Alverno College in Milwaukee has been ranked No. 1 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 list of “Most Innovative Schools.”
The college tied with Butler University in Indianapolis for the top innovation spot among Midwest Regional Universities. Milwaukee School of Engineering placed fifth on the same list.
The innovative schools list highlights “institutions making inventive improvements in terms of campus life, curriculum, facilities, faculty, students or technology.” The Regional Universities rankings are divided into four regions. There are also innovation lists for National Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges and Regional Colleges.
This is the first time U.S. News has compiled the Most Innovative Schools list. Institutions were ranked through a peer review.
U.S. News hasn’t revealed to Alverno which factors contributed to its ranking, said Kelly Fay, public relations specialist at Alverno. But Alverno’s recent campus improvement project to upgrade its facilities, its new flexible degree program, and its 40-year history of applying an abilities-based curriculum could have influenced the decision, Fay said.
“If we had to guess, we would say those are the things that have put us ahead,” she said.
“Our reputation for excellence in undergraduate education has always been a source of great pride for us,” said Mary Meehan, Ph.D., president of Alverno College. “What’s especially satisfying is to see the innovative and creative work of our dedicated faculty recognized as well as our efforts to provide a campus environment that mirrors the quality of our teaching.”
“We are the only organization that has been ranking schools for over three decades,” said Robert Morse, chief data strategist at U.S. News. “Over that time we have improved our information and sharpened our methodology’s focus, with one of the biggest updates being a greater consideration of output measurements.”
