COVID-19 Information

Dear Campus Community, 

April is always one of the busiest months of the academic year as we sprint toward the finish line and commencement. For commencement information, visitsiue.edu/commencement/events. The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion will be hosting an array of graduation celebrations beginning the week of April 26. For the graduation celebrations schedule, visit siue.edu/csdi/events/.

Last week, we distributed a message regarding Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s introduction guidance for A Bridge to Phase 5. The University is reviewing this guidance along with simultaneous updates to current Restore Illinois Phase 4 guidelines.

Moving to SHIELD Testing

From January 4 through this week, SIUE procured COVID testing through Genetworx. During that period, 10,733 tests were performed to help keep our community safe. Next week, we will move to SHIELD Illinois to perform our testing now that they have been granted FDA EUA approval to conduct testing throughout the state.

Individuals are required to register with SHIELD Illinois to make an appointment and complete COVID-19 testing. Visit https://forms.office.com/r/QvChjQs6tb, to create an account and obtain an appointment. No insurance is required, and testing is free. The surveillance screening tests are on a voluntary basis. If you have already been vaccinated or in the process of completing your vaccine, CDC still recommends to get tested.

Surveillance Testing

Surveillance testing continues on all three campuses with 448 tested this week. With 0 positive tests, we had a positivity rate of 0%. More information can be found on the dashboard. As stated above, surveillance screening tests are on a voluntary basis. However, to encourage participation, employees and students are selected through a random sample and invited to be tested. Those invited next week will be provided with the following incentives to participate: 

• Students
  • Monthly raffle for parking hangtag FY22 
  • One end-of-semester raffle for a Fall FY22 tuition waiver 
• Faculty/Staff 
  • One beverage or bakery item (not to exceed $5.00) at the MUC Starbucks 
  • Monthly raffle for parking hangtag FY22 

Individuals do not need to be invited to be tested. However, they will not be eligible for the incentives listed above.

Here are a few tips to get you in and out as efficiently as possible:

• Appointments should be obtained on the AURA app or at https://app.auratracker.org/
• Be sure that you are hydrated before your appointment by eating or drinking up to 30 minutes prior to your arrival at the testing site​. Do not eat or drink in the 30 minutes prior to testing. 
• Arrive at your appointment time, so that we may maintain small groups in the testing area.

Per CDC/IDPH guidelines, if you are experiencing symptoms or believe you are a close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, do not participate in this surveillance testing. Employees and students who tested positive within the last 90 days should not test.

March Incentive Winners

Congratulations to our second set of winners of the COVID Surveillance testing monthly raffle for a FY22 parking hangtag: 

• Student:      McKayla Holt, freshman School of Nursing student
• Employee:   Pamela Biason, office support specialist in the School of Nursing

Spring Enrollment and Fall Projection

SIUE experienced its fourth consecutive spring semester of graduate student enrollment growth by increasing 13% (280 students) over spring 2020.

Graduate enrollment has grown 38% (666 students) since spring 2017. The SIUE Graduate School, which houses interdisciplinary graduate programs, grew enrollment by 21% in spring 2021 as graduate and doctoral enrollment reached 2,920 students, which accounts for 24% of SIUE’s total spring enrollment of 12,116.

With a 4.3% enrollment increase, the School of Nursing grew to a spring record 1,643 students. Meanwhile, overall spring enrollment since 2020 grew for the Schools of Business (+7.7%), Education, Health and Human Behavior (+6.7%), and Dental Medicine (+2.8%).

As the University adjusts to a learning environment reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, 44% of all enrolled spring term students still have at least one scheduled weekly on-ground class, laboratory or studio experience. A record 6,733 students, or 56% of the 12,116 enrolled for the term, will engage with SIUE completely online.

For a complete summary of spring 2021 enrollment, visit siue.edu/news.

As summer and fall 2021 registration opened on March 29, we are experiencing positive trends:

• Compared to this date a year ago, summer registration has increased 11.7%, while fall registration is up slightly
• Fall applications are the second highest ever, behind only fall 2020
• A record 8,327 students have been admitted students for fall 2021, a 15% increase
• 1,129 freshmen have made Springboard deposits, a 32% increase from a year ago

Finally, remember if you are feeling ill, don’t come to campus. If you are under quarantine or isolation, do not leave it early.

Please continue to practice grace with one another and with yourselves. We are proud to serve with you.

Best wishes for an enjoyable spring weekend,

Randy Pembrook, Chancellor   
Denise Cobb, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Jessica Harris, Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Rachel Stack, Vice Chancellor for Advancement   
Morris Taylor, Vice Chancellor for Administration   
Jeffrey Waple, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs