Richard Bodiker began his strong relationship with Indiana University East while he was a student at the Richmond, Indiana campus. Then, during his 16-year tenure in the Indiana House of Representatives, he became known as an unflagging champion of higher education in Richmond and throughout the state. His legislative
efforts helped to increase the facilities of IU East fivefold. IU East went from being a one-building, associate degree - granting campus serving 1,200 students a year to a full-fledged institution that grants baccalaureate and master's degrees, serves more than 4,500 students annually, and opened its fifth building this spring. Bodiker has been a key figure in furthering IU East's mission to enhance the intellectual, cultural, and economic vitality of individuals and communities throughout our region.
At the Indiana Statehouse, Bodiker, a Democrat, has continually shown strength in bipartisan teamwork and consensus-building. Serving as chair of the Education Committee, he supported longstanding partnerships between IU East and Ivy Tech. He has been an advocate of education at all levels and for all students, with special attention to those who are most vulnerable. He introduced legislation to provide additional funding for schools that serve these children and worked on adapting extracurricular activities to those with special needs.
As chair of the Financial Institutions Committee, Bodiker focused on matters dealing with the regulation of financial institutions, mortgages, and consumer loans. In 2000 he authored a bill which would require creditors to provide accurate payoff information to borrowers, limiting who could make consumer loans, and placing restrictions on mortgage servicers. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, he supported a program that encouraged the revitalization and restoration of downtown areas throughout the state. Those who watch the state's political scene agree that no county in Indiana has been unaffected by Bodiker's House committee leadership.
Bodiker served on the Richmond City Council from 1984 to 1986 and on the IU East Chancellor’s Board of Advisors from 2006 to 2007. He has generously shared his talents with the board of the Richmond Power and Light Company, the Richmond/Wayne County and Cambridge City Chambers of Commerce, and the IU East Alumni Association, of which he is a lifetime member.
Bodiker is the recipient of many honors, including the Indiana University East Chancellor's Medallion, the Indiana Library Federation Library Advocacy Award, and the Centerville Lions Club Community Award. In 2016, Indiana University awarded Bodiker with an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at its spring commencement ceremony in Richmond, Indiana, for his community engagement and public service.
In 2020, Bodiker was presented the Bicentennial Medal for his distinguished contributions to Indiana University.
