May 6, 2002

ISU president elected chair of IHETS board

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Indiana State University President Lloyd W. Benjamin has been elected chair of the Indiana Higher Education Telecommunications System (IHETS) Board of Directors.

"President Benjamin's understanding of and experience in distance education and the technology arena and his exceptional leadership at ISU in these areas positions him well to lead the IHETS Board of Directors," said Dave King, executive director of IHETS.

Benjamin was nominated by the IHETS Management Committee, which is chaired by William Kramer, vice president for Planning and Education at Ivy Tech State College, Indianapolis.

“President Benjamin’s vision for using technology in higher education was the basis for our nomination,” Kramer said. “He is very supportive of technology initiatives to support all forms of instruction.”

IHETS, a state-supported consortium of all higher education institutions in Indiana, operates technology networks, manages the state’s virtual university and pursues applications research and development. It is an integral part of the rapidly evolving telecommunication and educational technology environment in Indiana.

The IHETS Board of Directors currently consists of seven public college and university presidents, one representative of the Independent Colleges of Indiana, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, one representative appointed by the Governor, one representative from the libraries and one representative from Indiana’s Public Broadcasting Stations.

Benjamin succeeds H. Ray Hoops, president of the University of Southern Indiana, as IHETS chair. In addition to IHETS, Benjamin is a member of a variety of community boards of directors, including Union Hospital, the Swope Art Museum, the Alliance for Growth and Progress, United Way of the Wabash Valley and the Indiana Economic Development Council.

-30- 

Contact:
Maria Greninger, assistant director, public affairs
(812) 237-4357 or m-greninger@indstate.edu

ISU Public Affairs:
(812) 237-3773 or http://isunews.indstate.edu