SIU-Carbondale enrollment slips; economy blamed

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) -- Southern Illinois University says fall enrollment at its flagship Carbondale campus is down and the struggling economy may be to blame for some of it.

Interim Chancellor Samuel Goldman says enrollment is down 1.5 percent to 20,673. That's a decrease of 310 students from last year.

The number of students enrolling for their junior year fell by 210, while the number of students transferring to the Carbondale school for their junior year fell by 132 compared with last year.

Officials say some students are choosing to stay closer to home or taking a break from school altogether.

Still, Goldman says there are some bright spots, like the fact that freshman enrollment is up for the second year in a row.