97-08-22 OSU a Top Public University, U.S. News Says

U.S. NEWS RANKS OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY 22ND IN THE NEW NATIONAL
PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES CATEGORY

     COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University is one of the best
public institutions in the country, according to a new listing of
the United States’ top 25 public universities.

     For the first time, public universities are ranked
separately in U.S. News and World Report’s guidebook and special
issue, America’s Best Colleges.  The 11th annual guidebook will
arrive on newsstands Aug. 25.  The rankings will be published in
the Sept. 8 issue, available Sept. 1.

     Ohio State is tied for 22nd, along with the University of
Colorado, Boulder, and the University of Vermont.

     “We are delighted at this news,” said Richard Sisson, senior
vice president and provost.  “The ranking is the result of wise
policy by the Board of Trustees, and hard work by our faculty and
staff.

     “This also is an indication that we are keeping faith with
the trust Ohioans put in us to meet our land-grant traditions of
teaching, scholarship and outreach,” Sisson said.  “We will
continue to strive for even higher levels of excellence.”

     Ohio State’s individual academic programs also have received
high marks in the U.S. News annual graduate school rankings,
published in February.

     “The top public university listing gives prospective
students a good place to start in selecting the institution that
will best fit their needs,” said James Mager, assistant vice
president for enrollment management.

     “We agree with U.S. News that Ohio State should be
considered by students who are looking for a quality education,”
he said.

     Ohio State is the only Ohio public institution to be
included in the new category.

     Seven other Big Ten schools are on the list:  the University
of Michigan, tied for second; the University of Wisconsin,
Madison, eighth; Pennsylvania State University and the University
of Illinois, tied for 12th; the University of Iowa, 15th;
the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, tied for 17th; and
Indiana University, Bloomington, tied for 25th.

     The first place ranking went to the University of Virginia.

     The rankings are based on academic reputation (25 percent of
the final score); freshman retention and graduation rates (20
percent); class size, faculty salaries, faculty degrees, student-
to-faculty ratio and proportion of full-time faculty (20
percent); student selectivity (15 percent); financial resources
(10 percent); the school’s role in a student’s academic success
(5 percent); and alumni giving rate (5 percent).

     The rankings are also available on .edu, the U.S. News
Online Colleges and Career Center, at www.usnews.com.

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Contacts:  Alayne Parson, Academic Affairs, (614) 292-5881.
           James Mager, Admissions and Enrollment Management,
           (614) 688-5791.

Written by Gemma McLuckie, (614) 292-8419.


[Submitted by: Von Vargas  (vargas.12@osu.edu)
               
Fri, 22 Aug 1997 10:27:50 -0400 (EDT)]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.