Six months ago, Madelyn Morris had envisioned what her first steps on a college campus would be like. The Mooresville, Indiana, student was focusing on successfully finishing her final semester, sending out graduation party invites and getting ready for the University of Southern Indiana's student orientation, scheduled for March 20.
But everything changed with COVID-19.
Read MoreWith a shortfall in university funding and concerns revolving around the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Southern Indiana's Children's Learning Center (CLC) will not be reopening.
During a news conference Monday, university officials announced the closing of the CLC, which has primarily served children, ages 2-5, of USI faculty and staff.
Read MoreWhile facilities are closed through July 6 due to restrictions around the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Southern Indiana is providing another way for prospective students to tour the school's grounds in-person.
Led by a Screagle Pride admissions van, families can tour the university's academic buildings, sports arenas, residential spaces and future development sites from their cars during USI's drive-thru campus tours.
Read MoreThe University of Southern Indiana Thursday, after a special meeting of the Board of Trustees, announced changes for the next school year as well as the approval of a tentative operating budget.
The announcements came from the USI Steering Committee, which represents more than 125 members of the COVID-19 task force.
Read MoreIndiana colleges and universities are set to receive roughly $200 million from the federal government’s coronavirus relief package – a welcome boost as higher education institutions and their students face unprecedented challenges, both academic and financial.
The only problem: Most schools say they’re not sure yet how to spend it.
Read MoreUnable to travel back to their native countries, University of Southern Indiana international students, like many others in the Tri-State, have felt confined by the increased restrictions caused by the coronavirus.
USI senior Daniela Gonzalez, who lives in Mexico City, said the impact of the worldwide pandemic has been a major issue for her and other international students, as many of them have been forced to remain on campus and away from their families.
Read MoreWith thousands of University of Southern Indiana students rushing to move their belongings after hearing university housing has abruptly closed for the semester, some expressed stress with the process.
Students received an email Tuesday from USI Housing and Residence Life saying all students must move from campus housing by 6 p.m. Sunday.
Read MoreDuring a press conference Tuesday, school officials announced that the University of Southern Indiana, University of Evansville and Ivy Tech Community College will go solely to online instruction through the end of the school year as the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to rise across the state and nation.
The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. and Evansville Diocese Schools announced their buildings will be closed an additional two weeks with classes not scheduled to resume in person until April 13. That date may change as more information is known.
Read MoreWith the recent transition to only-online classes for the remaining semester, University of Southern Indiana senior Ian Graves said he and his friends are "discouraged" by the move.
Last week USI announced the suspension of in-class instruction through at least April 6 due to precautions concerning COVID-19. And Tuesday the school announced the remainder of the semester would be online only.
Read MoreMaybe one lecture cannot change the world, as renowned social activist Angela Davis noted Wednesday night at the University of Southern Indiana.
But judging by the resounding applause from the packed house at USI's 2020 Nelson Mandela Social Justice Day, the keynote speaker's appearance was a memorable one.
Read MoreUSI hosted the opening ceremony of the "Remembering Our Fallen" war memorial at the school's Screaming Eagles Arena. The nationally touring photo-display memorial, which got its start in November 2010, honors military who died from wounds suffered in a war zone since September 11, 2001. Indiana's traveling display is among 15 state-specific memorials and a national memorial.
Read MoreWhile the legacy of David Rice stretches far beyond Evansville, those who speak about the founding president of the University of Southern Indiana point to all the ways the community, university and individual lives were forever changed because of his vision.
Read MoreFor the seventh consecutive semester, graduate enrollment at the University of Southern Indiana has increased to record-setting growth while overall enrollment decreased by 2.6 percent.
Since 2016, graduate student numbers have surpassed those established in USI's 54-year history. And now at 1,537 graduate students, graduate enrollment has increased 6.1 percent compared to last year.
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