FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne may soon become a designated metropolitan university, expanding the degree options for students in Fort Wayne.

At the request of Purdue University, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education heard initial comments this week on changing IPFW from a regional campus to a metropolitan university.

The new status would make the school eligible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in performance-based state funding, for every student who graduates in a STEM field- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

According to the News Sentinel, IPFW would use that funding to expand and add to their list of academic programs.

Currently, IUPUI is the only Indiana college that's designated as a metropolitan university.