(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The number of freshmen enrolling this fall at the state's public universities rose for the third consecutive year, according to a report from the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE).
No school matched the growth seen at the University of Illinois-Chicago, where freshman enrollment rose 9.2% from the 2022–2023 school year to the 2023–2024 school year.
The same report also claimed that while enrollment of African American and Latino students declined nationally, those numbers rose at public universities in Illinois.
IBHE Executive Director Ginger Ostro said the increases in African American and Latino enrollment were “direct results of the equity work” done by those in Illinois’ higher education system.
As for the overall number of undergraduates enrolled at Illinois’ public universities, the IBHE reported 0.3% growth — after several years of decreases.
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville saw a 13.5% decrease in its year-over-year freshman enrollment numbers, and Governors State University saw a decrease of more than 14% in its freshman enrollment.
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