But Robert Morse of U.S. News defended their usefulness. “Rankings fill a void. Rankings have been the catalyst for better data for consumers.”
In an interview with Diverse, publishers offered varied views on whether rankings should include data on a college’s diversity or its performance record in graduating low-income students.
Such factors are part of the U.S. News system, Morse said. But Michael Noer of Forbes said diversity is a factor in his firm’s rankings only when specifically cited by students, whose views are part of the evaluation process. Otherwise, he told Diverse, “We don’t consider diversity to be a factor in what we’re trying to measure.”
Most rankings are useful only as entertainment, added Clifford Adelman, senior associate at the Institute for Higher Education Policy. “It’s time to put rankings in the sports pages,” he said, and provide more coverage to international efforts.
He cited the Bologna Process, an effort by 46 countries to restructure higher education with common rules for degrees, credits and certification of student outcomes. Three U.S. states currently are exploring these concepts within specific academic disciplines, he added.
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