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SIU board will likely freeze tuition and fees next week

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* 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.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 6, 20 @ 12:43 pm

Comments

  1. EIU also offers textbook rental (which is already included in their tuition/fees) so students and their families don’t have to pay for books on top of those costs.

    Comment by Cubs Win! Thursday, Feb 6, 20 @ 12:56 pm

  2. The variations in tuition rates are fascinating. I can understand different rates for some majors within a university, but how is UIS so expensive?

    Comment by Anon for Now Thursday, Feb 6, 20 @ 1:12 pm

  3. Good on SIU for the freeze.

    I’m still waiting on this Administration to actively and purposely take on Higher Education as a priority and legacy-building towards central and southern Illinois.

    It won’t be easy, it isn’t simple, but there is a strong need to look at higher education as an investment and then invest time and energies towards rebuilding and reinventing Illinois higher ed.

    Think big… higher education.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Feb 6, 20 @ 1:20 pm

  4. Another good move is eliminating out of state tuition at the SIU system. I wonder if that helped the increase in applicants, especially Edwardsville campus who competes in the STL market. We may not be very competitive with tuition elsewhere, but why not try when your campus is running well below capacity.

    Comment by Simple Simon Thursday, Feb 6, 20 @ 2:18 pm

  5. Ya gotta love it when schools up the ante for a Business degree.

    And, who wants to pay almost $17K in tuition to get a business degree from Northeastern Illinois U?

    Comment by Pick a Name Thursday, Feb 6, 20 @ 2:48 pm

  6. ==== And, who wants to pay almost $17K in tuition to get a business degree from Northeastern Illinois U?===

    LOL… (inhales again)… LOL

    … says the guy who paid full price for his student to go to UIUC… and called it an investment, and his student “earned” the family “scholarship”

    Dude, you paid full price, the degrees are the same in academics. You just paid for your snobbery.

    But, please, go on and discuss “fiscal smartness”

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Feb 6, 20 @ 2:55 pm

  7. UIUC slightly > than Northeastern IL, but you know that. And, I didn’t pay anything close to $17K for tuition.

    Comment by Pick a Name Thursday, Feb 6, 20 @ 3:00 pm

  8. ===… didn’t pay anything close to $17K for tuition===

    For four years?

    You sure it was UIUC, lol

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Feb 6, 20 @ 3:01 pm

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