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University of Southern Indiana seeks $43M for academic renovations and requests new applied business technologies line item
Summary
USI President Steve Bridges asked for $43 million in fee‑replacement funding to renovate multiple campus facilities (library, art center, STEM labs) and requested a new $410,000/year line item to expand a Center for Applied Business Technologies focused on AI, biometrics and data analytics for undergraduate students.
Interim President Steve Bridges presented the University of Southern Indiana’s capital and program requests. USI asked for $43 million in fee‑replacement (major repair and rehabilitation) funds to renovate three floors of the Robert D. Orr Center, portions of the Art Center, the Rice Library (phase 1) and STEM improvements. Bridges emphasized accessibility upgrades, mechanical and envelope repairs, technology updates and new study and collaboration spaces.
USI proposed a new line‑item, the Center for Applied Business Technologies, with a request of $410,000 per year. Bridges said the center would expand AI, eye‑tracking/biometric tools, textual analytics and other applied technology training to hundreds of undergraduate business students and create cross‑disciplinary opportunities for students to work on real‑world projects for local employers.
Other continuing line items included restoration funding for Historic New Harmony and continued support for an Early College bridge (Pathways) program at $600,000 annually. Bridges cited local employer partnerships and student retention improvements tied to applied learning, and described a 90% freshman‑to‑sophomore retention in the Pathways program.
