the review washburn university
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volume 136, Issue 3 • Wednesday, September 2, 2009
School Residential living at capacity Law recognized Jennie Loucks WASHBURN REVIEW
For the past three years, an upward trend has become apparent on Washburn’s campus: the number of students choosing to live on campus. This year, the Living Learning Center, Kuehne, West, and the Washburn Village are at full capacity. “We have 646 residents throughout campus this semester,” said Kate McCown, assistant director of Residential Living. “This is up from 617 residents last year.” With on-campus residency on the rise, both staff and students agree that this brings other benefits. “We are obviously excited to have so many students here,” said McCown. “We can hopefully have them involved with more student organizations because they are living right here on campus.” Edwin Madrigal, a sophomore and former resident of the LLC, said that he has noticed there are more people living on campus, and agrees that this is only a good thing for Washburn. “This means more revenue and more students getting the full experience,” said Madrigal. “Hopefully this will mean more involvement and higher attendance at events.” The only disadvantage that returning students and those who have moved off campus have complained about, over and over again, is the lack of parking. “I’m pretty sure there are enough parking spots campus wide; there are just a lot of people who don’t want to walk very far to get to class,” said Misty Campbell, sophomore. “Therefore, the only places they’re looking for spots, are already taken.”
Jennie Loucks WASHBURN REVIEW
Photo by Tesa DeForest, Washburn Review
Full up: Grace Shepler, left, and Megan Poppe are two freshmen who chose to live on campus their first year. Living on campus was a popular decision this year, which lead to a full capacity at all four residence halls. The rise in on-campus residency is easy choice for me this year,” said now lives in the Washburn Vilnot based solely on the incoming fresh- Shinn. “Living on campus gives you lage said that convenience was men this year. Many students, such as the chance to have some personal key in his choice of where to live. “I decided to live on campus Campbell, chose to stay on campus room to not be distracted, which you after their first year at Washburn. As can’t always get living at home.” again because I didn’t want to be tied well, many students who chose to The social aspects weighed into a year-long lease on an apartspend their first year at home have de- in on Shinn’s decision as well. ment.,” said Stuckey. “Also, I decided to try venturing out on their own. “I think living on campus allows cided on the Village because that Blake Shinn, a sophomore you to get closer to your friends because meant that I would not have to get who grew up in the Topeka area, you can relate to them more because up as early for classes as I would if and whose family currently resides you’re in the same situations. You can I were living away from campus.” here, chose to spend his first year walk to class together, and you have of college at home. This year, he close-knit study groups,” said Shinn. Jennie Loucks is a sophomore mass media moved into the Washburn Village. Jacob Stuckey, a sophomore major. Reach her at jennifer.loucks@ “Moving on campus was an who lived in the LLC last year and washburn.edu.
The National Jurist, a law student magazine, recently published a poll titled “Best Value Law School,” which named Washburn University 31 in the nation. According to the magazine, the 65 top-ranking schools were chosen based upon their ability to “carry a low price tag and prepare their students incredibly well for today’s competitive job market.” The specific criterion used to put rankings on schools began first with in-state tuition prices: the lower the price, the higher on the list. The next measurable standard was the employment rate of each school and the rate of school bar passage. There was a stronger emphasis on employment rate in this year’s poll, because of the state of the economy. Washburn’s ranking came from its $14,950 in-state tuition, an employment rate of 92.40 percent, and a school bar passage rate of 90 percent, one percent higher than the state bar average. The No. 1 ranking school was North Carolina Central University School of Law. Their final results consisted of an in-state tuition of $5,707, an employment rate of 87 percent, and school bar passage rate of 86 percent. North Carolina’s state bar average was 78 percent. In response to this recognition, Thomas J. Romig, Dean of the Law School, said, “Washburn University School of Law provides our students a great legal education at
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Washburn receives accolades ratings are not without controversy, though, said David Monical, Washburn’s executive director of government and university relations, because the criterion for the ranking is such that small schools can excel. This does not mean the ranking is meaningless, however. In fact, Washburn is classified with and ranked amongst master’s universities. Universities that focus on undergraduate education, offer some master’s
degree programs, but few, if any, doctoral programs. For this reason, Washburn is not ranked among its biggest competitors, the University of Washburn University’s ranking Kansas and Kansas State University, on the list of top 10 public colleges in which are rated on a national scale. the Midwest may be a reflection a repWashburn is ranked together utation not easily seen at first glance. with private universities, however, The university has ranked within which make up the majority of the the top 10 for a decade in U.S. News list. Of the 146 schools, 94 private and World Report’s annual ranking and 52 public, Washburn is ranked 36. of “America’s Best Colleges.” The “The rankings are skewed to rank private schools higher than public schools,” Monical said. When the private schools are taken off the list, Washburn 1. Truman State University, Kirksville, Mo. comes in seventh, tied with Grand Val2. University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls ley State Univer3. University of Wisconsin, La Crosse sity and the University of Minnesota. 4. University of Illinois, Springfield (tied for 4th) Another impor4. University of Michigan, Dearborn (tied for 4th) tant factor to consider, said Monical, is that 6. University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire Washburn is the only open-admissions uni7. Washburn University, Topeka, Kan. (tied for 7th) ranked in the 7. Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Mich. (tied for 7th) versity top ten. The open-admissions factor skews 7. University of Minnesota, Duluth (tied for 7th) almost all of the crite10. Missouri State University ria including student retention, weighted as http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/masters-midwest-top-public 20 percent of the rating.
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Peer Assessment - 25 percent By using a peer assessment, intangible aspects of universities (such as faculty dedication to students) can be accounted for.
Retention 25 percent A school that has a higher rate of returning freshmen who eventually graduate will be more prepared to offer services students need. Faculty Resources - 20 percent Students will learn more quickly and will be more likely to graduate if they are satisfied with the relationships they have with their professors. Student Selectivity - 15 percent A school’s student body (and their abilities and ambitions) determines its academic atmosphere. Financial Resources - 10 percent The amount of money a college can spend per student indicates a variety of programs and services available to students.
Information from U.S. News and World Report
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Criteria for Rankings
Alumni Giving Rate - 5 percent Can represent student satisfaction.
Ben Fitch is a junior mass media major. Reach him at benjamin.fitch@washburn. edu.
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Top 10 Ranked Public Universities: Midwest Region
The other criteria are, respectively, peer assessment, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance and the alumni giving rate. The last is strong with Washburn. “[The ranking] reinforces what students think,” Monical said, “that Washburn is a high quality institution.” Enrollment management plans to market the accolade to prospective students by developing a general interest post card that showcases Washburn’s ranking. A letter to the parents of prospective students is being drafted as well and will mention the University’s reputation. “I’m not certain this will have a direct impact on enrollment, but it affirms that we are doing something right,” said Richard Liedtke, executive director of enrollment management. U.S. News and World Report states that the ranking is compiled to help individuals with their quest to find a good school. “How can you best use our rankings? Mining the data for the information you need can definitely inform your thinking. The hard work is up to you.”
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Ben Fitch WASHBURN REVIEW
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