December 11, 2020
Dear Colleagues:
I write to share a few highlights from today’s meeting of the Board of Trustees.
Upon my recommendation, the Board approved 2020: Days of Beneficence, an initiative that will provide all employees with four additional days of rest and relaxation over the upcoming holiday season.
I know that this Fall semester has been particularly stressful—both professionally and personally—for everyone. And so, in recognition of your extraordinary efforts and your sustained commitment to our students, these extra vacation days express our gratitude to all of you. I hope that you are able to find some time to relax and to recharge.
The Board also announced an additional $2.8 million gift from Charles W. Brown that will fund an outdoor performance and gathering space named the Brown Family Amphitheater. Earlier this year, Mr. Brown also made an initial gift of $250,000 that funded the design of the Brown Family Amphitheater. In recognition of his extraordinary generosity, the Board approved a resolution to name the grand lawn amphitheater in honor of Brown, a 1971 graduate of the University who has been a generous benefactor to our institution.
The Brown Family Amphitheater will be constructed between Park and Pruis Halls and between Noyer and Woodworth Complexes. The amphitheater will become a feature of our new East Mall. When this project is completed, it will create a pathway that acts as a physical ribbon binding our campus closer to the community.
The performance facility will feature a stage, dressing rooms, green room, control room, and mixing station. The venue will provide another location for our programs within the College of Fine Arts to hold classes and performances, as well as create an outdoor setting for other arts and cultural events.
I am grateful to Mr. Brown for his continued generosity to our University. Mr. Brown, who earned his degree from our Miller College of Business, was also the lead donor for our Charles W. Brown Planetarium—the largest planetarium in Indiana—which opened in 2014.
At the end of the Board meeting, I made a few comments. If you would like to read my remarks, please visit the website (PDF).
It is a privilege to serve with you, and I am grateful for your hard work and the sacrifices you have made this year to fulfill our mission during these unprecedented times.
