Published: June 24, 2008 05:08 pm            

Indiana State selects Daniel Bradley as next president

TERRE HAUTE — Indiana State University has selected Daniel J. Bradley, president of Fairmont State University, as its 11th president pending board approval at an upcoming trustee meeting, the university announced late Tuesday afternoon.

“I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to be president of ISU and to live in Terre Haute,” said Bradley, 58, who was vacationing in Montana. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Michael J. Alley, president of the ISU board of trustees, described Bradley as someone “who brings a wealth of experience in many areas including institutional planning, fundraising and government relations. I am confident that Dan will lead Indiana State University to even greater heights.”

Trustees will confirm the appointment at a special meeting at 9 a.m. July 9 in the State Room of Tirey Hall. Bradley expects to assume his responsibilities by early August.

His salary will be $265,000, Alley said. None of his salary or benefits will come from the ISU Foundation.

Bradley said he and his wife will live in Condit House, now used for some administrative offices including the university president’s. Richard Landini was the last ISU president to use Condit House as a residence.

“I just think that a college campus without a president residing on it is kind of a hollow place,” Bradley said. “It makes campus a different place when the president lives there.”

Trustees had told him they were interested in Condit House again becoming the president’s residence, he said.

Some renovation will be required to convert it back to a residence, Alley said.

Alley said that all three finalists were outstanding and presented themselves favorably on campus. After trustees deliberated for about 2 1/2 hours Thursday, they reached consensus that Bradley was the right person to lead ISU.

Among the key attributes was the fact that Bradley is an experienced university president and has served as Fairmont State’s president for the past seven years.

He has experience developing and implementing a university strategic plan, and he’s a proven fundraiser, Alley said. Bradley initiated Fairmont State’s first-ever capital campaign, which will be successfully completed this fiscal year.

Bradley also has experience working with the West Virginia Legislature on funding and other issues, Alley said.

Alley described Bradley as a strong communicator and consensus builder who will keep people on campus informed.

Trustees also believed that Bradley and his wife, Cheri, “fit in well with the campus community as well as Terre Haute,” Alley said.

The announcement was delayed until Tuesday because ISU and Bradley had to work out terms of his employment contract, which is substantially complete, although some items still must be finalized, Alley said.

Bradley is on vacation with his family in Montana, where they own a home. “We had a bald eagle sitting outside our front window,” he said during a telephone interview.

Bradley said part of the reason he wanted to come to ISU was because of its size, location and program mix.

He especially is interested in ISU’s focus on experiential learning and student involvement in the community. “That is a real attraction” that can help differentiate ISU from other universities, he said.

He has emphasized building a strong relationship between Fairmont State University and the Fairmont community. He recognizes that ISU, too, has placed a high priority on strengthening its relationship with Terre Haute.

He describes his personal leadership style as straightforward and goal-oriented.

ISU’s prospective 11th president said he is committed to open communication; he wants the campus to know what he is thinking, and he wants to know what is on the minds of faculty, staff and students.

At Fairmont State, he’s accomplished that through providing regular reports to campus that serve as newsletters; posting his campus presentations on the university Web site; and having monthly breakfasts with randomly chosen faculty and staff and lunches with students. He hopes to continue those types of things at ISU.

He said he has an open door policy and answers his own e-mail. If someone is in the outer office and he’s not busy with a meeting, “They are welcome to come in and talk to me,” he said previously.

He places high priority on making decisions in a way that is inclusive and gives everyone an opportunity to provide feedback.

Challenges in public higher education tend to focus on two issues, he said. “Where will the money come from, and who are the students going to be?” he said. He acknowledged that he still has a lot to learn about specific challenges faced at ISU.

Bradley and his wife have three sons, John, 33, Joe, 31, and Clayton, 29. They also have three grandchildren.

Bradley has served as the president of Fairmont State in Fairmont, W.Va., since 2001. He previously occupied a variety of positions at Montana Tech in Butte, including vice chancellor for academic affairs and research, dean of engineering and head of their petroleum engineering department.

During Bradley’s tenure at Fairmont State, the institution has grown substantially, more than $100 million in construction projects have been completed, computing infrastructure has been upgraded, a strong distance education program has been developed, and graduate programs have been launched in education, business and social sciences.

“Public higher education is in a state of great change. The need to respond effectively to this rapidly evolving landscape will require hard work, imagination and entrepreneurship. I am convinced ISU is up to that task,” he said.

Bradley indicated his wife, Cheri, also is excited about this opportunity.

“Cheri was impressed by the beauty of the campus and by the warm reception she received from community leaders and others who will soon be friends. She looks forward to building relationships both on and off campus,” Bradley said.

Born in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Bradley immigrated with his parents to California when he was 7. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Bradley earned a doctorate in physical chemistry from Michigan State University, a master’s degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Tulsa and a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology.

Bradley succeeds Lloyd W. Benjamin III, who will step down from the presidency June 30 at the end of eight years of service.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.

        

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