<p>Today I received the following communication from my alma mater (de-identified, since I'm not proud of this one, but a top-25 university with a low alumni giving rate):</p>
<p>
[quote]
This year, it will take gifts from 670 alumni to increase X's alumni participation rate by one percent. No matter how large or small, each gift helps X move up in the rankings. When the university is ranked more highly, every degree holds even greater value and prestige. So, the more X's alumni support the university, the more valuable an X degree becomes.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>As usual, I sent a small contribution in support of the real educational mission. But I did express dismay that, at a time when some leaders in higher ed are speaking out eloquently against the commercialization of the admissions process, questioning the methodology and usefulness of college rankings, and stressing that rankings often fail to correlate highly with educational quality, they would be using USNews rankings in this way. Sigh . . . I'm sure their market research folks tell them it works.</p>
<p>Has anyone else received anything quite this blatent?</p>
<p>I got the same email in my box this afternoon! I will "out" them because I found it offensive.</p>
<p>"This year, it will take gifts from 670 alumni to increase Carnegie Mellon's alumni participation rate by one percent.</p>
<p>No matter how large or small, each gift helps Carnegie Mellon move up in the rankings. When the university is ranked more highly, every degree holds even greater value and prestige. So, the more Carnegie Mellon's alumni support the university, the more valuable a Carnegie Mellon degree becomes.</p>
<p>I hope you'll drop them a note, too, expressing dismay. I got a great education at CMU in the days befor rankings, when it was basically a tier 2-3 regional school in most disciplines . . .</p>
<p>One LAC my son is applying to has a-sky high percentage of alumni giving. I've heard it's because of LOVE. We'll see, but at this point, I can imagine it's true. The whole ratings and rankings thing has gone too far--for schools and for kids.</p>
<p>I got one of those reminders, too. I think most schools will press hard to
1) Get more donations
2) Improve stats that affect rankings
Convincing an alum to donate is a double win. I have to believe that many schools use some variation of this pitch.</p>
<p>Your son's LAC experience really resonated with me. I went to CMU as an undergrad, where I got a great education, but the culture was like a business deal: students paid the bill, got their education and diploma, and both sides had fulfilled the contract.</p>
<p>When I started to teach at an LAC I was amazed at students' different relationships to the school. I remember the things that struck me those first years:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>scores of students from each class year send updates for every quarterly alumni magazine. At CMU, even though it's 4x the size of the LAC, there are often whole years when no one communicates via the alumni mag.</p></li>
<li><p>homecoming weekend sometimes drew 2000 alums at the little LAC, and after I'd been there a few years, students came back and really wanted to see their old prof.</p></li>
<li><p>I remember students who had been disciplined for some serious infractions late in the senior year being banned from marching at commencement (they would've had their diplomas mailed to them). Being part of that event with their class meant so much that they actually sued the school to march (and lost). Lots of my friends didn't even go to graduation at CMU. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>The LACs really have the LOVE thing down; they nurture students in lots of ways and it does pay off in loyalty. No wonder every 4th post on CC suggests an LAC, even if the original poster asked for an urban engineering school with more than 15,000 students.</p>
<p>I think the problem with CMU is that it was a second choice school for a lot of students, especially on the engineering side. When I was there (also a long time ago), there were many kids in CIT who had been rejected from MIT or whathaveyou and wore their bitterness all four years. That has changed somewhat but not entirely.</p>
<p>I consider myself to be an active alumna. I belong to the local alumni clan, I conduct alum. admissions interviews in my area. While an undergrad, I was very involved in a myriad of ECs at CMU and knew a lot of people outside of my major and college within the university. I enjoyed my time there but wouldn't say I LOVED it. </p>
<p>My D was in the midst of college apps last year. CMU was not on her list because she had heard too many stories about large lecture halls, foreign TAs etc. She ended up at a 1800-student LAC which she truly loves (as do her parents :) ). I have to agree with MM again. Her LAC's alum mag. is sent to current students' parents. It is an excellent publication with lots of entries for each class. Class notes for CMU's are very sparse.</p>
<p>I think this email that was sent out to the alumni/ae is going to backfire. It's somewhat insulting and demanding at the same time.</p>
<p>MM, I haven't sent a note yet but I definitely will within the next few days. Hopefully you will as well. :)</p>