Chancellor Campus Message
Posted September 18, 2020
September 18, 2020
Dear Campus Community:
I wanted to provide an update for you on many items of interest. This week, the Health Services Annex opened to increase the capacity of COVID screening tests available to students, faculty and staff. The health services staff performed 105 screening tests and had a positivity rate of 4% for the week. This week’s confirmed positive cases for those self-reporting or those identified through SIUE testing were 13 for students and 0 for faculty/staff. The number of current 14-day new positive tests stands at 24 students and 2 faculty/staff.
For a more in-depth look at SIUE’s COVID numbers, you may connect to the COVID Dashboard by clicking here. Next week, there will be additional screening appointments available that can be scheduled here. Health Services will visit Evergreen Hall on Tuesday, September 22 between 1:30-3 p.m. to conduct remote screening tests.
In other news:
- The SIU Board of Trustees yesterday confirmed Morris Taylor, PhD, as SIUE’s vice chancellor for administration (VCA) following a national search. The VCA is responsible for support functions of the University, including planning and budgeting, human resources, financial affairs, administrative services, facilities management and public safety.
Dr. Taylor has devoted himself to SIUE for more than two decades and brings a unique skill set to the position. In particular, his police experience, abilities in coalition building and understanding of SIUE will allow him to hit the ground running. I also want to thank outgoing VCA Rich Walker for his more than three decades of service to SIUE. The VCA Office will continue to provide essential support to the University.
- I’m also excited to announce that we will add to our University leadership team by creating the position of Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (VCEDI). A national search will begin as soon as the search committee is established and will be led by Dr. Cornell Thomas of the School of Dental Medicine.
The VCEDI will serve as a member of the Chancellor’s Council and will lead the University’s efforts to create a nurturing and equitable environment for our students, staff and faculty, as well as alumni and community members by creating a shared responsibility and an affirming culture which transforms the lives of those we serve. It is imperative that the VCEDI engage our internal and external communities in conversations about diversity, equity and anti-racism, thus synergizing our multiple efforts in these areas across units and departments.
- In a significant move to assist with creating greater opportunity for access to higher education, the Board yesterday also announced the SIU System Commitment, a system-wide initiative beginning fall 2021 that will cover tuition and mandatory fees for new, four-year undergraduate students who have a family income of less than $63,575 and meet basic requirements. The program will fill the gap these students might have after other financial aid and scholarships have been applied. The program will be available to new students at both the Edwardsville and Carbondale campuses, and will keep SIUE competitive with other Illinois public institutions.
The System/SIUE Commitment on our campus will apply to new, full-time undergraduates beginning in fall 2021 and will cover eight semesters of continuous enrollment. Participants must maintain satisfactory academic progress in order for the program to be renewed. This is an exciting development as we work to increase access to higher education, creating opportunity and societal advantage for students.
To be eligible, participants must have an annual family income less than $63,575 with assets less than $50,000 based on a submitted Free Application for Student AID (FAFSA). They must be an Illinois resident who attended an Illinois high school, apply for admission by the priority deadline of March 1 and enroll in a baccalaureate degree program. This will yield an outstanding opportunity to broaden the support we offer to students.
- Total fall 2020 enrollment stands at 12,860 as of the 10th day of classes or 1.5% behind last year. SIUE welcomed 1,554 new academically strong freshmen or 113 (6.7%) fewer than last fall. SIUE also welcomed 1,152 new transfer students which represents a 2.5% or 30 student decline compared to last year. Due to our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this fall has a record 5,416 (42%) students taking courses exclusively online and 7,444 (58%) enrolled with at least one on-ground course. Last fall, just 1,618 (12%) students were enrolled exclusively online.
Nursing enrollment climbed 5% to an all-time record high of 1,877 students, and the University’s overall graduate and professional enrollment hit 2,918, its highest mark in 43 years. Graduate and professional enrollment includes 849 doctoral students, from all levels, or the most in the history of the institution.
Twenty nine percent of the student body reports an ethnicity or race other than white making this fall’s student body the most ethnically diverse ever for SIUE. Enrollment includes record numbers of Latinx students (637) and students who identify as Asian, Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (370).
Other positives for the term include the second highest freshman-to-sophomore retention rate on record (78% trailing only last year).
- The Antiracism Task Force has been meeting regularly throughout the summer and the four subcommittees are currently presenting their recommendations to the Task Force Core Council. The Council will determine next steps and issue a campus announcement in the near future. Thank you to our subcommittee members for all of the extremely valuable work they have contributed.
- And finally, President Mahony’s next Conversation of Understanding, “Race Based Trauma & Mental Health,” will occur on Monday, Sept. 21, from 5-7 p.m. at https://bit.ly/SIUConversation. I hope you’ll be able to attend this important dialogue.
Best wishes for the semester,
Randy Pembrook, Chancellor
