* Press release…

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees is expected to act on a recommendation to freeze student tuition and fees at its February 13 meeting. According to Board Chairman Phil Gilbert, he and Vice Chairman Ed Hightower have been in discussion with SIU Edwardsville Chancellor Randy Pembrook, SIU Carbondale Chancellor John M. Dunn and incoming SIU System President Dan Mahony regarding the importance of holding down costs of tuition and fees for students who are considering an institution in the SIU System for 2020.

“Governor Pritzker’s priority for funding higher education is making this decision easier. The SIU System is committed to affordable tuition and fees for Illinois students. The recommendation to the full SIU Board of Trustees will include a tuition freeze for all undergraduate and graduate programs, including those in the system’s four professional schools of dental, law, medicine and pharmacy,” said Chairman Gilbert.

“We appreciate and support Governor Pritzker’s priority of reversing the downward trend in higher education enrollment and stabilizing the trend of Illinois students leaving the state for other education opportunities,” said Vice Chairman Ed Hightower.

Mahony, whose appointment as system president begins March 1, said both institutions are focused on recruitment and affordability. “I am pleased to see so many positive steps occurring on both the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses toward enrollment and making college affordable for our students and their families,” he said.

At the board’s December meeting, both campuses reported a potential for more students this fall. SIU Carbondale is reporting applications for first-time freshmen are up more than 27 percent over last year and the number of admitted students is up 21 percent. SIU Edwardsville freshmen applications are up 21 percent and admittance is up 20 percent.

* Southern Illinoisan…

In the last two decades, in-state tuition and fees have increased about 150% at SIUC, a rise reflected around the country as government divestment from higher education places greater financial burden on students.

SIUC raised tuition 3.9% in 2017, another 2% in 2018, then held steady in 2019.

Tuition and fees for an underclassman were $14,904 this year, plus about $10,000 more for room and board for students choosing to live on campus.

However, about 87% of incoming students received financial aid cutting into that sticker price.

SIUC aid packages met an average of 61 percent of students’ demonstrated financial need and averaged over $15,000, during the 2017-2018 school year, significantly outpacing other regional competitors, university data shows.

You can compare SIU tuition and fees to other public universities in Illinois by clicking here.