Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has increased graduate student enrollment for the spring 2019 semester and recorded its best fall-to-spring retention rate for new freshmen. Other highlights include increased international enrollment and a record for online enrollment for a spring semester.
Graduate enrollment grew 177 students (10 percent) more than spring 2018 to reach its highest level in four years. Leading the growth were the School of Business increasing 70 students (40 percent) and the School of Nursing increasing 62 students (25 percent). Overall, 267 new graduate students enrolled for the first time this spring, which is the largest number of new graduate students enrolled since spring 2008, when 289 students enrolled for the first time.
“During the past three years, SIUE spring enrollment has reached 94 percent of total enrollment from the preceding fall semester. For spring 2019, enrollment ticked up one percentage point to 95 percent from the fall 2018 headcount,” said Scott Belobrajdic, EdD, associate vice chancellor for enrollment management. The spring 2019 headcount is 12,617 students compared to 13,281 in fall 2018.
Along with graduate enrollment, retention contributed to that increase. SIUE recorded its best fall to spring retention rate for new freshmen, which increased by 0.5 percent to 92.3 percent. Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb, PhD, credited faculty and staff throughout campus continuously working to improve student success and enhance student engagement.
Additionally, international student enrollment grew 26 students (7 percent) over spring 2018. SIUE also saw record online enrollment for any spring semester with 1,571 or 12 percent of total students enrolled completely online. Cobb noted the growth in online and graduate education are attributable, in part, to the new online master’s in criminal justice and the new online option for master’s of business administration.
SIUE’s overall enrollment declined 359 students (2.7 percent) compared to spring 2018. The overall enrollment decline is due to the cumulative effect of enrolling 15 percent fewer new Illinois freshmen and 15 percent fewer Illinois transfers since achieving record overall enrollment in fall 2015.
“The decline corresponds directly with the publicly documented increased out-migration of the state’s prospective college students and the Illinois budget crisis,” Belobrajdic said. “Among the positive trends for the future is the fact that we have approximately 900 guests on campus today for SIUE Preview, which is our second-largest spring preview on record.”
New Missouri, out-of-state and international student enrollments have remained strong. Enrollment from Missouri residents reached an all-time high 1,526 students for fall 2018.