Founded on December 5, 1912, the Indiana University Student Government (IUSG) has a rich history of student leadership and advocacy. The concept of a student council at Indiana University was first proposed during a meeting of what is now the Indiana Memorial Union Board, where Professor Louis S. Davis presented a plan to establish a council dedicated to student welfare and self-governance. This idea was aimed at bridging the gap between faculty and students and was first approved by students, marking the beginning of a century-long tradition of student representation at IU.
Despite initial challenges, including jurisdictional overlaps and a significant defeat in the 1919 referendum, persistent advocacy by student leaders and support from university administration, especially from IU President Herman B Wells, culminated in the ratification of a student government constitution on January 28, 1944. This laid the foundation for the current IUSG, which has evolved significantly since its inception, adapting to the changing needs of the student body and expanding its responsibilities to enhance student life at Indiana University.
Over the years, the student council evolved through various forms and names. By 1948, it was renamed the Student Senate, and in 1967, it became the Student Government. Between 1974 and 1975, it was known as the Indiana University Student Association (IUSA) until the spring of 2018, when it adopted its current name, IUSG. Throughout these changes, IUSG has remained committed to protecting student rights, enriching student life, and improving Indiana University.
We are proud to have served Hoosiers for more than a century. Our alumni include prominent leaders such as a CEO of the IU Alumni Association, a political reporter for Bloomberg, former mayors of Bloomington and Fort Wayne, the first woman in the US to serve a full four-year term as US Attorney, and the first woman to run for Governor of Indiana.