Indiana Geological and Water Survey to Be Moved Off-Campus by End of Year

Staff report

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — May 14, 2025 — The Indiana Geological and Water Survey (IGWS), a research institute established under Indiana law and housed within Indiana University, announced Tuesday it is being moved off-campus by the end of 2025 — a shift that staff say could jeopardize its mission, limit student involvement, and hinder research obligations.

In a statement posted to its official Facebook page, the IGWS said IU administration plans to relocate the survey from the east wing of the Geology Building on campus to a university-owned off-campus facility that lacks laboratory space. According to the post, the move would likely be funded by the IGWS itself, including the cost of necessary renovations to the new location.

“These changes will greatly limit our ability to fulfill grant obligations, provide student research and job experiences, and effectively accomplish our responsibilities under state statute,” the statement read.

As a result of the move, the IGWS Learning Lab — which has welcomed over 8,800 visitors since opening three years ago — will close at the end of June and remain shuttered in July, with only the possibility of limited fall hours ahead of the move. The lab has served as a hub for experiential learning and training for students in diverse fields such as Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Biology, Education, and Arts Management.

Under Indiana Code 21-47-2, the IGWS is mandated to provide geological information about Indiana’s water, mineral, and energy resources, conduct research, preserve geological data, and participate in public education and cooperative studies with state and federal agencies.

The Facebook post encouraged the public to voice concerns directly to the IU Board of Trustees, noting the statutory role the survey plays within the university structure.

The Bloomingtonian reached out to Indiana University’s spokesperson for comment on Tuesday, but had not received a response at the time of publication Wednesday.

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