Southern Illinois University Carbondale

History

An Act of the Twenty-sixth General Assembly of Illinois, approved March 9, 1869, created Southern Illinois Normal College, the second state-supported normal school in Illinois. Carbondale held the ceremony of cornerstone laying, May 17, 1870. It began with twelve academic departments and an initial class of 1,143.

The university continued primarily as a teacher's college until Delyte W. Morris took office as president of the university in 1948. Morris was SIU's longest-serving president (1948–1970). During his presidency, Morris transformed SIU, adding Colleges of Law, Medicine and Dentistry. Since World War II, higher education has been emphasized as a goal for more students. Southern Illinois University grew rapidly in size from 3,500 to over 24,800 students between 1950 and 1991.

In 1957, a second campus of SIU was established at Edwardsville. This school, now known as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, is an independent university within the SIU system.

Leadership

Randy Dunn is the eighth president of the Southern Illinois University System. Dr. Dunn served as president at two other state institutions and was the state superintendent of education, appointed to that role by the Illinois State Board of Education. His career in education includes classroom teaching, serving as principal at two school districts, serving as superintendent for two Illinois school systems, and holding the rank of professor at two universities including SIUC. Dr. Dunn has served on a number of committees, councils and task forces, and he contributes to a variety of scholarly publications. Dunn received his doctorate in educational administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1991. He graduated from Illinois State University with a master’s in administration and foundations in 1983, and the B.S. in education in 1980. Before coming to Southern Illinois, he served as president at two other state institutions — Murray State University in Kentucky (2006-2013) and Youngstown State University in Ohio (2013-2014). Before that, Dunn was the state superintendent of education, appointed to that role by the Illinois State Board of Education. He is not a stranger to the SIU System, having held the rank of professor in the Department of Educational Administration and Higher Education at SIUC. Dunn started at the Carbondale campus as an associate professor in 1995 and was named department chair in 2000, before leaving to assume the state superintendency. During his term as chair, he also taught in the joint doctoral program in educational leadership at SIU Edwardsville. Dunn began his academic career as an assistant professor in the Department of Leadership at The University of Memphis for two years before taking his faculty post at Southern Illinois University.

Dr. William Bradley Colwell became interim chancellor of SIU Carbondale Oct. 1, 2015. He also serves as a professor in the university’s Department of Educational Administration and Higher Education. Colwell returned to SIU after serving since 2010 as dean of the College of Education and Human Development at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Prior to his appointment at Bowling Green, he served at SIU as associate dean for academic and student affairs for the College of Education and Human Services from 2008 to 2010. He was chair of the Department of Educational Administration and Higher Education from 2004 to 2008 and served as the department’s director of graduate studies from 2001 to 2004. He came to SIU in 1996 as an assistant professor and was appointed associate professor in 2001 and professor in 2005. Colwell holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Anderson University in Indiana and a master's degree in educational administration, a juris doctor (law) degree and a doctoral degree in educational administration, all from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. His appointment, approved by the SIU Board of Trustees on Sept. 10, 2015, upon the recommendation of System President Randy Dunn, is effective through June 30, 2017.

Academic programs and rankings

As a major public research university, SIU offers more than 300 academic degree programs across all levels: bachelors, masters, and doctoral. It also offers professional programs in architecture, business, law and medicine. Since 1989, SIU has offered an MD/JD dual degree program, leading to the concurrent award of both degrees after completion of six years of coursework.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching recognizes Southern Illinois University, Carbondale as an elite institution of higher education, based on breadth of research and academic programs. In the academic year 2013-2014 the University was awarded over $78 million in research grants, the largest of which were to the School of Medicine and the College of Science. Carnegie categorizes Southern as: "RU/H: Research Universities (high research activity)."

SIU Carbondale ranked #70 of "National Universities" overall in the 2011 edition of annual college rankings by US News'; Ranking performance was partially based on ratios of students to faculty. At SIU, 50 percent of the classes cap out at 20 or fewer students; only 5 percent of classes include 50 or more students. The ratio of students to faculty is 15 to 1 and the percentage of full-time faculty is 96 percent.

The Princeton Review ranked SIU in its 2012 list of "Best of the Midwest" colleges. The Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges: 2011 Edition includes SIU. The book, the second annual edition from The Princeton Review and the U.S. Green Building Council, recognizes colleges that demonstrate "a notable commitment to sustainability."

Departmental and program rankings

The College of Business and Administration ranks among the best in the United States, with the finance department among the top 5.

The Automotive Industry Planning Council ranked the Automotive Technology Program as No. 1 in the country in 1991, 1999, and 2005.

The Department of Philosophy is ranked among the top eight departments in the nation in American Philosophy.

U.S. News & World Report ranks the Rehabilitation Institute counseling program second in the nation. In addition, the program won the 2006 Commissioner's Award for Excellence in Education and Training from the federal Rehabilitation Services Administration.

The Department of Workforce Education is among the Top 10 in the country, joining Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State in that category.

The School of Law's Legal Research and Writing Program tied with Rutgers University for 2nd in the nation among 184 law schools.

The Aviation programs continually ranks as a top program in the country for pilot training.

The Zoology Department is ranked in the top ten in the nation.

The Criminology Department is ranked among the top five in the United States.

The Clinical Psychology program is recognized in the top 20 in the country by the APA.

The School of Journalism is ranked among the five best in the country.

The Forestry Department is ranked second only to Penn State in the US.

College of Agricultural Sciences

The College of Agricultural Sciences consists of four academic departments: Agribusiness Economics, Animal Science, Food & Nutrition, Forestry, and Plant, Soils & Agricultural Systems. There are eight majors and twenty-six specializations. The college's Ph.D. program was added in December 2007. The Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences is a research degree that prepares graduates for developing and funding their own research program, and for teaching graduate and undergraduate students. In August 2011, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation announced that it is providing $7 million to a multidisciplinary team of SIU researchers. During at least the next six years, the team will examine the best ways to maximize agriculture in central Illinois.

College of Applied Sciences and Arts

Since its inception as the Vocational Technical Institute, CASA has undergone continuous change to address the workforce needs in the southern Illinois region, the state and the nation. The College presently includes four schools which house three master's degree programs, fourteen baccalaureate, and two associate degree programs. The masters of science in Medical Dosimetry and one baccalaureate program, Fire Service Management, are offered off-campus only. CASA provides off-campus opportunities to receive baccalaureate degrees in the areas of Aviation Management, Electronic Systems Technologies, Fire Service Management, Health Care Management, and Medical Dosimetry. The baccalaureate degree in Information Systems Technologies is offered online. Forty-nine hours of upper-level and selected elective courses are available to students at various locations throughout the country.

Morris Library

Morris Library is the main library for SIU. The Library "Holds more than 3.2 million volumes, 200,000 e-books, 43,000 current periodicals and serials, and over 3.6 million microform units." These figures make Morris Library among the top 50 research libraries in the United States and the second largest in the state. Library users have access to I-Share (the statewide automated library system) and to a comprehensive array of databases and other electronic data files. As the campus center for access to academic information and collaborative academic technology projects, Morris Library provides a wide range of services, including reference assistance, instructional and technical support, distance learning, geographic information systems (GIS), and multimedia courseware development. Morris Library is a member of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI), Association of Research Libraries (ARL), and the Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA).

In 2009, Morris Library completed a massive renovation and expansion at a cost of $41 million. The building's original façade and the HVAC and elevator systems were completely replaced. Every floor of the eight-story building was completely overhauled to drastically improve accessibility and remove confusion. An additional 50,000 square feet (4,600 m²) of space was added to the north side of the library. Delyte's, a new coffee shop named after former SIU President Delyte W. Morris, now operates in a portion of the new space.

Student Center

With over 8 acres (3.24 ha) of floor space, the SIU Student Center is one of the largest student unions in the nation. The programs and services offered provide SIU students, faculty, and staff a place to relax, gather a group to study or grab a bite to eat. The Student Center hosts multiple dining locations, the University Bookstore, ATM and Western Union stations, check cashing services, the ID Card office, and Debit Dawg activations and deposits all under one roof. The Student Center offers several ballrooms and smaller, expandable conference rooms for small or large gatherings. Student-run radio station WIDB 104.3 FM broadcasts from the Student Center, and the Black Affairs Office, International Student Council, Student Programming Council or "SPC," student governments and the Greek Council are among the organizations with their offices in the building.

The Student Center operates a Bowling & Billiards facility that completed a major renovation in 2009, including electronic scoring, new lanes, glow-in-the-dark flooring, flat-screen TVs, drop-down screens, and new seating areas. Each lane is equipped with bumpers, and three IKAN Bowling Ramps will be available to attach to any model of wheelchair, allowing the occupant to control the speed, direction, and timing of the bowling ball's release. Twelve new Olhausen pool tables along with new lighting and an updated sound system are featured on the billiards side of the facility.

Recreation Center

The Student Recreation Center, or "Rec," is the university's primary hub for intramural and fitness activities. The 213,747-square-foot (19,857.7 m²) building is one of the largest of its kind in the United States on a college campus. Access to the Recreational Center is free to all SIU students and for a membership fee to Alumni, Faculty and the general community.

Indoor facilities include an Olympic sized 890,000 gallon natatorium (home to the SIU Salukis swimming and diving team), two weight rooms, an aerobics room, martial arts room, a rock climbing wall, tennis court, racquetball courts, squash courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts, and two running tracks. Outdoor facilities include several lighted hard-surface tennis courts, the Rec Sports Complex (used for intramural softball, flag football and soccer), a Frisbee golf course, the campus boat dock and campus beach.

Health Center

On February 3, 2006, SIU opened a new, 58,000-square-foot (5,400 m²) health center adjacent to the Recreation Center. The $9.7 million facility provides medical services to the university community and houses the medical clinic, pharmacy, wellness resources, psychiatry clinic, counseling center, and sports medicine and physical therapy facilities. Community partners Southern Illinois Dermatology and the Marion Eye Center also provide services in the new health center.

Athletics

The Southern Illinois Salukis are the athletic teams representing Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The university first sponsored athletic teams during the 1913–14 school year, when they were known as the "Maroons." Students and faculty began lobbying for a new mascot during the late 1940s. On March 19, 1951, the student body voted to change the official nickname to the Salukis. The saluki, the royal dog of ancient Egypt, was chosen as the mascot due to its reputation as a fast and tenacious hunter and because the southern Illinois region is known as "Little Egypt."

The Salukis sponsor 16 varsity teams. Most compete in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), specifically in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, softball, women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track and field, and volleyball. The football program competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). Men's swimming is part of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

Athletic highlights

The baseball team has made 5 trips to the College World Series, with two of those trips resulting in second-place finishes in the National Championship in 1968 & 1971. They have also made 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament.

The men's basketball team advanced to the NCAA Tournament for six straight seasons between 2002–07, including two trips to the Sweet Sixteen.

The women's basketball team was Missouri Valley Conference champion in 2007.

Football had been ranked in the Top 10 in the Football Championship Subdivision for the four years 2006-09, and were in the playoffs for seven straight years, 2003–09.

Softball has been ranked in the Top 25 in the nation for the past two years and has advanced to the NCAA Tournament five straight seasons.

SIU's student-athletes lead the MVC in overall grade point average.

Student life

Southern Illinois University has a vibrant student culture and is home to more than 400 Registered Student Organizations (RSO). Organizations include honor societies, sports clubs and student activity groups, and 11 fraternities, 8 multicultural fraternities and 9 sororities. The largest RSO on campus is the Student Programming Council (SPC).

Student government

SIU has two primary bodies of student government responsible for distributing part of the Student Activity Fee to the RSO's:

The Undergraduate Student Government (USG)

Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC)

Additionally, one student is elected as one of the "Student Trustees"; the other is elected at SIUE and appointed by the governor as a voting member of the SIU Board of Trustees.

The Daily Egyptian

The Daily Egyptian or "DE" for short, is an award-winning student-run newspaper. The DE is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters with a distribution of 78,000 copies, and an online edition on Friday. The Daily Egyptian has received more than 25 awards from the Illinois College Press Association. In 2002, the paper was the recipient of the National Newspaper Pacemaker Award for General Excellence, the nation's most prestigious college journalism award.

Saluki Patrol

Founded in 1959, the Saluki Patrol is one of the oldest student security teams in the country. The student members assist the Department of Public Safety in their duties.

Residences

There are four main undergraduate residence hall areas, each with their own common buildings and dining halls: Brush Towers, Thompson Point, University Hall, and University Park, for a total of 18 residential buildings. Residence hall rooms are fully furnished, and many have been modified to meet the needs of specific types of disability.

Graduate, single parent, domestic partner, and married student housing is available in Evergreen Terrace, Southern Hills, and Elizabeth Apartments.

Wall & Grand, SIU's first apartment-style residence halls, opened in 2007. The apartments are all fully furnished, including washers and dryers, and are fully accessible to students with disabilities.

According to SIU Housing policies, single freshman students under the age of 21 who do not reside with their parents or legal guardians are required to live in University-owned and operated residence halls. Students are considered to hold freshman status if they have earned fewer than 26 credit hours after high school. These restrictions do not apply to students over the age of 21, veterans, married students, single parents, or students with 26 or more credit hours.

Cardboard Boat Regatta

The Cardboard Boat Regatta is an event held every spring semester at Campus Lake. Participants include university students and community members both young and old. The goal is to complete three trips around a 200-yard course on the lake using makeshift cardboard boats. There are three different categories for entries: canoes or kayaks, experimental boats and instant boats (boats created on-site the day of the event).

The idea for a Cardboard Regatta first originated in 1974 at Southern Illinois University. Richard Archer, a professor of Art and Design, dreamed up a final examination for students in his freshman design class. Buckminster Fuller, then a Distinguished Professor at SIU, had espoused the principle of "doing the most with the least," and faculty members found it intriguing to apply these principles in their classes. Archer felt it would be a real test of students' creativity and three-dimensional design skills to build human-sized boats made only of cardboard, and more than 20 years later, it is still happening. Many communities, organizations and other universities around the country have joined in on the fun and now organize their own Cardboard Boat Regattas.

Competitive programs

National debate champions – Under the direction of debate coach Todd Graham, SIU won the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence in 2008 and 2013. The team also won the National Parliamentary Debate Association National Tournament in 2013 and were ranked first in the country over the course of the 2010, 2012, and 2013 seasons.

The SIU Flying Salukis Flight Team became the first team in National Intercollegiate Flying Association Region 8 modern history to win first place in regional competition three years in a row (2007–2009). At NIFA SAFCON 2014, the Flying Salukis won the team's ninth national title. The team has qualified for the national championships in 44 of the last 45 years.

The aviation program has been one of the best nationally for many years, with SIU's young pilots winning the International Aerobatic Club Collegiate National Team Award five of the last six years.

SIU's Radio/TV Department has won National awards (Student EMMYS) on a yearly basis for nearly a decade.

SIU's Forestry Club have been the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Midwest Collegiate Challenge champions for over 18 years in a row.

Notable alumni

There are currently over 220,000 graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale worldwide. Notable SIU alumni include:

Lionel Antoine, former NFL offensive tackle

Houston Antwine, former NFL defensive lineman

Charles Basch, professor of health education, Teachers College, Columbia University

James Belushi, actor/comedian, star of According to Jim, Saturday Night Live and films

Jim Bittermann, CNN European correspondent based in Paris

Frederick J. Brown, artist

Amos Bullocks, former NFL running back

Chris Carr, former NBA player

Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls, IFBB pro bodybuilder

Randy Daniels, former Secretary of State of New York

Don S. Davis, actor and theatre professor, best known for his role of General Hammond on the TV series Stargate SG-1

Lee Feinswog, author and TV host

Steve Finley, Major League Baseball center fielder, 5-time Gold Glove winner, 2-time All-Star

Stephen Franklin, LB for the Jacksonville Jaguars

Dennis Franz, actor best known for his work on NYPD Blue

Walt Frazier, Basketball Hall of Famer and named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History

Jim Hart, former NFL quarterback, 4-time Pro Bowl selection

Joan Higginbotham, astronaut

Kevin House, former NFL wide receiver

Mary Lee Hu, American artist and goldsmith

Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq, Pakistani politician and son of former President General Zia-ul-Haq

Brandon Jacobs, NFL running back

Curt Jones, founder of Dippin' Dots

Darryl Jones, bassist of The Rolling Stones

Yonel Jourdain, NFL running back for the Buffalo Bills

Deji Karim, NFL running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars

Rodney P. Kelly, retired Major General, U.S. Air Force

Tony Laubach - meteorologist and storm chaser featured on Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers as a researcher with TWISTEX

Al Levine, former MLB baseball player

Carl Mauck, former NFL center

Donald McHenry, United States ambassador to the United Nations (from 1979 to 1981)

Albert E. Mead, former Governor of Washington

Gary Noffke, artist and silversmith

Bob Odenkirk, actor and comedian

Sir Curtis Price, KBE, President of the Royal Academy of Music and former president of the Royal Musical Association

Jason Ringenberg, founding member of Jason and The Scorchers.

Richard Roundtree, actor (Shaft)

Marion Rushing, former NFL linebacker

Randall Mario Poffo, better known as professional wrestler Macho Man Randy Savage. Graduated 1971.

Bart Scott, NFL Pro Bowl selectee

Sam Silas, NFL Pro Bowl selectee

Chad Simpson, Micro Award-winning short and flash fiction author

Russ Smith, former NFL guard

Jackie Spinner, author, journalist

Dave Stieb, retired Major League Baseball pitcher, 7-time All-Star, pitched no-hitter on 9/2/1990

Lena Taylor, Wisconsin Democratic State Senator and member of the Wisconsin 14

Terry Taylor, former NFL cornerback

Mallica Vajrathon, United Nations senior staff member

Chico Vaughn, basketball player

George Vukovich, baseball player

Ernie Wheelwright, former NFL running back

Robert K. Weiss, producer of The Blues Brothers and other films

Adrian White, former NFL safety

Jason Pargin aka David Wong, author and online personality.

Notable faculty

Dr. Robert Corruccini, Distinguished Professor and 1994 Outstanding Scholar, Corruccini taught at Southern Illinois University from 1978 to 2011 in the College of Liberal Arts, Department of Anthropology. Throughout his tenure at the university, he has been renowned for his expertise in both dental anthropology and epidemiology, formulating a Theory of Malocclusion.

Dr. David F. Duncan, Professor of Health Education and 1984 Teacher of the Year. Duncan taught at Southern Illinois University Carbondale from 1978 to 1989. Established the Ph.D. program in community health and the masters in health care administration. Later served as a policy advisor in the Clinton White House.

Dr. Buckminster Fuller (July 12, 1895 – July 1, 1983). Fuller taught at Southern Illinois University Carbondale from 1959 to 1970. Beginning as an assistant professor in the School of Art and Design, he gained full professorship in 1968. Buckminster Fuller is widely renowned for his geodesic dome design.

Dr. Robert S. Gold, Professor of Health Education. Pioneer of computer programs for health education and public health. Later Executive Vice President of Macro International and current Dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Health.

L. Brent Kington (1961 – 1997), art educator and artist who worked in blacksmithing and sculpture, widely regarded as the artist responsible for the blacksmithing revival in the 1970s.

Harry T. Moore, founder of the first branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Brevard County, Florida. Moore Auditorium in the Faner building is named after him.

Dr. William M. Lewis, Senior (November 26, 1921 – May 15, 2010), Director of the Cooperative Fisheries Research Unit during 1950–1983 (now called the Fisheries and Illinois Aquaculture Center). He was Chair of the Department of Zoology, President of the American Fisheries Society, and received the American Fisheries Society Award of Excellence in 1995.

Paul Martin Simon (November 29, 1928 – December 9, 2003). Former U.S. Congressman, U.S. Senator & U.S. Presidential candidate. He was the director of the SIU Public Policy Institute (now the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute). Simon taught classes in politics, history and journalism.

Popular culture

In the cult hit-comedy movie Animal House the famous "College" shirt worn by actor John Belushi was created for him while attending house parties with his brother, actor James Belushi, who was a student at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

In the Simpsons episode "Super Franchise Me," it is revealed that the character Gil Gunderson was two credits short from graduation from Southern Illinois University. Also in the Simpsons episode "Sky Police," Gil Gunderson shouts "Go Southern Illinois" and along with Homer and Bart does the Saluki Strut, which is not a Southern Illinois University tradition. Nevertheless, the local Carbondale newspapers reported that Southern Illinois University was mentioned on The Simpsons.

Sister universities

Austria

MCI Management Center Innsbruck

Australia

Curtin University of Technology

Brazil

Ceará State University

Federal University of Pelotas

Federal Rural University of Pernambuco

Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES)

Canada

Cape Breton University

China

University of International Business and Economics

Taiyuan University of Technology

China Institute of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou

Beijing Film Academy

Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China

Zhengzhou University

Changzhou University

Beijing University of Chemical Technology

Dalian Jiaotong University

Fuzhou University Zhicheng College

Shenyang Aerospace University

Colombia

Universidad de Narino

Costa Rica

Universidad Veritas

Cuba

The University of Havana

Czech Republic

VSB-Technical University of Ostrava

Finland

University of Turku

France

Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Grenoble

Germany

University of Siegen

Universitat Koblenz-Landau

SRH Hochschule Heidelberg

Fachhochschule Coburg-University of Applied Sciences

Fachhochschule Furtwangen University of Applied Sciences

Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

Greece

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Hungary

Hungarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange

India

Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University

Manipal University

Iraq

Higher Committee for Education Development

Ireland

National College of Art and Design (NCAD)

Japan

Kansai Gaidai University of Foreign Studies

Meiji University

Nagoya University

Reitaku University

Korea

Sejong University

Dankook University

Kuwait

Embassy of the State of Kuwait, Cultural Division

Lithuania

Vytautas Magnus University

Aleksandras Stulginskis University

Sunway University College

Macau

University of Macau

Malaysia

HELP University College

INTI University College

Sunway University College

Mexico

Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa

Universidad De Monterrey

Pakistan

Kinnaird College for Women

Scotland

Hospitalfield Trust

Slovenia

University of Ljubljana, (previously Edvard Kardelj University of Ljubljana)

Spain

Universidad Europea de Madrid

Sweden

University of Gothenburg Steneby

University of Gavle

Hereford College of Arts & University of Gothenburg

Taiwan

Feng Chia University

I-Shou University

National Cheng Kung University

National Formosa University

Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology

Chung Yuan Christian University

National Taichung University of Education

National Changhua University of Education

Thailand

Bangkok University