This page/content is part of the IPR News Web Archive.
It is no longer maintained and may not meet accessibility standards. To request content in an accessible format, contact us.
Ball State Renews President Mearns’s Contract Through 2027
Ball State University President Geoffrey Mearns could be staying in his position for most of the decade to come. As IPR’s Christine Hatfield reports, the Ball State Board of Trustees voted unanimously Friday morning to renew his contract.
Audio Transcript
Mearns’s new contract runs until June of 2027. Under his leader, the board says Ball State has implemented a long-term strategic plan and created a collaboration with Muncie Community Schools.
Board member Rick Hall says what Mearns has done during his time in the position has been outstanding. According to Hall, the university has never been stronger.
“What it really demonstrates is his ability to be successful for years to come in a climate that we don’t really know what is ahead.”
This presidential contract renewal comes after Mearns’s predecessor, former university president Paul Ferguson, left about a year-and-a-half into a multi-year contract. Both he and the university signed agreements that left the community in the dark as to why.
According to Mearns, the university is now on an upward trajectory. But he says to call the path ahead “clear skies” would be optimistic. He says the goal for the university is to be a resource for adult learners to take advantage of educational opportunities.
“We know for higher education, there are challenges ahead. I think we’re well prepared with our plan and with the faculty and staff and leadership team that we have, I think we’re prepared to meet those challenges.”
There’s a few changes with Mearns’s new contract, but his salary, benefits, and bonuses will remain the same.
