Lincoln Hall Project
Coming of Age
Growth in Education
(Copyright Illini Media / 1973 Illio)
End of a Headache
Many alumni can’t forget registration if they tried. Once a rite of passage held in the chaotic confines of the Armory, registration was a vivid and often frustrating moment for students who went through the “digestive tract” of scheduling classes and other bureaucratic hurdles necessary for enrollment. It’s nothing but a memory, however, as the system went entirely online in 1995. Today, registration requires students just a few quiet moments in front of a computer.
Construction and Renovation
The physical size of campus has increased since the 1980s. New construction included the Beckman Institute, Spurlock Museum, College of Business Instructional Facility, Grainger Engineering Library, Campus Recreation Center East, and Timothy J. Nugent Hall. There have also been notable renovations, including the renovation and renaming of Foellinger Auditorium, and the renovation of Lincoln Hall, which has been referred to as a symbol of the U of I’s longstanding commitment to education.
Growing Enrollment
Enrollment at the U of I has slowly risen since the 1980s. Enrollment in fall 1980 stood at 34,792, according to University records. In fall 2012, that number was 42,883. Programs in the College of LAS have also seen an increase in enrollment, but in 2007 the college’s general curriculum programs became the Division of General Studies under the Office of the Provost, leading to a sudden dip of about 3,500 in college enrollment.
By Dave Evensen