The U.S. News Media ranked Oswego State among the top 20 public regional universities in the North and Washington Monthly recognized Oswego State in the top 50 public master’s level universities nationally for “contributing to the public good.”
Last year, U.S. News Media’s group, “America’s Best Colleges,” ranked Oswego State at No. 17 on the list of best public schools in the Northern region. This year, the college stands at No. 16, according to the 2013 list released on Sept. 12.
“Recently, Oswego has ranked well in the U.S. News rankings, which provide one measure of quality that students and parents can, and do, use as they weigh their college choices,” said campus President Deborah Stanley. “We’re delighted each year as these surveys recognize the outstanding education we offer at Oswego.”
In addition, Oswego State jumped from No. 68 to 61 on the overall list of universities in the North, of which private universities are the majority.
“We are very pleased,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs, Lorrie Clemo. “A college’s place in the rankings can rise and fall for any number of reasons, but we know we are an outstanding institution and have been experiencing a positive momentum for many years now.”
Clemo also said that Oswego State is constantly improving its academic programs and delivering an outstanding student experience which contributes to increased student selectivity, retention, and success of its graduates in their careers. These are factors that keep Oswego State’s reputation and improve its standing.
“America’s Best Colleges” usually ranks about 1,400 colleges nationwide, and evaluates their performance in several areas. Each area carries a weighted criterion: peer assessment, 25 percent; graduation and retention rates, 25 percent; faculty resources, 20 percent; student selectivity, 15 percent; financial resources, 10 percent; and alumni giving, 5 percent.
Like recent years, U.S. News also included Oswego State on its “A-Plus Schools for B Students” list. This list in New York State also includes schools such as RIT and Syracuse University, and the state universities of Albany, Buffalo, and Stony Brook.
In the current issue of Washington Monthly, the magazine ranks Oswego in the top 50 public master’s-level institutions nationwide for its “contribution to the public good.” The college also ranks No. 104 out of all 682 master’s-level public and private schools.
“We have a long tradition of producing exceptional leaders for our community and region and for providing students the opportunity to engage in the community through a variety of experiential learning opportunities through service learning, volunteerism, internships, practicums, and civic engagement,” said Clemo.
The editors of Washington Monthly say that they rate schools based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).
This is not the first time that Oswego has been recognized for its contribution to the public good. In 2010 and 2011 the college was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service. This designation recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities. In 2010, Oswego State was also awarded the community engagement classification by the Carnegie Foundation. This classification brings national recognition to Oswego’s commitment to encourage volunteerism and service learning to the community, whether in Oswego or around the world.
“Oswego State does well in this regard thanks in large part to our college’s focus on service and civic engagement,” said Stanley. “Our students volunteer in the community and around the world. Our faculty develops the curriculum to meet the needs of our region and our students. And we emphasize using our knowledge and skills to help address the challenges facing our world to advance the public good.”
These two groups are not the only recent reports of good standing for Oswego. The college also ranked highly on recent national lists for “Best Value Colleges” in USA Today, “Best Northeastern Colleges” from the Princeton Review and top part-time MBA programs at U.S. News online. SUNY schools overall did very well on the U.S. News ranking as well.
“The faculty and staff who are essential in delivering the education and creating the environment both inside and outside the classroom should be congratulated for receiving this level of acclaim. We are extremely proud that Oswego is recognized for the great educational opportunities it offers,” said Clemo.
Stanley also said that the fact that Oswego State does well from both perspectives shows that the university is striking a healthy balance in the culture of learning it has created, and continually strives to improve.
