On October 30, 2015, Chancellor Bepko received the University Medal, the highest award bestowed by Indiana University. The IUPUI news bureau* issued the following summary of his career. Read his biography to understand the basis for the criteria established for awarding the Bepko Community Medallion.
Click here to view Chancellor Bepko’s biography.
About Gerald L. Bepko
Gerald Bepko joined the Indiana University faculty at the School of Law-Indianapolis, now known as the IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law, in 1972. He became a full professor in 1975 and dean of the law school in 1981.
In 1986, he was appointed chancellor of IUPUI. During 17 years as chancellor, Bepko oversaw a period of enormous growth for the IUPUI campus:
- The Purdue School of Science, the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, and the Herron School of Art moved to the Michigan Street campus.
- Enrollment on the IUPUI campus grew by nearly 25 percent.
- External support for faculty activities grew from $38 million in 1986 to more than $200 million in 2002.
- Twenty-four new graduate-level programs in fields such as biomedical engineering, bioinformatics and public health were created, with minimal new state funding.
Bepko served as interim Indiana University president from January to August 2003, as the university transitioned from the leadership of President Myles Brand to that of President Herbert Adams. He returned to the classroom in 2003 and teaches commercial law as well as leadership and law in the McKinney School of Law, on the IUPUI campus.
"Jerry has received many, many honors during his distinguished career, including two Sagamore of the Wabash awards from governors of Indiana," McRobbie said. "The McKinney School of Law created the Gerald L. Bepko Professorship in Law to honor his remarkable achievements, and the IUPUI campus created the Bepko Scholars and Fellows Program, the most prestigious scholarship on the IUPUI campus. Tonight, I am delighted to add to Jerry's long list of accolades."