Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 9-17-19

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USF Enters Top 50 In U.S. News Rankings For The First Time
Florida Colleges Soar
The University of South Florida is rapidly rising on the list of best public univer- sities in America, now No. 44, according to new rank- ings released today by U.S. News and World Report. The No. 44 ranking is 14 spots higher than last year and represents USF’s highest position ever on the U.S. News list of best universi- ties.
Since 2015, USF has climbed 44 spots from No. 88 to No. 44, an unparalleled trajectory among public or private universities in the United States.
USF President Steve Currall said, “Our new ranking affirms USF’s posi- tion as one of the most prom- ising universities in the nation. As USF is increas- ingly recognized as a destina- tion for exceptionally talented students and faculty, it provides great benefits to the Tampa Bay region and the state of Florida.
“We will continue our strategic focus on initiatives that will help propel USF to even greater heights in the future.”
USF’s ascent in the rank- ings coincides with record- breaking gains in student success. From 2008 to 2018, USF’s six-year graduation
Report Public
rate rose 25 percent, the largest increase of any public university in the country.
At No. 44, USF now ranks above, or stands tied with, six public members of the Asso- ciation of American Universi- ties (AAU), a prestigious group of the top 62 universi- ties (36 public) in the U.S. and Canada that USF contin- ues to position itself for fu- ture membership.
In this year’s rankings, U.S. News also measured universities for the first time on “social mobility,” which assesses an institution’s suc- cess enrolling, retaining and graduating students who come from families with lower incomes and receive federal Pell Grants. U.S. News ranks USF as the No. 9 public university in the na-
tion in this important cate- gory.
Ralph Wilcox, USF provost and executive Vice President said, “The Univer- sity of South Florida takes great pride in the fact that we have closed the graduation rate gap among our students, regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status.
“This is a rare achieve- ment in higher education and a reflection of our commit- ment to the success of stu- dents from all backgrounds,” he said.
The U.S. News methodol- ogy combines a host of fac- tors, including student graduation and retention rates, high-ability students enrolled out of high school, faculty resources and univer- sity reputation.
University of Florida rose to the No. 7 public university in the country, Florida State University rose to No. 18, University of South Florida rose to No. 44, and UCF rose to No. 79, according to the U. S. News & World Report public university rankings announced Monday.
The ranking puts UF on the cusp of its goal to be named a top five public uni- versity. And it marks a huge milestone for FSU, which sailed past its goal of break- ing into the top 25. Mon- day’s announcement also marks the first time USF has ranked in the top 50 public universi- ties.
UF climbed one spot, FSU climbed eight spots, USF climbed 14 spots, and UCF climbed eight spots.
Governor Ron DeSan- tis announced UF and FSU’s accomplishments on Mon- day morning in Gainesville and Tallahassee, respec- tively. He touted Florida’s No. 1 ranking for higher ed- ucation for three years in a row and said that Florida’s reputation for providing an excellent education at a low cost goes a long way toward convincing businesses that Florida is a good place to grow and invest.
Board of Governors Chair Ned Lautenbach said,
“Florida is dominating the national rankings, and that’s due to the work that we’re seeing on the ground back home. Our students are achieving a higher quality of education, they’re graduat- ing faster, and they’re doing so at tuition levels that are among the lowest in the country.”
Factors considered in the public university rankings include graduation rates, class size, student-faculty ratio, and the number of stu- dents on Pell Grants.
Florida also had eight universities in the top 140. Florida Interna- tional University ranked No. 105, Florida Agricul- tural and Mechanical University ranked No. 123 and University of North Florida and Florida Atlantic Univer- sity tied at 140. U. S. News & World Report also recognized FAMU as the No. 2 public HBCU in the country.
In U. S. News & World
University Rankings
Meeting
Middleton Class Of 1958 Meeting
The Middleton High School Class of 1958 invites all class members to a meeting on Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, at the Police Sector Station, 3808 N. 22nd St. The meeting will begin at 5 p. m.
Please bring a covered dish and a classmate. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 9