Southern Illinois University is a multicampus university comprising two institutions, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC) with a School of Medicine at Springfield and a campus in Niigata, Japan, and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE) with a School of Dental Medicine at Alton and a center in East St. Louis. The University, with an annual operating budget of over $618 million, enrolls over 34,000 students in programs from two-year technical curricula to Ph.D. programs in 32 fields including law, medicine and dental medicine. SIU was chartered in 1869 as Southern Illinois Normal University, a teachers' college. In 1947, the name was changed to Southern Illinois University, reflecting the institution's academic expansion. The University also expanded geographically. As early as 1949, SIU began offering off-campus academic courses in the metropolitan East St. Louis area, which led to the eventual development of a separate institution in Edwardsville.

A modern and comprehensive post-secondary educational institution, Southern Illinois University offers a broad range of academic programs that lead to associate, baccalaureate, master's, specialist's, doctoral, and professional degrees.

The instructional, research, and service missions of the two constituent institutions reflect the needs of the geographic areas in which they are located. The University also is committed to serving statewide, national, and international needs. This commitment is reflected in educational activities located off the main campuses in communities throughout the state. It is realized also through research and training ex-changes and through world-wide student exchange programs.

A nine-member Board of Trustees governs Southern Illinois University and sets policy that enables the University to carry out its established missions and goals. The president of Southern Illinois University is its chief executive officer and reports to the Board of Trustees. The University chancellors report directly to the president and are responsible for the internal operations of SIUE and SIUC.