Bill Proposes Changes to IU Board of Trustees Appointments

INDIANAPOLIS — A bill filed in the Indiana State Senate aims to reverse recent changes that gave Gov. Mike Braun full control over the Indiana University Board of Trustees.

Senate Bill 110, introduced by Sen. Susan Glick (R-LaGrange) and Greg Walker (R-Columbus), proposes a new process for selecting the board members. If passed, the governor would get to appoint five members to three-year terms and a full-time student to a one-year term on the board. The remaining three members would be selected by Indiana University alumni and must be alumni themselves.

The current law gives Gov. Braun the ability to appoint all nine of the board’s trustees. The governor received full control of who makes up the university’s board thanks to an addition to the 2025 state budget bill. He can also remove and replace any members of the board at any time.

In June 2025, Braun named the following people to the IU Board of Trustees:

W. Quinn Buckner, chair of the Board of Trustees (term expires on June 30, 2026)
James Bopp Jr. (term expires on June 30, 2028)
Brian Eagle (term expires on June 30, 2027)
Sage Steele (term expires on June 30, 2028)

The bill from Senators Glick and Walker, titled “Indiana University Board of Trustees,” was filed on Dec. 9, 2025, and was referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development after its first reading.

Those who wish to file to be on the ballot can do so with the university’s librarian on or before April 1 of each election year.

According to the bill, the three individuals who receive the most votes would be elected to the position. If two or more people receive the same number of votes, then the librarian “shall cast lots to determine which of the persons shall be declared the elected trustee.”