News Archive

Professor Gerald L. Bepko was awarded the University Medal during a ceremony held October 13.

Created in 1982 by then-Indiana University President John Ryan, the medal is awarded rarely, on average once every two years, and to individuals of unique accomplishment upon recommendation of the university’s president, and the authority and action of the Board of Trustees.

“It is difficult to imagine the modern IUPUI campus without the vision of Professor Bepko,” said IU McKinney Dean Andrew R. Klein. “His leadership at the McKinney School of Law, IUPUI, and his role at IU is remarkable. I’m so pleased the university has chosen to honor him for his service in this way.”

Professor Bepko began his service at Indiana University when he joined the faculty at the IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 1972. He became a full professor three years later, was named associate dean for academic affairs in 1979, and became dean of the law school in 1981. He served as IUPUI’s Chancellor from 1986 to 2002, and simultaneously served as IU’s vice president for long-range planning. During his time as IUPUI’s chancellor, Professor Bepko led a movement to unify the various programs of IUPUI academically and geographically by bringing all schools to the West Michigan Street campus and presiding over the construction of more than 20 buildings. He also led efforts to establish IUPUI as a major urban campus that is now classified among the best in its peer group, and to establish IUPUI as an important component of central Indiana’s research corridor along with IU Bloomington and Purdue University West Lafayette. During his tenure as chancellor enrollment grew by nearly 25 percent and external support for faculty activities grew from $38 million in 1986 to more than $200 million in 2001-2002. In addition, he led the first six years of the seven-year fund raising Campaign for IUPUI, which generated more than one billion dollars before its conclusion in 2004.

Professor Bepko served for a decade as a member of the Permanent Editorial Board of the Uniform Commercial Code, and is currently a member of the American Law Institute, and a life member of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. He also is a member of the American Bar Association and a life fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He currently teaches the courses “commercial law” and “leadership and law.”