Following a strong fall and spring, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is enjoying increasing enrollment this summer, up about 3.4% from last year.
“This great news is the result of the tireless efforts of many Salukis and the strategic planning outlined in Imagine 2030,” said Chancellor Austin A. Lane. “In recent years, we have improved access, removed barriers and promoted what SIU Carbondale has to offer. I am grateful for the diligence and dedication of our faculty and staff, our alumni and friends, members of our community and our students.”
Overall enrollment for summer 2024 is 5,025, 163 students more than last year. (Summer enrollment is typically lower than fall and spring.)
“We have put special emphasis on making summer enrollment a top priority,” said Wendell Williams, vice chancellor for enrollment management. “The percentage of new, continuing and transfer students who see summer as a unique opportunity to take advantage of the course offerings is growing rapidly. In addition, this summer we also saw an almost 7% increase in students taking online courses. As we continue to expand offerings and summer opportunities, our students will stay on the path to graduation.”
Enrollment has grown in several key areas, including online (7%), continuing undergraduate (4.8%), transfer (2.8%) and graduate (2.3%) students.
And the student body is diverse, with more students who identify as Asian (up 6.5%), Black (up 5.7%), Hispanic (up 9.1%) and international (up 6.9%).
Since 2020, SIU Carbondale has launched the Saluki Commitment and Saluki Transfer Commitment to close financial gaps for students who qualify and raised the family income limit to $103,040; joined the Common App; signed agreements with several schools and youth organizations in the Southern Illinois region and the Metro East; initiated Saluki Step Ahead agreements with about 50 community colleges in Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Texas; and more strategically recruited students.
“We have momentum,” Lane said, “and we are working hard to maintain it. As we head for fall classes, we will continue to let students and their families know SIU Carbondale is the place where they can imagine the possibilities and discover their unexpected.”
