<p>Just so people don’t get confused comparing apples with oranges; UF was ranked 47th overall for US News’ 2010 national universities survey, FSU 102nd. FIT (Florida Institute of Technology) is a private college.</p>
<p>Yes, FSU stayed at 102 overall. Was hoping for maybe a 99 :). UF went from 49 to tied with 3 for 47th, it basically went up a slot if you average 47/48/49. It is still one slot above 50. </p>
<p>We are very fortunate to have two top tier publics here in Florida.</p>
<p>I think we should have better universities in the state of Florida, we are the 4th most powerful state by income after California, New York, and Texas (in that order), yet we have no school in the top 10, nor the top 20. Cali has Stanford, NY-Columbia, and Texas has Rice. Heck even Illinois (which follows Florida by GDP) has the University of Chicago.</p>
<p>srqman1, FSU went from 112 to 102 from 08 rankings to 09 rankings (ie last year). 2010 rankings came out yesturday and FSU is still 102. I really think next year will go up again.</p>
<p>I think p2n predicted #75 five years from now. You think that’s a fair estimate, sunny? I think it’s definitely plausible given the tuition differential and steadily-increasing applicant pool. Not to mention, didn’t they kick off some sort of billion-dollar capital campaign to bring in 200 new faculty or something like that?</p>
<p>How exactly are these rankings determined? I see schools like Drexel, Alabama, Iowa State and Auburn ahead of us with acceptance rates well above 50 percent. I got emails every week my senior year from Drexel trying to get me to apply to the school (wouldn’t even have to write an essay). FSU has an acceptance rate below 50 percent, has history, is generally well respected, and doesn’t do ridiculous gimmicks to get people to apply (IE: skip the essay). How does US News place us behind all of these schools?</p>
<p>I really think FSU deserves to at least be in the 80’s or so. The big issue, IMO, is the horrible engineering and nascent med school. The latter will take time (and I’m glad that we’ve got that up and running) but the engineering is completely within control. For whatever reason, however, the administration wishes to do little to rectify that. As we all know, it’s the sexy departments like engineering/biz/medicine that game the rankings. Fine arts and humanities (the areas in which FSU specializes) don’t bring in the big bucks, which ultimately drive these reports.</p>
<p>Another thing, of course, could be its athletic scandals of the past. That might leave a bad taste in the mouths of academic critics around the country, who knows.</p>
<p>What’s interesting, however, is how the US News rankings deviates from other similar academic lists in which FSU is generally ranked much higher. Perhaps US News has it out for FSU for whatever reason?</p>
<p>The rankings are for undergrad, so the med school does not help that much. FSU has two things that bring it down in the US News rankings: its ratio of faculty to students, and its peer assessment. It is working on lowering the faculty to student ratio with the tuition differential, but budget cutbacks may have derailed this to a small degree. I think that we now all know about the lack of science that goes into the peer assessment after the Machen assessment came to light. </p>
<p>I hope the quest for a new president brings an academician and not a politician. Politics will only get you so far. With the tuition differential, FSU can begin to cut some apron strings from its dependence on bright futures and the legislature. A politician will not be as important. An academician and a “respected peer” could help with priorities, the teacher student ratio and the way-too-important peer assessment.</p>
<p>An aspiring academician from the AAU community is what we need. We need a builder who will address whatever concerns (prejudices?) manifest themselves in the peer assessment.</p>
<p>p2n/sunny - do peer assessors generally look down upon politician presidents? If so, do you think Wetherell’s role as President is the primary, or at least one of the primary, reasons for their rank?</p>
<p>FSU’s Mission Statement should be the sole guide used in selecting a new president…not the US News College rankings. One of the goals stated in the mission is attaining an invite to AAU. If FSU accomplishes its mission and attains its goals…the college rankings will take care of themselves. Whether a politician-type, academician, or some type of hybrid is selected as new president doesn’t really matter as long as he/she follows and develops FSU’s stated mission and accomplishes the stated goals in the mission statement. FSU is searching for the person that can best do that now. </p>
<p>srqman1 I think TK was a great fit for his time. I love Pres Wetherell, and I think he brought FSU through and up the rankings at a time when knowing the political landscape in the state of Florida was KEY. </p>
<p>But I think everything evolves. I think the evolution of FSU at this very time and place calls for more of an academician for the next 10 years, that’s all. Just my personal opinion. FSU wants to take its academics to the next level, and I think that a more academic president might have an easier time doing so. It is not about the rankings. It is about getting the faculty to student ratio down, and getting the level of academics up at the undergraduate and graduate levels. It is about continued efforts to build an endowment that helps carry the U through tougher times. </p>
<p>I guess I think that the importance of politics at the state U level in Florida has waned. When economic times are great and there is lots of money to go around, a good-old-boy network in politics can be key. When economic times are tough, and as the U’s get the opportunity to collect tuition dollars not tied to BF and the legislature, I think the wise use of those dollars could use the mind and experience of an academically wise president with some experience in this area.</p>
<p>the business school continues to get high rankings in certain areas like risk management and real estate. both are ranked veryt high. the business school has done a good job gaining ground in the national rankings.</p>