Report ranks University grad schools

In the world of academia, students aren't the only ones trying to make the grade.

On March 30, U.S. News and World Report released its 2001 graduate school rankings. The University fared well in its five annually ranked graduate programs - business, education, engineering, law and medicine - as well as in the other graduate programs that were ranked this year including English, history and psychology.

U.S. News and World Report evaluates the five annually ranked programs using objective measures, such as entering students' test scores, faculty/student ratios, and reputation ratings assigned by people inside and outside of academia. Other graduate programs are ranked by reputation only.

Other than the five annually ranked programs, graduate programs are ranked on a rotating basis every three years because of the large number of programs nationwide.

Highest-ranked among the five yearly evaluated programs was the Law School, which moved up to No. 7 from No. 8 last year, tying it with the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. The Law School, along with Michigan, were the top public law schools nationwide.

Although Law School Dean Robert E. Scott said the rankings should be taken "with a grain of salt," he attributes "full credit to our faculty and students."

According to Scott, it is impressive for a public law school to rank in the top 10 because they "have far fewer resources than the overwhelming majority of our private peer institutions."

For example, No. 3 Harvard Law School, has a $1 billion endowment compared to the University Law School's endowment of $160 million.

Lack of resources consistently was cited by University officials as a reason why the University's programs are not ranked even higher.

Medical School Dean Robert M. Carey said the Medical School is moving in the right direction, up two spots from last year to No. 28. However the need for more research space is one of the main factors keeping the program out of a higher position, Carey said.

With the recent budget crisis resulting in the suspension of state funding for University building projects Carey said "things don't look very good" for proposed research building projects.

Rebecca D. Kneedler, Education School associate dean for academic affairs, expressed similar concerns. The Education School remained at No. 19 and the biggest obstacle to moving up is the lack of research funds, Kneedler said.

The Engineering School moved up one spot to No. 35 this year "because of increased research funding," but it was not able to obtain a higher ranking because it is a small graduate engineering program, said Kathryn Thornton, Engineering School assistant dean for graduate programs.

The graduate English department ranked No. 11, history placed No. 15, and psychology ranked No. 17.

The Darden School fell from No. 11 to No. 15. Some students pursued a "balanced set of career options" leading to a lower starting salary, Darden School Dean Edward A. Snyder said.

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