Loyola has received top honors from both the U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review in their recent college rankings. As an added bonus, the university’s rankings this year are higher than they were pre-Katrina.

Ranked into the Top Universities – Master’s sub-category for the southern region, Loyola has jumped up from the seventh slot to the sixth best university in the southern region.

U.S. News says, “The ranking system rests on two pillars: quantitative measures that education experts have proposed as reliable indicators of academic quality and our nonpartisan view of what matters in education.”

“It is a tribute to all the wonderful individuals affiliated with Loyola University New Orleans and the contributions they make on a daily basis to its betterment – faculty, staff, students and administrators – that we accept and cherish this honor,” said Walter Harris, university provost, in an e-mail to The Maroon.

“It is further a tribute to the character of the institution that we were able to accomplish this honor in the face of the many challenges confronting us since Hurricane Katrina.”

The measures of quality include: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.

Loyola is in the Master’s sub-category because the highest degree a student can earn at the university is a master’s degree.

Loyola’s neighbor Tulane University, by contrast, is in the National Universities category because they offer doctorate programs.

Another category Loyola placed well in was the Great Values ranking. Loyola University is No. 7 on the list, right ahead of Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala.

In response to the U.S. News rankings, the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, said in a press release, “The fact that we moved up to the sixth spot in the southern region is an extraordinary accomplishment for the Loyola community as we continue to recover from the worst man-made and natural disaster in the history of the United States.

“The last two years have been challenging for us. However, we have achieved a level of stability that has allowed the university to move forward and ensure our viability as we approach our 100th anniversary.

“Loyola faculty, staff and students are an integral part of the recovery, and one of the best things we can do to help this region prosper is to stay focused on our mission in providing a high quality liberal arts education rooted in the Jesuit mission and commitment to social justice.”

According to the Princeton Review, Loyola has the sixth best college library in the country, placing ahead of heavyweights like Columbia University in New York and Stanford University in California. Loyola moved up four spots since last year, when Loyola’s library placed at No. 10.

The Princeton Review’s Best 366 College Rankings do influence the incoming freshmen. Royce Stuteville, philosophy freshman, said, “The Princeton Review’s Web site definitely affected my college decision. It is a reputable source, and it let me know Loyola was a good college to attend.”

Also in the Princeton Review, Loyola ranks No. 20 in the Town-Gown Relations category. This category measures Loyola’s relationship with the local community. Other universities mentioned in this category are the United States Naval Academy and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Music industries studies freshman Leland Baker said, “The Princeton Review’s Web site gave me information about the music program. I knew Loyola would offer a rich educational experience.”

Tulane University was No. 20 in the Great College Towns category. New York University and the College of Charleston were also on the list.

Lee Hudson can be reached at [email protected].