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*** UPDATED x3 WIU down - SIUE down - NIU down, too *** Nothing to see here, move along

Posted in:

* Sheesh

Southern Illinois University’s fall 2016 enrollment is down 7.55 percent, according to Interim Chancellor Brad Colwell.

The official enrollment number is 15,987, which is down from last fall’s reported number of 17,292.

SIU officials said Tuesday they weren’t surprised by the dip in enrollment. In fact, they knew it was coming. […]

Numbers from SIU show a 23.69 percent drop in the number of freshman, and a 17 percent drop in sophomores — which is the same number from last year.

There are increases in the amount of juniors and seniors, which Colwell said is a bright spot because it shows the university’s retention efforts are working.

Grad student enrollment fell 12 percent, or 431 students.

*** UPDATE 1 ***  Oy

With total enrollment for the fall semester showing a decline of more than 5 percent, Northern Illinois University President Doug Baker vowed Wednesday to take steps to put the school back on a path to growth.

Total enrollment was counted at 19,015 on the 10th day of classes this year, down 5.5 percent from fall 2015, according to data released Wednesday by the university. There are 1,115 fewer students enrolled at the school than there were at this time last year.

“Our largest decline is in the freshman class, while smaller declines took place among transfer and graduate students,” Baker said in a written statement sent to NIU faculty and staff. “We are clearly not where we need to be.”

Total undergraduate enrollment declined to 14,079, down 6.2 percent from 2015, according to data provided by NIU. Graduate school enrollment fell 3.7 percent to 4,672. Enrollment at the law school was a bright spot, growing 4.3 percent.

*** UPDATE 2 *** Down is still down

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville saw 14,142 students register for this fall. Although that number is about 100 students fewer than the all-time high of 2015, it’s above the 14,000 student goal for the university.

*** UPDATE 3 *** And another one

Western Illinois University says enrollment this fall has fallen by 7 percent.

ISU was up slightly.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:00 pm

Comments

  1. The Executive Director of IBHE is a finalist for a college presidency in Florida. Beth Purvis and Tom Cross have already installed one new staff member into a newly created position and it looks like they will be installing a new director now too.

    Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:05 pm

  2. It would be great to learn the enrollment numbers from other state colleges and universities too. I have heard enrollment has dropped elsewhere, but it is all anecdotal and piecemeal.

    Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:06 pm

  3. While some of this drop may be budget-related, it appears even the school doesn’t have a clear handle on the reasons why, citing possible crime fears, etc. I have a HS student myself and heard recently that SIUC is offering a 20% tuition discount for legacy students.

    IL schools aren’t alone facing such situations. The University of Missouri has seen a dire drop in incoming students due largely to the protest issues they have seen over the past few years. They have even closed a few dorms as a result. There they created a perception that the administration wasn’t in charge of the school, and parents decided to send their kids to schools not experiencing that problem.

    Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:09 pm

  4. According to an email message from the college president at Wilbur Wright Community College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago, Wright’s Fall 2016 enrollment declined 6.2% from the same enrollment period in 2015 and 14% as compared to the Fall semester of 2014.

    Those are big drops for a relatively affordable entry level college.

    Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:20 pm

  5. Actually enrollment at ISU and UIUC is up.

    Comment by Piece of Work Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:21 pm

  6. UIUC’s is indeed up, but for years now they have been boosting it by admitting Chinese nationals at full out-of-state tuition rates. I recently saw a story that said there were upward of 5,000 Chinese students attending UIUC this year. While such practices may help fatten the coffers and student diversity is a good thing, having such a large bloc of students from one country may not be, and certainly may draw the ire of legislators when it comes to budget time. They are the ones likely to hear about it when good student Johnny from the district gets turned down at UIUC.

    Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:28 pm

  7. #TA #winning # blame someone # the rent is to high, Joe

    Comment by Gus Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:32 pm

  8. The demand for higher education does face a downward sloping curve.

    Comment by Steve Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:36 pm

  9. Will be interesting to see EIU’s numbers as well.

    SIUE, I believe, has increasing enrollment. It’s all about the value perceived by the consumer.

    Comment by Downstate Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:41 pm

  10. For several years, I think some of these college administrators thought students would just show up.

    Paying the price for lack of marketing and recruitment and retention efforts.

    Comment by Piece of Work Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:46 pm

  11. What is the average family income for students to the different schools? There are several factors that could play a role in this decrease and the pricing kids out of college is one of them if MAP Continues to be kicked around

    Comment by Publius Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:53 pm

  12. There is variance by schools obviously, but this is not out of the norm for schools of SUIC’s type. Piece of work nails a big part of the problem. It takes risk taking and a willingness to change. That said, my program took my institution into the black for the cycle. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

    Comment by Archpundit Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 1:59 pm

  13. Just heard report on WBBM radio about lower college enrollment nationwide - better job market, aging population and more jobs not requiring college degree were factors -

    Comment by doofusguy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:14 pm

  14. Speaker Madigan and the university enrollment rates he controls.

    Comment by Stark Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:20 pm

  15. College enrollment has been slowly declining since roughly 2010 nationally.

    How much of SIU’s decline is resulting from that as opposed to the 2015-16 Illinois Budget Wars may need to be sorted out.

    Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:29 pm

  16. Report is ISU’s overall enrollment is up about 1.1% and their freshman class is the largest in 27 years.

    Comment by Piece of Work Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:30 pm

  17. === Paying the price for lack of marketing and recruitment and retention efforts. ===

    Take another look at the story — “There are increases in the amount of juniors and seniors, which Colwell said is a bright spot because it shows the university’s retention efforts are working.”

    Comment by olddog Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:30 pm

  18. The number of graduating high school seniors has been declining and is forecast to continue declining for the next few years. State and private universities are competing for students in a shrinking pool. The budget mess doesn’t help, but all things being equal, you would not expect enrollment growth these days.

    Comment by A worker Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:34 pm

  19. Also speaking from personal experience, if some school wants to use the two magic words with my Junior, “free ride,” I don’t care if they are on Mars they will get a serious look.

    Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:37 pm

  20. This morning SIUE tweeted out this fall is its third highest all time enrollment with over 14,000 students.

    It would not surprise me to see SIUE pass the Carbondale campus enrollment in the next decade.

    Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:39 pm

  21. SIUE is also up, albeit slightly. UIUC is bursting. Dorms are jam-packed.

    The youngest two AA Princesses are at SIUE and UIUC. I bleed orange and blue, but have to say that SIUE has thoroughly impressed me from Day 1. As Downstate notes,
    the cost is quite reasonable. It’s also a safe and beautiful campus.

    Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:40 pm

  22. What percentage is the international enrollment at UIUC, SIUE, and ISU now?

    Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:43 pm

  23. Rita Cheng fixed the enrollment problem at SIU. What happened?

    Comment by BFG Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:48 pm

  24. Not sure what the international enrollment at SIUE is, but having a daughter who just graduated from there, I can tell you there are large numbers of kids from eastern Iowa and eastern Mizzou at SIUE.

    As Arthur pointed out, SIUE is booming the dorms are packed, more housing being built along with new campus buildings. Our daughter loved it there and we loved the price and the location of the campus. Our daughter and friends treated downtown STL like their second campus of weekends.

    Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:51 pm

  25. olddog,likely community college kids going there and some transfers to prop up the junior/senior classes. If your sophomore class has dropped 17%, I don’t think you can tout your retention efforts are working.

    Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:54 pm

  26. For UIUC it appears that the total student population is around 44,000. In Spring 2016, there were 9636 international students, so about 21-22%. About 5,000 undergraduates and the rest graduate students. To my prior post of those 9,600 or so international students, about 5,000 are Chinese nationals.

    Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 2:54 pm

  27. The University of Illinois will announce official Fall 2016 enrollment numbers tomorrow. Numbers will be up.

    Comment by IllinoisBoi Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 3:13 pm

  28. Yes, I imagine UIUC numbers will be up, but how many of their students will be Illinois residents? The number and percentage of Illinois resident students at UIUC has been steadily decreasing for quite a while now. Their publicly available data clearly shows this trend. UIUC has had to recruit international and out of state students to make up for decreasing state appropriations.

    Comment by Downstater Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 3:23 pm

  29. Edwardsville is also down, though less:

    “SIUE officials said Tuesday its [2016] enrollment of 14,142 students [dropped from] 14,265 students in the fall of 2015, according to the university.”

    Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 3:28 pm

  30. Seems an overarching message here is there are less students to go around, thus more competition. The innovative schools with desirable programs will grow or at least stem the tide and remain relatively flat in terms of size, while those that lag behind and are nondescript will suffer. Certainly budget issues can apply additional downward pressure, as other states poach students with their innovative programs, faculty retention and financial incentives.

    Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 3:38 pm

  31. Anonymous - IBHE will do well to get a new director. I can’t see that the current regime has made any positive impact on Higher Education in the last 5 years.

    Comment by staffer Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 3:43 pm

  32. Because… Rauner?!

    ISU released its numbers today too. Enrollment is up. The press release called it an “historic high.”

    Guess the Gov just hasn’t gotten around to decimating them yet.

    Comment by Jack Kemp Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 3:45 pm

  33. WIU also took a hit. They lost more than 700 students:

    Total enrollment for Fall 2016 is 10,373 (down 721 students) from Fall 2015. The Fall 2016 total enrollment at the Western-Macomb campus is 8,943 compared to 9,563 last fall. The Quad Cities campus total enrollment is 1,430, compared to 1,531 in Fall 2015.

    Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 3:46 pm

  34. From the National Center for Educational Statistics
    http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=98

    “Enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions increased by 18 percent between 1993 and 2003. Between 2003 and 2013, enrollment increased 20 percent, from 16.9 million to 20.4 million. Much of the growth between 2003 and 2013 was in full-time enrollment; the number of full-time students rose 22 percent, while the number of part-time students rose 18 percent. During the same period, the number of female students rose 19 percent, while the number of male students rose 22 percent. Although male enrollment increased by a larger percentage during this period, the majority (57 percent) of students in 2013 were female. Enrollment increases can be affected both by population growth and by rising rates of enrollment. Between 2003 and 2013, the number of 18- to 24-year-olds in the population increased from 28.9 million to 31.5 million, an increase of 9 percent, and the percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in degree-granting postsecondary institutions rose from 38 percent in 2003 to 40 percent in 2013.

    Enrollment trends have differed at the undergraduate and postbaccalaureate levels. Undergraduate enrollment increased 47 percent between 1970 and 1983, when it reached 10.8 million. Undergraduate enrollment dipped to 10.6 million in 1984 and 1985, but then increased each year from 1985 to 1992, rising 18 percent before stabilizing between 1992 and 1998. Between 2003 and 2013, undergraduate enrollment rose 21 percent overall, from 14.5 million to 17.5 million; however, undergraduate enrollment in 2013 was lower than in 2010 (18.1 million).”

    Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 3:49 pm

  35. As a car geek, what blows me away over at UIUC are the more than a handful of international students driving very nice and pricey luxury or performance cars. I’m not talking a little Audi here. When I was over there last month, I saw a Bentley Continental, BMW M6, and an Aston Martin among others all being driven by students.

    Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 3:51 pm

  36. The “Rauner Goal” is to close Western (at least discredit it to close it), close Eastern, close Chicago State, and make Southern choose 1 campus to keep afloat.

    Those blinded by “Illinois is Up!”, “ISU is Up!”, please note that state funding, for the first time ever, to Illinois universities ended for a whole year… by Rauner.

    The myopic ignorance to what’s happening to Illinois’ university system through “single” university goggles completely ignores that UIUC and ISU also received… zero funding.

    You’re welcome.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 3:51 pm

  37. Wish each school broke down their numbers more. How many Illinois high school student in these colleges? I know many Illinois students going to Iowa, Iowa State, Murray State, Purdue and Indiana State for less money than the Uof I or ISU. Also, how are the Jr. Colleges? Can’t beat the value and then transfer, kinda of a no brainier now days.

    Comment by Gus Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 3:57 pm

  38. You can’t get butts in the seats if the MAP grants aren’t being awarded. How much of the decline is due to no MAP grants?

    Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:00 pm

  39. Race to the bottom lead by Brucey!

    Comment by El Conquistador Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:03 pm

  40. “As a car geek, what blows me away over at UIUC are the more than a handful of international students driving very nice and pricey luxury or performance cars.”

    Well, for the Chinese students specifically, it would seem they have to meet a couple requirements — 1. Have the money to pay full out of state freight; and 2. Get Government and Party permission to leave the country and come to UIUC. So, money and connections back home. I recall recent articles and discussion about “brain drain” from graduates of IL universities not staying in IL to work. I’m not sure having 5,000 students or 11% of the student body from half way around the world will help stem that tide.

    Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:04 pm

  41. Keep an eye on those soft freshman enrollments. That is a four-year (or longer) decline in revenue, not simply a one-off.

    Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:05 pm

  42. Wonder if the state fair will show around the same decline in attendance?

    Comment by Carl Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:11 pm

  43. Now, how are the staffing levels at all the publics? Down across the board I would imagine, including ISU and UIUC. How many “interim” directors/deans/VP’s are there? How many staff covering more than one position?

    Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:12 pm

  44. The state of Illinois is losing population. Nothing surprising with these numbers.

    Comment by Ron Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:12 pm

  45. GO SIUE!

    Ron, really who cares if you think we’re losing population. Who cares. If they are leaving let them leave. Good riddance. Only the privileged have the ability to leave. The majority of us are stuck. So really your population loss meme is super tiring.

    Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:15 pm

  46. Willy, maybe the administrators need to go out recruit kids. Why is ISU up, SIUE essentially the same, UIUC up, but many of the directionals are down?

    And, for those who want to blame Rauner, EIU lost 23% of their student body between 2010-14. Bruce Rauner took office in January 2015.

    Comment by Piece of Work Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:20 pm

  47. Honeybear, people should care immensely if we are losing population. The tax burden on those that remain gets worse.

    Comment by Ron Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:20 pm

  48. - Piece of Work -

    Rauner wants Illinois universities closed.

    Please, keep up.

    Thanks.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:27 pm

  49. Please don’t feed - Ron -.

    It’s not a discussion, it’s inane talking points.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:29 pm

  50. ===people should care immensely if we are losing population.===

    Illinois has been losing population to other states since the 1950s. A little perspective is helpful.

    Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:33 pm

  51. ===Illinois has been losing population to other states since the 1950s===

    Yeah, but now it’s net loss.

    Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:34 pm

  52. Since Trump University is no longer feasible, ITT closed,?time for a new one. “Turn Around University” brought to you by superstars.

    Comment by Gus Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:34 pm

  53. Any word about EIU?

    Comment by up2now Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:36 pm

  54. “….who cares if you think we’re losing population. Who cares. If they are leaving let them leave. Good riddance……”

    We should all care. This thread is about declining college enrollment. In the decade ending in 2013 the Illinois population aged 5-19 declined by 4.5% (120,400). These people are are future college students (and workers).

    Comment by CapnCrunch Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:39 pm

  55. Answering my own question, sort of, about EIU enrollment. University President Glassman today said in his state-of-the-university address that “more than 7,400 students are enrolled at EIU this fall….” Last year, according to university website, 8,520 were enrolled.

    Comment by up2now Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 4:46 pm

  56. You can thank Quinn and the EIU administrators for sending the enrollment numbers down the drain. At one time 7-8-9 years ago, there were between 11,000-12,000 students.

    Comment by Piece of Work Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 5:00 pm

  57. Since 1857, every governor had funding for Higher Education.

    Gov. Rauner is the first governor to “decided”, purposely, not to fund Higher Ed.

    You don’t fund something in state government, you can’t make a case a governor wants it to exist.

    That’s what’s at play here. The enrollment, less the funding, universities will face closures. Just as Rauner planned.

    Rauner just neglected to tell Charleston, Edwardsville, Quincy, and Carbondale that “if you can face the squeeze, maybe I’ll fund you… someday”

    That’s 1857. Funding.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 5:06 pm

  58. Hillary (I’m not a fan, this is not a plug) has proposed free public college tuition for kids in families up to (roughly) middle-middle class in income. To the extent that this is a problem of, increasingly, even middle class families being unable to fund college, there may be some help coming from the feds. And a shared federal-state funding stream would make it harder for states to evade their responsibilities.

    Hillary’s exact proposal might not get implicated but it does suggest that at the federal level, politicians may be willing to take this problem on. This is particularly true because of the rather astonishing statistics published in recent years showing the difference nationally in lifetime earnings between those who attain a college degree and those who don’t.

    Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 5:14 pm

  59. Sorry.. might not get implemented

    Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 5:16 pm

  60. — Since 1857, every governor had funding for Higher Education.

    Gov. Rauner is the first governor to “decided”, purposely, not to fund Higher Ed. —

    Thank you, Willy, for reminding us once again.

    Comment by illini Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 5:24 pm

  61. I hate this. I advised some 16 grads to avoid EIU for sure and to consider out of state schools. I don’t want these kids ending up like the ITT students. NIU was emailing my kid even the first week of classes saying, “There is still time!” This is NOT how to attract the best and the brightest to Illinois.

    Comment by burbanite Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 6:11 pm

  62. ==Western Illinois University says enrollment this fall has fallen by 7 percent.==

    This year’s 10,373 is 721 short of last years 11,094. I come up with that being a .649% drop.

    Comment by Joe M Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 6:26 pm

  63. It sure seemsl like Rauner wants WIU..EIU…CSU and SIUC gone like OW says. I just wondered if he had heard somethkng specific…even tough it would be a rumor maybe OW can ge away with a rumor.

    Comment by illinois manufacturer Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 6:27 pm

  64. What OW says couldn’t be a rumor. “rumors” will be deleted or held for moderation.

    Comment by OldIllini Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 7:03 pm

  65. It may be apples and oranges, but I believe Bradley is way up in Freshman enrollment.

    Comment by Mr. B.A. Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 7:43 pm

  66. ===What OW says couldn’t be a rumor.===

    What were the FY2016 funding levels for Higher Ed?

    When has it been commonplace for presidents of state universities anywhere in America to issue statements about… staying open?

    When is it been commonplace for presidents of state universities anywhere in America to be in the dark to the official levels of funding that will be distributed to their institutions?

    These aren’t speculative “what ifs”, this is happening. Now. Right now.

    I guess… make a case for me that this Administration sees Higher Ed as a priority worthy of full funding for a fiscal year, without fear within these state university institutions as to “what’s next?”.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 8:12 pm

  67. -Piece of Work-

    You were spot on when you decided on a moniker for this blog.

    Administrators indeed have been recruiting. FYI, for years the state investment in higher education had been declining, and Rauner tried to deliver the death blow via no funding at all last year.

    I challenge someone to give me one good reason for destroying our public university system. As for WIU, at least one trustee, via social media posts she later pulled, is a big fan of Rauner’s move. According to a post I saw before she deleted it, Rauner’s tactic is needed in order to wrest control of the state from Madigan. Now that is noble, a public university trustee who is a well-to-do business owner cheers on a Rauner move which harms the university she ostensibly oversees.

    Comment by Illinoised Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 9:04 pm

  68. Was it the trustee from Milan,Moline or Macomb?

    Comment by illinois manufacturer Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 10:26 pm

  69. From SIU-C student newspaper
    “We know that we are losing not only instate Illinois students going out of state, but we’re losing out of state students who would have come to Illinois,” Goldsmith said.

    Southeast Missouri State University reported an increase of nearly 50 percent of Illinois students compared to last year. At the same time, Murray State University is reporting a 40 percent increase of Illinois students.
    http://dailyegyptian.com/58498/news/siu-enrollment-at-lowest-point-since-1965-data-shows/

    Comment by Daily Egytian Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 10:28 pm

  70. But U of Mo Colubia was down but the Missouri regionals are up. I know University of Nothern Iowa has been down. Their Minnesota and Illinous schools are doing well. UNI is their Iowa school

    Comment by illinois manufacturer Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 10:31 pm

  71. I see only one business owner…

    Comment by illinois manufacturer Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 10:35 pm

  72. EIU: David Glassman said in his State of the University address that more than 7,400 students are enrolled in classes at EIU this fall, a dip from last year’s 8,520.

    Comment by Ryan Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 10:36 pm

  73. EIU…oh my

    Comment by illinois manufacturer Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 10:49 pm

  74. EIU is down 12%. Freshmen are down 25%.

    The numbers will be out tomorrow.

    Total loss of just over 1000 students.

    Comment by Crosstabs Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 11:06 pm

  75. Eastern is slowly moving toward the enrollments numbers when I graduated 50 years ago. But as was mentioned above the downward trend has been there for several years, so it clearly can’t be blamed entirely on the state’s financial instability or the governor. How sad.

    Comment by steve schnorf Wednesday, Sep 7, 16 @ 11:43 pm

  76. Governors State University has a modest but significant enrollment for the fall of 2016, even after accounting for growth due to this being the third year of it being a four-year university. At the same time, the 70% cut in state funding for the last fiscal year, which required significant layoffs and resulted in a dramatic lowering of the bond rating, has placed a tremendous burden on the resources of the school. Yet everyone is happy to have the new students, and have tried to keep the school’s focus on their success. Please remember to include GSU in your discussions of the challenges facing Illinois public universities.

    Comment by resistanceisfutile Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 2:15 am

  77. - steve schnorf -

    With respect and with great respect to your service to this state…

    ===…so it clearly can’t be blamed entirely on the state’s financial instability or the governor.===

    As someone who has in the past been closer to budgets and prioritizing funding for programs, when a governor “zero-outs” agencies, programs, initiatives, could you say that program, that agency, that imitative… does any governor those unfunded examples to exist?

    While a downward decline isn’t in dispute, the monetary prioritizing of zero hadn’t happened before, that I can recall.

    With deference to you - steve schnorf -, and your unparalleled expertise, I’m confused at this Administration’s commitment towards Higher Ed

    Respectfully,

    OW

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 8:00 am

  78. “…does any governor who zeros-out those unfunded examples want them to exist?”

    Apologies.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 8:03 am

  79. Only cancers grow without limit and you know how that ends. It’s past time Illinois started planning for a steady state future in higher education and everywhere else. Culling three current universities from the herd would be a good start.

    Comment by striketoo Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 8:52 am

  80. ===Culling three current universities from the herd would be a good start.===

    I don’t remember Candidate Bruce Rauner running on closing three state universities. Do you?

    Wonder why?

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 8:54 am

  81. =Culling three current universities from the herd would be a good start.=

    …A good start to privatizing state universities so corporations can profit from decades of state taxpayer investment in one of the best state university systems.

    Comment by Enviro Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:04 am

  82. ===Culling three current universities from the herd would be a good start. ===

    So which three communities do you want to destroy?

    Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:05 am

  83. @ Striketoo. I’m not sure what to say about this kind of comment. I wonder how this helps?

    You really think we should be further disinvesting in higher education? Having fewer educated adults is good for Illinois?

    As we have found with ITT, the for-profit higher educational system is highly suspect — and the real drain on taxpayer dollars. Public higher education generates a great return on your tax dollar investment.

    I wonder if you are just having a bad day because the Cubs lost last night?

    Comment by Scamp640 Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:12 am

  84. “Having fewer educated adults is good for Illinois?”
    Having three fewer universities (say Western, Eastern, and Chicago State) means less overhead and a better capability to serve all students. It has nothing to do with “fewer educated adults”.

    Comment by striketoo Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 11:22 am

  85. Having three fewer universities (say Western, Eastern, and Chicago State) means less overhead and a better capability to serve all students. It has nothing to do with “fewer educated adults”.

    It also devastates Macomb and Charleston, and leaves significant chunks of the state without a local public 4-year institution…which by definition hinders your ability to serve them.

    This is really true for the Western part of the state-close WIU and the closest public 4 years to the Quad Cities/Forgottonia are NIU, ISU, and SIUE. That’s a bit of a commute if you live in that part of the state.

    Comment by GraduatedCollegeStudent Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 11:32 am

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