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USI campus to reopen, classes resume, January 28

Change is never easy, and we know this is a challenging time as you navigate recent announcements affecting programs and operations at Oakland City University. We want you to know that your educational journey doesn’t have to pause.

At the University of Southern Indiana, we are fully committed to helping you transition seamlessly so you can stay on track with your education journey. We’ve designed this dedicated page specifically for you to explore our programs, access resources, learn about credit transfers and continue your education with minimal interruption.

>> OCU Student Information

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Professional headshot of Melissa Stacer

Melissa Stacer

About the Expert

Melissa Stacer is a Professor of Criminal Justice and Director of the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program at the University of Southern Indiana. Her teaching and research interests include corrections, specifically institutional corrections such as jails and prisons. Her additional research interests include justice-involved veterans, prison culture, prisoner misconduct, reentry, collateral consequences of incarceration and criminal justice education. She has published research in journals such as the American Journal of Criminal Justice, Victims and Offenders, Crime & Delinquency, the Prison Journal, the Journal of Offender Rehabilitation and the Journal of Criminal Justice Education. Stacer teaches courses on corrections, prisons, the death penalty, the effects of incarceration, community corrections and criminological theory. She also teaches graduate courses in research methods, prisons in America, ethics in criminal justice, criminal justice policy and practice and statistics. She is currently the President of the Indiana Academy of the Social Sciences through October 2025.