Westfield State University President Evan S. Dobelle
WESTFIELD – Westfield State University jumps 10 places in the Best Regional Universities Top Tier category in the latest US News & World Report 2013 “Best Colleges” edition. Westfield State continues its trend to lead the Massachusetts state university system in the annual ranking. Excluded in the rankings are the three specialized state colleges – Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Massachusetts Maritime Academy – which serve very unique missions, but are part of the state university system.
“These rankings directly reflect the broader national discussion on the price of higher education. Westfield State will always be an affordable option, but the true cost of a degree is reflected in the value we deliver,” said Evan S. Dobelle, president, Westfield State University. “We maintain a low faculty-student ratio; offer a robust and diverse curriculum; provide support services for veterans and students with learning disabilities; and deliver career counseling and job placement services all with the goal of preparing our students to contribute to the economic development of the Commonwealth.”
The rankings of Regional Universities, which offer an array of undergraduate and graduate degrees but few doctoral programs, are split amongst four quadrants of the country – North, South, Midwest, and West, respectively. Only the top tier of each category is ranked. Westfield State was one of four universities officially ranked at 108 out of a total of 625 universities evaluated in this category. Westfield State has steadily climbed in the annual college rankings notably jumping a full tier in 2009.
Rankings were determined by a number of factors including peer assessment, retention and graduation rates, student/faculty ratio, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving.
The exclusive rankings are available at www.usnews.com/colleges and through the U.S. News College Compass. They will also be published in U.S.News& World Report’s 2013 edition of “Best Colleges,” available on newsstands on Tuesday.
Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report’s also ranked Westfield State University as number one of four Honor Roll schools named to its first-ever edition of Top Online Education Program rankings. Westfield State’s online bachelor’s degree completion programs were ranked in three different categories: faculty credentials and training (#1), student services and technology (#16), and teaching practices and student engagement (#42). Westfield State offers four online bachelor’s degree completion programs in business, liberal studies, history and sociology.
