Administrators are hoping the launch of a new Web site will help stop the trend of declining enrollment.
Saluki VIP, a Web site for potential new students launched Nov. 6, presents majors, financial aid, housing and other information prospective students would be interested in all in one place.
Victoria Valle, assistant vice chancellor for enrollment management, said the university has already received applications from potential students because of the site.
“We can count the number of people who went directly from the pages to the applicant page, and that was 122,” Valle said.
Valle said as of Nov. 13, the page had received 2,598 visits, with 1,727 people actively accessing the page.
Alicea Settlemoir, a freshman from St. Louis studying zoology, said if she had had access to Saluki VIP, her transition to college would have been much easier.
“Just giving people the information they need would have definitely helped,” Settlemoir said.
When signing up for Saluki VIP, students select their primary and secondary choices of major, as well as what some of their interests. Choices include everything from ROTC to intramural athletics to study abroad programs.
Abby Bandy, a freshman from Carterville studying kinesiology, said the program would benefit students who are not from the Carbondale area.
“They don’t know (the area) as well,” Bandy said. “They would really be able to learn about SIU and Carbondale much more quickly.”
Bandy said although she is from nearby Carterville, she would have also used the page had it been available.
Valle said a Web site is also being developed to offer the same type of information to enrolled students. She said the goal is to launch the Web site by April.
Settlemoir said she would use the Web site being developed for current students.
“I am also looking at graduate schools, so anything like that would help,” Settlemoir said.
Settlemoir said students should take advantage of any resources the university provides.
While Valle said she hopes the Web sites would help with recruitment and retention, the university cannot rely on them.
“Technology is very much an important part of what we do,” Valle said. “But one of the most important things that we have to do is to be nice to our students. That should be the very first goal that we have.”
Stile Smith can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 259 or sts34@siu.edu
