University’s President Selects Vice President for Information Technology

Philip C. Repp accepted the position of Vice President for Information Technology, a position which encompasses providing leadership for the Teleplex Services (including Indiana Public Radio-National Public Radio and WIPB-Public Broadcasting Station), University Computing Services, and the University Libraries. The Vice President is also a member of President Jo Ann Gora’s cabinet.

Mr. Repp, who was recently recognized by Campus Technology magazine as one of its 2008 innovators of the year for the development of Ball State's Digital Corps, has held a variety of administrative positions at Ball State, including interim Vice President when Dr. H. O’Neal Smitherman vacated the position 13 months ago, and Associate Vice President for Information Technology prior to that beginning in 2002.

He joined Ball State in 1981 in the Department of Art. He has served the University as department chairman, associate dean of Sciences and Humanities, and director of the Visualization, Animation and Imaging Lab.

Mr. Repp was a contributing author of two digital technology grants from the Lilly Endowment totaling $40 million. He now will help oversee implementation of a new $17.7 million Emerging Media Initiative meant to focus and accelerate the university's expertise in the field while spurring economic development through innovation, technology transfer, and the enhanced skills of a 21st century workforce.

Dr. Gora commended Mr. Repp for his work with the David Letterman Distinguished Professional Lecture and Workshop Series, which will help bring nationally recognized media professionals to Ball State. He assisted with the Emerging Media Initiative, which stemmed from a $17.7 million Lilly Endowment grant and will go toward improving media programs at Ball State. He also led the university's digital media storage project in collaboration with Network Appliance, which received an award from InfoWorld as an example of outstanding enterprise, innovation, and information technology leadership. As well, he spearheaded the campus-wide strategic planning process for the Office of Information Technology.

Mr. Repp said that he looks forward to advancing the university’s new technologies and emerging media missions and facilitating the use of advanced technologies in teaching, learning, and research.

Among his accomplishments during 2008, Mr. Repp assisted the University Libraries in obtaining a large donation for the Helen B. and Martin D. Schwartz Special Collections and Digital Complex which will be completed in 2009 at Bracken Library, purchase of technology for public areas of the Libraries, and he has supported expansion of the Archives and Special Collections through renovation of facilities.