University of Southern Indiana
Motto | Knowledge for Life |
---|---|
Type | Public |
Established | 1965 |
Endowment | US $66 million[1] |
President | Linda L. M. Bennett |
Academic staff
|
821 |
Students | 9,364 |
Undergraduates | 8,414 |
Postgraduates | 950 |
Location | , , |
Campus | Suburban: 1,400 acres (6 km2) |
Athletics | 17 Division II NCAA teams, called Screaming Eagles |
Colors | red, white, and blue |
Mascot | Archibald Eagle (Archie) |
Website | www.usi.edu, [3] |
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The University of Southern Indiana (USI) is a public university located just outside Evansville in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1965, USI enrolls approximately 9,500 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students in 80 majors. USI offers programs through the College of Liberal Arts, Romain College of Business, College of Nursing and Health Professions and the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education. USI is a Carnegie Foundation Community Engaged University[2] and offers continuing education and special programs to more than 15,000 participants annually through Outreach and Engagement.
USI athletic teams participate in Division II of the NCAA and are known as the Screaming Eagles. USI is a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The university is home to an extensive student life, with more than 140 student organizations.
Contents
History
The University of Southern Indiana began in 1965 as a regional branch of Indiana State University, which is located in Terre Haute. Classes were originally held in a former elementary school on the west side of Evansville known as Centennial School – denoting the year it was built in 1876. The property was leased from Bristol-Myers Squibb, which still has a large facility nearby. In 1971, the school moved to its current campus in western Vanderburgh County. The first buildings constructed were the Science Center and the Wright Administration Building. Slowly the school built facilities, as funding became available during the Indiana State University-Evansville period.
The relationship with Indiana State University was an awkward one from the start. Local leaders, who were not pleased with the level of support, contended that if the campus was to thrive it would need to gain independent status.[3] A coordinated effort was made to establish the campus as an independent state university.
Opposition came immediately from Indiana State University along with Indiana University and Purdue, which were concerned that granting the campus independence would set a precedent for other small branch campuses around the state.[3] However, the local campus continued to rally support from state legislators, business leaders, and local groups.
In 1985, independence was finally granted when Governor Robert D. Orr, an Evansville native, signed the school's charter and started a new chapter as the University of Southern Indiana. Since gaining its independence, USI's growth has continued to where it is now the fastest growing comprehensive university in the state.[4] The university established student housing, diversified the programs offered, and enrollment has more than doubled since gaining its independence. In October, 2006, the university completed a master plan that provides the framework to double the size of the school and support a campus of over 20,000 students. The master plan features key planning principles to guide the university and help it create a cohesive campus as it continues to grow.[5]
Academics
Academic Units
USI offers over 70 undergraduate majors, 10 master's programs, and one doctoral program. Divisions of the University include the Romain College of Business, College of Liberal Arts, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education, University Division, and Division of Outreach and Engagement.[6] Each college is led by a dean who reports to the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. USI employs 652 full-time faculty, lecturers, and academic administrators, and 239 part-time faculty.[7]
The Indiana University School of Medicine - Evansville Center, housed in the Health Professions Center, is one of eight regional divisions throughout the state. The center provides classes for first- and second-year medical students. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and carries several discipline-specific accreditations as well.
Rankings
- Online graduate degree nursing program was ranked 15th in the categories of Admissions Selectivity and Faculty Credentials and Training in the 2012 U.S. News & World Report rankings.[8]
- Online graduate degree nursing program ranked 25th for Student Engagement and Accreditation.[8]
- Online graduate degree nursing program ranked 71st for Student Services and Technology.[8]
- Online graduate degree nursing program overall ranking was 127th out of more than 500 online graduate nursing programs.[8]
- The Master of Science in Health Administration degree received a Top 5 ranking from GetEducated.com, a consumer group that reviews and ranks online degrees for cost, quality, and credibility.[9]
Student life
Enrollment
Over 10,500 students enrolled at USI in the fall of 2009. Although the student population is largely local and regional, the international student population is growing each year.[10] The university reported students came from 90 Indiana counties, 36 other states, and 42 other nations for the 2006-2007 academic year. Additionally, more than 15,000 people participate annually in continuing education courses and special programs sponsored by the Division of Extended Services.[11]
Over 36,000 students have graduated since 1971. About 74% of USI's graduates remain in Indiana. The university serves an additional 9,000 persons annually through comprehensive noncredit programs of short duration.
Housing
Nearly all students who live on campus (with the exception of some freshmen who are housed in modern suite-style facilities) are assigned apartments with full kitchens. USI's four Residence Halls (Newman, Governor's, O'Bannon, and Ruston), located on the South side of campus, are freshmen-only modern suites. The apartments, located on the Northeastern side of campus, accommodate all other campus residents (including freshmen).
Greek life
Fraternities:
- Tau Kappa Epsilon (Since 1970)
- Lambda Chi Alpha (Since 1981)
- Phi Delta Theta (Since 1986)
- Kappa Alpha Order (Since 2003)
- Sigma Pi (Since 2007)
- Sigma Tau Gamma (Returned 2010)
Sororities:
- Alpha Sigma Alpha (Since 1972)
- Delta Zeta (Since 1975)
- Gamma Phi Beta (Since 1998)
- Alpha Sigma Tau (Since 2012)
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated (Since 2013)
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated
- Sigma Sigma Sigma (Recolonized 2015)
Former Fraternities and Sororities:
Campus
In 1967, the Southern Indiana Higher Education, Inc., (SIHE) acquired 1,400 acres (6 km2). Since September 1969, the university has occupied 300 acres (1.2 km2), most of which was donated by SIHE. Southern Indiana Higher Education, Inc. still owns 1,100 acres (4 km2) for development of higher education opportunities.
The number of classrooms has more than doubled since the campus was first opened, but the university is still planning for continued growth. A new building for the School of Business opened in 1990 and was named the Orr Center in honor of Governor Robert D. Orr, an Evansville native. Since then, four other large buildings have been built for the Liberal Arts, Nursing, and Education divisions, as well as a large fitness center for students and faculty.
The David L. Rice Library opened in the fall semester of 2006. The building is five stories and features computer access, study tables/rooms, and copy machines located on each floor. A new Business and Engineering Center opened in 2010 and an expanded and renovated University Center opened in 2011. A new theater will be directly connected to the University Center when it opens in the fall of 2014.
Media
USI is home to the Southern Indiana Review, a national literary journal. Stories published in the Southern Indiana Review have been anthologized in the Best American Short Stories and the Best American Essays.
The university contains within it three media outlets including the award-winning radio station, The Edge/WSWI, SETV12 the student-run television station, and the two-time "Division II Newspaper of the Year" student newspaper, The Shield. All programs are completely student-run entities within the campus that deal with student and community related topics and discussions.
Athletics
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The athletic teams of USI are known as the Screaming Eagles. The university competes at the NCAA Division II level as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. USI sponsors 17 varsity intercollegiate sports. The school has won three NCAA national championships (men's basketball, 1995; baseball, 2010 and 2014), finished three times as the national finalist (men's basketball, 1994 and 2004; and women's basketball 1997), and earned two third-place finishes (men's cross country, 1982; baseball, 2007). The men's and women's cross country/track teams have produced five individual national championships since 1997.
Men's sports |
Women's sports |
Notable alumni
- Kevin Brown, professional baseball player. Played from 1996 to 2002 with the Blue Jays, Brewers, Rangers and Red Sox.
- Dale Carter, inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame 2010.
- Brad Ellsworth (Democrat), former member of the United States House of Representatives in the 110th Congress, Indiana's 8th congressional district and former Sheriff of Vanderburgh County, Indiana.
- Darin Mastroianni, professional baseball player for the Minnesota Twins. Drafted in 16th round of the 2007 MLB Player Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.
- Vince Russo, former booker for WCW and WWF; former booker for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling; briefly held WCW's World Heavyweight Championship. Runs a well known professional wrestling podcast.
- Jeff Schulz, professional baseball player. Played for the Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1989.
- Jamar Smith, professional basketball player. Signed by the Boston Celtics and assigned to the Maine Red Claws.
- Janet M. Stenftenagel, author and professor
- Robert Titzer, Author and Inventor of the book series, Your Baby Can Read.
- Justin Olsen, college soccer coach for Calumet College and 4 year player at USI.
Outreach
Historic New Harmony
In cooperation with the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, USI manages programs and properties in Historic New Harmony, site of two historic communal societies of the early 19th century, the Harmony Society and the Robert Owen/William Mclure communal experiment.[12]
Center for Communal Studies
The USI Center for Communal Studies is a clearinghouse for information, a research facility, and a sponsor of activities related to historic and contemporary intentional communities. The center encourages and facilitates meetings, classes, scholarships, publications, networking and public interest in communal groups past and present, here and abroad. The center archives contain primary and secondary materials on more than 100 historic communes and several hundred collective, cooperative, and co-housing communities founded since 1965. Noted communal scholars have donated their private collections and their extensive research notes and papers to the center archives.
The New Harmony Theatre
The New Harmony Theatre is a professional theatre operating under an agreement with Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.
In fall 2007, USI Theatre partnered with The New Harmony Theatre on The Repertory Project, which allows top Theatre students to perform with Equity actors. Student actors and stage managers involved in The Repertory Project earn points toward joining the union, a membership that is considered the “gold standard” for theatre professionals.
Historic Southern Indiana
Historic Southern Indiana (HSI) is an outreach organization dedicated to preserving, enhancing, and promoting the abundant historical, natural, and recreational resources of southern Indiana. As a community outreach program of the University of Southern Indiana, HSI hosts workshops, produces publications, conducts visitor research, and facilitates and coordinates with many groups and agencies with the goal of creating a sense of regional identity and pride.
The Heritage Area contains numerous sites of historical significance, including Vincennes, Corydon, New Harmony, Madison, and Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home. Forests, caves, rivers, and lakes offer scenic beauty and recreational activities.
Center for Applied Research
The Center for Applied Research (CAR) works with businesses and organizations throughout the region to conduct research, consulting, and other applied projects.
References
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External links
- Official website
- Official athletics website
- Campus map
- The Shield University of Southern Indiana Student Newspaper
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- Articles using infobox university
- Pages with broken file links
- University of Southern Indiana
- Education in Vanderburgh County, Indiana
- Buildings and structures in Vanderburgh County, Indiana
- Southwestern Indiana
- Universities and colleges in Indiana
- Educational institutions established in 1965
- Sports in Evansville, Indiana
- Visitor attractions in Vanderburgh County, Indiana