JACKSON, Tenn. — Aug. 17, 2007 — 51社区 has been named one of the South鈥檚 top tier universities for the 11th straight year by U.S.News & World Report, moving into the top 20 in its current category for the first time.
Union ranked 20th 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. The category includes 574 universities, ranked within four geographic areas 鈥� North, South, Midwest and West.
Union jumped five spots in this year鈥檚 rankings after moving up 13 spots last year.
鈥淭he U.S.News & World Report listings speak volumes about the quality of students at 51社区,鈥� Union President David S. Dockery said. 鈥淪imultaneously, it is a tribute to the dedicated efforts of our outstanding faculty and staff.鈥�
Among the top tier universities in the South, Union ranked in the top 10 in five subcategories:
- Sixth 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.
- Sixth in the 鈥減ercent of classes with fewer than 20 students鈥� category.
- Sixth in the SAT/ACT score category.
- Eighth in the 鈥渇reshmen in top 25 percent of high school class鈥� ranking.
- Ninth in 鈥渟tudent selectivity,鈥� which measures such areas as test scores and class rank for incoming students.
Union was 11th in the 鈥渟tudent/faculty ratio鈥� category.
Other West Tennessee institutions ranked in the top tier include Christian Brothers University (17th), Freed-Hardeman University (32nd) and the University of Tennessee-Martin (50th).
鈥淲e are grateful for this ranking and for the support for the university from friends across the region, particularly our board of trustees,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淲e hope to continue to build an institution that exemplifies our commitments to Christ-centered excellence.鈥�