University of Illinois Springfield

In 1967, the Illinois General Assembly created a Board of Regents to operate Illinois State University and Northern Illinois University, as well as a third unnamed institution in Springfield. In 1969, Governor Richard Ogilvie signed into law a bill officially creating Sangamon State University. It originally operated as an "upper-division" university—that is, a university that offers only the last two years of undergraduate education, as well as graduate work. The first classes were held on September 28, 1970, at the former Hotel Leland in downtown Springfield. In October, SSU began offering classes in the current campus location near Lake Springfield.

Sangamon State aimed to be a "truly pioneering segment of public education" through a spirit of openness, innovation and adaptability.[5]

The school grew steadily over the years. Its first permanent building, Brookens Library, was dedicated in 1976, and its Public Affairs Center and first dormitories opened in 1980.

In 1995, Governor Jim Edgar signed a bill which abolished the Board of Regents and merged SSU with the University of Illinois system. On July 1, SSU officially became the University of Illinois Springfield. Naomi Lynn, the last president of SSU, became the first chancellor of UIS.

In 2001, it admitted freshmen for the first time in an honors program called the "Capital Scholars". On September 8, 2005, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees approved a new general education curriculum, making UIS a full-fledged four-year university for the first time. Freshmen were slated to be admitted under the general education curriculum beginning in fall 2006.[6]

The Legacy Campus hosts an array of student services and facilities buildings. There is also the Cox Children's Center which was established in 1970.[7] Some of the key buildings on this part of campus are the WUIS building, Student Life Building (SLB), Business Services Building (BSB), Human Resources Building (HRB), Student Affairs Building (SAB), and the Visual & Performing Arts Building (VPA).

Legacy Campus

The first permanent construction on campus, Brookens Library was completed in 1976 and the Public Affairs Center, was completed in Fall of 1980.[5] These buildings were the first part of a master plan of 1970–1971 that called for an "urban campus" surrounded by restored prairie land, free of all vehicular traffic and easily navigable by pedestrians. All permanent campus buildings would be located within a "ring road", now known as University Drive. The Public Affairs Center also houses Sangamon Auditorium, a 2,018 seat concert hall and performing arts center built in 1981. It occupies the entire second level of the Public Affairs Center.

UIS offers four living options for more than 1,100 students.[8] On the East Campus there are four courts of apartments, one being designated for family housing including Sunflower, Larkspur, CLover, and Bluebell Courts. There is also the housing office at Homer L. Butler Commons (HCOM). On West Campus there are 96 townhouses encompassed within Pennyroyal, Marigold, Trillium and Foxglove court. For first and second year students there are two residence halls, Lincoln Residence Hall (LRH) and Founders Residence Hall (FRH).[9]

The University of Illinois Springfield has been offering online courses and degrees since 1999. Currently UIS offers 56 bachelor's degrees, 39 minors, 44 master's degree, 1 doctorate degree, 37 graduate certificates and coursework that leads to 6 ISBE endorsements.[10]

• College of Business and Management
• College of Health, Science, and Technology
• College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• College of Public Affairs & Education

The UIS Observer is the student online news publication.[11]

• Phi Kappa Tau
• Delta Kappa Epsilon
• Alpha Phi Alpha
• Phi Beta Sigma
• Sigma Lambda Beta

• Alpha Kappa Alpha
• Delta Sigma Theta
• Gamma Phi Omega
• Sigma Sigma Sigma
• Zeta Phi Beta

The main campus of UIS is accessible via Sangamon Mass Transit District. Routes 11, 15, and 905 provide bus service from campus to the Lincoln Land Community College and to downtown Springfield.[12]

• Cheri Bustos - former U.S. representative, Illinois's 17th district (M.A. Public Affairs Reporting)[13]
• Mike Cernovich - alt-right social media personality and host of The Alex Jones Show on InfoWars (2001 B.A. Philosophy)[14]
• Ward Churchill - former University of Colorado professor, social critic, activist (1974 B.A. Communications, 1975 M.A. Communications)[15]
• Vince Demuzio - Illinois state senator, 1975–2004 (1981 B.A. in Education and Human Services; 1996 M.A. in Education and Public Policy)[16]
• Karen A. Hasara - former mayor of Springfield, Illinois, Illinois state senator, (1972 B.A. Psychology, 1992 M.A. Legal Studies)[17]
• Gordon S. Heddell - former United States Department of Defense inspector general (1975 M.A. Legal Studies)[15]
• Jim Langfelder - former mayor of Springfield, Illinois
• Al Lewis - Columnist, Dow Jones Newswires[18]
• Kimberly Lightford - current member, Illinois State Senate
• Robert "Bobby" McFerrin Jr.- vocal performer and conductor (attended 1975–76, did not complete degree)
• Milton J. Nieuwsma - author, Emmy-winning filmwriter-producer (1978 M.A.)[19]
• Richard Oruche - shooting guard on the Nigerian national basketball team (2010 B.A. Business Administration)
• Richard Osborne - former CEO of Scotsman Industries
• Dana Perino - White House Press Secretary for the George W. Bush administration (1995 M.A. Public Affairs Reporting)[20]
• Elgie Sims - current member, Illinois Senate
• Russell Smith - movie producer
• Thom Serafin - communications consultant

• Michael Burlingame, historian
• John Knoepfle, poet and translator
• Phillip S. Paludan, historian
• Paul Simon, political scientist