SIU Carbondale Chancellor Says Enrollment Will Rebound
SIU-Carbondale Chancellor Carlo Montemagno maintains optimism that his campus's enrollment will rebound. Southern Illinois University
With a new enrollment manager in place, SIU-Carbondale's chancellor thinks change is on the horizon.
Carlo Montemagno says he's directing new Enrollment Manager Jennifer DeHaemers to focus on data-driven marketing and recruiting strategies to bring more students to Carbondale.
To that end, Montemagno says he also wants to see a redoubled effort when it comes to enticing local students to give SIU-Carbondale a try.
"We have very intelligent, bright, exciting, motivated young people in the southern part of Illinois," Montemagno said. "We need to make sure that they know that SIU wants them, and that this is a great place for them to engage and fulfill their dreams."
The university has seen enrollment declines in nearly all of the last 20 years. Montemagno says he's working on strategies that will attract a new generation of students.
Meanwhile, as the academic calendar turns over to summer, Montemagno says reorganization plans will shift gears.
Montemagno says while work will continue, he doesn't expect dramatic changes to the proposal in the coming months.
"We won't be submitting any new RME's over the summer, because all the faculty aren't there," Montemagno said. "But we have a number that faculty have voted on, and we're waiting on the final votes or acknowledgements by the Graduate Council and the Faculty Senate."
Montemagno says most of the changes will be name changes, not dramatic moves of departments or programs.
The controversial plan to reorganize the campus structure is "continuing to evolve," according to Montemagno. Opponents to the proposal say they want to see more evidence that his changes will help SIUC's enrollment and budgetary issues.