Enrollment may be a bit of a mixed bag this fall between SIU's campuses in Carbondale and Edwardsville.
System President Dan Mahony says things are looking up for SIUC.
"I think at Carbondale, we expect to be up on freshmen again - that'd be the third year in a row up on freshmen - and hopefully up overall. It's been trending that way the whole time."
That's big news for the campus, which despite some gains in the freshman class each year, has continued to see declines in the overall student body.
In Edwardsville, Mahony says they're preparing to see a slight drop - perhaps a couple of percentage points. But he says the incoming freshman class has strong numbers.
"I think it's the second highest they've had in the last six years - last year was the highest. So, again, not bad numbers there, either."
Mahony and leaders on both campuses say they're looking forward to a more traditional semester this fall, with COVID restrictions easing and students returning to a more normal class and activity routine.
Official enrollment numbers are reported after the tenth day of classes, and are expected after Labor Day.