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September 19, 2018 – Following passage of the new IMSA Law permissions by the Illinois General Assembly, Dr. Torres and Dr. Hernandez facilitated an open dialogue with staff, including faculty about the pros and cons of a freshman class. Based on the feedback from these conversations, at this time, IMSA has elected not to pursue a freshman class. This decision was shared with the Board of Trustees at the September 19, 2018 Board meeting.
Friday, August 17, 2018 – Gov. Bruce Rauner signed modifications to the IMSA Law permitting enrollment of students who have completed the 8th grade as well as non-Illinois students who have paid required tuition, room and board fees. IMSA will continue to maintain 650 beds for qualifying Illinois students on a tuition-free basis. Non-Illinois students will not exceed 25% of the total student population. The law becomes effective January 1, 2019.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is SB 2939?
Senate Bill 2939 amends the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Law by expanding the Academy’s reach and boosting Illinois’ STEM pipeline in providing for the admission of Illinois and non-Illinois students who have completed the academic equivalent of the 8th grade, rather than the 9th grade; and charging tuition, fees, room and board to non-Illinois students.
Will IMSA maintain the same Illinois student population of 650 at all times going forward?
Recruitment and fostering of high ability Illinois students into IMSA’s residential Academy is and will continue to be an institutional priority. IMSA will reserve 650 spaces for Illinois students that meet admission and eligibility requirements on a continued tuition-free basis.
How many non-Illinois students will be admitted? And when?
No more than 25% of students will be non-Illinois students. For example, with an additional 150 beds for non-Illinois students, the percentage of non-Illinois students would be 18%.
Will learning alongside non-Illinois students benefit Illinois students?
Illinois students attending IMSA would greatly benefit from the presence of non-Illinois students from either other states or from other countries in terms of appreciating diverse perspectives and developing life-long national or global friendships.
What rates will IMSA charge non-Illinois students?
IMSA will charge market rates for annual tuition and room and board fees.
How will the addition of non-Illinois students benefit Illinois universities?
IMSA is already a top feeder school for Illinois colleges and universities. The addition of national and international students to IMSA’s student body provides Illinois colleges and universities with increased exposure and likely enrollment by these students.
Will IMSA have to build more residential halls and classrooms to accommodate non-Illinois students?
IMSA will not need to build additional classroom space. The main academic building for was originally designed to hold more than twice the number of students currently at IMSA. An increase in student population of 150 can be well accommodated within the current structure.
The first campus improvement effort would be to construct a new residential facility. One of IMSA’s priorities this year is the IMSA innovation Campus. Phase 1 is to engage our IMSA community in dreaming a new residential complex, including thinking about its design, and identifying and securing financial resources to make this dream a reality.
How will the additional residential hall (s) be funded?
IMSA will cover the cost of new residence halls and any associated staff/faculty by charging tuition, room, and board to non-Illinois students . Private, philanthropic funds from the IMSA Fund for the Advancement of Education and other diverse funding streams will augment the funding of the halls.
How many additional staff and faculty will IMSA be hiring?
IMSA anticipates hiring additional staff including faculty, resident counselors, and other support personnel to ensure that we provide excellent services to all of our students. For example, if IMSA added 150 students, we anticipate hiring 20 staff.
Does IMSA have to be residential?
Yes, we believe that to experience IMSA, students must reside at IMSA. Everything at IMSA works to broaden students’ views of the world and their place within it: The residential component is critical to the educational experience. Students learn to collaborate and live alongside others who have different backgrounds, so they learn to respect new viewpoints and perspectives.
How will IMSA ensure equity among Illinois and non-Illinois students?
Our commitment to equity among Illinois and non-Illinois students is consistent with IMSA’s commitment to gender equity that has resulted in a 50%/50% male – female student body for the past 32 years.
