Programs at IU Bloomington, IUPUI again among those "to look for"

Aug. 20, 2009

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) is being seen even more by U.S. News and World Report as a place to "keep an eye on." The national news magazine also continues to praise programs at IU's Bloomington campus with special recognition of the Kelley School of Business.

For the eighth consecutive year, the magazine cited IU Bloomington and IUPUI for offering "academic programs that are commonly linked to student success." The Kelley School of Business again was recognized for offering one of the best experiences for undergraduate students, including those aiming to start their own companies.

Overall, U.S. News ranked IU Bloomington 29th among public national research universities, an improvement from 30th last year and 33rd two years ago.

"I'm pleased that Indiana University Bloomington continues to be regarded as one of the nation's leading public universities," said IU Bloomington Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson. "College rankings tell only a small part of the story, and their importance is often overemphasized. But U.S. News performs a service by highlighting programs that are linked to student success, such as our student learning communities, study-abroad opportunities and the emphasis on writing."

For the second year, U.S. News asked college presidents and other administrators which higher education institutions recently had made "striking improvements or innovations." The magazine reported that IUPUI is among 77 colleges and universities that have "recently made the most promising and innovative changes in academics, faculty, students, campus or facilities." IUPUI was ranked seventh in a separate listing of national universities "to watch," up from 14th a year ago.

"For prospective applicants, we believe the schools on this list offer the reassurance that whatever their historical reputation (or lack of it), they're firmly focused on improving the job they're doing today -- at least in the judgment of their peers," U.S. News editors wrote.

IUPUI

IUPUI Chancellor Charles R. Bantz said the magazine's report reinforces what many on his campus and elsewhere already know.

"The U.S. News rankings confirm that IUPUI's bold innovation and commitment to making an impact is recognized nationally. Our talented faculty and staff are leading the nation in programs to support student success and are national leaders in civic engagement, research and learning. They are making an impact every day," Bantz said.

U.S. News ranked the Kelley School as the 12th best in the nation overall (a year ago it was tied for 11th). It continues to be second only to the University of Michigan among undergraduate business programs in the Big Ten and sixth nationally among public universities. The school's overall ranking also places it among the top 2 percent of nationally accredited programs.

"The Kelley School of Business continually strives to enhance the overall student experience. The new living and learning center, our semester-long integrated core experience, career preparation, global immersion programs and a multitude of experiential learning opportunities are but a few of the unique experiences students have at Kelley and IU," said Dan Smith, dean of the Kelley School.

"Kelley students were highly recruited by more than 700 companies last year. Even during these tough economic times, our students had over 9,000 interviews that resulted in an 80 percent job placement rate shortly after graduation," Smith added. "The school continues to attract the world's finest students -- as evidenced by our average SAT score, which has gone up by more than 100 points in the past five years."

The magazine also praised the school's entrepreneurship program led by Donald F. Kuratko, the Jack M. Gill Chair of Entrepreneurship and executive director of its Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. The school's undergraduate offerings in entrepreneurship were ranked fourth overall by U.S. News and continue to be first among public universities.

"Naturally, I am pleased to see Kelley's entrepreneurship program consistently ranked among the top five in the world and sustaining the No. 1 public university ranking. This is a testament to our incredible faculty and innovative students," Kuratko said. "With the unveiling this fall of the Hoosier Hatchery, a business incubator for students -- in addition to our already recognized Spine Sweat Experience senior capstone course -- I believe we will be creating the most significant entrepreneurship model school in the world."

Under the heading "Programs to Look For," U.S. News recognized IU Bloomington and IUPUI for their success in promoting learning communities that build connections among fellow students and between students and professors.

IU Bloomington's study abroad programs were recognized for combining substantive academic work for credit with "considerable interaction with the local culture." IU Bloomington also was cited for programs that make writing a priority at all levels of instruction and across the curriculum.

IUPUI was again cited for its efforts to promote service learning -- the use of volunteering in the community as an educational strategy -- and the quality of its first-year experiences. The campus was noted for building into its curriculum seminars and programs that bring together small groups of students with faculty.

Highlights of the rankings will be published in the Sept. issue of U.S.News, which also will publish its 2010 America's Best Colleges guidebook.