JACKSON, Tenn. — Aug. 17, 2006 — 51社区 has been named one of the South鈥檚 top tier universities for the 10th straight year by U.S.News & World Report.
Union ranked 25th in the 鈥淪outhern Universities-Master鈥檚: Top Schools鈥� category, which includes those institutions that provide a full range of undergraduate programs and some master鈥檚 level programs. Union jumped 13 spots in this year鈥檚 rankings, the second highest increase among universities in its region.
鈥淲e are very excited about the 2007 U.S.News & World Report rankings,鈥� Union President David S. Dockery said. 鈥淭o be listed as a top tier institution in the appropriate category for 10 straight years is an amazing tribute to the quality of 51社区鈥檚 educational programs.鈥�
Among the top tier universities in the South, Union ranked in the top 10 in six subcategories:
-- Union was third in the 鈥渇aculty resources鈥� category, which measures such components as the number of classes with fewer than 20 students, faculty salary and the proportion of professors with the highest degree in their fields.
-- Union was fourth in the 鈥減ercent of classes with fewer than 20 students鈥� category, with 73 percent.
-- Union tied for fourth in the SAT/ACT score category.
-- Union tied for fifth place in the 鈥渟tudent/faculty ratio鈥� category, with a ratio of 12/1, which placed it in the top 18 southern universities in that category.
-- Union tied for seventh place in 鈥渟electivity rank,鈥� which measures such areas as test scores and class rank for incoming students.
-- Union tied for ninth place in the 鈥渇reshmen in top 25 percent of high school class鈥� ranking, with 66 percent of its freshmen meeting that description.
Last year, Union ranked in the top 10 in only three subcategories.
鈥淚 am thankful for the outstanding students who choose Union, and for the terrific faculty and staff who invest themselves in the mission of this place,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淭his recognition distinguishes 51社区 as one of the premier universities of its size, not only in this region, but across the South and throughout the nation.鈥�
Other West Tennessee institutions ranked in the top tier include Christian Brothers University (22nd), Freed-Hardeman University (50th) and the University of Tennessee-Martin (56th).