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The Annapolis Group describes itself as "a nonprofit alliance of the nation’s leading independent liberal arts colleges. Liberal arts colleges are primarily colleges with an emphasis upon Undergraduate study in the Liberal arts. " [1] It represents over 100 liberal arts colleges in the United States These colleges work together to promote a greater understanding of the goals of a liberal arts education through their websites, as well as through independent research. Liberal arts colleges in the United States are institutions of Higher education in the United States. [2] Its current chair is Katherine Haley Will, the president of Gettysburg College. Katherine Haley Will served as the 13th President (and first woman in the position of Gettysburg College in Gettysburg Pennsylvania from 2004 to 2008 when Gettysburg College is a private national four-year liberal arts college founded in 1832 in Gettysburg Pennsylvania, adjacent to the famous battlefield

Contents

Background

The Annapolis Group was first organized in early 1993 in Annapolis, Maryland. Annapolis is the capital of the US state of Maryland, as well as the County seat of Anne Arundel County. Its original members included and expanded upon the Oberlin Group which was first organized in 1984. The Oberlin Group is an "informal consortium of the libraries of 80 selective Liberal arts colleges " The group developed as a result of conferences held in 1984-85 [3] The Annapolis Group was created by the presidents of Franklin & Marshall College, Gettysburg College, and Dickinson College. Franklin & Marshall College (abbreviated as " F&M " is a four-year private co-educational liberal arts college in Lancaster Pennsylvania. Gettysburg College is a private national four-year liberal arts college founded in 1832 in Gettysburg Pennsylvania, adjacent to the famous battlefield Dickinson College is a private residential liberal arts college in Carlisle Pennsylvania. [4]

Criticism of rankings

An article was published on the website for the Annapolis Group (collegenews. org) in 2004, titled, "Liberal Arts College Presidents Speak Out on College Rankings. " The article included statements made by the presidents of Dickinson, Reed, Puget Sound, St. John's College, Hamilton, Earlham, Hendrix, Colgate, Washington & Jefferson, Centre, Ursinus, Connecticut, Kenyon, Mt. Holyoke, and Skidmore. Dickinson College is a private residential liberal arts college in Carlisle Pennsylvania. Reed College is a private, independent Liberal arts college located in southeast Portland Oregon. The University of Puget Sound (often called UPS or just Puget Sound) is a private liberal arts college located in the North End of St John's College is a Liberal arts college with two US campuses Annapolis Maryland and Santa Fe New Mexico. Hamilton College is a private independent liberal arts college located in Clinton, New York. For other places with the same name see Earlham (disambiguation. Hendrix College is a private Liberal arts college located in Conway, Arkansas. Colgate University is a private liberal arts college located in the Village of Hamilton in Madison County New York, USA Washington & Jefferson College (W&J is a private coeducational liberal arts college located in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area in the city of Washington Ursinus College is a liberal arts college in Collegeville, Montgomery County Pennsylvania. Connecticut College is a selective coeducational private liberal arts college located in New London Connecticut. Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of the The Episcopal Church Mount Holyoke College is a liberal arts women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Skidmore College is a private liberal arts college located in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States [5]

Presidents Letter

The Presidents Letter (dated May 10, 2007), developed by Lloyd Thacker of the Education Conservancy, was sent to college and university presidents in the United States in May 2007, concerning the U.S. News and World Report college rankings. The Education Conservancy, is an American Educational Non-profit organization headed by director Lloyd Thacker The United States of America —commonly referred to as the USNews & World Report is an influential weekly American Newsmagazine published in Washington D The letter does not ask for a full boycott but rather states that:

while we believe colleges and universities may want to cooperate in providing data to publications for the purposes of rankings, we believe such data provision should be limited to data which is collected in accord with clear, shared professional standards (not the idiosyncratic standards of any single publication), and to data which is required to be reported to state or federal officials or which the institution believes (in accord with good accountability) should routinely be made available to any member of the public who seeks it. [6]

Instead, it asks presidents not to participate in the "reputational survey" portion of the overall survey (this section accounts for 25% of the total rank and asks college presidents to give their subjective opinion of other colleges). The letter also asks presidents not to use the rankings as a form of publicity:

Among other reasons, we believe [. . . ] rankings: imply a false precision and authority that is not warranted by the data they use;obscure important differences in educational mission in aligning institutions on a single scale;say nothing or very little about whether students are actually learning at particular colleges or universities;encourage wasteful spending and gamesmanship in institutions' pursuing improved rankings;overlook the importance of a student in making education happen and overweight the importance of a university's prestige in that process; and degrade for students the educational value of the college search process. We ask you to make the following two commitments: 1. Refuse to fill out the U. S. News and World Report reputational survey. 2. Refuse to use the rankings in any promotional efforts on behalf of your college or university, and more generally, refuse to refer to the rankings as an indication of the quality of your college or university. "[7]

List of colleges and universities

Main article: List of colleges and universities which have signed the Presidents Letter

Twelve college and university presidents originally signed the letter in early May. The following List of colleges and universities which have signed the Presidents Letter refers to a 2007 movement criticizing the practice of college rankings which developed [8] The letter currently has sixty-one signatures, though others may be added at a later date. [9]

2007 movement

Main article: Criticism of college and university rankings (2007 United States)

On 19 June, 2007, during the annual meeting of the Annapolis Group, members discussed this letter. Criticism of College and university rankings (2007 United States refers to a 2007 movement which developed among faculty and administrators in American Institutions of Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. As a result, "a majority of the approximately 80 presidents at the meeting said that they did not intend to participate in the U. S. News reputational rankings in the future. " [10] The statement also said that its members "have agreed to participate in the development of an alternative common format that presents information about their colleges for students and their families to use in the college search process. " [11] This database will be web based and developed in conjunction with higher education organizations including the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the Council of Independent Colleges. Founded in 1976 the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU is an organization of private US colleges and universities The Council of Independent Colleges is a service organization for educational institutions in the United States, founded in 1956.

On 22 June 2007, U.S. News and World Report editor Robert Morse issued a response in which he argued, "in terms of the peer assessment survey, we at U. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. USNews & World Report is an influential weekly American Newsmagazine published in Washington D S. News firmly believe the survey has significant value because it allows us to measure the "intangibles" of a college that we can't measure through statistical data. Plus, the reputation of a school can help get that all-important first job and plays a key part in which grad school someone will be able to get into. The peer survey is by nature subjective, but the technique of asking industry leaders to rate their competitors is a commonly accepted practice. The results from the peer survey also can act to level the playing field between private and public colleges. " [12]In reference to the alternative database discussed by the Annapolis Group, Morse also argued, "It's important to point out that the Annapolis Group's stated goal of presenting college data in a common format has been tried before [. . . ] U. S. News has been supplying this exact college information for many years already. And it appears that NAICU will be doing it with significantly less comparability and functionality. U. S. News first collects all these data (using an agreed-upon set of definitions from the Common Data Set). Then we post the data on our website in easily accessible, comparable tables. In other words, the Annapolis Group and the others in the NAICU initiative actually are following the lead of U. S. News. " [13]

References

Notes

  1. ^ About This Site. collegenews. org.
  2. ^ Additional Resources. collegenews. org.
  3. ^ Jewell Joins prestigious Annapolis Group. William Jewell College. William Jewell College is a private four-year liberal arts college of 1274 undergraduate students located in Liberty Missouri, U
  4. ^ Moravian College named to prestigious Annapolis Group. Moravian College. Moravian College & Theological Seminary is a private liberal arts college and Seminary located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States
  5. ^ Liberal Arts College Presidents Speak Out on College Rankings. Annapolis Group.
  6. ^ Presidents Letter (May 10, 2007).
  7. ^ Presidents Letter (May 10, 2007).
  8. ^ Battle Lines on ‘U.S. News’. Inside Higher Ed (07 May 2007). Inside Higher Ed is a free daily online publication that covers a variety of college and university issues Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  9. ^ Presidents Letter. Education Conservancy. The Education Conservancy, is an American Educational Non-profit organization headed by director Lloyd Thacker
  10. ^ Jaschik, Scott (20 June 2007). Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. More Momentum Against ‘U.S. News’. Inside Higher Ed. Inside Higher Ed is a free daily online publication that covers a variety of college and university issues
  11. ^ ANNAPOLIS GROUP STATEMENT ON RANKINGS AND RATINGS. Annapolis Group (19 June 2007). Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  12. ^ Morse, Robert (22 June 2007). Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. About the Annapolis Group's Statement. U.S. News and World Report. USNews & World Report is an influential weekly American Newsmagazine published in Washington D
  13. ^ Morse, Robert (22 June 2007). Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. About the Annapolis Group's Statement. U.S. News and World Report. USNews & World Report is an influential weekly American Newsmagazine published in Washington D

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