<table border="0" width="1163"> <tr> <td> <ul> <li><a href="#lovejoy">SIUE's Lovejoy Friends Announce Winners Of Writing Contest</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#students">Deceased students awarded degrees posthumously</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#fee">SIUE Fee Changes Approved By SIU Board Of Trustees</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#golf">SIUE Will Seek Developer For Golf Learning Center</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#ITC">SIUE International Trade Center To Conduct Roundtable Series</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#nurse">Nearly 35 SIUE Students Elected To International Nursing Honor Society</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#ITCr">SIUE International Trade Center To Conduct Roundtable Series</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#shop">Main Character In Little Shop Of Horrors Has 'Great Personality'</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#bradshaw">Boyd Bradshaw Is President-Elect Of IACAC</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#sloan">Sloan Foundation Grants Help Create Professional Master's Degrees</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#LCC">SIUE Begins Lewis and Clark Celebration With Summer Institute</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#perkins">Perkins Loan Default Rate For SIUE Students Is Low</a><br /></li> <li><a href="#adhoc">Ad Hoc Committee Of Taxpayer Advocacy Panel To Meet June 6-7</a></li> </ul> </td> </tr> </table> <h2><a name="lovejoy" id="lovejoy">May 1 , 2003</a></h2> <h2>SIUE's Lovejoy Friends Announce Winners Of Writing Contest<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The winners of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Ninth Annual High School Writers' Contest have been announced. The contest, sponsored by SIUE's Friends of Lovejoy Library, was open to area high school juniors and seniors who each submitted work in one of three categories: nonfiction, fiction, or poetry.</p> <p>Co-sponsors and contributors for the competition were the Pulitzer Foundation/St. Louis Post-Dispatch; the Edwardsville Target Store; the Belleville News-Democrat; and the Friends group, a support organization for the SIUE library. More than 360 entries were submitted by contestants from Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Greene, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, St. Clair, and Washington counties.</p> <p>Nine winners, three in each category, were honored recently at an awards banquet on campus. First prize winners each received $500, while second- and third-place winners in each category received $300 and $100, respectively.</p> <p>First prize in the poetry category went to Ashley Naguit, a senior at Belleville East Township High School, for her poem, "Requests." Second and third prizes were won by two seniors from Belleville West-Meagan Graul for "The Stray Dog" and Kristina Poston for "Dilemma."</p> <p>In the fiction category, first prize was given to Claire Gion, a junior at Columbia High School, for her story, "The Portrait." Second place went to Theresa Luebbers, a senior at Carlyle High, for "The Penny." Craig Louer, a junior at Edwardsville High School, took third prize for his story, "Paradise Lost."</p> <p>Amy Miller, a senior at Virden High, won first prize in the nonfiction category for her essay, "Man Without a Face." Second prize in that category went to Amanda Vollmer, a senior at Belleville West, for her essay, "Missing Socks and the Quantam Theory." Third prize was won by Stephanie Brauer, a junior at Gibault Catholic High School in Waterloo, for her essay, "Old Red: A Seasonal Marvel."</p> <p>All award-winning entries have been published in a booklet that is available for purchase by calling (618) 650-2730.<br /> <a href="#top"><br /> Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="students" id="students">May 8, 2003</a></h2> <h2>Deceased students awarded degrees posthumously<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Marine Cpl. Evan James, a former Southern Illinois University Edwardsville student who died earlier this year during the fighting in Iraq, and Thomas C. Schmisseur, a non-traditional student who also died earlier this year, were awarded degrees posthumously at the May 10 spring commencement.</p> <p>Bachelor of science degrees for James and Schmisseur were accepted by family members at the 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ceremonies, respectively.</p> <p>Evan James, 20, the son of Mike and Donna James of La Harpe, was a sophomore studying Kinesiology and Health Education when he joined the Marines Sixth Engineer Support Battalion in Peoria at the end of fall semester 2002. He subsequently was deployed to Iraq.</p> <p>James drowned March 24 while crossing the Saddam Canal in Southeastern Iraq between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, just five days after the war began. A military spokesman said James was among four Marines who were attempting to set up a defensive position to protect a water-supply area when he and another soldier were swept away by the canal's current.</p> <p>James, a personal trainer at Our Health Club and Spa in Glen Carbon before he was called to duty, was studying to become a personal trainer. He was a competitive body builder and enjoyed participating in triathlons.</p> <p>In memory and honor of their son, the James family has established the Cpl. Evan T. James Memorial Scholarship to be awarded through the SIUE Foundation to a qualifying full-time SIUE student with a declared major in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education.</p> <p>Schmisseur, 52, nearly had completed requirements for a bachelor of science in Social Work at the time of his death March 21. He graduated from Triad High School and became a truck driver, then a dispatcher when his health deteriorated. When he was no longer able to work, Schmisseur began college. He transferred to SIUE from Southwestern Illinois Community College.</p> <p>He was an avid reader and gardener. Friends and family said that even though Schmisseur was burdened by limited health throughout his life, he remained cheerful and in good spirits, and was happiest when he attended classes at the university. He maintained a very strong grade point average and was highly motivated to continue learning.<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="fee" id="fee">May 8, 2003</a></h2> <h2>SIUE Fee Changes Approved By SIU Board Of Trustees<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today approved changes in the housing rental fees and various student fees, as well as an uncapping of tuition rates for full-time students, all for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and effective summer term 2004.</p> <p>The board also awarded contracts for electrical work on the "400 side" of Cougar Village and authorized a search for an outside developer to create and manage a Golf Learning Center on campus. The actions were taken during the Board's regular meeting today at SIU Carbondale.</p> <p>Students enrolled in more than 12 semester hours at SIUE have been paying a pro-rated per-hour rate for the additional hours. Beginning summer 2004, an SIUE student enrolled in more than 12 hours will pay the same hourly rate as students taking less than 12 hours.</p> <p>Increases also were approved in housing rates for the three residence halls and for Cougar Village Apartments, and for various student fees (Student Welfare and Activity, Athletics, Student Fitness Center, Textbook Rental, and Housing Activity) as well as a 5-percent decrease in the University Center fee.</p> <p>Housing rates will increase 6.6 percent for students in the residence halls and in Cougar Village, and for group housing at Cougar Village. For single students living in the residence halls in 2004-05, the increase ranges from $101 per semester for a shared room to $202 per semester for a deluxe single room.</p> <p>For Cougar Village residents in 2004-05, the proposal calls for single students to pay an</p> <p>increase ranging from $96 per semester for a shared room to $143 per semester for a single room. The fee for a deluxe single room at Cougar Village would increase by $192 per semester. For family housing in Cougar Village, the proposed fee increase ranges from $48 a month to $62 a month.</p> <p>The SIU Board has long had a policy of establishing tuition and fees under a four-year rolling plan. This long-range approach gives parents and students information with which to plan for the cost of a four-year bachelor's degree program.</p> <p>In other business, the board authorized SIUE to seek an outside developer to create and manage a Golf Learning Center on approximately 80 acres on the north edge of campus. The center would provide "educational, recreational, and competitive playing opportunities … and would "form a learning laboratory partnership with the university in researching and developing management practices for an ecologically sound Golf Learning Center."</p> <p>Under the proposal, the center would be an instructional laboratory for learning the game of golf, featuring a nine-hole golf course "of a length and design specifically tailored to aid in acquiring and enhancing golf skills."<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="golf" id="golf">May 8, 2003</a></h2> <h2>SIUE Will Seek Developer For Golf Learning Center<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The SIU Board of Trustees gave their approval today for a Request for Proposals (RFP) process to begin on exploring a proposed Golf Learning Center at SIUE.</p> <p>The center would be developed and managed by a private developer on about 80 acres on the northern edge of campus (the area known as the Mississippi River Festival site, near the intersection of University Drive and Poag Road). A committee of faculty, staff and a student, chose the site for its relative lack of environmental impact. The choice of the site was approved by the university's Arboretum and Academic Land-Use Committee.</p> <p>The developer of the facility would sign a long-term lease at no cost—or with a positive financial benefit—to the university. The center would serve as a recreational facility for students and the community, as well as an outdoor learning lab for researching and developing management practices for an ecologically sound golf learning center.</p> <p>"By seeking a private developer, the costs of building and operating the facility will not be borne by taxpayers or students," said Mick Ostrander, SIUE director of campus recreation. "Also, if our environmental protection guidelines built into the RFP cannot be met, the project will not go forward."</p> <p>The RFP calls for a nine-hole facility designed to help junior-level golfers and "duffers" build their skills. A driving range, putting and chipping greens, rough, and bunkers, and sand traps for practice sessions also would be part of the facility. For-credit golf classes will be taught at the center, which also will be available as a recreational facility for SIUE students, employees and the public. Students and employees could use the center at discounted rates.</p> <p>With the help of faculty members, environmental protections have been built into the RFP. The course is to be designed using the environmental guidelines of the Golf Course Superintendent's Association of America. The guidelines outline environmental requirements, such as water usage, plant and wildlife management, waste management, and pesticide and herbicide usage.<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="ITC" id="ITC">May 12, 2003</a></h2> <h2>SIUE International Trade Center To Conduct Roundtable Series<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The International Trade Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the Illinois Trade Office will present "Business Opportunities in the Central American Region," a forum for exchanging ideas and experiences on international trade through roundtable discussion, from 8:30 a.m.-noon Tuesday, May 20, in the International Room of SIUE's Morris University Center.</p> <p>Part of SIUE's School of Business Roundtable Series, the forum will provide foreign market experts who will conduct in-depth discussions about specific market opportunities. The main speakers include Dan Thompson, senior commercial officer for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras; Dale Miller, of the Foreign Agriculture Service/U.S. Department of Agriculture; and Bobby Dowson, International Marketing Division/Illinois Department of Agriculture.</p> <p>These presentations will be followed by a roundtable discussion with representatives from the U.S. Export Assistance Centers in Peoria and in St. Louis, and the Illinois Trade Office to address important issues regarding this growing region.</p> <p>Admission is $15 and registration is required. A continental breakfast and parking will be provided. For more information, please call the International Trade Center at SIUE, (618) 650-2452. Space is limited.<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="nurse" id="nurse">May 13, 2003</a></h2> <h2>Nearly 35 SIUE Students Elected To International Nursing Honor Society<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Nearly 35 students, majoring in Nursing at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, were elected recently to membership in the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing through its Epsilon Eta chapter at SIUE.</p> <p>Sigma Theta Tau works to foster, develop, and connect nurse scholars and leaders worldwide to improve health care. The society promotes nursing excellence through its initiatives in research, leadership, an electronic library, programming and publications, and develops and distributes nursing knowledge for use in practice.</p> <p>Membership to Sigma Theta Tau is by invitation to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, and to nurse leaders who demonstrate exceptional achievement in nursing. Undergraduate students must have at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, be in the upper 35 percent of the graduating class, have completed at least one half of the nursing curriculum to qualify for membership, and meet the expectation of academic integrity.</p> <p>More than 300,000 nurse scholars have been inducted into Sigma Theta Tau worldwide. With 115,000 active members, it is the second-largest and one of the most prestigious nursing organizations in the world. The society's members are active in more than 85 countries and territories, and the 423 chapter honor societies are located on more than 520 colleges and university campuses in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Pakistan, South Korea,, Taiwan, and the United States.<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="ITCr" id="ITCr">May 13, 2003</a></h2> <h2>SIUE International Trade Center To Conduct Roundtable Series<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The International Trade Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the Illinois Trade Office will present "Business Opportunities in the Central American Region," a forum for exchanging ideas and experiences on international trade through roundtable discussion, from 8:30 a.m.-noon Tuesday, May 20, in the International Room of SIUE's Morris University Center.</p> <p>Part of SIUE's School of Business Roundtable Series, the forum will provide foreign market experts who will conduct in-depth discussions about specific market opportunities. The main speakers include Dan Thompson, senior commercial officer for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras; Dale Miller, of the Foreign Agriculture Service/U.S. Department of Agriculture; and Bobby Dowson, International Marketing Division/Illinois Department of Agriculture.</p> <p>These presentations will be followed by a roundtable discussion with representatives from the U.S. Export Assistance Centers in Peoria and in St. Louis, and the Illinois Trade Office to address important issues regarding this growing region.</p> <p>Admission is $15 and registration is required. A continental breakfast and parking will be provided. For more information, please call the International Trade Center at SIUE, (618) 650-2452. Space is limited.<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="shop" id="shop">May 15, 2003</a></h2> <h2>Main Character In Little Shop Of Horrors Has 'Great Personality'<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The main character of the opening Summer Showbiz production at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will have a great personality—several in fact. Each arm of Audrey II, the fast-growing, alien plant in Little Shop of Horrors, will have a kid serving as a speaking bloom. Summer Showbiz is part of the SummerArts 2003 program at SIUE.</p> <p>Little Shop runs 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, June 12-14 and 19-21, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 15 and 22. The hit comedy musical focuses on a young man who works in a run-down flower shop and discovers an alien plant after a total eclipse of the sun. The only defect is that the plant feeds on human blood.</p> <p>It's a sci-fi musical comedy based on the 1960 B-movie of the same name. By the way, that film was directed by B-movie giant Roger Corman (who shot it in less than three days) and featured Jack Nicholson in his first film appearance. In 1982, the songwriting team of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman added music and lyrics to the story and opened it off-Broadway to critical acclaim.</p> <p>Creating Audrey II for a theatrical presentation of Little Shop is a challenge to any set designer, but this is the second time Professor C. Otis Sweezey, chair of the Department of Theater and Dance, has created the plant. He did it 16 years ago when the department produced the play the first time. "The design was more vertical then," Sweezey said. "This one is based on an octopus; horizontal is better. It's easier to have people in it, since it has to eat people," he said with a slight smile.</p> <p>The alien plant appears onstage the first time in the play as a hand puppet in a tiny pot, but it eventually grows to nearly stage-size with its five arms by the end of the play. There are four plant models altogether, Sweezey explained. "Two young actors will be inside the larger two models to work the mouth and arms. It's going to be a real workout for them," he said. "They not only have to physically make Audrey II move, but they'll have to learn all of the lines as well so as they move the plant's mouth it matches the voice."</p> <p>The cast for this production ranges in age from 11 to 53, according to director Janet Strzelec, "and there's not a weak link. My cast is fabulous." There are 15 cast members and 7 plant operators. Strzelec says the most interesting, as well as the most challenging, part of the production is "working with the plant and the kids. Nobody really knows how it's all really going to work, but it's funny. We're still playing with the plant voice. It's going to be interesting."</p> <p>Doing this production is a family affair for the director. Her son, J.R., is the voice of the plant, and her other son, Jimmie, is one of the operators of the plant.</p> <p>To order tickets for Little Shop of Horrors, call the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774, or for more information about the Summer ShowBiz season, visit the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance Web site: www.siue.edu/ THEATER.<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="bradshaw" id="bradshaw">May 19, 2003</a></h2> <h2>Boyd Bradshaw Is President-Elect Of IACAC<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Boyd Bradshaw, acting assistant vice chancellor for Enrollment Management, is president-elect of the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC). Boyd, elected to a three-year term, will serve as president-elect in the first year, president in the second, and past president in the third.</p> <p>As president-elect, Bradshsaw assumes the duties of president in the absence of the current president, and also acts as chair for the IACAC's annual spring conference.</p> <p>IACAC is made up of more than 1,600 counseling professionals throughout the state who are dedicated to serving students as they explore options and make choices about pursuing post secondary education. IACAC members are counselors, admission or financial aid officers, active retirees, or students who are concerned about the future of education in Illinois and in the nation.</p> <p>Bradshaw said IACAC has had a huge impact on him professionally. "I take great pride in my work as an admissions professional and am honored to represent both IACAC and SIUE over the next three years in this new position," Bradshaw said. "SIUE admission counselors have had a long history of involvement in IACAC.</p> <p>"As president-elect I hope to continue creating awareness of SIUE among high school counselors and students throughout the state. It is a great opportunity to cultivate relationships with those who have influence with college-bound students."</p> <p>Donna Epton, college career consultant at Schaumburg High School and past IACAC board member, said: "Boyd has been a tremendous asset to IACAC already through his involvement. We look forward to his continued impact on the association and ultimately the students that are affected by the organization."</p> <p>Bradshaw's past IACAC professional activities include serving currently as college delegate to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Membership Committee co-chair, and co-chair of the annual conference's On-Site Committee. He has received the 2000 President's Service Award and the 1998 Newcomer Award.</p> <p>His NACAC professional activities include delegate, 2000-present; serving currently on the National Membership Committee, the Reading Committee, and the Assembly and General Membership Meeting; Conference presenter, 2001. His other professional activities include currently serving as secretary on the Illinois ACT Council and on the Council's Executive Committee.</p> <p>As a member of the Missouri Association for College Admission Counseling (MOACAC), Bradshaw served on the MOACAC's Fair Committee from 1999-2002.<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="sloan" id="sloan">5/23/03</a></h2> <h2>Sloan Foundation Grants Help Create Professional Master's Degrees<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Thanks to two grants from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will offer two new professional master's degrees beginning Fall Semester, according to Stephen Hansen, dean of Graduate Studies and Research at SIUE.</p> <p>The two new graduate programs are Biotechnology Management and Environmental Science Management. SIUE is one of only six master's degree granting institutions to receive funding for two professional master's degrees from the Sloan Foundation. "These degrees are designed to meet the changing needs of the area's workforce," Hansen said.</p> <p>"To ensure that the new programs will meet these workforce needs, each program has a Business Advisory Board that helped design the plan of study," he said. "These boards also will continue to provide guidance to each program."</p> <p>The advisory board for the Biotechnology Management is composed of representatives from Pharmacia, Danforth Plant Science Center, and a number of biotech firms, such as Colliant, Apath, Divergence, and Proteoplex. The board for Environmental Science Management includes representatives from Monsanto, Harding ESE, Triad Industries, and Ameren.</p> <p>"Since SIUE graduate programs are developed with the region's needs in mind, the university was a good match for funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation," Hansen said. "For the past five years, the Sloan Foundation has been trying to foster the development of the professionalization of a master's in the sciences and mathematics. By 'professionalization,' the Sloan Foundation staff means creating degrees in the sciences and mathematics that meet the workforce needs of business and industry for technologically skilled managers.</p> <p>"Professional master's degrees are interdisciplinary in design and typically combine study in a science or math discipline with coursework in business or law."</p> <p>The Sloan Foundation began its program by funding projects at 26 doctoral granting institutions in 1997. Five years later, the Sloan Foundation, in collaboration with the Council of Graduate Schools, decided to initiate its program with master's degree granting institutions.</p> <p>SIUE was one of 26 institutions to receive a grant of $25,000 in 2002 to study the feasibility of creating professional master's degrees in the sciences and mathematics. Based on that study, SIUE proposed, with the input of the Business Advisory Boards, to create professional degrees in Biotechnology Management and in Environmental Science Management.</p> <p>"SIUE was one of 10 institutions nationwide to be awarded an implementation grant of $55,000," Hansen said. "With today's tight state budget, this funding was vital in getting these needed programs started." Hansen said both proposed degree programs will accept applications for Fall Semester, with the first trained graduates entering the workforce in approximately two years.<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="LCC" id="LCC">May 28, 2003</a></h2> <h2>SIUE Begins Lewis and Clark Celebration With Summer Institute<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE) The Lewis and Clark Summer Institute will be the first event in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's year-long celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (or Corps of Discovery.) The celebration will include several guest speakers and an essay contest, culminating next summer with a second Summer Institute.</p> <p>This year's institute, "Indians Encounter Lewis and Clark," is open as a non-credit course to about 120 participants. "The encounter with Lewis and Clark was the first and last time that Indians coexisted peacefully with Anglo-American culture west of the Mississippi," said Rowena McClinton, assistant professor of Historical Studies. "There was a true exchange of customs and gifts, particularly the art of canoe-making and cartography. Gift giving by the members of the expedition was especially significant since Indians traded horses that allowed the expedition to traverse the western lands all the way to the Pacific Ocean.</p> <p>"The relationship (between the Indians and the expedition) marked the epitome of a time of diplomatic exchange between nations. More than 50 tribes were encountered, all of whom spoke various languages and celebrated particular traditions. Lewis and Clark were instructed by (President Thomas) Jefferson to go treat the Indians with proper respect."</p> <p>The course, which begins June 30 and continues through Aug. 8, will follow closely how Jefferson charted the way west along the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, and how he addressed ways the explorers would record their detailed information, including Indian manners and customs.</p> <p>"The Indians not only were helpful to the expedition, but allowed the explorers a very intimate view into their culture and customs," McClinton said. "At Fort Mandan, where the expedition first wintered, the Indians had encountered Spanish and Russian traders, but these were among the first Anglo-Americans they had met over an extended time.</p> <p>McClinton said the class is designed to help provide that "native" perspective to students. To register for the class, call 650-3210 or via email at coned@siue.edu.</p> <p>Other SIUE Lewis and Clark events include:</p> <p>• Lewis & Clark Summer Institute - Summer '03</p> <p>• Fred Hoxie, Swanlund Professor of History at the University of Illinois and the author of a number of works focusing on Native American and US History, Inaugural Address: "Effects of Lewis & Clark on Indigenous Peoples" - September '03</p> <p>• Robert Ballard, Noted Oceanographer, Arts & Issues Speaker: "Exploring the Earth" - November 18th, 2003</p> <p>• Sam Abell, National Geographic Photographer, Arts & Issues Speaker: "Photographing Lewis & Clark" - March 16th, 2003</p> <p>• Friends of Lovejoy Library Essay Contest Awards & Dinner (Theme: Exploration) Speaker: NASA Astronaut (TBA), "Exploring Space" - Spring '04</p> <p>• Lewis & Clark Summer Institute - Summer '04<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="perkins" id="perkins">May 29, 2003</a></h2> <h2>Perkins Loan Default Rate For SIUE Students Is Low<br /></h2> <p>Thanks to a combination of affordable tuition and fees, good counseling and a responsible group of students, SIUE’s Perkins Loan default rate is one of the lowest in the nation.</p> <p>The Federal Perkins Loan Program Status of Default report shows SIUE’s student default rate of 1.82 percent is the lowest of Illinois’ four-year public universities. The rate is also well below the average for all schools in the state (11.36) and below the national average (9.51).</p> <p>Perkins loans generally go to about 200-250 students in Nursing and Dental Medicine, where lab expenses and resource material tend to be a little more costly.</p> <p>Karen Straube, account technician in the SIUE Office of the Bursar, says $6,000 to $7,000 is the typical Perkins loan debt for SIUE students. “The low default rate is, in part, a reflection of our entrance and exit counseling,” she said. “There’s a process for entering into a Perkins loan and for exiting upon graduation that helps keep the default rate down.”</p> <p>Straube also credited the responsible behavior of students. “We make sure they understand the process,” Straube said. “We direct them to resources and remind them of their responsibility. The numbers seem to say they take their responsibility seriously.”</p> <p>Bursar Barry Greenberg said repayment is particularly important because of the “revolving” nature of the Perkins program. “There is a pool of funds available for SIUE,” Greenberg said. “We draw against that pool to make loans. Loan repayments then replenish the funds available for the next year’s students.”</p> <p>Overall, about 71 percent of SIUE’s students apply for financial aid; about 61 percent receive aid. The Federal Direct Student Loan default rate for SIUE students is just over 5.1 percent; the national average is 5.9 percent.<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><br /></p> <h2><a name="adhoc" id="adhoc">5/30/03</a></h2> <h2>Ad Hoc Committee Of Taxpayer Advocacy Panel To Meet June 6-7<br /></h2> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Ad-Hoc Issue Committee of the U.S. Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP) will meet in open sessions from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, June 6, and from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7, all in B. Barnard Birger Hall on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus.</p> <p>The committee is made of 18 members from around the country, including local TAP representative Larry Lexow, president of the Lexow Financial Group in Edwardsville.</p> <p>Public comments to members of TAP will be allowed from 1-1:30 p.m. Friday. Matters to be considered at the meetings will include national licensing of "tax practitioners" who are not CPAs, attorneys, or enrolled agents, and methods of enhancing public awareness of TAP. Other issues to be discussed relate to taxpayers comments and concerns, as well as other IRS-related issues.</p> <p>TAP was initiated by the IRS to invite taxpayer input regarding their experience with the federal agency's methods, effectiveness, procedures, and performance. Such information is gathered by the panel and forwarded to appropriate IRS personnel and/or the National Taxpayer Advocate in Washington, D.C. Individual issues not related to the entire IRS system are forwarded to local TAP representatives.<br /><br /> <a href="#top">Back to top</a></p>