Candidate Profile
Crystal T. Brown
Attorney
We are in a new era. The economy is at a standstill, jobs are being lost and money is scarce. On the other hand, students are flocking to education as a safe haven until the economy turns around. In the coming years, the Trustees will have to make vital decisions regarding the direction of the University. The top three issues facing IU are:
- Creating Job Opportunities for New Graduates: IU needs to pursue strategic ways to partner with private industries to create pipeline relationships in order to create more quality, high paying jobs in the State and to keep more graduates in Indiana.
- Continuing the Shift Towards Life Sciences: IU should continue to pursue its life sciences agenda. A multifaceted approach is needed to deliberately interlace this new agenda into the existing fabric of the University and take advantage of the new opportunities that economic restructuring will provide.
- Capitalizing on the Influx in Applications: Due to the weakening economy, IU has been flooded with student applications. IU must capitalize on this influx to raise admission standards and the quality of its students, but do so in ways that are sensitive to ensuring access to Indiana residents and meeting diversity goals.
In consultation with the President and senior administrative officials, the Trustees must provide the overarching vision for the University. Given the state of the economy, the Trustees need to be more strategic than ever in dealing with these issues. The Trustees must be particularly sensitive to the needs of alums, students, faculty and employees. It is also particularly important for the Trustees to stay abreast of the ways in which the restructuring of the American economy will affect the University.
WHY VOTE FOR BROWN
First, as a corporate litigation attorney, I have acquired the necessary experience to effectively consult and advise the Board on how to maneuver its way through this economy. Having experience with navigating corporations through these tough times gives me the necessary expertise, experience and judgment to make decisions for the short and long-term future of IU.
Second, my strong ties to IU give me a vested interest in ensuring that the vitality of the University continues. While I am a graduate of Duke University School of Law, I received my strong academic foundation during my undergraduate years at IU. Moreover, my family ties to IU, span over three generations, give me a deep appreciation and love for IU and her important traditions. My family legacy began with my grandparents who graduated from IU in the 1950s. Both my parents and uncle, who graduated in the late 1970s, continued this legacy. I am the third, and certainly not the last, generation of my family to be alumni of IU. In addition, my fiancée, father and uncle are all IU professors.
Third, I am considerably younger than all of the non-student Trustees on the Board. This youth, however, is a vital strength. In the last 10 years, our society has had to adjust to new forms of communications and technologies at an unprecedented rate. This is a time to rapidly develop and implement these new technologies into academia which will make standard practices and knowledge of the past quickly obsolete. It is vital that those who understand and are immersed in the rapidly changing technology of today and tomorrow are among those making the critical decisions about the future of IU. My relative youth ensures that I will bring a desperately needed perspective to the Board.
We owe it to IU alums, students, faculty, administrators and employees to continue the strong IU tradition that we have all come to love so deeply. I vow to uphold these traditions and adapt them to the changing society of today to ensure our University remains strong. I would be honored to serve as your Trustee.
I am a lifetime member of the IU Alumni Association and currently serve on the Board of Directors for Indiana Fair Chance, the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, and the Associate Board of Ambassadors for the American Cancer Society.
Activities Involved in at Indiana University:
Justice on the Indiana University Supreme Court, Internal Rhodes Scholar Candidate, Dean of Student Affairs Advisory Board, Phi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology, Homecoming Queen Court, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated
Activities Involved in at Duke University School of Law:
President of the Graduate and Professional Student Council, Alumni Association Board of Directors, Board of Trustee Institutional Advancement Standing Committee, Duke University President’s Council on Black Affairs, Street Law Teacher, and Guardian Ad Litem.
For more information, please visit www.Brown4Trustee.com.
