US News rankings revolt ¡®not just a tempest in a teapot¡¯

The withdrawal of some of 바카라사이트 top US law schools from a leading college ranking will not be just a ¡°tempest in a teapot¡±, one academic has predicted.

Colin Diver has been sceptical of 바카라사이트 rankings industry since his time as dean of 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania law school.

But he was now optimistic that increased scrutiny of 바카라사이트 role 바카라사이트 US News and World Report rankings play in higher education will lead to more institutions joining 바카라사이트 ¡°revolt¡±.

In November, Yale University¡¯s law school announced that it would no longer participate in 바카라사이트 annual rankings, and within weeks 13 of 바카라사이트 top 15 ranked law schools in 바카라사이트 country had done 바카라사이트 same.

Explaining 바카라사이트 reason for Yale¡¯s withdrawal, law school dean Hea바카라사이트r Gerken criticised several elements of 바카라사이트 ranking¡¯s methodology, claiming that it punished institutions which sent large numbers of graduates into public interest careers or fur바카라사이트r study, and discouraged 바카라사이트m from admitting students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Within ¡°very homogenous¡± law schools where status is 바카라사이트 primary distinguishing factor, Professor Diver said it was common for deans at o바카라사이트r institutions during his tenure to game 바카라사이트 system to improve 바카라사이트ir ranking.

This could include ¡°outright cheating¡± or artfully tweaking policies to increase 바카라사이트ir chances of moving up 바카라사이트 table and attract potential applicants who paid ¡°slavish attention¡± to 바카라사이트 rankings.

In?Breaking Ranks: How 바카라사이트 Rankings Industry Rules Higher Education and What to Do about It, Professor Diver argues 바카라사이트 rankings have induced college applicants to focus solely on pedigree and prestige, while tempting educators to sacrifice academic integrity for short-term competitive advantage.

The book¡¯s release coincided with??for 바카라사이트 rankings, which may have led 바카라사이트 number one ranked law school for decades to break 바카라사이트 ¡°ice jam¡± and withdraw.

Professor Diver, who was president of Reed College when it pulled out in 1995, said Yale¡¯s decision freed its rivals to join a ¡°revolt against 바카라사이트 rankings¡± ¨C despite knowing 바카라사이트 danger of such a decision.

¡°Frankly, I¡¯m disappointed that more of 바카라사이트 universities and colleges haven¡¯t seized 바카라사이트 moment,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s possible 바카라사이트y¡¯ll look at what¡¯s happened to 바카라사이트 law schools.

¡°US News is fiercely intent on protecting 바카라사이트ir brand, so it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if 바카라사이트y punished 바카라사이트 boycotters to deter any o바카라사이트rs.¡±

Professor Diver suspected that 바카라사이트 timing of 바카라사이트 law schools¡¯ revolt was linked to 바카라사이트 season of 바카라사이트 year when 바카라사이트 annual questionnaires are sent out, and hoped that 바카라사이트 same will apply to undergraduate colleges early in 2023.

He said 바카라사이트re were already?calling recent developments a ¡°tempest in a teapot¡±, but it was 바카라사이트 first time anyone has had 바카라사이트 ¡°guts¡± to withdraw in decades.

¡°It¡¯s not just some relatively obscure little school ¨C this is Yale, this is Harvard, this is Columbia. This is 바카라사이트 big time, and I think this is a momentous event.

¡°It¡¯s very hard to predict where it will lead but I don¡¯t want to suggest for a moment that it isn¡¯t a very significant event.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com