TERRE HAUTE — Seven positions are being eliminated at Indiana State University, with all but two tied to a reduction in private or state grants, Tara S. Singer, assistant vice president of communications and marketing at Indiana State University, said Friday.

Grant-funded positions to be eliminated include three positions in Indianapolis with Networks Financial Institute, effective June 30, and two correctional education coordinator positions funded through the state Corrections Education Program, Singer said.

Singer said state funding has been granted to Ivy Tech, which is taking over the majority of correctional programs statewide. “The faculty impacted are largely just reductions in course loads and will likely be reassigned other things. There are no reductions in full-time faculty,” Singer said.

Networks Financial Institute at Indiana State received $6 million from Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment in 2010 to fund research, education and policy advocacy on financial services issues.

That gift brought the total to $29 million in Lilly Endowment funding since the institute’s launching in 2003.

“We do not have a pledge for money at this time from Lilly Endowment,” Singer said, adding the university has not formally applied for additional grant funds from the endowment.

“The university appreciates the support of Lilly Endowment and is evaluating potential opportunities for funding,” Singer said. “We are continuing to have discussions with Lilly.”

Singer said the university plans to continue to fund Networks Financial Institute.

Two positions not funded by grants, but from university funds, have been cut in the university’s residential life.

Those positions are a seamstress, which had an annual salary of $21,645 and an upholster position, paid at $23,575 a year, Singer said.

“There was not really a need to have those positions on staff,” said Diann McKee, vice president of business affairs and treasurer for ISU.

McKee said the reductions from grant-funded positions are “normal, particularly with grants, which run for a period of time, and if the grant isn’t funded, those positions are what we call soft-money positions,” and are not retained.

McKee said the university currently has no other staff reductions planned.
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