Linda Louise M. Bennett (born December 25, 1952 in Cincinnati) was named president of the University of Southern Indiana (USI) by its Board of Trustees effective 2009 July 1, incumbent president H. Ray Hoops retiring on 2009 June 30.
Bennett previously served at Wittenberg University, Northern Kentucky University, and Appalachian State University and as USI's provost and vice president for academic affairs. A professor of political science, Bennett has a publication record which includes joint-authorship, with her husband Stephen Earl Bennett, of Living with Leviathan: Americans Coming to Terms with Big Government (2007). According to Michael Margolis, No other book has ordered and analyzed a comparable set of data regarding attitudes toward the power of the federal government.
Linda Bennett received her baccalaureate and master's degrees and her Ph.D. in political science all from the University of Cincinnati. The Bennetts reside in Evansville, Indiana.
On August 15, 2017, Bennett announced she would retire as president USI on June 30, 2018.