U.S. News and World Report ranked Marshall's masters program No. 36 among Southern masters universities in its annual America's Best Colleges 2008 issue, a five-place advance from the 2007 edition.
President Stephen Kopp said the ranking articulates more than a mere number on a list, as Marshall is ranked with schools such as James Madison University, The Citadel in South Carolina and Elon University in North Carolina.
"I think you can debate about the numerical ranking, but being ranked among such schools speaks well for Marshall," Kopp said.
He continued his praise and said he felt this ranking could contribute to his plan for improving enrollment, which he outlined during his State of the University speech Sept. 28.
In his address to the faculty, Kopp discussed the border-state scholarship program intended to recruit students from Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.
Possibly affecting the president's proposal, nine colleges in the Tri-state ranked higher than Marshall in the same category, but Kopp said he does not think it will sway students away from Marshall.
"There are a lot of other factors," Kopp said. "Students don't make the decision [to attend a certain college] solely on the rankings."
In fact, Robert Morse U.S. News and World Report agrees with Kopp's statement.
"The U.S. News college rankings aren't what high school students are focusing on or worried about when they are going through the college application process," Morse said in a blog. "Instead, they cited key factors, such as what they believe is a lack of fairness overall and too much importance placed on the SAT."
But Jean Marie Gilman, director of recruitment at Marshall, said she disagrees. She said she thinks a lot of students will read the guide, which will further emphasize Marshall's name.
"I think it does make a difference," Gilman said. "Grad students look more at rankings than undergraduates would."
Regardless of whether the rankings are acknowledged, Marshall has supporters for its merit of being a top-50 contender.
"There are a number of programs that really stand out to draw people [to Marshall's graduate program] from all over the country and world," Leonard Deutsch, dean of the graduate college, said.
Deutsch said it is appealing to outsiders that Marshall has the only certified on-campus DNA lab in the nation.
In addition, it is the only in-state institution that offers certification for teaching the blind and visually impaired.
Faculty also plays an important role in the significance of the program's ranking.
Gilman said the excellent faculty and staff in the graduate college contributed to the five-place advancement in the rankings from last year through a strong emphasis on recruiting and the masters program.
Deutsch also mentioned faculty as a factor in the program's competitiveness and one professor in particular.
"If you Google herpetology [a branch of zoology focusing on reptiles and amphibians], you will find a number of programs, but many students want to work under Tom Pauley," Deutsch said.
Pauley, professor of biological sciences, is just one example of the prominent professors at the university Deutsch said makes the school a competitive pick.
U.S. News and World Report also ranks Marshall as one of "America's Best Buys" in higher education, and Marshall is recognized as one of the top most-wired campuses in the country.
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