History
Member Institutions & Presidents
Benefits of Independent Colleges to Indiana
Facts About Independent Colleges
Media Contacts at Member Schools
Independent Colleges of Indiana: Staff
ICI's President
The Indiana Academy

Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that represents Indiana’s independent colleges and universities and one quarter of the state’s undergraduate college students.

Independent Colleges of Indiana works to:

• Promote cooperation among member institutions
• Promote policies and activities which strengthen the financial and institutional resources of the member schools to better serve students
• Raise funds on the schools’ behalf
• Provide information about the independent sector to the public, media, and government

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History

The Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) is a nonprofit corporation representing, supporting, and advancing Indiana’s 31 independent, non­profit, regionally-accredited colleges and universities. 

All member colleges and universities are degree-granting institutions accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Members of Independent Colleges of Indiana are governed by autonomous boards and receive the brunt of their operating revenue from tuition, charitable contributions and other voluntary, non-tax sources.

For many years, ICI was made up of two separate legal entities, the Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc., and the Independent Colleges of Indiana Foundation.  In July 2005, the Foundation officially merged with ICI, a logical next step in a partnership between the two that had been in place for more than thirty years. 

In fact, since 1991, the two have shared office space, staff, and other resources.  And since 1972, when the Independent Colleges of Indiana was incor­porated, the two shared a common mission, including corporate and foundation fundraising on behalf of our member institutions. Founded in 1948 by corporate and campus leaders, the Foundation side of our organization (originally known as the Associated Colleges of Indiana ) has raised more than $100 million for independent higher education in Indiana .  At the time of its merger with ICI, the Foundation was the oldest organization of its kind in the United States .   

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Member Institutions and Presidents  (click to go to the institution's website)
Ancilla College Dr. Ronald May, President (2006) P.O. Box 1 Donaldson, IN 46513-0001 (574) 936-8898	Hanover College Dr. Sue DeWine, President (2007) P.O. Box 108 Hanover, IN 47243-0108 (812) 866-7000	Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Dr. David G. Behrs, President (2007) Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876-1099 (812) 535-5151
Anderson University Dr. James L. Edwards, President (1990) 1100 E. Fifth St. Anderson, IN 46012-3462 (765) 649-9071	Holy Cross College Bro. Richard B. Gilman, CSC, President (1992) 1801 N. Michigan Ave. Notre Dame, IN 46556-0308 (574) 239-8400	Saint Mary’s College Dr. Carol Ann Mooney, President (2004) U.S. Highway 31 Notre Dame, IN 46556-5001 (574) 284-4000
Bethel College Dr. Steven R. Cramer, President (2004) 1001 W. McKinley Ave. Mishawaka, IN 46545-5591 (574) 259-8511	Huntington University Dr. G. Blair Dowden, President (1991) 2303 College Ave. Huntington, IN 46750-1299 (260) 356-6000	Taylor University Dr. Eugene Habecker (2005) 500 W. Reade Ave. Upland, IN 46989-1001 (765) 998-2751
Butler University Dr. Bobby Fong, President (2001) 4600 Sunset Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46208-3485 (317) 940-9900	Indiana Tech Dr. Arthur E. Snyder, President (2003) 1600 E. Washington Blvd. Fort Wayne, IN 46803-1297 (260) 422-5561	Tri-State University Dr. Earl Brooks II, President (2000) One University Ave. Angola, IN 46703-1764 (260) 665-4100
Calumet College of St. Joseph Dr. Dennis C. Rittenmeyer, President (1987) 2400 New York Ave. Whiting, IN 46394-2195 (219) 473-7770	Indiana Wesleyan University Dr. Henry Smith, President (2006) 4201 S. Washington St. Marion, IN 46953-4974 (765) 677-2100	University of Evansville Dr. Stephen Jennings, President (2001) 1800 Lincoln Ave. Evansville, IN 47722-0001 (800) 423-8633
DePauw University Dr. Robert G. Bottoms, President (1986) 313 S. Locust St. Greencastle, IN 46135-1772 (765) 658-4800	Manchester College Dr. Jo Young Switzer, President (2004) 604 E. College Ave. North Manchester, IN 46962-1276 (260) 982-5000	University of Indianapolis Dr.  Beverley Pitts,  President (2005) 1400 E. Hanna Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46227-3697 (317) 788-3368
Earlham College Dr. Douglas C. Bennett, President (1997) National Road West Richmond, IN 47374-4095 (765) 983-1200	Marian College Mr. Daniel J. Elsener,  President (2001) 3200 Cold Spring Rd. Indianapolis, IN 46222-1997 (317) 955-6100	University of Notre Dame Rev. John I. Jenkins,  President (2005) Notre Dame, IN 46556-5612 (574) 631-7505
Franklin College Dr. James G. "Jay" Moseley, President (2002) 101 Branigin Blvd. Franklin, IN 46131-2623 (317) 738-8000	Martin University Dr. Algeania Freeman (2008) P.O. Box 18567 Indianapolis, IN 46218-0567 (317) 543-3256	University of Saint Francis Sr. M. Elise Kriss, President (1993) 2701 Spring St. Fort Wayne, IN 46808-3910 (260) 434-3100
Goshen College Dr. James Brenneman, President (2006) 1700 S. Main St. Goshen, IN 46526-4794 (574) 535-7000	Oakland City University Dr. Ray Barber, President (2008) Lucretia Street Oakland City, IN 47660-1099 (812) 749-4781	Valparaiso University Dr. Alan F. Harre, President (1988) U.S. Highway 30 Valparaiso, IN 46383-6493 (888) 468-2576
Grace College and Theological Seminary Dr. Ronald E. Manahan, President (1992) 200 Seminary Dr. Winona Lake, IN 46590-1294 (574) 372-5100	Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Dr. Gerald S. Jakubowski, President (2006) 5500 Wabash Ave. Terre Haute, IN 47803-3999 (812) 877-1511	Wabash College Dr. Patrick E. White, President (2006) P.O. Box 352 Crawfordsville, IN 47933-2416 (765) 361-6100
	Saint Joseph’s College Dr. Ernest R. Mills III, President (2001) P.O. Box 869 Rensselaer, IN 47978-0869 (219) 866-6000

 

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Benefits of Independent Colleges to Indiana

Independent colleges prepare students as scholars and citizens.

• Values beyond measure. Indiana’s independent colleges and universities are steeped in values and tradition. They produce thoughtful, accomplished graduates who are prepared to serve and lead their communities. While some institutions spring from a specific religious heritage, all are anchored in tradition as they prepare students to succeed in a constantly changing world.
• Brain power for Indiana. Thanks to first-rate programs ranging from art to engineering, students at independent colleges develop the skills Indiana needs to prosper. Small classes mean hands-on education guided by faculty committed to teaching. At most independent institutions, professors—not graduate students—teach even introductory courses.
• Judgment in society’s favor. Indiana’s independent colleges foster the ability to make discriminating judgments about the timeless and the transitory, to balance community and conscience, to hold service above self-interest. More than ever, Indiana needs citizens with discernment and character.

Independent colleges are vital to Indiana’s economy.

• Saves tax dollars. Supported by gifts and tuition revenues, Indiana’s independent colleges and universities save Hoosiers millions of tax dollars each year. Independent colleges in this state educate more than 72,000 students each year. If these institutions were to be replaced by strictly public colleges and universities, the cost to taxpayers to educate those students would be enormous.
• Attracts money to the state. Independent colleges and universities have a major economic impact on Indiana and its communities. These institutions are important employers in many communities, and anchor local economies through spending for payroll, construction and support services, and more. They attract many millions each year in federal dollars for research and student aid.
• Educates workforce. The majority of independent college students in Indiana are Hoosiers and are likely to remain in Indiana after graduation to live, work, raise families, and contribute to the local workforce and economy. In addition, independent colleges attract many out-of-state students to Indiana. Their spending adds millions of dollars to the state economy, and they add to Indiana’s pool of well-educated employees.

Independent colleges are great resources for Indiana business.

• Recruiting. Indiana’s independent colleges are a valuable recruiting resource for Indiana business, especially considering the state’s current labor shortage and shrinking workforce. From law to liberal arts, from education to engineering, ICI graduates are a preferred pool of talent serving large corporations and small entrepreneurs alike. Independent college graduates demonstrate the competence, judgment, and character which are the hallmarks of these institutions.
• Training. Independent colleges provide much-needed business and industry training services to help employers strengthen the skills of their workers. Responding with the flexibility which marks the private sector, these institutions serve more than 10,000 part-time students—many in employer-funded programs such as computer training.
• Partnerships. These institutions are teaming up with business in some exciting new ways. Research, internships, continuing education, and service by student-run advertising firms are examples. Many communities rely on independent college campuses as venues for meetings, conferences, and performances.

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Facts About Independent Colleges

	Campuses	31
	Total Enrollment	83,170* (23% of Indiana's college students)
	Percent of Undergraduates Who Are State Residents	59%
	Percent State's Minority Enrollment at ICI Campuses	24%
	Percent Students Receiving Financial Aid	90%
	Fields of Study Offered	230+
	Percent of Indiana's Bachelor's and Above Degrees	31%
	B.S. Degrees in Math, Science, Engineering	38% of all such degrees conferred in Indiana Higher Education
	Percent Graduating in 4 Years	60% (compared to 29% at state institutions)
	Percent Graduating in 6 Years	70% (compared to 52% at state institutions)
	Percent of Alums w/Graduate or Professional Degrees	38% (compared to 23% of state graduates)
	Average Student/Faculty Ratio	12:1
	Total Number Employed at ICI Campuses	19,441
	Total Economic Impact to Indiana	$3.38 billion**
	Savings to State (estimated cost of enrolling those resident Indiana students now enrolled in ICI institutions at state institutions)	$516 million
	Total Number of Alumni	626,647
	Total Number of Alumni Residing in Indiana	233,299
	Median Endowment	$39.9 million
	Average Parental Income of Dependent Undergraduate Students	$74,845 ($78,313 at four-year state universities in Indiana)
* Fall 2007 Report of Enrollment, Indiana Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers ** Using an economic multiplier of 1.84 on total institutional expenditures of $1.84 billion in 2006-07 *** National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, January 2005, U.S. Department of Education.

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Dr. Hans C. Giesecke,
President

Background

• President of Independent Colleges of Indiana since August 2002
• Advisor to the President for International Marketing, Outreach, and Student Affairs, International University Bremen (2000-2002)
• President, Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (1990-2000)
• Director of Communications, Marketing, and Research, Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (1982-1990)
• Special Projects Coordinator, Minnesota Private College Council (1981-1982)
• Assistant Director of Admission, Occidental College (1979-1980)

Education

• Ph.D., Education, Policy Development and Program Evaluation, Vanderbilt University 
• M.A., Public Policy and Administration, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• B.A., Psychology, Williams College

Biography

Hans Giesecke has built his career on envisioning possibilities for college students and helping them achieve their educational ambitions. As president of ICI since August 2002, his primary focus has been on preserving the element of choice in the state’s need-based student financial aid programs administered by the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI). Since ICI’s mission also encompasses corporate and foundation fundraising, public relations and research on higher education issues, administration of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, and establishment of various group purchasing and association savings initiatives, his overall leadership role has been wide-ranging and multi-faceted.

With prior professional experience in Minnesota, California, and Tennessee, Giesecke spent the period from January 2000 through July 2002 as head of the student affairs team at International University Bremen in Germany, developing the admissions, financial aid, registrar, and student life offices at this new, highly-selective, English-language independent research university in Northern Germany affiliated with Rice University in Houston, Texas.

From September 1990 through January 2000, Giesecke served as president of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) based in Nashville. At TICUA, he revived a dormant association to become a vital statewide advocacy organization noted for its success in promoting the needs of students. During the 1980s he served as Director of Marketing and Research with the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and as Assistant Director of Admission at Occidental College in Los Angeles.

Coming from a family of East German refugees, Giesecke has a long-standing interest in the democratic reform movements that swept across Eastern and Central Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was this background that motivated him to write his Ph.D. dissertation at Vanderbilt University on the topic “The Rise of Private Higher Education in East Central Europe.” Since completion of his dissertation project, Giesecke has been a frequent guest speaker and consultant at conferences, symposia, and institutions in Europe and North America. Giesecke’s M.A. is from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his B.A. is from Williams College.

Giesecke spends much of his free time in outdoor recreational pursuits with his family–running, bicycling, cross-country skiing, swimming, and hiking. Hans and his wife, Susan, have three children: Christa (12), Evan (9), and Karah (6).

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Indiana Academy Founded by Independent Colleges to Recognize Civic, Cultural, and Educational Contributions

Established in 1970, The Indiana Academy furthers the development of:

• Public service
• Higher education
• Arts and sciences
• Literature
• Individual leadership, achievement, and philanthropy that promotes these ends

Each year, the academy elects Indiana residents to its membership in recognition of contributions to cultural, scientific, literary, civic, religious, and educational development within the state.

Active members of The Indiana Academy must be residents of Indiana. Membership is not restricted by sex, race, religion, political affiliation, or occupation. Patterned on the principle of the 17^th century French Academy to perpetuate French culture, The Indiana Academy is maintained through the support of the Tony and Mary Fendrich Hulman Endowment Fund.

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This page last updated 07/20/04.