Title: ELCA Colleges and Universities Rank among America's Best (Corrected Text)
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 10, 1999

ELCA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES RANK AMONG AMERICA'S BEST (CORRECTED TEXT)
99-222-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Colleges and universities of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) rank among the best in the United
States, according to U.S. News and World Report's 2000 edition of
"America's Best Colleges," issued Aug. 30. When compared with other
public and private institutions, 17 of the ELCA's 28 college and
universities are considered to have high academic standards at
affordable costs.
     For six consecutive years Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove,
Pa., is ranked first among liberal arts colleges in the northeastern
United States. The college also appears in a top 10 list of "Great
Schools at Great Prices," where it is ranked 10 among regional liberal
arts colleges in the northeastern U.S.
     "We are pleased that Susquehanna has been noted in this way again
this year," said Dr. Joel J. Cunningham, president of Susquehanna.
"This is a welcome recognition for Susquehanna's faculty, students,
staff, alumni and friends, who all contribute to the success of the
university."
     "It is heartwarming to see so many fine Pennsylvania colleges
highly noticed," said Cunningham.
     The ELCA's Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pa., was also ranked in
the top national liberal arts colleges, second tier, as were three other
ELCA institutions: Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pa.; Gustavus
Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn. and St. Olaf College, Northfield,
Minn.
     "There are many excellent colleges and universities beyond those
on these lists, so I would urge college-bound students and their parents
not to rely too heavily on college rankings," said Cunningham. "A
campus visit is still the best way to determine whether a college's
people and programs are a good match with a student's interests."
     U.S. News and World Report ranks colleges and universities
according to their academic reputation, retention of students, faculty
resources, selection of students, financial resources, alumni giving and
graduation rate performance (the difference between the proportion of
students expected to graduate and the proportion that actually does).
According to the magazine, the indicators include input measures that
reflect the quality of students, faculty and other resources, and
outcome measures that signal how well the institution does its job.

ELCA colleges and universities ranked among U.S. News and World Report's
"America's Best Colleges":
Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill. --- www.augustana.edu
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. --- www.augie.edu
California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, Calif. --- www.clunet.edu
Capital University, Columbus, Ohio --- www.capital.edu
Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis. --- www.carthage.edu
Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. --- www.cord.edu
Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pa. --- www.gettysburg.edu
Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn. --- www.gac.edu
Luther College, Decorah, Iowa --- www.luther.edu
Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pa. --- www.muhlberg.edu
Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash. --- www.plu.edu
Roanoke College, Salem, Va. --- www.roanoke.edu
St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn. --- www.stolaf.edu
Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pa. --- www.susqu.edu
Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, Texas --- www.txlutheran.edu
Wagner College, Staten Island, N.Y. --- www.wagner.edu
Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa --- www.wartburg.edu


For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html