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U.S. News and World Report names ASU among 2011 'America's Best Colleges'

Aug 20, 2010

Arkansas State University has been selected as one of the 60
elite institutions of higher education to be recognized by the editors
of U.S. News & World Report in the 2011 edition of "America's Best
Colleges."
Dr. Dan Howard, interim Chancellor of ASU, was notified late
Tuesday that the university is honored as a Tier I southern regional
institution for the first time in ASU's history.
"This designation was earned by a great deal of dedication and
hard concentrated work provided individually and collectively by many
faculty, staff, and administrators at ASU," said Dr. Howard. "Ranking as
one of America's Best Colleges is well-deserved by ASU and it will have
a positive and profound influence upon the ability of the university to
attract the best and brightest students, faculty, staff and
administrators from the United States and globally. It is simply an
incredible accomplishment."
Dr. Howard made the announcement on Wednesday to ASU's faculty
during Faculty Conference and at Staff Senate later in the day. In both
forums, this news was received with spontaneous applause and many
smiles.
Previously designated by the publication as a Tier 3 Regional
University in the South, ASU made the two-spot leap to Tier 1 University
status as a result of raising undergraduate admissions standards,
increasing the number of alumni gifts, and improving student retention
and graduation rates.
Dr. Robert L. Potts, interim President of the ASU System, said,
"The Board of Trustees and I are extremely proud of the ASU-Jonesboro
administration, faculty and staff who have worked long and hard to earn
this well-deserved recognition of the high quality of the campus and its
programs. To have jumped two tiers in one year is remarkable and a
credit to all campus constituencies working together to achieve
excellence."
Many factors figure into the rankings of "America's Best
Colleges," including location; the feel of campus life; the range of
academic offerings, activities, and sports; and the cost and
availability of financial aid. Editors at U.S. News and World Report
note that combining this information with college visits, interviews,
and intuition can make the rankings a powerful tool in the search by
students and parents for the right college or university.
"Dr. Howard is to be commended for his efforts in helping
Arkansas State University attain this high status," stated Dr. Rick
Stripling, vice chancellor for Student Affairs. "The factors mentioned
by U.S. News and World Report are a part of Dr. Howard's initiative and
early goals for ASU."
One factor that is heavily weighed by the publication is the
graduation rate performance which serves as a reward for the university
and a measure of educational and academic results.
The editors at U.S. News and World Report state that the
rankings "allow students and parents to compare at a glance the relative
quality of institutions based on such widely accepted indicators of
excellence as retention and graduation rates and the strength of the
faculty, and often lead students to discover unfamiliar schools and
broaden their options."

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