Mung Chiang, who will assume the role as Northwestern’s 18th president July 1, has served as Purdue University’s president since 2023. During his three-year term, Purdue’s policies changed on many fronts, including artificial intelligence as well as diversity, equity and inclusion.
Here is what took place at Purdue under Chiang’s leadership on these issues, among others.
Artificial intelligence
In late 2025, Purdue announced an AI strategy across five areas, including an “AI working competency” graduation requirement for all undergraduate students on its main campus. The announcement followed the rollout of AI degrees and certifications at Purdue.
“We at Purdue University must lean in and lean forward,” Chiang wrote in his LinkedIn post announcing the initiative.
Chiang told The Daily in a May 19 interview that emphasis should also be placed on human skills like compassion and critical thinking, instead of solely relying on AI.
Diversity, equity and inclusion
Matching a nationwide trend, Purdue announced it would shut down all initiatives and activities related to DEI in May 2025.
“An increasing number of actions and policy measures at both the federal and state level have made it clear that doing so is a necessary part of our future as a public university and a state educational institution,” Purdue Provost Patrick Wolfe wrote in an email to community members.
Endowments
In early 2025, Purdue received its largest gift in history: a $100 million commitment from Lilly Endowment Inc., a philanthropic foundation focusing on religion, education and community development. The money would go toward areas in STEM and business, according to a January Purdue news release.
Later in the year, Chiang led Purdue in a record-breaking single-day fundraiser as the University received $105.1 million through 36,875 donor gifts.
Freedom of speech
During Chiang’s tenure, students demonstrated against Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s actions and the war in Iran and, on Mayday, student life quality.
Some pro-Palestinian protestors at Purdue who set up an encampment in April 2024, which began the same day as NU’s Deering Meadow encampment, faced disciplinary probation, according to The Purdue Exponent.
In June 2025, Purdue discontinued a 50-year-old tradition of distributing The Purdue Exponent, the largest collegiate newspaper in Indiana. The University cited the need to maintain “institutional neutrality,” according to a May 30 email to Purdue Student Publishing Foundation.
Healthcare
In late 2023, Purdue expanded its mental health services for students and increased funding by 27% for Counseling and Psychological Services, resulting in a fully-staffed center “for the first time in several years,” according to Purdue News.
Under Chiang’s leadership, Purdue also switched its pharmacy benefit manager from CVS Caremark to AffirmedRx in January 2025. The Exponent reported that faculty faced higher costs due to the prescription medicine changes.
Purdue gave employees $1,000 to help cover the pharmacy switch, according to The Exponent.
International students
In May 2025, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent a letter to Chiang, who was born in China, regarding “National Security Risks Posed by Chinese Nationals in STEM Programs.”
Seven months later, Inside Higher Ed reported that Purdue allegedly rescinded more than 100 acceptance offers made to Chinese international graduate students. Purdue denied having a ban on international graduate students from several countries, including China, according to The Exponent.
Student life
In late 2024, The Exponent reported that various residence halls’ faucets dispensed brown water, which the University’s facilities director attributed to mineral sediment.
During Chiang’s tenure, Purdue students also started having to pay for public transportation, which was free from 1999 to 2024, according to The Exponent.
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