This is a season of renewed hope and new beginnings, especially for the SIU College of Engineering. After a diligent search, Dean Xiaoqing “Frank” Liu was appointed as the new dean for the SIU College of Engineering in June 2020.

Liu was the professor and department head of the Computer Science and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Arkansas and held the college’s Rodger S. Kline Leadership Chair.

Meera Komarraju, SIU’s provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, said Liu brings several strengths to the position.

“Dr. Liu brings teaching, research, and administrative expertise spanning two universities that would benefit our students, staff, and faculty,” she said. “He has a strong track record in promoting student enrollment, engagement and success as well as faculty development and research productivity.”

Extensive Experience

Liu also served as chair of the University of Arkansas’ Computer Activities Council, playing a leadership role in the governance of information technologies. Before joining Arkansas in 2015, Liu served as interim department chair and associate department chair in the computer science department at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Liu is an established scholar in service computing, software engineering, cyber argumentation, cyber manufacturing and applied artificial intelligence. He has participated in 29 sponsored research projects with $8.8 million in funding as principal or coprincipal investigator or faculty participant.

He has published 156 referred journal and conference papers and book chapters. Liu received his Ph.D. in computer science from the Texas A&M University in 1995.

Excited for the Opportunity

Liu said he is excited for the opportunity to serve as dean.

“The college is in a time of significant transformation. I appreciate the confidence given by the chancellor and provost and the trust given by the faculty, staff and students in my ability for leading this transformation,” he said. “I look forward to working with campus leadership, faculty, staff and students in the college and related disciplines to move this college to its next level of excellence.”

The SIU College of Engineering holds fast to a unique tradition of access and opportunity, inclusive excellence, and top-tier research. The faculty encourage creativity within a climate of outstanding student success-focused teaching. The college’s five departments offer a wide range of courses and promotes opportunities for students to participate in activities outside the classroom including research, design competitions, service-oriented projects and leadership development activities.

Growth Opportunity and Reorganization

Dean Liu‘s plan is to build a larger and higher-ranked college that is recognized for student success, excellent academic programs, strong research and a diverse and inclusive learning and working environment. The college has significant growth opportunities. The demand for engineering talents is strong. The student-faculty ratio in the college is low, which indicates that we have significant capacity for growth. The college is building strong academic programs with excellent faculty to educate and train our students to meet the demand. It will strengthen and develop clusters of excellence of teaching and research with national and international reputation.

The college is being transformed to achieve growth through both expansion and organic growth and is being expanded with additional programs, such as computer science and mathematics. The College of Engineering will become College of Engineering, Computing, Technology, and Mathematics due to the recent expansion in the campus reorganization.

Enrollment Turnaround

Enrollment management has been Dean Liu’s top priority since he joined SIU. The college developed an enrollment turnaround plan under his leadership and has been implementing this plan and is making excellent progress on enrollment growth for fall 2021. Still in the middle of the recruitment cycle, the number of complete applications grew 43% and number of admitted students grew 44.9% for fall 2021 compared to 2020. The number of complete applications is the highest since 2018 and the number of admitted students is the highest since 2017. To achieve this, the college revamped its recruitment process to improve its effectiveness, built an effective recruitment team, launched a digital marketing campaign, and reached out to high schools and community colleges. The college hosted many webinars, engaged prospective and admitted students through phone calls, emails, and webinars, hosted open houses, academic showcases, virtual tours, and campus visits.

If you would like to learn more about the SIU College of Engineering, visit siuf.org/engineering.

Through more than four years and one global pandemic, the Forever SIU fundraising campaign has persisted, raising more than $122 million.

“The dedication of SIU’s supporters is astonishing,” said Matt Kupec, CEO of the SIU Foundation. “The last year has been difficult for many people, but the Foundation hasn’t sat on the sideline. We’ve furthered our mission, and as things get back to normal, we’re ready to move quickly.”

The campaign was launched in 2017 with a goal of raising $75 million in three years. Because of the donor generosity, the Foundation sped past that goal seven months early, which prompted the decision to set a new goal of $90 million.

“At the end of 2019, we had already surpassed that new goal, and we knew it was important to keep this momentum,” Kupec said. “That’s when we set our sights on $200 million by June 2024.”

As the country recovers from many of the hardships brought on by COVID-19, the Foundation is redoubling its efforts to meet and exceed the $200 million goal. Despite the hardships, SIU alumni and donors raised nearly $3 million in 24 hours on the Day of Giving in March.

“The Day of Giving is a prime example of what we can accomplish. Our efforts never slowed down – in many ways they’ve increased – but it’s understandable for a fundraising campaign to face challenges during a pandemic,” Kupec said. “This is our opportunity to finish strong.”

Within Forever SIU, donors can choose from a great number of areas to support SIU. They can choose to support scholarships, research, facilities, programs, and faculty. By going to www.foreversiu.org, donors can pick one or many areas to fund.

A recent highlight of the Forever SIU campaign, Saluki Athletics announced its $25 million goal for the Salukis Forever campaign. COVID-19 hit athletic programs especially hard, and there is great need for donor support as part of an overall plan to provide sustainability and success for Saluki Athletics.

“Whether a donor chooses a college, a sport, a scholarship, or a fund, every dollar makes an impact,” Kupec said. “We have just over three years to raise about $78 million. Our great supporters are going to carry us to the end.”

The campaign will feature a new logo, new promotional materials, and much more. Visit www.foreversiu.org for more information or to make a gift.

by Jeff Wilson

SIU’s commitment to diversity is represented through the Dunbar Leadership Society.

Named after Paul Laurence Dunbar, a turn-of-the-century poet and novelist, the society was established in 1904 to organize the activities of African American students. It served as the precursor to the university’s Africana Studies program and the Black Affairs Council. Recently, through the SIU Foundation, the Dunbar Leadership Society has been reintroduced.

“I see great potential at SIU. We’re just scratching the surface,” said society chair Kennard Tucker ’91. “Having engaged and involved alumni is crucial.”

Through the Dunbar Leadership Society, Tucker hopes to reinvigorate SIU’s diverse alumni and create opportunities for current and future Salukis. It’s his plan to raise scholarship funds and host events that resonate with members of a multicultural campus.

“As Black alumni, we want to create a society that is synonymous with the SIU we knew and loved and share that experience with the next generation of leaders,” he said. “There are important conversations happening around the country right now, and campus is a microcosm of what’s happening nationally. We hope to provide the construct so that dialogue can exist and thrive.”

While there are mechanisms in place at the state and federal level to help low-income and minority students, the Dunbar Leadership Society seeks to fill some of the gaps.

“It’s important for students to have support services and social opportunities. There needs to be that balance,” said society board member Dr. Carl Flowers ’75, MS ’85, Ph.D. ’93. “The Dunbar Leadership Society can lead to more access for students who fall in the middle.”

Beginning a college career can be a difficult time for any student, but that can be especially true for students who feel like they don’t belong.

“SIU has been good to my family, but when I started, I was the only Black student in many of my classes,” said society board member Dr. Linda Flowers ’78, MS ’88, Ph.D. ’06. “It’s important for students to see people who look like themselves.”

Having a diverse campus goes beyond the vital step of ensuring equality for Black students, it provides a richer, more fulfilling experience for every member of the campus community.

“Diversity is important for students of all races and ethnicities,” said society board member Susan Smith Ross ’79. “For many, college is the first time you’re included with people who aren’t like you. A diverse campus is an opportunity for all students to gain respect and knowledge of others.”

With the assistance of the SIU Foundation, the Dunbar Leadership Society hopes to raise enough money to endow scholarships, host speaker series, and support diversity initiatives. Gifts of any size are welcome and can be made at siuf.org.

“We want to galvanize the alumni base and create a source of pride for all alumni,” Tucker said. “The program was created to promote and encourage African-American philanthropic giving at the leadership level of $1,000 or greater. Our plan is to support significant scholarship funds and implement important programming. The opportunities are nearly unlimited.”

To donate to the Dunbar Leadership Society or for more information, contact Kevin Clark, director of development, at 618-453-6742 or kevincl@foundation.siu.edu.

(The following article was initially published March 9, 2021. Read below for new update.)

This year, the foundation was faced with the dilemma of trying to host another SIU Day of Giving during a pandemic. The foundation team asked themselves how they were going to capture people’s attention if they could not gather or engage with students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community across campus. Thanks to some creative thinking, the foundation determined it would use a livestreaming platform to capture the needed attention. As the details of what was needed emerged, the foundation’s marketing staff quickly realized this would stretch their capabilities to the limit. In short, they worried if they could pull off an eight-hour livestream featuring dozens of deans, heads of units, the chancellor, and several foundation development officers.

That’s when in walked WSIU and extended a helping hand. WSIU’s Interim Executive Director Jak Tichenor, Larry Hunter, Darryl Moses, Mark J. St George, Abby Asher and several other team members, graciously agreed to help co-produce the event at their WSIU station located in the SIU Mass Communications building. Known as the largest station south of Chicago, WSIU helped the foundation staff deliver a professional, polished production that rivaled any fundraising event airing anywhere on television.

Now, For the Rest of the Story

In appreciation for WSIU’s assistance, the SIU Foundation purchased a new laptop for students to use while working at WSIU. Larry Hunter, the director of development for WSIU, says the staff is very excited to receive the laptop.

“This is the first new equipment they have had in a long time and it will really help with producing programs at the WSIU studios. The WSIU staff appreciates the reciprocity the foundation has brought and is grateful the foundation is acting as an accelerator in helping students collaborate across the university,” said Hunter.

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Camille Davidson was drawn to SIU School of Law and its people.

“I was very deliberate when looking at schools,” said Davidson, who took over as dean in July. “I was most struck by the opportunities that are available at SIU.”

Davidson was also taken with SIU’s physical location.

“One of the first things I noticed was the nature, the beauty,” she said. “It’s remote enough that distractions are limited, but we’re not far from major cities. It’s the perfect place to come and study law.”

While face-to-face interactions have been limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, Davidson has been able to get a feel for her new surroundings.

“There’s a real sense of ownership here,” she said. “Students are able to see our graduates working in the law profession. We’ve built a pipeline to the profession. We see people working for the public good, and our graduates take that very seriously.”

Even with the school’s success, Davidson sees an opportunity to expand the influence of SIU Law.

“I’d love to engage with our alumni base,” she said. “Our alumni are the best spokespeople for the school. They bring a wealth of knowledge and experience. I love connecting with people.”

The SIU School of Law is more than a place to learn, it’s a hub for students to gain the necessary experience and education to become effective attorneys.

“We want to provide a full education and experience to our students,” Davidson said. “Everything isn’t covered by grants, and declining state funds have affected everyone.”

The need for funding goes well beyond scholarships at SIU Law.

“If our students can’t afford to focus on studying for the bar exam and passing it, we’re doing them a great disservice,” Davidson said.

While many law students find promising careers after their time at SIU, the reality is they deal with the same issues as all students and the added pressure of passing the bar exam.

“Law schools have students that face food insecurity and the same real-life issues that all college students face from time to time,” Davidson said. “Part of our promise to them is that we’ll be there when they need assistance. That requires regular investment.”

To make a gift to SIU School of Law, visit siuf.org/law.

Since Southern Illinois University Carbondale expanded the Forever SIU Campaign in December 2019, supporters of SIU have given over $20 million toward the university’s $200 million campaign goal.

This generous outpouring of gifts supports a number of the university’s needs and opportunities, such as scholarships, academic and supporting programs that promote student success, faculty, including endowed chairs, research initiatives and facilities.

Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, SIU has experienced outstanding generosity from friends. Since the expansion of the campaign in December 2019, gifts have come in from over 28,000 SIU alumni and friends. As SIU strives to reach and eclipse its $200 million campaign goal, the support of alumni, donors, and friends continues to be invaluable.

“We are profoundly grateful to our alumni and friends who have given their generous and enthusiastic support to the campaign’s vision of SIU as a leader in public higher education,” said Chancellor Austin Lane.

SIU Foundation Board President David Delaney, a 1983 alumnus who studied agriculture and is currently serving as the CEO of Itafos, said that the campaign has spurred the philanthropic spirit of alumni who want to give back to the university.

“Philanthropy is powerful and fulfilling for both the university and its donors,” Delaney said. “A gift can transform the life of a student or open the doors to ground-breaking research. The foundation’s role is to strengthen and facilitate meaningful connections that benefit everyone.”

The campaign extension aligns the Forever SIU campaign with the majority of university fundraising campaigns, which typically last seven or eight years, according to Matt Kupec, chief executive officer of the foundation.

“This fundraising success we have seen so far is among the most powerful statements that our donors could make about their hopes and expectations for our great university,” said Kupec.

” Extending the campaign allows us to connect with even more supporters who are devoted to SIU’s future.”

Donors have a wide array of ways they can make gifts, from donating stocks, mutual funds or bonds to establishing endowments. Supporters can also make outright cash donations or they can opt to make pledges or deferred gifts. There are many tools that can help make a difference in the lives of students.

For more information visit foreversiu.org.