Governining Board Praises Colorado State University for Independent Ranking as Top Institution in the State

Colorado State University’s governing board praised the school for being the top-ranked university in Colorado, according to an independent statewide analysis.

The governing board, citing the recent Colorado Commission on Higher Education Quality Indicator System performance assessment of all Colorado public institutions, said that Colorado State’s placement as the highest-scoring university or college serves as an indication of the quality of the institution.

"It comes as no surprise to us that Colorado State did so well in this evaluation," said Reginald Washington, president of the State Board of Agriculture. "The university has dedicated itself to student learning and has made the commitment to using its resources effectively and wisely to achieve the highest standards."

"President Al Yates and the faculty at the university have reason to be proud, as do the students who already know the benefits of attending one of the best public universities in the nation"

In a recent assessment, the CCHE listed Colorado State as scoring a total of 1,844 points in the ten-part evaluation of the university. The maximum score possible was 1,863. The CCHE evaluated all public institutions in the state as part of determining the funding formula for these institutions. The rankings compared all institutions with peer institutions around the country using a variety of measures established to determine academic quality and fiscal efficiency.

The CCHE ranking follows on the heels of another recent accolade for Colorado State. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine recently lauded Colorado State as one of the top 50 public universities in the country in terms of educational quality.

Colorado State ranked 48th in the "Summa Cum Laude: 100 Best Values in Public Colleges" report in the October issue of the magazine. The criteria used by the magazine for the ranking are the overall quality of education and affordability. The magazine cites as its goal to determine which public universities offer not an inexpensive education but "a combination of top-quality academics and low cost."

Yates, who is entering his 11th year at the helm of Colorado State as the longest tenured higher education leader in the state, called the recent rankings more evidence of the steady progress at the university.

"For more than a decade, we have been willing to dream and plan together, to think strategically and invest wisely, and to rely always on quality and the pursuit of excellence as the basis for all we do," Yates said. "While we certainly cannot focus on rankings, it is gratifying to receive notice that the hard work of many people is paying off for our students and that we are receiving recognition for the quality of education we provide."