2011 SIUC Parent's Piece

Parents Guide

SOUTHERN

Dear Fellow Parents: My son and daughter may be grown and out on their own, but I can very much appreciate the anxiety you may be feeling as you and your student work through the process of deciding on a university.

We had many of the same questions in our house that you perhaps are considering: Will the university provide a well-rounded education? Will my child truly be prepared for his/her career upon graduation? How much interaction will there be with faculty members? What about cultural and recreational opportunities? Is this a good “fit” for my child?

A publication such as the one you are holding in your hands would have come in handy during those stressful times in our home. Who among us doesn’t need reassurance as our children prepare -many for the first time -- to be “on their own”?

The best answer I can provide to your many questions is this: We are here to help. Your child’s welfare and success are your priorities – and ours. No matter what your student’s goals may be, we can tailor a program to match his/her interests. Our faculty members do more than teach, they mentor and guide. Our students enjoy the benefits of outstanding research and library resources.

Through the Saluki First Year Experience, our academic and student services professionals help smooth the transition for students from high school to our University.

Another important program, Saluki Cares, provides “one stop shopping” for students who need help – of any kind – and aren’t quite sure where to turn.

I encourage you to look through this guide to learn more about how we help our students learn, grow and achieve. Thank you for considering SIUC. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns. We look forward to welcoming you and your student into our Saluki family.

Sincerely, Rita Hartung Cheng Chancellor

Why Southern?

• Small-school advantages such as individual attention from professors and the opportunity to be involved in campus life.

• Big-school amenities such as a top-notch health center, nationally ranked research library, fully equipped recreation center.

• More than 200 majors, minors and specialization.

• A beautiful, spacious, pedestrianfriendly campus.

• A low student-teacher ratio of 15.7 to 1.

• A sense of community that stretches far beyond graduation – once a Saluki, always a Saluki.

• An affordable education and a low level of student debt upon graduation.

www.admissions.siu.edu

Though we are far enough from other metropolitan areas to enjoy our own unique identity, we are close Southern is a university shaped by the enough to make day trips easy to such natural beauty that surrounds it and destinations as St. Louis, Nashville, forged by a commitment to educational Memphis or Louisville. opportunity and excellence.

For Chicago travel, try any of Those are more than just words to us. the three daily trains, with the The beauty of our campus is a major Amtrak station located conveniently factor for many students as they near campus.

COLLEGE ST IN BE IDWEST EM TH

choose the place they will spend four of the most important years of their lives. Our students also talk about the nurturing atmosphere they find here, how their professors and classmates want them to succeed and how Southern is more than just attending a college – it’s joining a family.

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The Natural Choice

College, beginning with the selection process – is a huge step, and not just for your son or daughter. Whether your family has a long tradition with higher education or whether your student is the first in your family to pursue a college degree, you probably have questions. We thank you for considering Southern, and we hope to answer some of these questions as we introduce ourselves.

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The Princeton Review lists Southern among its Best Midwestern Colleges for 2010.

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Saluki Success By the numbers

• 91% report job satisfaction

“Southern proved to be a great environment -- I have so many positive memories of my college days! The faculty was stern, yet nurturing. They provided a clear roadmap for success. The courses provided in-depth, hands-on functional and technical experience, which allowed me to be productive right away on my first post-graduation job.”

• 92% of graduates report a positive attitude toward Southern

– Camelle Logan (‘89) – Blackwell Consulting Services, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.

Within one year of graduation: • 90% of our graduates are employed • 72% are employed in areas related to their majors

We all want our students to enjoy their college experiences.

A successful college experience includes so many things that can’t be counted or precisely valued -- like the making of lifelong friends from different backgrounds.

Or like that night a rap music devotee enjoyed a night at the symphony, or the day the bookworm screamed her voice out at a basketball game.

But the bottom line is: Can you make a living with what you’ve learned at Southern?

One reason our graduates succeed is they don’t wait until graduation to get their hands on and their minds around “real world” problems and situations.

Our faculty are part of the professional environments for which they are preparing students.

Southern offers • Undergraduate research and creative opportunities with Research Rookies, REACH and McNair Scholars • Leadership positions • Extern, intern and campus jobs relating to students’ majors

Southern is home to more than 20 research centers, including: Center for Archaeological Investigations Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders Center for Integrated Research in Cognitive and Neural Sciences Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development Center for Workforce Development Fisheries and Illinois Aquaculture Center Materials Technology Center Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Pontikes Center for Management of Information The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching ranks Southern Illinois University Carbondale as a “High Research Activity” university. What this means for our students is that we offer the advantages of a big university – top-ranked faculty, major grant funded research, and name recognition – while still offering the same accessibility, affordability and Saluki Family atmosphere that students and their families have appreciated since we opened our doors 140 years ago.

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Progressive Tradition Southern got its start as the state’s second teachers’ college in 1869.

That first year we had 12 academic departments and 143 students.

Today, we have more than 18,000 students, more than 200,000 alumni, and more than 200 majors, minors and specializations organized into eight Colleges, the Graduate School, School of Law and School of Medicine. And yes, we still produce excellent teachers!

Morris Library houses more than 2.6 million volumes, thousands of current periodicals and more. The Special Collections Research Center includes unique and rare historical materials and papers, including documents containing Presidential signatures. We’ve added new features, including a cafe area, dozens of computer study carrels and rotunda and auditorium.

Altgeld Hall, built in 1896, one of the most beautiful buildings on campus and currently home to the School of Music, is one of five castle-like buildings on Illinois university campuses. Legend says the five buildings are like a giant jigsaw puzzle and could be interconnected to make one building.

However, there is no evidence to support that claim. When you visit campus, be sure to look for Altgeld Hall, nestled next to the beautiful Shryock Auditorium and across from the historic Old Baptist Foundation building.

What is a Saluki?

A Saluki is an ancient breed of desert sighthound, renowned for grace, beauty, stamina and speed.

Southern adopted the Saluki as a mascot in 1951.

We are the only university in the country with the Saluki for a mascot.

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www.lib.siu.edu

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Today’s college students expect a broad range of options in majors that include academic staples in the sciences and liberal arts, but also specialized and career-specific degrees. At Southern, we offer everything you might expect from a major university, and more.

Core Curriculum

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Why do students take courses outside their major and minor areas?

At Southern, we provide a well-rounded education that builds skills contributing to employable graduates.

The core curriculum at Southern complements what students learn in their major and minor areas, and expands it.

Beyond the Basics Here are a few of the current research and creative projects going on at Southern: • Prudence Rice, an anthropology professor, is an internationally recognized scholar of ancient Mayan culture and the author of standard texts on Mayan pottery and the Maya calendar origins.

She is the 2009 University Woman of Distinction Award recipient and SIUC Outstanding Scholar.

“Surveys consistently show that employers are concerned about the ability to write, to speak well, to work with others and to see the bigger picture.

We use the core curriculum to prepare our students. About 60% of college graduates are employed in their majors 10 years after graduation. What are the others doing? They are doing things for which there was no major 10 years ago. The major courses are not enough. The core courses build the job skills that employers want.”

– James Allen, Director, Core Curriculum corecurriculum.siuc.edu

• S. Allen Walters, plant, soil and agricultural systems expert at Southern, advises Afghan farmers on crop production through the U. S. Agency for International Development farming project.

• Leslie Duram, chair of the Department of Geography and Natural Resources, spent a year in Ireland on a Fulbright scholarship sharing her in-depth knowledge of local foods production and land use.

• Sajal Lahiri, Vandeveer Professor of Economics, addressed the Joint European Commission UNDP/HDRO on the design and effect of foreign aid.

• A team of researchers including Andrei Komakov, in the Department of Physics, and graduate student Evheni Stlecov, were finalists in Global Venture Challenge 2010, a technology contest.

Their entry is an electronic “nano nose” that senses minute amounts of chemicals in the environment.

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Academics Students come here ready to become something. They bring curiosity, open minds, and a willingness to learn. But college isn’t easy. Even the students who seem to have it all together often need some guidance. After all, that’s why we call it “school” -- a place to learn.

a completed senior project applicable to graduate school study or career, and a ready-made network of friends among the highest academic achievers on campus. www.honors.siuc.edu

Pre-Major Advisement University Honors Program The University Honors Program benefits students during their time at Southern and beyond. Honors students have access to Honors-only classes, early registration, extended borrowing time at Morris Library, and other benefits.

They carry away with them recognition of University Honors on their transcripts,

Q A

What if my son or daughter doesn’t know what they want to study?

Students come to college to become something. First they have to become themselves. Some students know right away what they want to do. Some have so many interests they don’t know how to narrow them down. At Southern, that is not a problem. In fact, it can be an advantage.

• Undecided Students have access to the Pre-Major Advisement Center, which includes career exploration services. They may find a major and career path that fits their own unique combination of interests they would not as easily have found if they narrowed down their interests too early.

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But will they remain in college longer if they don’t have a major their first or second year?

No, Pre-Major students are not in college longer. Students can remain Pre-Major for up to 4 semesters. During that time, they explore their options while fulfilling the University Core Curriculum requirements. When they declare a major, they have confidence they’ve chosen well. pmac.siuc.edu

“I had a job in the lab, and made contacts with graduate students and professors. Now I have a REACH grant with Dr. (John) Martinko.

We are engineering immune complexes in cells to generate a DNA-based vaccine. One of the reasons I chose Southern is because of the wide scope of the sciences. And at Southern, they give you a chance.”

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– Greg Cresswell, a microbiology student from Urbana

Academic Assistance College can be fun, but it’s also a challenge. Southern has programs in place to help students strengthen the academic areas where they may be less confident. Here are a few: • Mathematics – tutoring just for math classes, available in Trueblood Hall with no appointment necessary.

• Writing Centers – with multiple locations on campus, students may walk in for help, or use the OWL (Online Writing Lab). write.siuc.edu

• Disability Support Services – from physical disabilities to learning disabilities, this service has tools to help students succeed. disabilityservices.siuc.edu

• Supplemental Instruction – tutoring in courses including biology, chemistry, economics, geology, and mathematics. supplementalinstruction.siuc.edu

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We Care About Our Students Sure, they’re adults now. But parents still worry.

Will they be safe? Will they eat right?

Who will take care of them when they are sick? What if they get homesick?

A place to start is Saluki Cares, a new program. Saluki Cares helps students find answers when they need information or help but don’t know where to go to get it.

“We can help students get the answers they need. They can call us once instead of calling all over campus trying to figure out what to do. For example, we’ve helped students who have missed classes due to illness and they don’t know what they need to do to catch up or who to let know they’ve been ill. ” –Katie Sermersheim, Saluki Cares chair, Director of Student Development

Student Health Center

Take a virtual tour of this facility by following the link at siuc.edu/~shc. The Health Center includes a medical clinic, pharmacy, dental services, sports medicine, mental health clinic, optical office, and dermatology office. Students can access the 24-hour Dial-A-Nurse option.

The Wellness Center helps students with substance abuse issues, nutrition and fitness, stress management and more.

Here’s more good news – routine medical care is $6 per visit for students.

“Our challenge is to try and fill the shoes of your family doctor, at least while your students are away at school…”

–Dr. Ted W. Grace, Director, Student Health Center

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Safety Programs: • General on-campus and off-campus safety guidelines • Night Safety Transit • Emergency call boxes • SIUC Alert - text-message emergency notification • Enhanced 911 Public Safety Answering Point • Brightway Path For additional information, please visit the SIUC Department of Public Safety website. www.dps.siu.edu.

“The safety of every student is a primary concern for us at Southern.

We provide a team of fully sworn police officers 24-hours per day, year round, along with a number of programs designed to assist and educate the students about safety .”

– Todd Sigler, Director, Department of Public Safety 9

Week of Welcome

The Week of Welcome begins with move-in – and right away you become part of a Saluki tradition as you are assisted by upper classmen who have experienced move-in themselves. Other WoW activities include guided tours of campus specific to new students’ class schedules, and free programming including music, food, movies and campus maps.

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wow.siuc.edu

Your First Year SOAR

Saluki Family Association

Student Orientation Advisement and Registration, a day-long event for students and for their families, is that running head start that helps new students hit their stride at Southern. Special sessions for parents give you a chance to ask questions and meet other Saluki parents. At SOAR, students register for classes, meet their academic advisors and financial aid counselors, and take care of the necessities for College Day One.

At Southern, our students’ families are our families. We know they need you, and that means we need you, too. Attendance at SOAR gives you automatic membership in the Saluki Family Association for your student’s first year. Membership benefits include a monthly electronic newsletter, advance information about Saluki Family Weekend, the Campus and Community Resource/Referral service and more. salukifamily.siuc.edu

soar.siuc.edu

First Year Experience This Saluki First Year program helps students make a successful transition to campus life. We don’t take for granted that first year students have the inside

knowledge that makes campus life easier.

We give them the tools they need to navigate their college careers, from the little day-to-day concerns to the bigger picture. firstyear.siuc.edu/web

Leadership Council This program specifically targets first year Salukis – including transfer students. The program is open to 50 students, chosen based on cumulative GPA, ACT scores and previous involvement history. Students participate in special events throughout the year, including leadership training opportunities, and receive recognition upon graduation for their involvement. A $300 book scholarship rounds out the package. siuc.orgsync.com/LC

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Living on Campus Residence Hall, Sweet Residence Hall

Q A

Is my son or daughter required to live on campus?

Though there are exceptions, we do require most of our freshmen and sophomores to live on campus.

We offer a variety of floor plans and residence hall styles, including single rooms in residence halls and apartment living for qualifying students.

Advantages to living on campus:

• College experience – Living on campus is an important part of the college experience for many college students. The

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shared experience is one that brings students together, where friendships are formed – and where students learn consideration, cooperation, and tolerance.

• Living on campus means students can walk to class, or use the Saluki Express bus system – which is free with a valid student i.d.

• Residence Hall activities provide free entertainment and are often a cure for the homesick blues.

See Web site for details and floor plans. www.housing.siu.edu

Residence Hall Dining • Convenience and choice – It’s hard to beat the convenience of dining within a few yards of your residence hall. Students may choose to eat in any of the residence hall dining rooms at any time.

• Healthy eating – Healthy choices get the Saluki paw print of approval. A salad bar and a variety of other healthy choices are always available.

• Special dietary considerations – Vegetarian and low fat entrees are available in each dining hall at lunch and dinner.

The dining hall staff regularly accommodates other special needs – all your student has to do is ask.

• Under-the-Weather Meals – Not feeling so well? We deliver to students who are too sick or physically disabled to make it to the dining hall.

Living Learning Communities Living Learning Communities are residence hall communities for students in the same major or college, or with a similar academic interest. Surveys show that students in LLCs get better grades and feel more connected to their University communities. Students in LLCs may take classes together, which can be an

advantage on study nights. In addition, many LLCs engage in extra-curricular activities pertaining to their majors or career goals, and have access to additional academic resources. Check with representatives of your student’s major department or with a University Housing member about available LLCs.

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Financial Aid • Southern administered $166,030,874 in financial aid to undergraduates last fiscal year.

Scholarships

• Nearly 80% of our students receive some sort of financial aid.

• Southern offers hundreds of scholarships and awards more than $8 million in undergraduate scholarships every year.

• Most students receive “gift aid” – meaning the kind that need not be repaid and is not associated with a campus job.

• Most aid is federal, but aid originating here on campus is the second-highest category of aid we administer.

START EARLY!

In order to maximize your eligibility for financial aid and the money available to you, start the process as soon as possible. You will need your tax return documentation, so begin there.

The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Complete this form by April 1 for maximum consideration. You can file online for free at fafsa.ed.gov.

Southern’s federal school code is 001758.

• Our online search engine makes it easy to find the scholarships for which your student is eligible.

Scholarships.siuc.edu

Student Employment

The Office of Financial Aid might be able to help your student find on-campus employment. Students might also talk with faculty members in their areas of interest to learn about job availability. Working on campus does more than provide a student with needed money for school and living expenses. It can also contribute experience to a student’s career path and help forge some of the connections that can help a student after graduation.

Good News Alert

Students in our neighboring states of Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee now pay a tuition rate equivalent to in-state tuition! That’s an annual savings of $10,000.

Guaranteed Tuition Stabilization means the tuition rate when you are a freshman is the same tuition rate as when you are a senior.

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Come for a Visit!

See for yourself!

We can’t wait to show you our campus!

Here are some ways for you to enjoy a visit and a taste of Southern hospitality.

Open House Open house programs are a convenient way to cover the basics of a campus visit. Join us at our Recreation Center to meet folks from all over campus -- from our academic departments to Admissions, Financial Aid and University Housing. Programs include informational sessions with time for questions, opportunities to meet current students, to tour campus, and even to check out a sample class lecture. Check our Web site for a current schedule.

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Individualized Visit

Call ahead to set up a campus visit focused specifically on what you want to see and learn about our campus. You and your student will meet with an admissions counselor and, if you like, also a representative from your student’s major. Visits include campus and residence hall tours, and the chance to meet with current students.

Group Visits These are good options for school or community organizations. We can set up a campus visit and tour areas of special interest to the group.

Another way to catch a glimpse of campus life is to attend one of the many events taking place on our campus. Check out the public events calendar for information about visiting artists, musical or theatrical performances, special guest lectures, conferences, and more.

Contact us: 618/453-7141 visitsiu@siu.edu

admissions.siuc.edu/visit

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