COLUMN: Penn goes to the polls

From Andrew Exum's, "Perilous Orthodoxy," Fall '00 From Andrew Exum's, "Perilous Orthodoxy," Fall '00At the University of Kentucky, students dressed in black moped around campus like funeral attendees when the university's basketball team dropped out of the top 25 rankings for the first time in years this season. Angry alumni called for coach Tubby Smith's job.From Andrew Exum's, "Perilous Orthodoxy," Fall '00At the University of Kentucky, students dressed in black moped around campus like funeral attendees when the university's basketball team dropped out of the top 25 rankings for the first time in years this season. Angry alumni called for coach Tubby Smith's job. And at Virginia Tech, students and administrators went into an extended state of frenzy this fall when their football team climbed as high as No. 2 in the national collegiate rankings. Of course, all of this hysteria regarding rankings seems silly to those of us within the ivy-covered walls of the University of Pennsylvania, right? Well, it all depends on which poll you're talking about. True, we don't get into much of a tizzy regarding sports polls, even when the Quakers manage to garner a few votes in the AP basketball rankings. But with regard to the much-anticipated U.S. News and World Report rankings, we are particularly sensitive. Last Friday, The Daily Pennsylvanian ran a cover story noting that Penn's graduate schools were up almost across the board in the U.S. News and World Report rankings. And two Thursdays ago, University President Judith Rodin joked in 34th Street magazine that her idea of "perfect happiness" would be "a No. 1 ranking in U.S. News and World Report." At least, I think she was joking. Problem is, you never can tell. Among President Rodin's goals in her Agenda for Excellence include a top 10 place in the magazine's rankings -- a goal that looks oddly out of place among her otherwise high-minded dreams. Trouble is, the pursuit of an arbitrary numerical ranking in a national magazine is often incongruous with the greater mission of the University. But in theory, it shouldn't be that way. To simplify: The schools U.S. News ranks highest are the schools it believes teach undergraduates better. Thus, the best way to get a higher ranking would be to teach undergrads better, which -- unless I am sorely mistaken -- is the University's undergraduate mission in the first place. Sounds simple, right? But the U.S. News rankings are built upon a complicated foundation of -- among other things -- academic reputation, retention of students, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving and graduation rate. The magazine itself admits that there are flaws in the methodology, but contends, "Hey -- it's the best we can do." So, in reality, the way to get a better ranking is to concentrate on these individual categories and watch your overall score improve. But as any undergraduate will tell you, few of those categories have any direct influence on the quality of their education here at Penn. None of those categories get your Political Science professor's office hours extended longer. None of those categories get any new computers put in the English majors' lounge. And none of those categories guarantee professors who can effectively communicate material in a lively and interesting manner. So knowing that, will the University say "to hell with the rankings" anytime soon and get down to the business of what really makes undergraduate education better? Fat chance. Fact is, alumni and prospective students alike enjoy seeing Penn in the top 10 just as much as President Rodin does. And admit it -- so do you. But perhaps we can merge our U.S. News ambitions with other goals. To end this column, I have a few suggestions for ways to improve the University's undergraduate education -- ways that will not show up on any national ranking scheme. · Forget, for a moment, undergraduate retention. The University should concentrate more on faculty retention -- especially faculty members that are as proven in the classroom as they are in the research lab. The recently announced loss of History Professor Drew Faust is the latest in a long line of high-profile faculty departures over the last several years. · Foster increased student-faculty interaction. The college house system has proven to be a great vehicle for interaction with the faculty. Give it more money and resources. And where, for example, has SCUE's "Take Your Professor to Lunch" gone? I don't know if this worthy program is still around -- it certainly hasn't been advertised. If it's gone, bring it back and let people know. · Open Houston Hall in the Perelman Quadrangle as soon as is humanly possible. It's a shame that the students at Penn have been without one central gathering place for the past several years, weakening the undergraduate community. All of my suggestions, you'll note, have one thing in common: keeping the people who make the University run -- that is, faculty and students -- happy. Do that and alumni giving rates will increase, thereby increasing the University's financial resources. Student retention rates will increase as a result, improving graduation rates. And all this will lead to a higher --well, you know.