partnerships with defense contractors and companies to develop dual-use technologies. It will also support the launch of the Center of Reliable and Trusted Electronics (IU CREATE), which is focused on radiation-hardened technologies.
Read NHanced news story, “Expanding in Indiana”
Read about IU’s $111 million investment to boost Indiana’s microelectronics sector
Immersing students in the venture capital industry
Seed stage, term sheets, series A, burn rate, rolling fund, preferred stock, dilution, vesting schedule, J curve—for a group of IU students, using terms like these will soon become second nature as they dive headfirst into the world of venture capital. For the third year in a row, IU Ventures, IU’s early-stage venture and angel investment arm, is proud to welcome a new group of IU Ventures Fellows. The 2024 cohort includes eight graduate and Ph.D. students from across IU’s Bloomington campus who will spend the upcoming year participating in an experiential program designed to immerse them in the venture capital industry.
Read the full story
Upcoming Events
IU Innovates Open House • January 17 and 23
Meet passionate startup founders and find out how to get involved in IU Innovates, IU’s new university-wide initiative to support students and faculty in the creation and growth of startup ventures.
RSVP now
IU in the News
IU advancing investment and innovation in first responder technology
An IU-led initiative is pushing the boundaries of technology to save first responders’ lives and expedite emergency response.
Read the full story
New simulation center to help fill medical needs in South Bend
A state-of-the-art facility at IU South Bend will give nursing and radiology students more hands-on experience and training with the latest technology used at hospitals and clinics. The center will open for classes in the fall.
Read the full story
IU expands Master of Social Work program to Lafayette
Beginning in the summer, the IU School of Social Work will offer the graduate program on the Ivy Tech Lafayette campus. The expanded programming will address an increased need for graduate-prepared social workers in the city of Lafayette and surrounding communities.
Read the full story
The Mitchell Model: Uniting IU and elementary students to improve mental health
School counselors at Burris Elementary and Hatfield Elementary in Mitchell, Indiana, have a case load of more than 340 students, some of whom are managing trauma and overwhelming life changes. A new partnership is helping to fill the gap in mental health care access for children in the area.
Read the full story
