News

http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2010/08/us_news_world_reports_college.html

The University of Oregon and Oregon State University fell in the middle of the pack in the U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges rankings while Portland State University placed among the bottom 25 percent.

In the magazine's "America's Best Colleges 2011" publication, it ranks 262 national public and private universities that offer a full range of undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees. In that category, the UO ranked 111, OSU, 139, and PSU was grouped with institutions in tier 2, the bottom 25 percent.

In the same category, Pacific University in Forest Grove ranked 156 and George Fox University in Newberg placed 170.

The magazine ranks schools on the basis of academic reputation determined by surveys of college administrators and high school counselors, graduation and freshman retention rates, class size and faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving rates.

Some colleges, including Reed and Lewis & Clark colleges in Portland, refuse to participate in the survey, saying it gives too much weight to superficial branding and a school's wealth rather than its quality

"We didn't participate in the beauty contest aspect of it," said Kevin Myers, a spokesman for Reed.

Tom Krattenmaker, spokesman for Lewis & Clark, suggested the magazine should "focus its review on student learning outcomes and measuring how the undergraduate experience equips students for life after college."

In contrast, other institutions, such as the University of Portland, use their rankings in their marketing campaigns.

U.S. News also ranked schools in three other categories: national liberal arts colleges, regional universities and regional colleges.

Among 266 national public and private liberal arts colleges -- those that emphasize undergraduate education and award at least half of their degrees in the liberal arts -- Reed College ranked 54, Willamette University in Salem, 59; Lewis & Clark College, 75; and Linfield College in McMinnville, 105.

The University of Portland placed ninth among 125 regional universities in the West -- those that provide a range of undergraduate and some master's level programs, but few doctoral. This is the 16th year in a row that UP has landed in the top ten. Also in this category, Southern Oregon University ranked 80 and Western Oregon University placed 84th.

Concordia University in Portland and Eastern Oregon University in La Grande fell into tier 2, or the bottom 25 percent of the regional west schools.

The magazine ranked Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls as seventh best among the 47 regional colleges in the West. These are defined as schools that focus primarily on undergraduate education, but grant less than half their degrees in the liberal arts.

Corban University in Salem placed fifth in this category, and Warner Pacific College in Portland ranked 17.

The University of Oregon's ranking was four steps up from 115th place last year, and its Lundquist College of Business placed among U.S. News' top 50 best business programs with a rank of 42.

The ratings reflect the fact UO is attracting more top students, said Roger Thompson, the university's vice provost.

While Portland State University placed low in the overall rankings among national universities, it was recognized by the U.S. News for project-based academic programs that engage students, including its internships and senior capstone and service learning projects.

"What we are really good at is providing a great experience for our students," said PSU President Wim Wiewel.

Portland State needs to improve its graduation rate, but there are many factors that it will never rate high on in the U.S. News rankings, Wiewel said.

It will not rank high on student selectivity, he said, because it aims to keep its doors open to a broad spectrum of Oregon students. It will not rank high on small class size, big endowments or alumni giving because as a public university, it is not particularly wealthy. But it is succeeding at engaging its students.

"I'm pleased that we are always recognized for those things we aim to be good at," he said.