There is no question that the three major cities of NWI, specifically Lake County, are in dire straits and are sinking lower and lower economically over the past thirty years. Anyone who questions this, please email me because I have some underwater Florida land I am trying to "pass on" to some one else.
There are several reasons for this state of development. Some of these reasons are more obvious than others. Many of the obvious reasons, such as the drop in employment by the steel mills, is well known by the public, the citizens of NWI. Some of the reasons are not so well known. Some of these less well known reasons have had a greater consequence for the economic demise of NWI than is recognized.
I have argued in other writings and on my radio program that one of the problems that has limited NWI's economic development is the institutional racism and overall bias against NWI by the Board of Trustees and the Administrative Officers of Indiana's two major universities, Purdue and Indiana University.
Historically, this has manifested itself by the under funding of the NWI campuses to the tune of over $50 million a year compared to what Purdue and Indiana Universities get for Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. (These funding figures do not include the medical and law schools that are at IUPUI. This is solely concerning general educational funding from Hoosier taxpayers that can only be used for educational needs -- no parking garages, dormitories, or intercollegiate sports.)
That $50 million per year in returning tax dollars to NWI would have solved all of our property tax and economic development problems years ago. This is not even taking into account how these new universities would radically change the face and self perception of NWI. Just think of how Gary would be viewing itself if it had a campus with 20,000 students with a comprehensive law school and a medical school. Why is the State considering a law school at Indiana State University in Terre Haute but not at IUN in Gary?
It is because of what I have previously called institutional racism. This is an historical denial of higher education to the highest concentration of Hoosier African-American and Hispanic students in Indiana. They are all being denied by West Lafayette, Bloomington, and local Administrative officials access to equal education compared to their white counter parts in West Lafayette, Bloomington, or even Indianapolis. This is not only damaging to the individual students, it is a disaster for the econonomic possibilities for NWI.
We now find that all these "responsible" individuals seem to have been in collusion to break or at best ignore the laws of the State of Indiana. Since at least 1970, the laws, Code 20-12-16, of the State of Indiana have called for the creation of an Indiana University-Purdue University Calumet region campus advisory board. To the best of my knowledge or anyone else's this has never been implemented and has been ignored by these administrators. Not being a lawyer, I nonetheless suspect that this could even be a breach of the State's RICO statute for public officials. It certainly indicates a pattern.
Especially when this law specifically calls for the budget for Purdue University Calumet and Indiana University Northwest to be developed exclusively locally beginning in the year 1971. That is thirty five years ago.
The budget for these campuses can only be developed by this board, which is appointed by the Governor and consists of individuals exclusively from NWI. If the West Lafayette or Bloomington Boards of Trustees do not agree, they nonetheless have to present the NWI Board's recommendation to the State. Those of you who want to see the actual law as maintained by the State Legislature the link is below:
Is anyone going to convince me that since 1970, all these lawyers, mayors, administrators and newspaper reporters did not know of this? Or unlike myself, they did not care, or maybe even cooperated, in selling NWI's future down the drain.
These are serious questions and I sincerely believe that it is time for the U.S. Attorney to look into this for civil rights violations and for the State's Attorney to look into this for possible RICO charges against the current University administrators for breaking State law repeatedly. This is a definite pattern, since it happened each year since 1971.
By the way when I met with the Indiana Commission of Higher Education this past fall, I specifically told them that the budget request they have for Purdue University Calumet and Indiana University Northwest was illegal because it did not come from the proper authority as the State law required. The Presidents of Purdue and Indiana State University were listening as well as all the Commissioners; but, still nothing was done.
By the way I have pointed out this problem to some of our local politicians including Mayors Tom McDermott, Jr. and Rudy Clay. All to no avail. As a matter of fact Tom McDermott, Jr. called me to tell me he would have nothing to do with me helping NWI campuses. I played the tape of his message on the air for NWI citizens to really understand what I have been dealing with in fighting to end this institutional racism.
I now call on the NWI legislative delegation during this session to amend the law to reflect the demographics of 2007 and the addition of Purdue North Central in NWI. I further call on them to ensure that the laws are followed and the administrators of Indiana's two major universities end their tradition of institutional racism. More than anything they must insure that NWI has full and total control over its own campuses and tax dollars being returned to us. The end of this racism and the development of NWI is in their hands.
Who Is Destroying NWI?
You.
Posted by: Mr. McGillicutty | Thursday, February 01, 2007 at 03:13 AM