Message from 2021-2022 Editorial Staff: 

The first issue of The Spartan Shield was published Oct. 15, 1968. The Shield Staff is celebrating The Shield’s 53rd birthday by digitally republishing stories from The Shield Archive. The following story published Jan. 31, 1985 reflects the steps and anxieties involved with the separation from Indiana State University. The following story has not been edited by the 2021-2022 staff.

Story from The Shield Archive: 

Monday marked a major step toward that ISUE Independence when senate bill 207 passed the Education Committee hearing 7 to 3 in Indianapolis. 

Student government association president Mike Brevers led a contingent of 30 ISUE students who traveled to Indianapolis to proclaim their support for an autonomous university. Testifying before the Senate Education Community, Bevers provided the Senate with resolutions from area county councils which pledged support for an independent university in southwestern Indiana. Bevers also included in his testimony the signatures of 2,307 who recently signed a petition calling for ISUE’s independence. 

During the committee hearing, Vanderburgh County Commissioner and Evansville Teachers Association representative Rick Borries remarked that “few issues have united a community as much as the one” (the Independence issue).

Referring to ISUE’s mascot, the eagle, Borries stated that “the eagle is a symbol of freedom. It is time for us to ‘free the eagle.’”

Following the Senate Education Committee’s passing of the Independence bill, the bill will proceed to the Senate floor for further action. Opposing the Independence bill at Monday’s hearing was State Senator Vi Simpson of Bloomington.

“Indiana is failing to meet the needs of higher education,” stated Senator Simpson. “An independent university would take away from educational funding, which has been spread too thin already. ISUE’s independence would take a slice of the (economic) pie.”

Despite Senator Simpson’s opposition to senate bill 207, ISUE is one step closer to reaching its goal for an independent university. 

Anxieties Flair Over Independence

The question is asked, “What university do you attend?”

In the future, the response could be “It was ISUE, but now it’s USI. It’s the same place though.”

Other than receiving a few puzzled looks, students now attending ISUE should not be affected much if ISUE does become independent.

“The biggest change they’ll see is the name,” said Nancy Malin, student representative to the Board of Incorporators.

The Incorporators prepared a report on independence for the 1985 General Assembly.

Although some students have questioned what independence would mean for them, Malin said she doesn’t believe students would “notice any immediate changes.”

She said because the university was designated to become independent from the beginning, the organizational structure will stay the same.

Students have voiced fears of rises in tuition. “Tuition will probably rise but not as a result of independence,” said Malin. She said the only increases would be from statewide tuition hikes authorized by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. ‘I don’t see that as happening any time soon though,” she stressed. 

She also said the name and program changes which could not occur would not affect students already attending ISUE.

“Most of the changes will be in the program area,” she said. Graduate programs would be offered. Two specifically mentioned in the Incorporators’ report are elementary education as well as business and commerce.

ISUE would also be working in “cooperation with other facilities,” such as Ball State, Indiana University and Purdue. It is hoped that programs offered jointly with them would eventually evolve.

ISUE would expand to offer classes throughout the community and in outreaching areas such as Jasper. This would benefit students who are traveling long distance to attend ISUE.

Another benefit would be programs added to offer four year degrees to students completing two year courses at technical institutes.

Malin said many changes would become apparent only through time. She added that these are only suggestions. “The Board of Trustees (which would be appointed) would have the last say.”