Owen
Academic life is very good because you really get to know your professors. They get to know you and you can focus on what you are truly interested in within the classes. Sometimes students are competitive, but most of the time, my classmates have been great. We hang out after class and study together, so my classmates are also my friends.
Emmerson
All the professors do know our name. Class participation is very common and we don't hesitate to talk as the professors are very friendly. Students are very competitive. I am doing Masters in computer science and I met professors outside the class several times to get doubts clarified. And they do clarify on the spot without even postponing. Its like almost asking your friend.
Andy
UIS class sizes are small, which means you get to know your classmates and your professor better. Your professor can also get to know you better, making for a more personal class time.
Most professors are also really great about scheduling one-on-one time with you, if you need it, and addressing any questions or concerns you have.
Since UIS has only just recently solidified its status as a 4-year university, there has been a great deal of curriculum shifting. Classes disappearing, reappearing under different names and course numbers, credit hours being adjusted, graduation requirements being adjusted, all these changes can be very frustrating sometimes, but UIS is decent about making sure everyone is able to get what they need. The more time UIS has to sort out its issues, the more well-oiled the machine becomes.
Due to the university's graduation requirements, students must take certain classes outside their major, meaning they get a chance to learn about topics they might not otherwise have come in contact with. There are a lot of interesting classes; one of my favorites was a course about the portrayal of disability in film and how it's changed through history. It was very interesting...well, to me anyway!
I'm a COM major, and while the Communications program at SSU was perhaps a little more well-equipped than it is now with UIS, I'm really enjoying working with the department. The interpersonal COM branch has actually been growing, with the new addition of a theatre minor.
The mass COM branch, however, has remained mostly the same; the equipment is dated but worthwhile to learn, and the professors are all incredibly knowledgeable and capable. It's been very informative to work with them. Unfortunately, with the economy in the shape it is, there have been some downsizes and I fear the COM department, especially mass communications, may suffer some as a result. But once things shape back up again, UIS will continue to do what it's good at: growing and adapting.