Governor Mike Braun raised eyebrows when he took control over the IU Board of Trustees. That action has triggered a lawsuit.

The ACLU of Indiana has filed a lawsuit challenging parts of Indiana’s new state budget that strip Indiana University (IU) alumni of their long-standing role in selecting members of the university’s Board of Trustees. The lawsuit, filed in Monroe Circuit Court, targets sections of HEA 1001, claiming the changes violate the Indiana Constitution’s ban on “special legislation.”

Until now, IU alumni were able to elect three of the nine trustees who help govern the university. Under the new law, all appointments are now made by the governor, a change that only applies to IU and not to other public universities in the state, where alumni still have a say. ACLU of Indiana legal director Ken Falk argued the change unfairly singles out IU and undermines alumni input without justification.

The plaintiff in the case, IU alum Justin Vasel, had been a candidate in the upcoming trustee election, which was scheduled to start June 1. “Thousands of alumni are preparing to cast their votes, as they have done for over 130 years,” Vasel said. “Their voices deserve to be heard and respected, not silenced through legislative maneuvering.”