For Immediate Release August 19, 2006
Media Contact: Helene Carter, Carolyn G. Wigfall Available for comments and interviews: Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, President at 803-535-5412
803.535.5351 -- hcarter@claflin.edu Available for onsite interviews and filming of campus.
Claflin University, Orangeburg, SC
Claflin University Ranks Among Top Comprehensive Colleges, Best Buys in U.S. News & World Report
By Helene Carter
Claflin University has again earned high national rankings in U.S. News & World Report's 2007 Guidebook to America's Best Colleges and Universities. The University, which wears academic excellence as its badge of honor, ranked higher than all Comprehensive Colleges in South Carolina coming in at number eleven in the Top Tier for best Comprehensive Colleges in the South for students pursuing baccalaureate degrees. For five consecutive years (2002-2006), Claflin was ranked in the Top Ten. For three consecutive years, Claflin ranked number one "Best Value" among its peers (2004-2006).
For 2007, the University retained its position among the Top Five Best Value institutions coming in at number two. In addition, the national evaluator cited Claflin for its impressive 68-percent graduation rate and a high retention rate of 80 percent. Claflin competed among its peer institutions in 12 states. There are 320 comprehensive colleges in the four regions: north, south, east and west.
"Being voted one of America's best matters", said Claflin President Henry N. Tisdale. "Raising the bar of excellence has become the norm at Claflin, and U.S. News & World Report's high ranking for the institution serves as an indicator that we are moving in the right direction." Claflin has sustained a position in the U.S. News & World Report's Top Tier category for nine consecutive years.
Comprehensive institutions focus on undergraduate education and offer a range of degree programs. Claflin offers a variety of degrees in the liberal arts and professional programs. Since 1994, the University has added 15 new majors, including mass communications, biotechnology, bioinformatics, computer science engineering, as well as three master's degrees: the Master of Science in Biotechnology; the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Education in Educational Studies. At the start of the 2006 fall semester, the university launched its Jonathan Jasper Wright Institute for the study of Southern African-American History, Culture and Policy.
"And, being voted a 'Best Value' matters," continued Dr. Tisdale. "Claflin offers high quality programs and is committed to being fiscally responsible - thus the institution earned high marks in the 'Best Value' category for giving great value." The institution also provides a state-of-the-art living and learning environment for its students. Over the past decade, Claflin has invested more than $50 million in capital enhancements. New construction includes state-of-the-art residence halls for students, complete makeovers for existing structures and restoration of several historic buildings.
Claflin's success correlates highly with its strategic plan which focuses on being recognized as one of the premier liberal arts institutions in the nation. Last year, President Tisdale said, "It is by design that Claflin's institutional brand is academic excellence. Our new strategic plan outlines an enhanced vision of academic programs with greater emphasis on research, scholarly contributions and creative activity, thereby increasing student preparedness." At the beginning of the 2006 spring semester, Dr. Tisdale announced that the University had “arrived" as an undergraduate research oriented institution offering comprehensive programs.
The claim was supported by $11.5 million in grants generated for the 2005-2006 fiscal year. Claflin's aggressive campaign designed to address the Palmetto state's and the nation's research needs led to its acquisition of competitive grants that have helped to launch biotech workforce training programs, as well as collaborations with top research institutions to address health disparities in HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other areas. Claflin recently announced its new DNA Forensic Laboratory, in partnership with the Orangeburg Public Safety Department, which will protect, process and reconstruct crime scene evidence for the sixth judicial district and surrounding areas in South Carolina. Indeed, the University requires students to engage in stimulating research across all academic disciplines that lead to discovery and new frontiers.
The main ingredient of Claflin's continued rise to success is evident in its motto: Academic Excellence - By Design. Claflin's academic programs continue to earn national and special recognition including the American Chemical Society (ACS) approving its chemistry program. The chemistry program is one of only eight programs at institutions of higher education in South Carolina to earn ACS approval.
U.S. News college rankings are based on several key indicators of the various dimensions of academic quality at each institution. These measures fall into seven broad categories: peer assessment; graduation and retention rate; faculty resources, student selectivity; financial resources; alumni giving; and, only for national universities and liberal arts colleges, graduation rate performance. The indicators include both input measures, which reflect the quality of students, faculty, and other resources used in education, and outcome measures, which indicate the results of the education an individual receives.
To learn more about Claflin University, log on to
www.claflin.edu.
Posted By: Daniel Moss
Monday, August 21st 2006 at 6:42PM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
