Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Jul 04, 2025

0:00
0:00

Columbia No Longer No. 2 University After Being “Unranked” By U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report announced Thursday that it has stripped Columbia of its No. 2 ranking in the 2022 Best National Universities list, citing the University’s failure “to respond to multiple U.S. News requests [to] substantiate certain data it previously submitted.”
This development comes just a week after Provost Mary C. Boyce’s statement announcing that Columbia “will refrain from submitting” data on its undergraduate schools to U.S. News for next year’s rankings, stating that the University needed more time to conduct a “thorough” review to ensure compliance with U.S. News methodologies.

The climb to the No. 2 spot on the list—Columbia’s highest-ever ranking—was celebrated by the University when it was announced last September. In a now-deleted post, Dean James Valentini wrote that receiving the second-best ranking was “gratifying” and a “confirmation of the success” of Columbia’s undergraduate programs. Columbia was tied with Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, behind only Princeton, which sat atop the rankings.

Professor of Mathematics Michael Thaddeus became curious as to what caused the University’s steady ascent from 18th place in the list’s 1988 debut to this new high-water mark. The result of this curiosity was an exhaustive investigative report published in February in which Professor Thaddeus found that “several of the key figures supporting Columbia’s high ranking are inaccurate, dubious, or highly misleading.”

Following Professor Thaddeus’s report, U.S. News claimed it reached out to Columbia in March with a request that the University defend data it submitted on “its counts of instructional full-time and part-time faculty, count of full-time faculty with a terminal degree, student-faculty ratio, undergraduate class size data, and educational expenditures data for the 2022 Best Colleges rankings.” These were all data points scrutinized by Professor Thaddeus’ report.

“To date, Columbia has been unable to provide satisfactory responses to the information U.S. News requested,” the announcement reads. U.S. News then decided to remove the University from the rankings in several categories: 2022 National Universities, 2022 Best Value Schools, and 2022 Top Performers on Social Mobility.

However, Columbia will remain ranked in other categories due to differences in methodologies, according to U.S. News. They will maintain their position in the 2022 Undergraduate Teaching, 2022 Most Innovative Schools, 2022 Writing in the Disciplines, 2022 First-Year Experience, 2022 Undergraduate Engineering, and 2022 Undergraduate Computer Science lists, as these rankings “are based entirely on ratings from top officials at other universities and departments.” These rankings, according to U.S. News, do not incorporate data reported by Columbia University. Columbia’s graduate programs will also remain ranked.

U.S. News wrote in its announcement that it is “committed to providing quality information on institutions across the country and relies on schools to accurately report their data so prospective students and their families can make informed decisions throughout their college search.”

However, Professor Thaddeus argues that Columbia’s “misleading” data is only part of a broader, more systemic problem, saying that the annual ranking of colleges and universities is beyond rehabilitation.

“No one should try to reform or rehabilitate the U.S. News ranking: it is irredeemable,” he concluded, adding that “students are poorly served by rankings” and that “they create harmful incentives for universities.”

A spokesperson for the University reiterated that Columbia is conducting a review of its data collection and submission processes, as stated in Provost Mary C. Boyce’s June 30 announcement.

“Columbia takes seriously the questions raised about our data submission,” the spokesperson told Bwog. “A thorough review cannot be rushed. While we are disappointed in U.S. News and World Report’s decision, we consider this a matter of integrity and will take no shortcuts in getting it right.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
×