University of Illinois

Admissions Review Commission

In May 2009, media accounts about special admissions to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus began, based on information largely provided through responses to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Media coverage was extensive during the 2009 summer about issues regarding admissions and a so-called "Category I" list. On June 10, Governor Pat Quinn announced the formation of the Admissions Review Commission (ARC), an independent, fact-finding group charged with investigating the claims of special treatment for some applicants. The commission issued its report on August 6, 2009.

Academic Excellence

The University of Illinois consistently ranks among the top public universities in the nation. The campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield offer hundreds of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs, many of them among the best in the United States and taught by nationally and internationally respected faculty. From foundational agricultural research to leading-edge technology development and medical research and service, the University of Illinois is known around the world for academic excellence.

• The University awards more than 18,500 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees annually. On-campus enrollment is nearly 70,000 across the three campuses.
• The Urbana campus ranks first in the state and 25th nationally as a top research-intensive university (total R&D expenditures). Researchers received more NSF funding in 2007 than any other academic institution with $118 million in awards.
• The National Institutes of Health awarded a five-year, $20 million grant to the UIC Center for Clinical and Translational Science. The grant is the largest in the campus' history.
• University of Illinois faculty have been awarded Nobel, Crafoord, and Pulitzer prizes and MacArthur fellowships. Alumni have received Emmy, Oscar, and Grammy awards.
• UIC is a global leader in robotic surgery. The College of Medicine is the largest in the US and the medical center is the state's largest public health care facility. UIC educates pharmacists, dentists, nurses, social workers, public health and applied health professionals.
• UIS's location in the state capital provided student with unique opportunities to work in government agencies, gaining hands-on experience and valuable insight into the legislative process and public affairs.
• The 2009 U.S. News & World Report ranks many undergraduate and graduate programs at Urbana in the top 10 in the country.
• The Urbana campus is partnering with the University of California at Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the Energy Biosciences Institute, a $500 million research initiative funded by BP in early 2007.
• UIS was awarded a 2008 Ralph E. Gomory Award for Quality Online Education presented by The Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C).
• Each University of Illinois campus has an office that focuses on sustainability. New buildings constructed on the campuses are built to qualify for LEED energy certification.