<p>^at CC, yes. In real life, budget cuts are pulling it down. But the cunning administration has come up with an ingenious plan to import as many international students. The university still may have hope.</p>
<p>^Agreed - not just about budget cuts, but about potential price spikes.</p>
<p>The current CA government bubble problem is a big concern. Berkeley has been on the rise for decades, and it would have been a top consideration for my high-stats OOS son. But what if the stuff were to hit the fan after my son’s sophomore year? It might not be the best time to be an OOS student at UCB. Bottom line, we’re not very interested in rolling the dice to bet on a sudden surge of competence in CA government. So Berkeley looks unlikely to make our cut.</p>
<p>Berkeley is not a rising university in my mind. This has nothing to do with the budget cuts, but the rise of students’ stats and decline of the acceptance rate has been sluggish relative to fast growing universities for a while. At a time when many “elite” universities (Ivies, Stanford, etc.) are growing in popularity and improving their stats fast, this does not feel true for Berkeley. This may cause Berkeley to continue sliding slightly in USNWR ranks as we have observed in the past couple of years.</p>
<p>Furthermore, it’s difficult for Berkeley to become any more “prestigious” than it already is given its prominence in graduate programs. It’s difficult to top its already top notch grad programs and the direction of California higher education do not point to increasing quality in its much scrutinized undergraduate programs in the near future.</p>
<p>From the context of multiple decades, Berkeley may be a rising university but Berkeley certainly hasn’t been a “rising” university in the context of the past 10 or 20 years. All the historically top publics have had stale progress.</p>
<p>(The public most poised for success is UC San Diego. It is experiencing explosive growth at a time when other top publics are in gradual decline and the not altogether gaping gap between UCSD and Berkeley shows UCSD’s potential of harvesting the momentum to become the top ranked public in the next 20 years.)</p>
<p>Where a school “ranks” is also determined by how the rankings are defined.
In fact, for the early days at US News, UCB ranked much higher.</p>
<p>[U.S</a>. News Rankings Through the Years](<a href=“http://web.archive.org/web/20070905010206/chronicle.com/stats/usnews/index.php?category=Universities&orgs=&sort=1983]U.S”>U.S. News Rankings Through the Years)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I ruefully agree. Public universities reached their prime 50 years ago as the baby boom reached college age and after a decade of post-Sputnik investment. We’re in a different environment today. Current conditions do not favor public universities, even though one factor ironically in their favor, in the short run, is the shrinking purchasing power of the American middle class. Many top students from upper middle class families are priced out of top private schools, so they choose public honors colleges instead. In the longer run, private schools have the agility to respond by redefining their financial aid policies to benefit middle class applicants. We already are seeing this as tippy-top schools (HYPS) raise their “need-based” aid ceilings to as high as $200K (annual family earnings). Some other selective private schools are using merit scholarships as discount teasers to increase the yield of admitted full-pay students. Public universities in bankrupt states cannot easily compete in this financial affirmative action game. Maybe it will come to selling off a few “directional” state universities to China, India, or Brazil. How do you like the sound of IPULB: the International Peoples University at Long Beach?</p>
<p>The rise in research funding has helped major top publics offste the shrinking State support. Of the Top 10 research U’s are 7 publics, (UW, UW, UM, UCSF, UCLA, UCSD, and OSU). Another 7 of the next 10. Such funding can translate into 100s of millions in overhead allowances to support the overall university operations. In general publics have done a better job of securing these funds. As they move from state funded to state assisted the publics have also ramped up once unheard of private fund-raising. They are now competing well for large gifts and a good number raise over $100 million/year and have endowments over a Billion and and also rapidly building as 20 years ago none had that kind of money except the UT System.
Technically the only differences between publics and privates are governance method and recordkeeping.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1081870-top-fundraisers-2010-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1081870-top-fundraisers-2010-a.html</a></p>
<p>Illinois Central College is really on the move.</p>
<p>George Mason University in Virginia is moving up very quickly. US news consistently ranks GMU as a “school to watch” and I would not be surprised if it surpasses James Madison, GW and American University in the near future. GMU’s law school has already surpassed AU’s. GMU is one of the best values in the DC metro area, which also happens to be one of the best job markets in US. Students that apply to GMU also apply to Maryland, JMU and GW.</p>
<p>northeastern university is definitely on the rise</p>
<p>Davidson and Rice (always a great school but now has greater notoriety) and Whitman.</p>
<p>How can Davidson and Rice be on the rise when they are ranked the way they are? It isn’t like they are getting better or “rising” in any way.</p>
<p>I am guessing that more people are finally becoming familiar with these two excellent schools. All too often when I tell people my ds went to Rice, I get that vacuous smile…</p>
<p>My opinion on Engineering/Computer Science:</p>
<p>Rise</p>
<p>Stanford
UC Santa Barbara
Cornell
Carnegie Mellon
UT Austin (Texas)
Rice
Michigan
Wisconsin
UC San Diego</p>
<p>Fall</p>
<p>UC Berkeley (major CA cuts, and University can’t expand due to strict city rules)
GA Tech (bad student experience, I hear this ALL the time)
Harvard/Yale/Duke (so far away to catch up to the other good engineering schools)
Columbia</p>
<p>Stagnant</p>
<p>Purdue
USC
UIUC</p>
<p>
Those cuts will more proportionally hurt UCSB and UCSD than Berkeley.</p>
<p>
I agree the city relationship is limiting. However, that’s not to say Berkeley has not invested heavily in expanding and renovating its facilities…here are some examples:
[02.27.2009</a> - Dedication of new CITRIS headquarters marks new stage of innovation to help fuel economic growth](<a href=“http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/02/27_citris.shtml]02.27.2009”>02.27.2009 - Dedication of new CITRIS headquarters marks new stage of innovation to help fuel economic growth)
[QB3-Berkeley</a> - About Stanley Hall](<a href=“http://qb3.berkeley.edu/qb3/stanley.cfm]QB3-Berkeley”>http://qb3.berkeley.edu/qb3/stanley.cfm)</p>
<p>"The University of California, Berkeley, will have to cut $80.8 million from its budget next year in order to do its part to meet California Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed $500 million in cuts to the U.C. system.</p>
<p>According to California Watch, U.C. President Mark Yudof has set that target for the school, though no budget proposals are yet final. The U.C.L.A. campus, which includes a medical school, is slated to take an even bigger hit, $96 million." "
U.C. Davis will be told to cut $70 million under this plan."</p>
<p>Read more: U.C. Berkeley could take $80M hit in Jerry Brown’s budget | San Francisco Business Times </p>
<p>Source: <a href=“http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2011/02/07/uc-berkeley-could-take-80m-hit-in.html[/url]”>http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2011/02/07/uc-berkeley-could-take-80m-hit-in.html</a></p>
<p>And so far as UCSD goes…</p>
<p>Link: [Budget</a> Plan in California Could Force Closure of Famed Oceanographic Library, Others at UC-San Diego](<a href=“Library Journal”>Library Journal)</p>
<p>Campus budget cut is really a nationwide issue! And I believe the latest had both Michigan and Michigan State asked to each absorb roughly $60 million cut this year. Hopefully Ohio will do better for TOSU…lol</p>
<p>Being a TOP school, public, and with budget cuts, UC Berkeley can probably only go down. They are trying to raise out-of-state tuition but that can only help so much. It’s hard to maintain top faculty and rebuild their infrastructure (which is a bit old if you ask me) with those big budget cuts, especially if they continue over the years…</p>
<p>On the other hand, UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego, even though they also have budget cuts, are building stronger academic programs simply by producing better research with the allocated money. My professors have mentioned those schools are consistently coming out with more important research/conference papers. It doesn’t hurt San Diego and Santa Barbara are very appealing cities (more so then Berkeley I would argue). </p>
<p>Im not saying they are going to be better than Berkeley any time soon (or ever!) but simply that they are on the ‘rise’ and Berkeley is slightly of the falling edge.</p>
<p>Michigan has increased their profit consistently over the past few years even with the economy downfall and budget cuts. Source: I read and was told on the Umich grad visit day last year. During that same visit day, we were also told by the event manager that Michigan might try to become a private school eventually given its growth and profit.</p>
<p>I think as a overall college, Stanford is the “future” given its prestigiousness, location, funding, rankings, etc. Especially if they expand to NYC as some resent news have stated. MIT will be hard to surpass but I wouldn’t be surprised if they do.</p>
<p>Likewise, Austin is becoming the next silicon valley (its actually nicknamed sillicon hills haha) and its an awesome city. AND given the fact that UT Austin gets a HUGE endowment (~6x bigger than UC Berkeley) I can only imagine them go up in the rankings…</p>
<p>“Campus budget cut is really a nationwide issue! And I believe the latest had both Michigan and Michigan State asked to each absorb roughly $60 million cut this year. Hopefully Ohio will do better for TOSU…lol”</p>
<p>Michigan can handle state budget cuts much better than MSU and OSU. It’s called having a huge endowment and getting top dollar for about 40% of it’s undergraduate population.</p>
<p>
Uh, I just showed you some new buildings and infrastructure restoration projects. Here are a few more that are currently on-going despite the cuts:</p>
<p>New engineering building:
[12115A[/url</a>]</p>
<p>New labs:
[url=<a href=“http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12363A?Opendocument]12363A[/url”>http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12363A?Opendocument]12363A[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Building demo for new Alternative Energy research building:
[url=<a href=“http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12313D?Opendocument]12313D[/url”>http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12313D?Opendocument]12313D[/url</a>]
The new building:
<a href=“http://www.cp.berkeley.edu/CP/Projects/Helios/graphics_for_regents_Jan_2010.pdf[/url]”>http://www.cp.berkeley.edu/CP/Projects/Helios/graphics_for_regents_Jan_2010.pdf](<a href=“http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12115A?Opendocument]12115A[/url”>http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12115A?Opendocument)</a></p>
<p>Law school expansion:
<a href=“http://www.ucop.edu/budget/dc/designmatters/documents/ucb_lawschl_infill_proj.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ucop.edu/budget/dc/designmatters/documents/ucb_lawschl_infill_proj.pdf</a>
[12267A[/url</a>]</p>
<p>New physics building (approved by Regents):
<a href=“http://www.ucop.edu/budget/dc/designmatters/documents/ucb_campbellhall.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ucop.edu/budget/dc/designmatters/documents/ucb_campbellhall.pdf](<a href=“http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12267A?Opendocument]12267A[/url”>http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12267A?Opendocument)</a></p>
<p>Renovated library:
[12699A[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Renovated football stadium:
[url=<a href=“http://stadium.berkeley.edu/]UC”>http://stadium.berkeley.edu/]UC</a> Berkeley Memorial Stadium | Home](<a href=“http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12699A?Opendocument]12699A[/url”>http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12699A?Opendocument)
[12240A[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Renovated dorms:
[url=<a href=“http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12316A?Opendocument]12316A[/url”>http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12316A?Opendocument]12316A[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Renovated and new addition to Goldman School of Public Policy:
<a href=“http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_01x.jpg[/url]”>http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_01x.jpg](<a href=“http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12240A?Opendocument]12240A[/url”>http://cp.berkeley.edu/prism/photolib.nsf/vwProjectNumber/12240A?Opendocument)</a>
<a href=“http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_06x.jpg[/url]”>http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_06x.jpg</a>
<a href=“http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_08x.jpg[/url]”>http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_08x.jpg</a></p>
![http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_01x.jpg[/url]](http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_01x.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
![http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_06x.jpg[/url]](http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_06x.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
![http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_08x.jpg[/url]](http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/images/Feature0102_08x.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
<p>From my mid-atlantic perch, some schools come to mind:</p>
<p>UMBC - great science/med programs, transitioning commuter school, campus so-so
Stony Brook - see UMBC
George mason - see both above, probably a little behind the others</p>
<p>Pitt and UMCP are schools that continue to upgrade </p>
<p>BTW, can we put a moritorium on Ohio State being referred to as tOSU? Is it due to being pretenious (like U. Miami football players calling it the “U”) or to differentiate themselves from Oregon and Oklahoma state? Buckeyes chime in.</p>
<p>Rick Snyder plans announcement on University of Michigan collaboration, Mary Sue Coleman says</p>
<p>Posted: Jan 19, 2011 at 6:01 AM [Jan 19, 2011] </p>
<p>Gov. Rick Snyder plans to make an announcement during his State of the State address tonight about a new collaboration involving the University of Michigan, U-M President Mary Sue Coleman told AnnArbor.com.</p>
<p>University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman, seen here at an event in 2010, said Gov. Rick Snyder “has a very good mindset for problem-solving.” </p>
<p>Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Coleman, in an interview Tuesday afternoon after U-M officially opened a new business incubator, declined to reveal details about the new collaboration except to say “we’re very excited about it.”
Other U-M officials declined to comment, and a Snyder spokeswoman could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. </p>
<p>It wouldn’t be the first time Coleman and Snyder collaborated. Snyder gets most of the credit for founding economic development group Ann Arbor SPARK in 2005 — but it was largely an initiative he co-designed and championed with Coleman.</p>
<p>As an Ann Arbor venture capitalist, Snyder invested in multiple U-M spinoff companies, including health software firm HealthMedia, medical device firm HandyLab and electronics maker Discera. </p>
<p>Snyder and his venture capital firms reaped big returns on the 2008 sale of HealthMedia to Johnson & Johnson, which kept the company in Ann Arbor, and the 2009 sale of HandyLab to Becton, Dickinson and Co., which announced in October 2010 that it would move HandyLab’s operations to the East Coast.</p>
<p>Coleman said her experience working with Snyder and witnessing his business career indicates he “has a very good mindset for problem-solving.”</p>
<p>“I think he will be very evidence-based, I think he’ll be practical, I think he will look for solutions,” she said. “He will be action-driven, goal-oriented, trying to get to the end result, trying to figure out ways to get to putting the state on a sustainable path.”</p>
<p>She added: “I don’t think he’s naive about the fact that this is hard work. But I feel very good about the kind of experience that he brings to the job, and I also feel very good about the fact that we’ve worked with him a long time, and we know him well.”</p>
<p>Coleman’s comments come a week after Snyder met with the presidents of the state’s 15 public universities. Snyder, a Republican and first-time politician who took office Jan. 1, told the presidents that they need to prepare for additional cuts to higher education in the near term. </p>
<p>But he also told them that he believes universities are drivers of economic development and that their role in the state’s revitalization is critical.</p>
<p>“If you look at great economic development, a university is usually behind it somewhere,” Snyder told the presidents.</p>
<p>“He knows that very, very well,” Coleman said. “I understand that tough choices have to be made. I get that. We’re going to do the best we can. We want to be good partners with him, just like we’ve tried to be good partners all across the board.”</p>
<p>As the state seeks to close a $1.8 billion deficit, the governor and state legislators are considering a wide range of cuts. Snyder is expected to offer a glimpse of his February budget proposal during the State of the State tonight at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>Political leaders in Lansing have been circulating a document that lays out a scenario in which the state would eliminate the more than $300 million it gives to U-M, thus forcing U-M to become a private university.</p>
<p>But the concept is widely considered to be politically dangerous in part because of the inflationary effect it would likely have on tuition.</p>
<p>Coleman said it was an “unrealistic” proposition.</p>
<p>“The University of Michigan is a proud public institution. This state has a huge investment in this university. We want to be a great public university,” she said. “The talk about privatization is just, in my view, irrelevant and silly.”</p>
<p>Source: [Rick</a> Snyder plans announcement on University of Michigan collaboration, Mary Sue Coleman says - AnnArbor.com](<a href=“http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/snyder-plans-announcement-on-university-of-michigan-collaboration-coleman-says/]Rick”>Rick Snyder plans announcement on University of Michigan collaboration, Mary Sue Coleman says)</p>
<hr>
<p>“Michigan can handle state budget cuts much better than MSU and OSU. It’s called having a huge endowment and getting top dollar for about 40% of it’s undergraduate population.”</p>
<p>Perhaps. However, take away the $300+ million a year support from the State, Michigan or not, the institution will suffer… In short, UM administrators are certainly no fool!! :p</p>
<p>As for Michigan to go private?? I for one would love to see that to happen so that my beloved Spartans can be THE higher education institution for the State of Michigan. In fact, with more than 80% instate and 10,000 more undergrad student body than UM, MSU at East Lansing (State Capital) IS the University of Michigan. However, I doubt that it would happen under Mary Sue Coleman’s watch as the article indicated above.</p>