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Academic Reputation: How U.S. News & World Report Survey The CASE International Journal of Educational Advancement. Vol.4 No.2 Academic Reputation: How U.S. News & World Report Survey Respondents Form Perceptions Received (in revised form): April 18, 2003 Phyllis V. Larsen is an assistant professor of advertising at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications. Prior to her faculty appointment, she was a public relations practitioner for two decades, serving most recently as Director of Public Relations for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Abstract Introduction One of the most widely read college Each year, American institutions of higher rankings is published by U.S. News and education weather the criticisms or World Report. The largest element of the congratulations that follow the publication ranking is a reputation score determined of an array of college rankings. One of the by a survey of higher education leaders. highest visibility rankings is U.S. News and This pilot study explores how university World Report’s (USNWR) ‘‘America’s Best presidents define academic reputation and Colleges.’’ Each September, this best-selling form their perceptions for the USNWR college guide is read by alumni, ranking. Findings suggest that they create administrators, applicants, and nearly a set of factors to determine reputation, everyone interested in higher education. and that personal experience and While many in higher education interpersonal communication play question the validity of college rankings, significant roles. the reality is that rankings do, indeed, have significant impact. In a study of top Keywords: national universities and liberal arts academic reputation, rankings, U.S. News colleges ranked by USNWR, Monks and and World Report, institutional image Ehrenberg conclude that a move to a less favorable ranking leads an institution to accept a larger percentage of its applicants, while a smaller percentage enrolls. As a Author’s Contact Address: result, the entering class is of lower quality Phyllis V. Larsen as measured by SAT scores. Assistant Professor of Advertising Higher education marketing guru Robert College of Journalism and Mass Communications 147 Andersen Hall Sevier considers reputation and image to be University of Nebraska-Lincoln synonymous. Citing image as the most Lincoln, NE 68588-0449, USA significant asset of an institution of higher Tel: +1 402 472 8521 education, Sevier’s studies show that it is Fax: +1 402 472 4024 Email: [email protected] highly influential to prospective students. In THE CASE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT. VOL.4 NO.2 155–165 155 ª COUNCIL FOR ADVANCEMENT & SUPPORT OF EDUCATION/HENRY STEWART PUBLICATIONS 2003. ISSN 1467-3657. Phyllis V. Larsen surveys of thousands of high school similar classifications (national students each year, four reasons for college universities, for example). Survey choice emerge: image or reputation, respondents use a five-point scale to rate location, cost, and availability of a specific academic reputation, with one described as major. When asked to prioritize their four ‘‘marginal,’’ two as ‘‘adequate,’’ three as reasons, students place image first. ‘‘good,’’ four as ‘‘strong,’’ and five as Prospective students, parents, alumni, ‘‘distinguished.’’ A ‘‘don’t know’’ rating and higher education leaders focus on does not affect the overall score of an different qualities when determining institution. college reputations because they have It is clear how data from the other six different agendas. In the USNWR ranking, factors of financial resources, faculty reputation is determined by scores resources, selectivity, retention, alumni assigned to each institution based on votes giving, and graduation rate performance from higher education leaders (HELs). As are developed, since each participating a result of the reputation score which institution submits its data to USNWR.It strongly impacts the USNWR rankings is less clear, however, how the with its 25 percent weighting, perceptions determination of academic reputation is of this one public—higher education made by survey respondents. Rapoport leaders—has the potential to exert calls reputational scores a ‘‘dartboard significant influence on other publics. approach’’ that is far from a reliable Because reputation (as derived from measure of quality. HEL votes) is a critical factor in the college selection decision made by so many prospective students who read these Purpose of the Study rankings, it is important to understand Various publics view higher education how education leaders’ opinions are institutions differently depending on their developed. The goal of this exploratory context and perspective, causing study is to develop a hypothesis on how institutions to have multiple images and those who fill out USNWR’s reputation reputations. Since USNWR bases each survey form their perceptions of academic institution’s reputation score solely on reputation—and how those perceptions perceptions of higher education leaders may be influenced. such as university presidents and provosts, USNWR’s first ranking took place in understanding how this particular public 1983 and measured only academic forms their perceptions has increased reputation. Over the years, the survey has significance. Is there a method to their been modified to reduce the weight of ‘‘dartboard approach’’? This study serves as academic reputation to 25 percent. While a pilot exploration of these research six other ranking factors are now questions: evaluated by USNWR, the factor of academic reputation continues to have the 1. How does the public of HELs define largest impact on the overall ranking. The academic reputation? reputation score is determined by results 2. What factors influence HELs in their of a survey sent to presidents, provosts, perception of an institution’s academic and deans of admissions at institutions in reputation? 156 THE CASE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT. VOL.4 NO.2 155–165 ª COUNCIL FOR ADVANCEMENT & SUPPORT OF EDUCATION/HENRY STEWART PUBLICATIONS 2003. ISSN 1467-3657. Academic Reputation: How U.S. News & World Report Survey Respondents Form Perceptions 3. How do these factors influence HELs’ or college departments. Garand and responses in the USNWR reputation Graddy explored a controversial National survey? Research Council study using publications 4. How much credibility does the USNWR in scholarly journals as a parameter for ranking have with HELs? ranking quality of university and college 5. What sources and channels of political science departments. They communication do HELs use to gather concluded that while production of many information related to reputation of an low-impact publications appears to do institution? little to enhance a department’s reputation, departments whose faculty Literature Review publish in the highest-impact political The origin of reputation is found in science journals have considerably stronger providing public opportunities and in subjective reputations. These findings meeting public obligations as suggested by suggest that it is the quality, not the de Tocqueville in the nineteenth century. quantity, of publications that impact a Today’s scholars have identified a variety department’s reputation. of factors contributing to reputation of While Keith and Babchuk acknowledge higher education institutions including the body of research demonstrating strong admissions selectivity, accomplishments of ties between departmental prestige and the alumni, quality of faculty, size of levels of its faculty scholarship, their own endowment and operating budget, number study concludes that scholarship is less of library holdings, peer rankings, and important in determining prestige ratings leadership quality. than past reputations of universities. A widely accepted yardstick of This ‘institutional halo effect’ was also educational quality is based on intellectual seen in research showing that categorization productivity of an institution’s faculty, as a Carnegie research university and including published research, citation undergraduate selectivity was a significant counts of research, institutional patents, factor in whether or not the quality of and grants. A review of reputational program faculty was highly rated. ranking studies concluded that While historical legacy, prevailing undergraduate education reputation may opinions, and rankings influence be enhanced by increases in research institutional reputations, Theus’s study of activity. higher education officials showed that Reputational rankings using peer interpersonal communication as well as assessment are another commonly used mass-mediated communication play a more methodology. Subjective opinions of select significant role in forming perceptions of groups of people—those considered to be reputation. Published rankings and in positions to know which are the institutional literature were put at the highest-quality institutions—may have bottom rung of potential influence. limited objectivity since many are asked to rank their alma maters. Methodology Scholarly work in the area of academic This exploratory pilot study was part of a reputations also includes examination of wider study conducted for a public quality measurements in specific university research university (University X). While THE CASE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT. VOL.4 NO.2 155–165 157 ª COUNCIL FOR ADVANCEMENT & SUPPORT OF EDUCATION/HENRY STEWART PUBLICATIONS 2003. ISSN 1467-3657. Phyllis V. Larsen the goals of the institutional study Association of
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