The document discusses the history and present state of the University of Southern Indiana (USI). It began in 1965 as a regional campus for Indiana State University before becoming autonomous in 1985. Under founding president David Rice and subsequent president Ray Hoops, USI expanded its degree offerings and campus. Currently, USI serves over 10,000 students across bachelor's and master's programs, with strengths in health services, nursing, and business. The summary provides an overview of USI's mission, leadership, student demographics, and insights from an interview with Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Khalilah Doss on initiatives to support students.

1. UNIVERSITY OF
SOUTHERN INDIANA:
54 YEARS OF FLIGHT
Nicholas Britton
Bellarmine University
HRED-601-ON

2. Overview
 University of Southern Indiana, or USI for short, is a public
university located in Evansville, Indiana. It presently serves
over 10,000 students.
 Its calling cards include, but are not limited to: its large
and scenic campus, prolific programs in health services,
nursing and business, the “Screaming Eagles” basketball
team, and affordability for in-state and out-of-state
students alike.
 Primary elements of this presentation:
 USI’s history from 1965 to the present
 Key tenets of USI’s institutional values and objectives
 Overview of USI’s professional staff and student population
 Prominent academic programs
 My institutional site visit and interview with Dr. Khalilah Doss – Vice
President for Student Affairs
(photo courtesy of
usi.edu)

3. History of USI
 USI had its origins as a regional/satellite campus for Indiana State University, whose
main campus is located in Terre Haute, IN. USI became autonomous in 1985.
 An early goal was for USI to be an “educational park,” in which facilities and
collaborations were abundant.
 David L. Rice was the founding president, serving in this capacity from 1967 to 1994
with a people-focused mindset.
 Under Rice’s leadership, USI advanced from its roots as a two-year degree
institution to offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well. This growth was further
spurred by second president Dr. Ray H. Hoops, who acknowledged demand within
the Evansville community by increasing volunteer opportunities and overseeing a
new school of engineering.
 The state of Indiana has invested over half a billion dollars into the university since
its inception.

4. Staffing Breakdown
Current Staff, as of 09/25/2019 (data courtesy of
https://www.usi.edu/about/employment/)
Student Employees Full-Time Faculty/Administrative Staff Part-Time Faculty
Full-Time Support Staff Part-Time Support Staff

5. Student/Faculty Demographics and Data
 According to USI’s most recent institutional snapshot, for the Fall 2017 semester:
 Undergraduate students comprise 85.5% of the student population, while graduate students are the
remaining 14.5%.
 Women comprise 63% of the student population, while men comprise 37%.
 85.8% of students are White/Caucasian, while 14.2% are from ethnic minority populations.
 There was a strong increase in first-year students’ average high school GPA, compared to Fall 2008;
from 2.99 to 3.36.
 While the snapshot does not include administrative/support staff data, it does
include faculty data as well.
 The majority of full-time faculty are women (188), compared to men (164). The majority of tenured
faculty are men; however, on-track female instructors outnumber male instructors, 73 to 46.
 87.8% of faculty are White/Caucasian, while 12.2% are from ethnic minority populations.
 The number of part-time adjunct instructors actually decreased from 2013 to 2017, while the pool of
full-time instructors increased in its place.

6. Mission and Values
 Mission statement: “USI is an engaged learning
community advancing education and knowledge,
enhancing civic and cultural awareness, and
fostering partnerships through comprehensive
outreach programs. We prepare individuals to
live wisely in a diverse and global community.”
 Vision: “Shaping the future through learning and
innovation.”
 USI’s three overarching goals of its 2016-2020
strategic plan:
 Excellence in Learning for the Entire USI Community
 Access and Opportunity by Design
 Purposeful and Sustainable Growth

7. Leadership
 USI is governed by a Board of Trustees, comprised of nine
trustees selected by the Governor of Indiana.
 The fourth and current university president is Dr. Ronald
Rochon (pictured), who also serves as a Professor of
Education.
 The Board of Trustees and Office of the President are further
supplemented by the USI Foundation, which manages
financial fundraising/gifts for the university.
(photo courtesy of
usi.edu)

8. Insight from Dr. Khalilah Doss
 Dr. Khalilah Doss is the Vice President for Student Affairs at
USI. She worked at four different institutions across the US
prior to USI.
 Current initiatives of her office are centered around retention
and support; the concept of “supporting students throughout
their journey” was referred to on a few occasions.
 Dr. Doss has engaged in listening sessions with USI students,
using their lived-in experience at the university to inform her
actions in the role.
 Dr. Doss cites “Week of Welcome” activities, outdoor
excursions such as white-water rafting, and speaker sessions
as among the most popular and high-impact activities led by
her department.
(photo courtesy of
usi.edu)

9. Interview With Dr. Doss, Continued
 The Student Affairs Department encourages students to complete internships from
their first year onward, rather than waiting until they are upperclassmen.
 Her team consists of 65 permanent staff members, not including student workers.
 When asked if any other departments had been particularly cooperative, Dr. Doss
stated that support has been “across the board” and the goals of the Student Affairs
department are “built into the entire institution.”
 Dr. Doss did not work with online students at her previous institutions, but states
that USI’s online learner community is “growing exponentially” and that colleges
must adapt to distance learning’s increasing influence.
 The department is still gauging ways to engage online students beyond typical
practices such as newsletters, but Dr. Doss is excited to continue this progress.

10. Campus Environment

11. Campus Environment

12. Questions to Consider
 As discussed with Dr. Doss, online
education presents new challenges for
student affairs. How can universities
ensure that online students feel
included and involved?
 USI is highly growth-oriented; do you
believe campuses can become
scattershot and disjointed as a result
of continuous growth?
 The current USI strategic plan is
almost expired. What are some goals
that may benefit them in the next
iteration?

13. References
 Kickstarting a Dream. (n.d.). USI Magazine, 48(2).
 University of Southern Indiana. (2018). University of Southern Indiana Institutional
Snapshot - Fall 2017. Evansville, IN.
 University of Southern Indiana Website. (n.d.). Retrieved October 4, 2019, from
https://www.usi.edu/