The executive director and CFO of Indiana Public Media in Bloomington are no longer in their roles at the station, according to an email sent to station staff and obtained by Current.
In the Sept. 25 email, Indiana University Provost and Executive VP Rahul Shrivastav told station staff that Executive Director Brad Kimmel and CFO Christina Lirot had “concluded their service at IU,” which operates IPM through its Radio and Television Services division. IPM consists of radio station WFIU and television station WTIU.
Shrivastav thanked Kimmel and Lirot “for their contributions in advancing RTVS’s vital community and university service missions.” He did not provide any details about the reason for the departures.
Kimmel had led IPM since November 2020. He and Lirot did not respond to Current’s requests for comment.
Shrivastav said that Jay Kincaid, director of facilities and technology at the IU Media School, will lead RTVS on an interim basis. Rhonda Inman, campus accountant for the office of the vice provost, will be interim leader of RTVS finance and administration.
“IU cannot comment on individual personnel matters,” an IU spokesperson told Current in an email. “RTVS’s vital community and university service missions remain a priority for IU, and we aim to ensure even more success and impact from RTVS moving forward.”
Kincaid also declined an interview request.
A Sept. 26 IPM news article said that the leadership changes followed a consultant’s report that studied moving administration of RTVS from the provost’s office to the IU Media School. The report also found “morale issues” among RTVS staff, according to the article.
Current has asked for the report through a public records request, which IU has yet to answer.
According to the article, Kincaid told staff the changes were not the beginning of a merger of RTVS and the Media School but that one would happen eventually. He told staff that he didn’t know why Kimmel and Lirot were removed.