Though enrollment at University of Illinois Springfield programs in Peoria has generally decreased over the past five years, UIS Chancellor Susan Koch is "cautiously optimistic" about expanding the college's programs locally.
Koch met with Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis and Illinois Central College President John Erwin separately Wednesday during a visit with the U of I's new president, Robert Easter.
The mayor and Erwin have been pushing to establish a four-year public university in Peoria. Developing a strategy to get one here is one of the City Council's top priorities.
Creating a four-year state school would require state approval from the General Assembly and the Illinois Board of Higher Education. But expanding UIS' offerings in Peoria is conceivable.
Koch's comments were featured by the Peoria Journal-Star on October 18, 2012.
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