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Independence Day a time for family, fireworks and pride TARA KULASH Daily Egyptian Laura McBride says she loves Independence Day because she's proud to be an American. "It's my family's favorite holiday, and I don't feel like a lot of people in Carbondale appreciate the Fourth of July, so we just have our own party," McBride, a
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Carbondale native, said. The annual Carbondale fireworks show will take place Sunday in celebration of Independence Day. The free, non-alcoholic event is at 9:15 p.m. The Carbondale Lions Club will host the show, and the rain date is set for July 5. Ellis Mitchell, a member of the Lions Club, is in charge of the event and said the location of the fireworks will be moved
behind the SIU baseball diamond this year. The field that originally held the show is being built into a new AstroTurf track for the SIU track and field team. Mitchell said attendees will not be able to watch the fireworks actually being lit for the first time in 42 years because the new location will be closed to the public. Please see INDEPENDENCE | 4
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BROOKE GRACE | DAILY EGYPTIAN
Members of Tate’s Aviation, Advantage Aviation Insurance and the Airport Authority greet the first plane to arrive under Advantage Aviation Insurance’s new contract with Southern
Illinois Airport. Tate’s Aviation decided not to renew its contract after the airport’s leasing rates increased, which left Advantage Aviation Insurance in charge of flight operations.
Local flight school changes hands, offers new programs ALEX YUNOVICH Daily Egyptian Tate's Aviation, a cheaper alternative for SIU aviation students, will soon be taken over by Advantage Flight, a new subsidiary of Advantage Aviation Insurance at the Southern Illinois Airport in Murphysboro.
Tate's was under three separate lease agreements for its flight school, fuel service and mechanic shop, said Carrol VanOver, general manager for the company. The rent increased considerably for 2012, which made the business unprofitable, he said. "In the past, we offered
everything from primary instruction up to private pilot, instrument and commercial certificates," VanOver said. Because of the new lease rates, Advantage would only take over the flight instruction and rental areas of the business, said Jim Zimmer, owner of Advantage Aviation Insurance. Fuel service
is now handled by the Southern Illinois Airport Authority, which owns the airport itself, he said. VanOver said a replacement for Tate's maintenance shop has not yet been determined. He said Tate's Aviation provided a more flexible alternative for SIU Aviation Flight students who did not find the university's
rates affordable. Tate and Advantage, both Part 61 flight schools, are considerably cheaper and more flexible than SIU’s Part 141 program, which makes the arrangement convenient for some students, Zimmer said. Please see AVIATION | 4
Summer enrollment increases, fall continues to be undetermined LAUREN LEONE Daily Egyptian After a five-year decline in summer enrollment, Provost John Nicklow says enrollment is up 100 students compared to summer 2010. Enrollment stands at 8,704, he said, but off-campus enrollment dropped by 35 students. “This (summer enrollment) increase, at least on the front end, is due to the efforts of undergraduate admissions, other parts of enrollment management and the colleges,� he said. “There was really a team effort (to bring in) new students." On-campus enrollment is up by 135 students, he said. Nicklow said enrollment for distance education, or online learning, increased by 7 percent, but off-campus enrollment decreased in areas such as offcampus community colleges, industrial sites or military bases. Enrollment peaked in 1991 at 24,869 but has steadily decreased during the past two decades. Enrollment has
dropped every year since 2005 for a total loss of 1,404 students, according to a 2011 Daily Egyptian article. SIU President Glenn Poshard said the steady decline in enrollment during the past two decades has cost SIUC millions of dollars in student tuition, housing and other revenues. In addition to the millions of dollars lost due to the decline, the state of Illinois owes SIUC $97 million in state appropriations, an amount due by Dec. 31. Poshard said the state will most likely implement additional budget cuts to higher education for fiscal year 2012. “With decline in state revenues, that enrollment is one of the answers to our problem,� he said. "It’s going to take years for us to build our enrollment back up to the point where it’s beneficial.� Rod Sievers, assistant to the chancellor for media relations, said although it’s too early to tell, he believes fall enrollment numbers seem promising after the summer increase.
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Tanzania Adams, a junior from Oak Park studying neonatal, describes campus life to an incoming student Friday during a trolley tour. The tour is part He said the last time the university saw an increase comparable to this summer's was in 2006.
of several that occur around campus during the new student orientation at the Student Center. Summer enrollment rose 1.2 percent this year compared to last.
“That’s probably a pretty good indication that some of the changes the chancellor and the provost have made in the
past year are starting to pay dividends,� he said. Please see ENROLLMENT | 4