CNN Features SIUE Retention Rates in SIU ADEI Coverage

In a February CNN report by correspondent Athena Jones, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was prominently featured as a learning environment with African American retention rates of 10 percent and Hispanic retention of nearly four percent. The report examined how national universities are responding to anti-DEI proposals. According to Jones, Southern Illinois University (SIU) was the only university that agreed to go on camera.

Dan Mahony, SIU System President, and Sheila Caldwell, SIU Vice President for Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ADEI) and Chief Diversity Officer answered questions and released a joint statement following the report.

"In 2021, we declared our goal to have SIU become a national model for ADEI initiatives. In addition to several national awards in the last few years, the CNN interview was another example of our growing national reputation related to ADEI. We are always happy to answer questions about the ADEI work across the SIU System. And, as we shared in the CNN interview, we believe that a focus on DEI anywhere in society usually helps everybody and that when we do this right, everybody wins."

Both Caldwell and Mahony thanked SIU ADEI leaders for their partnership in this work and acknowledged that there was still more work to do.

Visit this link to watch the CNN report.

To learn more about SIU ADEI work, visit the SIU System's Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion website.

PHOTO: Dan Mahony, SIU System President, and Sheila Caldwell, SIU Vice President for Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Chief Diversity Officer; Athena Jones, CNN; photos by Howard Ash