University Business - August 2007 - (Page 12)

BEHIND the NEWS Rankings Exodus May Be Tipping Point SOME SEE THE ANNUAL U.S. NEWS lege (Pa.) and one of the original signato& World Report rankings as a necessary evil. ries of The Annapolis Group letter. “That Students and parents are naturally attracted has all changed.” to those schools that make the top of the Recognizing the continuing desire of list, so schools do what they can to boost students and families for comparative infortheir rank. But as educators have argued for mation when choosing a school, the group years, the rankings have little value in the plans to develop an alternative, web-based real world. A few have already common format that presents stopped participating in the information about their colannual survey. Reed College leges. The project will provide (Ore.) stopped playing the data that will be developed in rankings game 12 years ago, conjunction with higher ed and continues to receive top organizations, including the quality applicants. National Association of IndeNow, in what may signal a pendent Colleges and Univertipping point, The Annapolis Katherine Haley Will of sities and the Council of IndeGettysburg College. Group, an association of 125 pendent Colleges. liberal arts college presidents, has asked its The information will include some data members not to participate in the maga- on average class size, majors, and learning zine’s college rankings. measures, promises Katherine Haley Will, In a letter to members the group said, president of Gettysburg College (Pa.), and “these rankings are misleading and do not an Annapolis member. serve well the interests of prospective stuFor its part, U.S. News said it would be dents in finding a college or university that open to including new data. However, Ediis well suited to their education beyond tor Brian Kelly said that more than half the high school.” Among their reasons, the administrators who receive the survey pargroup says the rankings “imply a false preci- ticipate in it, which he interprets as a show sion and authority that is not warranted by of support. the data they use,” and “encourage wasteOthers suggest that participation ful spending and gamesmanship in institu- smacks of intimidation. At some institutions’ pursuing improved rankings.” tions, rankings reflect on a president’s per“When U.S. News began its rankings, formance. “If U.S. News is seen as a key there was not the kind of information avail- indicator of performance, these schools do able to the public that there is now,” says what they can to increase their rankings,” Daniel Weiss, president of Lafayette Col- notes Weiss. —Tim Goral P E O P L E W AT C H U Search Over at University of Iowa GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT. That is what the University of Iowa community learned when its presidential search, often riddled with controversy, finally came to an end with the appointment of Sally Mason. The sentiments of faculty and staff ranged from elation Sally Mason: New to relief. leader for UI. Mason, a biology professor and provost at Purdue University (Ind.), becomes the second woman president at UI following Mary Sue Coleman, who led from 1995 to 2002. She succeeds David Skorton, who left to become president of Cornell. Michael Gartner, president of the Board of Regents, said at a news conference that they were impressed with her passion. Mason referred to that passion in her remarks when she took to the podium. “If we dream together and work together, we will succeed together.” The university was more divided than together throughout the last several months. The committee selected four finalists last November, but regents rejected them and disbanded the search committee. While the search was criticized for its secrecy, the regents’ decision to restart the process garnered even more of a fallout. The Faculty Senate, Staff Council, and UI Student Government took votes of no-confidence. This time around, everyone is impressed with the results. At Purdue she recruited top faculty, increased diversity, and doubled the research program. —Nicole Rivard SOUND BITE ‘I mourn the loss of a school that was willing to buck the trend of a unifying, commercially driven, consumer-driven model of higher education. —Colin Diver, president of Reed College (Ore.), on Antioch College suspending operations. ‘ 12 | August 2007 universitybusiness.com http://universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - August 2007

Contents
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Editor's Note
People Watch
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Admissions
On the Hill
Future Shock
Independent Outlook
Facility Focus
Wanted: Foreign Students
Service With a Star
Beneficial Benefits
Addition By Subtraction
Report from EduComm 2007
Report Card
Internet Technology
What's New
Calendar of Events
Direct Connect
End Note

University Business - August 2007