Braden Saint-Val – Contributor
In the U.S. News and World Report’s 2022-2023 Best Colleges Rankings, the university has been acknowledged for its performance as a leading public institution in the Northeast.
These are the university’s standings:
- #64 in Regional Universities North (tie)
- #21 in Top Public Schools North (tie)
- #35 in Best Value Schools North (tie)
- #263 in Nursing (tie)
- #28 in Best Colleges for Veterans North (tie)
- #83 in Top Performers on Social Mobility North (tie)
This year’s Best Colleges Rankings was created using data collected from surveys submitted by nearly 1,500 schools and the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.
Schools are then scored on factors that determine their rankings, such as first-generation graduation rates, student-faculty ratio, and financial resources.
Given its popularity, the rankings can influence a person’s decision on where to pursue their post-secondary education.
“The U.S. News and World Report brings credibility, especially here in the United States, so to be recognized in so many different categories, I think it’s a great thing. I think it’s a testament to our students and to the staff and faculty who are supporting students through,” said Nilvio Perez, Director of First Year Admissions.
“And from a promotional, marketing, or recruitment standpoint, it’s something that as students are looking into which institutions to enroll in, I think it gives them some confidence,” Perez said.
The university’s Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Robert Prezant, has mixed opinions on the university’s standings, but is overall pleased to see the advancements that have been made.
“This year, interestingly enough, they’ve expanded what they’re looking at. Which is good for us because as an institution that strives to be a social justice institution, they’ve incorporated some things that help represent who we are and that’s in part why we’ve come up in rankings like social mobility,” Prezant said.
“We are an exceptional university in so many different ways. But no university is gonna be perfect, and we’re always striving to make sure we have the curriculum that’s best for the students who are emerging today.”
In terms of improving the university, Prezant says additional resources would allow for more opportunities to help students succeed, one of them being to ensure that they have everything they need when they begin their studies regardless of their background, along with continuous support.
Interim President Dr. Dwayne Smith says the university’s rankings are something we should all be proud of, and he is focused on improving student outcomes during his time here, so that more students can complete their degree and be supremely prepared to succeed in the workforce or in graduate studies.
