Associate Faculty of Theatre and Performance Studies, IU Indianapolis
1951-2011
Passed by the IU Indianapolis Faculty Council at their meeting on February 7, 2012.
The Department of Communication Studies at IU Indianapolis mourns the unexpected passing of Dr. Jack Price.
Jack Price earned a BA in Theatre from IU Indianapolis in 1990 after spending nearly twenty years in the banking industry. You may not know that Jack had an Associate’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Indianapolis and worked for Indiana National Bank for years. Banking was not for Jack, however. He used to say “I don’t care if you have $2 or $200,000, I will treat you the same.” Those of us who knew Jack will recognize his commitment to fairness and equality in that statement. As one faculty member shared with me: “The thing that stands out most in my mind about Jack is his enthusiasm for students, teaching and theatre. Also, Jack impressed me as unusually accepting of people from a wide variety of backgrounds—culture, race, sexual orientation. Not only was he accepting of all types, he skillfully and intentionally incorporated his broad and sincere acceptance of all in his marvelously innovative teaching.”
Jack discovered his love of theatre and oral interpretation while taking Theatre classes at IU Indianapolis and working with Dorothy and Edgar Webb. Dorothy was particularly influential in encouraging Jack to pursue his MA and PhD, which he eventually did. He earned his MA from Indiana State in 1994 and his PhD from Southern Illinois University in Communication and Performance Studies in 2003.
Jack was a performer, not in one of those artificial sorts of ways, but in the way that good performers are really about forging connections. You could always count on Jack for a friendly hello and to sit and listen.
Jack was always looking for ways to infuse performance into our curriculum at IU Indianapolis and so was thrilled when the opportunity presented itself to work with interested faculty in planning for the opening of the new theatre in the Campus Center this April. He was even going to be one of the assistant directors. As his wife Bernie told me lovingly and laughingly, he was a “worst best actor.” He wasn’t a very good actor, she said, but he always fit the part and performed with great enthusiasm.
Jack also taught public speaking for us and was hired as the first director of the Speaker’s Lab in 1999. The lab that we have now is a testament to his hard work and dedication to our students. And students noticed. He was regularly recognized by the IU Indianapolis Athletics Department on “Favorite Professor Night.” I received more than one e-mail from students who called him “an incredible person and an amazing teacher.” Another student said he planned to dedicate his thesis to Jack. Still another said she wouldn’t be in a communication graduate program now if it weren’t for Jack.
Jack was an amazing teacher, and hugely creative. You may remember a few years ago that Jack was trying to encourage students to enroll in his T305 Oral Interpretation class, so positioned at various points throughout Cavanaugh Hall were life-size cardboard cutouts of Jack with information about the class. Jack was never one to do things small. In fact, he only expected big things from his students and encouraged them to push themselves beyond their comfort zone. Our students will miss him, our department, school and campus will miss him; I will miss him.
Jack is survived by his wife Bernie, his mother, six siblings, and several nieces and nephews.
THUS, BE IT RESOLVED, that this memorial resolution be placed in the minutes of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Faculty Council with a moment of silence observed in his honor. A copy of this memorial resolution will be delivered to his wife.
This resolution is written on behalf of Jack Price’s students and the staff and faculty of the Department of Communication Studies. This resolution was prepared by Kristy Sheeler, Chair of Communication Studies.