News Archive

The Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law community mourns the death, and celebrates the life and legacy, of IUPUI Chancellor Emeritus Gerald “Jerry” Bepko, who died September 5, 2023. He was 83.

Bepko, who served as dean of the McKinney School of Law from 1981-1986, also became the longest-serving chancellor of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), leading IU’s Indianapolis campus from 1986 to 2003. He also served as interim president of Indiana University from January 1, 2003 to August 31, 2003.

After graduating from Northern Illinois University and Chicago-Kent College of Law, Bepko joined the FBI and investigated civil rights abuses and violence in the 1960s. While working as a federal agent, he was involved in a traffic accident that left him seriously injured, which led him to make a career change.

[Emeritus Chancellor Bepko was interviewed on the Is It Legal? Podcast in 2015 and spoke about his time in the FBI: Episode 1    Episode 2 ]
 
Bepko’s professional path brought him to higher education. In 1972, after a stint as an associate professor at Chicago-Kent and earning a Master of Laws degree at Yale Law School, Bepko accepted an associate professor position at Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis, now the Robert H. McKinney School of Law.

“Our beloved colleague, Jerry Bepko, embodied servant leadership, deep goodness, integrity, and a rare humanity,” said Karen E. Bravo, Dean and Gerald L. Bepko Professor of Law at IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law. “He gave time and attention to all those with whom he interacted and never failed to offer kind gentleness and percipient analysis.  He will be deeply missed.”

Bepko’s visionary leadership established IUPUI as a leading urban university. During his tenure, enrollment increased nearly 25 percent, the campus added more than 20 buildings, the research budget grew to more than $200 million, and his emphasis on supporting incoming undergraduate students led to the creation of University College.

Bepko’s impact extended beyond the IUPUI campus. He was involved in the consolidation of IU hospitals with Methodist Hospitals of Indiana to form Clarian Health Partners Inc., now IU Health. The move proved to be an important anchor for Indiana’s healthcare industry and a solution to some of the challenges of academic medicine.  

He also served on numerous not-for-profit boards, including Riley Hospital for Children, United Way of Central Indiana, Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, and Indiana Sports Corp.

Bepko’s legacy lives on in many ways on the IUPUI campus – including via the many awards, achievements, and programs named in his honor. The Bepko Scholars and Fellows Program provides a four-year scholarship to students who demonstrate integrity, leadership, and service commitment. The Bepko Learning Center encourages students to utilize collaborative learning techniques and facilitates group experiences.

Bepko’s many accolades include honorary degrees from Indiana University, Purdue University, and Chicago-Kent College of Law. In 2015, he received the University Medal, Indiana University’s highest award, for his extraordinary contributions and exceptional achievements. He is also a two-time recipient of the distinguished Sagamore of the Wabash, an award bestowed by the governor of Indiana and one of the state’s highest honors.

He credited much of his success to his wife, Jean Cougnenc Bepko. They were married for 54 years and had two children, Gerald Jr. and Arminda.

A memorial service to celebrate the life and legacy of Gerald Bepko will be held at 1 p.m. on October 14 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.  In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in his memory to the Bepko Scholars and Fellows Program at IUPUI.