While SIU officials predict a decline in enrollment this fall – preliminary numbers from two area universities show enrollment on their campuses is up.

SEMO is reporting a 1.1 percent increase in enrollment over last fall – with 11,536 students. That includes a 10.6 percent increase in returning freshmen.

And the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus said it has a record number of freshman this year – 7,600. Total enrollment at the U of I’s flagship campus is up about point five percent.