Making the Case to Help SIU Thrive Again
September 9, 2019
It isn’t a secret that Southern Illinois University Carbondale is going through a tough transitional period.
Enrollment has been struggling in recent years, tuition has gone up and overall there seems to be less chaos in Carbondale during back to school.
I might even call it dead compared to a decade ago when I was in high school at Carbondale Community High School or at the beginning of my time as a young student at SIU.
Advertisement
I loved the bustling streets, students walking to classes on campus and the jubial atmosphere. You always knew when the college students were back. Stores would be packed, roads would be busy and going out to eat meant waiting in line.
Things are a bit different now, but together it is possible to get back to those bustling streets again.
It may be a bit derailed, but we will see SIU rise again to high enrollment numbers. It has gone from hustling students moving in to working with the City of Carbondale in hopes of fixing the derailed system.
Let me assure you that SIU is not broken or dead. SIU has worked to improve the campus in recent years with more programming and projects with the city. Halloween events and locations of sunset concerts have undergone recent changes to reach more audiences and community members.
There has been some skepticism as some feel partnering with the city is causing unnecessary money to be spent. Others feel that the partnership is too cozy.
However, as a community, we must deploy as many resources as we can to reinvigorate SIU. It is going to take everyone in southern Illinois, combined with alumni near and far, to pull together and recruit students and highlight success stories.
I spoke with Amy Fox, Public Relations Officer for the City of Carbondale, who helped cement why the partnership is so important. She said they understand enrollment isn’t going to dramatically increase overnight, but what they do now will have a lasting impact.
Advertisement*
“We need everyone in the community working towards the same goal,” Fox said. “The city can’t do it alone, and the university can’t do it alone.”
As an invested community member who cares deeply about SIU’s success, I work each day in my classroom at Carbondale Community High School spotlighting what an amazing area we live in.
We are surrounded by great forests, lakes, theatrical performances, diversity and local food that should attract students to our area.
We must show people the amazing stories such as the Strong Survivors cancer program in the Department of Kinesiology, or the Homecoming festivities that have a rich history and strong following from alumni members.
While SIU enrollment struggles, I encourage everyone in the community to embrace the programming that Carbondale and SIU have worked tirelessly to offer such as Homecoming, Halloween and Fourth of July events.
As Carbondale and SIU work together, I challenge you to reach out to students from your hometown and tell them about the area. It’s important to the success of past, current and future students for SIU to grow again. This is needed so that people can see the great opportunities that exist at SIU.
The internships, the quality education, mentorships between faculty and students, the vibrant cultures that are seen all make this place so special. It’s also precisely why I love it here so much. It’s also why I am happy to call it home.
Share stories about what is going on in Carbondale whether you are from a local community in southern Illinois or from another state. Put your stories on social media and help show others the great community atmosphere that exists.
As Fox puts it, “Yes, SIU will thrive again!”
The skeptics, naysayers and pessimists must jump on the bandwagon with the rest of the community and embrace SIU so that we can once again see it reach new milestones.
Opinion writer Jenna Jamieson can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @jennarpjamieson.
To stay up to date with all your southern Illinois news, follow the Daily Egyptian on Facebook and Twitter.
Advertisement
Tina Kelley • Sep 10, 2019 at 9:32 am
I live here in Southern Illinois and see it eveyday. Lack of good sport teams, lack of good housing and cheaper housing for students…How about recruiting local Kids for these scholarships..we have alot of talent in the area…and one other thing, the city of Carbondale needs to take control of the CRIME in Carbondale. Many out of towners won’t even come to Carbondale to eat because of the crime.
I’m not sending my children to SIUC..
Dale • Sep 10, 2019 at 9:29 am
As a 1972 graduate of SIU in it’s heyday, I recall SIU being on a quarter system and tuition cost was approximately $125 per 12 to 15 semester hours.
I also seem to recall that SIU could sell itself on its several Little Egypt attractions, too numerous to list here.
SIU and most universities need what Purdue University has acquired: A Mitch Daniels to lead the school, and against the trends of most of higher ed.
Elizabeth Liston • Sep 9, 2019 at 11:59 pm
You also cannot forget the large changes of on campus living. Before the towers closed, grinnell removed it’s snack shop and late night food, making kids leave the campus, sending money that could be made, elsewhere. Also the obvious cause and effect of raising the price of attending the university.
Jamie Gonzalez • Sep 9, 2019 at 9:51 pm
If the cost of tuition was a factor I wouldn’t have sent my daughter out of state to pay close to $50,000 per year in tuition and fees. The complacency that the administration displays as to rationalizing low enrollment is criminal. Suggesting that the low enrollment closley aligns with the university’s capacity is negligent. If students have no interest, they will not attend. Market the university and create interest. STOP talking about the past and figure out what you need to do now in the present. This is ridiculous, enrollment has been decreasing since 1996.
Elsa • Sep 9, 2019 at 8:33 pm
A winning sports team would help! We have NOT seen a winning team at SIU since Bruce Webber was coach. We used to buy seasonal tickets every year until then, it’s disgusting and embarrassing!
David • Sep 9, 2019 at 8:27 pm
It’s the High tuition cost at all Illinois universities that is DISTROYING the universities and state. People are NOT going to pay an outrageous tuition so their children can learn to play better computer games. People are NOT going to pay an outrageous tuition in Illinois when it is cheaper in most other states to go to a private, well know college/ University. I love SIUC, graduated with 3 degrees in 1997 and I hate seeing what is happening. THERE MUST BE A HUGE CHANGE!!!
Steven Middleton • Sep 9, 2019 at 5:34 pm
I am a 1988 graduate and remember SIUC with fond memories. I remember the old strip and the bar scene was “crazy”. Halloween was special and so was Kappa Karnival. I recently visited the campus and was depressed at the lack of students, development, and pace on campus. Obviously, something has gone wrong at SIUC. To drop in enrollment from over 20+ thousand to under 8,000 is more than struggling, it’s a disaster. The Administration, Presidents, Chancellors, Board of Regents all leaders are to blame. SIUC has made some poor decisions in who they have chosen to lead our school. We need to start there, fix the head first and the body will follow, recruit and fine former SalUkis who are in education that remember the glory days, they certainly can’t do any worse than those in charge now.
James MacKenzie • Sep 9, 2019 at 10:51 am
Is there a consensus as to what the caused the precipitous drop in enrollment, since I graduated in1995?
Thank you.
Ken Young • Sep 9, 2019 at 9:05 am
Please recognize the obvious facts. You cannot charge excessive tuition/mandatory fees and expect serious college students to choose SIU-C (and ignore the huge cost savings of attending SEMO). With the SIU-C employment of over 7,000 workers, Jackson County should have been working hard for over a decade in order to correct the growing student deficit. Obviously, whatever they were doing did not work.