Monday, February 28, 2011

UIS Computer Science Department ranks first in the state for the number of grad students

Did you know the Computer Science Department at the University of Illinois Springfield has more graduate students enrolled than any other public university in the state?

According to the Illinois Board of Higher Education, UIS had 184 students seeking a Computer Science master’s degree in 2009. That’s more than Northern Illinois University (178), the University of Illinois at Chicago (143), the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (133) and Western Illinois University (99).

“The master’s program in Computer Science at UIS is popular because the curriculum is flexible and offers the students the opportunity to select classes that will help them achieve their career goals,” said Ted Mims, chair of the UIS Computer Science Department.

Computer Science faculty have developed an innovative curriculum that allows the department to offer classes on cutting edge topics in a timely manner. The classes are offered in an on-campus and online format, which allows students the flexibility to take two classes that, might normally be offered at the same time if they were only offered on campus.

“The master’s degree is valued by employers and they often pay the tuition for students to complete their degree,” said Mims.

Other ranked universities in the master’s category include Illinois State University, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

UIS ranked fifth in 2009 when it comes to the number of undergraduate students majoring in Computer Science with a total of 195 students. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign topped the list with 682 majors.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

UIS founded New Century Learning Consortium adds Sam Houston State University as 11th member

The New Century Learning Consortium (NCLC), founded at the University of Illinois Springfield has added Sam Houston State University (SHSU), located in Huntsville, Texas as its 11th member. The Consortium is designed to assist universities in implementing high quality, large-scale online and blended learning programs.

“We are very pleased to have Sam Houston State University join the New Century Learning Consortium (NCLC). This award winning university has been recognized by Princeton Review and PC Magazine as one of the “Most Wired” colleges in the nation. Founded in 1879, SHSU brings a long tradition of excellence in education to the consortium,” said Shari McCurdy Smith, NCLC director and associate director of the Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service (COLRS) at UIS.

Sam Houston State University is pleased to join the New Century Learning Consortium, said Bill Angrove, associate vice president for SHSU Online. The university recognizes the need for inter-institutional cooperation. “We are very interested in efforts to promote degree completion and faculty exchange,” he said.

The Consortium plans to expand to 14 institutions by May. Consortium activities include developing a clearinghouse of online classes where there is excess capacity; shared research projects; shared IT expertise to support building infrastructure capacity; and peer support at the upper administration, dean, and faculty member levels. NCLC was founded utilizing a grant from the Sloan Consortium, who is also providing funding for the expansion.

“Sam Houston State University has an outstanding online learning program encompassing 16 online degree programs. We are excited that SHSU will bring their leadership and experience to this growing consortium,” said Ray Schroeder, director of COLRS and founder of NCLC.

NCLC member institutions are dedicated to developing vigorous online and blended learning initiatives to expand and stabilize student enrollments.

Current members are University of Illinois Springfield; California State University East Bay, Hayward; Southern Oregon University, Ashland; Chicago State University, Illinois; Oakland University, Rochester Hills, Michigan; University of Southern Maine, Portland; Louisiana Tech University, Ruston; SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs; Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia; and the University of Minnesota, Crookston.

For more information about the Consortium, contact Shari McCurdy Smith at 217/206-7360 or email smccu1@uis.edu.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

UIS announces fall semester 2010 Dean's List

A total of 577 students have been named to the University of Illinois Springfield Dean's List for the 2010 fall semester; 82 are students in the college of Business and Management, 89 are students in the College of Education and Human Services, 350 are enrolled in programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 49 are enrolled in programs in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, and 7 are non-degree or undecided.

To qualify for the designation, a student must be an undergraduate who took at least eight graded semester hours and maintained a grade-point average of at least 3.75 for the semester.

The list is organized alphabetically by hometown.

Download a PDF of the Fall 2010 Dean's List:
DeansListReleaseFall10.pdf

Monday, February 07, 2011

UIS tops previous spring enrollment numbers

Enrollment at the University of Illinois Springfield has set a record for a spring semester with 4,920 students enrolled. It is an increase of 58 students over last spring. UIS has a total of 2,997 undergraduate students and1,923 graduate students enrolled.

The 1.2 percent increase is primarily due to carryover from the substantial increase in fall enrollment. Student enrollment at UIS in fall 2010 was the largest ever in the institution’s 40-year history, with 5,174 students.

"We are pleased about this spring's increase in enrollment and anticipate enrollment growth again next fall, as statewide recognition of the quality and affordability of education at UIS - for freshmen, transfer, and graduate students – increases,” said UIS Chancellor Harry Berman.

Additionally, the number of students majoring in degree programs at UIS that are fully online increased this spring by 67 students, according to Ray Schroeder, director of UIS’ Center for Online Learning, Research and Service. The total number of students with online majors is 1,364, which is an increase of 5.2 percent over last spring.

UIS offers 16 online degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. More than one-fourth of UIS students are online degree program students, and more than half of all students at UIS are taking at least one online class.