|
|
|
August 2008
|
CAMPUS NEWS |
|||
Class Political Spirit, Academic Successes Recognized in New Rankings
The numbers are in, and American University regained its title last week as the “most politically active college” in the country, according the Princeton Review’s 2009 Best Colleges guidebook. The yearly rankings, which compare 368 schools across more than 60 categories, described AU as a rigorous and “very challenging academic experience that offer[s] students all the benefits of its location close to the political center of the country.” The Princeton Review also lauded the School of Public Affairs as a nationally renowned institution and honored its international studies program as “one of the best in the world.” “Political activism is one of the defining characteristics of AU’s student body, so the designation of the Princeton Review is apt,” remarked Gail Short Hanson, VP of Campus Life. “Students will wear this as a badge of honor. We’ve had this designation before, and there are only a few things students hold with more pride than this rating.” According to Hanson, this past year’s high-profile events, most notably former President Jimmy Carter and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama’s speeches last fall and spring, respectively, heightened AU’s already buzzing political spirit.
Movin’ on Up AU received a near perfect rating of 98 on the guidebook’s quality of life scale, placing it 13th overall – its first top 20 rank in that area. No other local universities made the list. “I think over the last several years, a lot of facilities important to students got important upgrades, so life on campus is more vibrant and welcoming,” Hanson said. “Plus, students really think this is a beautiful campus, and I think our grounds communicate this is a place that’s carefully cared for and really appreciated.” It’s also environmentally conscious: In the Princeton Review’s new “Green Rating,” a measure of a school’s progress in reducing emissions and waste and promoting environmental sustainability, AU scored 75 points, an above-average mark. And offering a repeat top 20 performance this year was the Career Center, ranked 18th for “Best Career and Job Placement Services.” - Tony Romm '09
| |||
“Politics ‘infect the campus,’” AU students told the Princeton Review via anonymous surveys, which the company used to create the rankings many students high school seniors consult before choosing a school. “’Watching CNN’ and ‘Working on the Hill’ are everyday activities for many students.”