Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University will add women's swimming to its mix of intercollegiate athletic programs.

University President Dan Bradley announced the new sport Friday during a meeting of the Board of Trustees. He noted that the Vigo County School Corp.'s construction of a new aquatics center is making the move possible.

"I would like to acknowledge the support and assistance of the school corporation and Superintendent Danny Tanoos, who are working with us to make the new aquatics center a part of the program," Bradley said.

"We are excited about the addition of women's swimming to our department and our university," said Ron Prettyman, director of intercollegiate athletics at Indiana State. "Swimming is a high participation sport that will serve many prospective students well. We have worked closely with the Vigo County School Corp. to become a partner in the new state-of- the-art aquatics complex. It will be a beautiful facility that all VCSC schools and Indiana State women's swimming will be able to call home."

Prettyman said a national search will be conducted for a coaching staff, with a full slate of competition to begin in 2016-17. The addition of women's swimming and diving will bring the number of intercollegiate sports at Indiana State to 15.

In board action Friday, trustees approved a new staff salary schedule. The move follows an announcement last month by Bradley that employees in good standing will receive a 2.5 percent pay raise this year.

To be eligible for the increase, staff members must have participated in the university's evaluation process and achieved a minimum rating of good performance. The increase will be effective Oct. 25 for hourly staff and Nov. 1 for salaried employees.

While not covered by the schedule the board approved, faculty members who qualified for a standard increase as a result of the biennial faculty review process last year and, where necessary, developed an improvement plan, will also receive the raise.

"We are happy that our continued enrollment growth allows us to continue to provide our employees with a competitive compensation package," Bradley said.

In other action, Indiana State's governing board:

• Published a proposed change in the university's whistleblower policy to cover violations of the University Handbook as well as violations of law

• Approved a new bachelor's degree in architectural engineering technology and a new certificate in property-casualty insurance, pending approval by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education

• Approved changes to emeritus/emerita faculty policy to include opportunity for exceptions to an age 62 requirement and define grounds for revocation

• Authorized the university's provost and vice president for academic affairs to modify tuition refunds for distance students to comply with the requirements of students' home states

• Approved the naming of the "Dr. Richard J. Easton Math Education Classroom" in Root Hall in recognition of a planned gift from the professor emeritus of math and computer science, who taught from 1967-2007, and his wife Linda.

Media contact and writer: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu