WIU enrollment down for the spring semester.
From Tri-States Public Radio, WIUM-FM:
https://www.tspr.org/tspr-local-news/20 ... g-semester
Spring 2026 Enrollment
The total headcount for the Macomb and Quad Cities campuses for Spring 2026 is 4,735 compared to the Fall 2025 headcount of 5,337.
Western issued 507 degrees to new graduates at the end of Fall 2025.
Of the 4,735 students enrolled this spring, 4,269 students are considered Macomb students, while 466 are considered Quad Cities students.
Students attending in-person classes on the Macomb campus come in at 2,373, while 163 attend in-person at the Quad Cities campus.
Macomb Extension students, those who primarily take their courses online, is 1,896, while the QC extension student tally is 303.
The number of students living in residence halls on the Macomb campus total 955.
The Fall 2025-to-Spring 2026 retention rate is 78.8%.
Western issued 507 degrees to new graduates at the end of Fall 2025.
Of the 4,735 students enrolled this spring, 4,269 students are considered Macomb students, while 466 are considered Quad Cities students.
Students attending in-person classes on the Macomb campus come in at 2,373, while 163 attend in-person at the Quad Cities campus.
Macomb Extension students, those who primarily take their courses online, is 1,896, while the QC extension student tally is 303.
The number of students living in residence halls on the Macomb campus total 955.
The Fall 2025-to-Spring 2026 retention rate is 78.8%.
In case anyone is curious, enrollment at smaller "regional" universities is an issue across the country: https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-h ... -education
If you are unable to access the article, here's a PDF copy:
If you are unable to access the article, here's a PDF copy:
Scott Lawson - Board AdminWestern Illinois University Alum/Fan/Employee
Member of the Marching Leathernecks - 1996-2000
I heard the President at Drake talking about there are less kids graduating high school then there are less kids going to colleges and universities.ST_Lawson wrote: Thu Feb 26, 2026 8:34 am In case anyone is curious, enrollment at smaller "regional" universities is an issue across the country: https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-h ... -education
If you are unable to access the article, here's a PDF copy:
Then heard on a podcast that in Michigan enrollment is down at all colleges except Michigan and Michigan St.
From Capitol News Illinois:
The president of the University of Illinois System said Wednesday that negotiations are continuing over legislation to overhaul the way the state funds higher education, but the state’s flagship university remains opposed to the legislation in its current form.
“Our calculations have demonstrated that the bill, as it stands, would disfavor us, and it would lead to rises in tuition for Illinois families that we don’t think is the right answer to the kind of problem sets that are being looked at,” Tim Killeen said in an interview with Capitol News Illinois.
The proposed legislation, House Bill 1581 and Senate Bill 13, calls for adding about $1.7 billion in new higher education funding over the next 10 years. That money would be distributed under a formula similar to the Evidence-Based funding formula used for K-12 education that would prioritize the schools that are currently the most underfunded.
Under the proposed formula, the neediest schools would include Western Illinois University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and Eastern Illinois University.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the state’s largest university campus, currently ranks as the most adequately funded school and thus would be last on the priority list for new funding.
“We support all public universities,” Killeen said. “We think they play a really important role in the local communities and in the innovation agenda for the whole state, and it’s painful to see some of those universities struggling with their budget. So we would be much in favor of enhanced resources. The specifics of this formula, it siphons resources from the flagship … and we educate 53% of the undergraduates.”
Supporters of the proposal have said they will push for it again this year and that they are continuing to negotiate with U of I on a compromise.
“We look forward to bringing the University of Illinois on board so that we can adopt a more fair and equitable process to prevent the closure of our other institutions around the state of Illinois, so that we can meet the needs of all of our students in this state,” Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, a lead sponsor of the House bill, said at a Feb. 17 news conference.
The president of the University of Illinois System said Wednesday that negotiations are continuing over legislation to overhaul the way the state funds higher education, but the state’s flagship university remains opposed to the legislation in its current form.
“Our calculations have demonstrated that the bill, as it stands, would disfavor us, and it would lead to rises in tuition for Illinois families that we don’t think is the right answer to the kind of problem sets that are being looked at,” Tim Killeen said in an interview with Capitol News Illinois.
The proposed legislation, House Bill 1581 and Senate Bill 13, calls for adding about $1.7 billion in new higher education funding over the next 10 years. That money would be distributed under a formula similar to the Evidence-Based funding formula used for K-12 education that would prioritize the schools that are currently the most underfunded.
Under the proposed formula, the neediest schools would include Western Illinois University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and Eastern Illinois University.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the state’s largest university campus, currently ranks as the most adequately funded school and thus would be last on the priority list for new funding.
“We support all public universities,” Killeen said. “We think they play a really important role in the local communities and in the innovation agenda for the whole state, and it’s painful to see some of those universities struggling with their budget. So we would be much in favor of enhanced resources. The specifics of this formula, it siphons resources from the flagship … and we educate 53% of the undergraduates.”
Supporters of the proposal have said they will push for it again this year and that they are continuing to negotiate with U of I on a compromise.
“We look forward to bringing the University of Illinois on board so that we can adopt a more fair and equitable process to prevent the closure of our other institutions around the state of Illinois, so that we can meet the needs of all of our students in this state,” Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, a lead sponsor of the House bill, said at a Feb. 17 news conference.