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The New American Colleges and Universities (formerly Associated New American Colleges or ANAC) is a national consortium of 20 selective, small to mid-size independent colleges and universities dedicated to the purposeful integration of liberal education, professional studies, and civic engagement.
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The New American
Colleges & Universities |
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| Integrating Liberal Arts, Professional Studies, and Civic Responsibility |
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| In The News |
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More News...
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 NAC&U Announces Short-Term Study Programs Opportunities
Four member institutions have opened winter short-term study opportunities to students, and in some cases faculty, from member institutions. Programs offered by Belmont, Butler, Pacific Lutheran and Samford are now available for promotion at your institutions. The programs, which range from two weeks to one month, extend from Peru to South Africa, and include two opportunities to focus on sustainability in the state of Washington. Encourage your students to act fast, as most deadlines are within the next four weeks! Read more.
10 New American Colleges and Universities Named to Washington Monthly’s College Rankings
 A “different kind of college ranking” – one that measures how well universities are meeting their public obligations of providing research, service and social mobility - has ranked ten NAC&U institutions among the nation’s leading service-oriented colleges. Hamline University, Valparaiso University, University of Scranton, University of Redlands, Hampton University, Westminster College, Butler University, University of Evansville, Ithaca College, and Pacific Lutheran University were all listed among the top 100 Master’s Universities listed in the September/October issue of Washington Monthly. The national ranking recognizes universities inclined to “spend energy and resources on encouraging students to give back to their communities and their nation,” according to the article in Washington Monthly that accompanies the listings. Read more: Washington Monthly | Valparaiso | Scranton
Sixteen New American Colleges and Universities Named to Forbes’ Best Colleges List
Forbes Magazine’s online listing of “America’s Best Colleges 2010,” published on Aug. 11, includes sixteen NAC&U institutions, including Belmont, Butler, Drake, Drury, Elon, Hamline, Ithaca, North Central, PLU, Quinnipiac, Redlands, Russell Sage College, Samford, Scranton, Evansville, and Valparaiso. The ranking, compiled by Forbes with research from The Center for College Affordability and Productivity, is based on a dozen factors that seek to evaluate student satisfaction, post-graduate success, student success in garnering nationally competitive awards, student debt and four-year graduation rates. Read more.
Campus Climate Index Rates Ithaca, Sage, Redlands, Among Most Gay-Friendly Colleges
 Ithaca College is among only 19 schools nationwide to earn five stars — the highest rating — in the Campus Pride Climate Index. Also included on the list with 3.5 out of 5 stars, were The Sage Colleges and University of Redlands. Campus Pride is a national nonprofit organization that works to create a safer environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) college students. The index takes an in-depth look at LGBT-friendly policies, programs and practices at over 230 colleges and universities. The annual index has become a staple in student and faculty research, campus organizing efforts and benchmarking for LGBT student safety and inclusion. Read more: Campus Climate Index | Ithaca
 Wagner Theater Ranked #5 in U.S.
For the sixth year in a row, the Wagner College Theater has been ranked among the top collegiate stage programs in the nation. Wagner is No. 5 on this year’s Best College Theaters list, behind Drew University, Emerson College, Yale University and Bennington College. For this year’s Best Colleges guide, the Princeton Review surveyed 122,000 students (average 325 per campus) at the 373 schools profiled in the book. The 80-question survey asked students about their school’s academics, administration, campus life, student body, and themselves. Read more.
New American Colleges and Universities Recognized for Quality
New American Colleges Highlighted in 2010 Princeton Review
 Ten New American Colleges and Universities were named in the 2011 edition of the Princeton Review’s annual college guide “The Best 373 Colleges” (Random House / Princeton Review). They are Elon University, Hampton University, Ithaca College, Quinnipiac University, Samford University, The University of Scranton, University of Redlands, Valparaiso University, Wagner College, and Westminster College. These same institutions were recognized in the previous edition. Rankings are based on institutional data during 2009-10 in areas such as admissions selectivity, financial aid, and attention to environmental concerns.
All ten were also cited as top college choices in their geographic regions, along with NAC&U members: Arcadia University, Belmont University, Butler University, Drake University, Drury University, Hamline University, North Central College, and University of Evansville.
The Princeton Review also polled 122,000 students at the 373 institutions to produce rankings for student life and satisfaction. Elon University moved up 15 spots from last year to earn a #1 ranking in the “School Runs Like Butter” category. Ithaca College’s student radio station earned a second-place ranking among college radio stations, and its college theater was listed as #8, up one place from last year. Wagner College’s theater ranked #5. Westminster students touted the school’s quality of life (ranked #13) and town-gown relations (ranked #15). Students at Samford also praised town-gown relations (ranked #11) while the university placed 14th on the “Most Beautiful Campus” list. Read more at member sites: Belmont | Butler | Drake | Drury | Ithaca | Scranton | Evansville | Redlands | Valparaiso | Wagner | Westminster
 Elon, Westminster Named to 2010 List of 'Great Colleges to Work For'
The Chronicle of Higher Education has recognized Elon University and Westminster College in its 2010 “Great Colleges to Work For” program, which honors institutions for best practices and policies, such as teaching environment, respect and appreciation, and confidence in senior leadership. The institutions were two of 97 colleges and universities recognized in the third annual list. Elon was one of only 39 institutions named to the Honor Roll of institutions that were recognized the most in their size categories. Read more at: Elon | The Chronicle
The Chronicle of Higher Education Coverage of the NAC&U Executive Summit
Alexandra Tilsley, CHE reporter, interviewed 8 NAC&U members during Summer Institute on their discussions to leverage consortium partnerships. Read more. |
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| U.S.News Rankings Again Cite Quality, Value and Commitment to Students at NAC&U Institutions |
At a time when consumers are scrutinizing every dollar they spend, one thing is certain. Students enrolled at New American Colleges & Universities get their money’s worth based on rankings in U.S.News & World Report’s 2011 “America’s Best Colleges” issue.
More than half of NAC&U members were featured among only 60 regional universities nationwide on the “Great Schools, Great Prices” list which calculated value by measuring academic quality against the net cost of attendance (based on average aid package). They are:
| North: |
Ithaca College, The University of Scranton |
| South: |
Elon University |
| Midwest: |
University of Evansville, Valparaiso University, Drake University, Butler University, Hamline University |
| West: |
University of Redlands, Pacific Lutheran University, Westminster College |
Additionally, NAC&U member Samford University was also listed among the top 25 national universities whose students graduate with the least debt. Only 38 percent of Samford students graduate with debt, and the average amount is just over $15,000.
NAC&U members excel in delivering a quality experience to students. Elon and Belmont University took the 1st and 2nd spots, respectively, among regional institutions in the south on the “Strong Commitment to Teaching” ranking. Four Midwestern members – Butler (3rd); Drake, North Central College, and Valparaiso (6th, all tied); also were recognized for undergraduate instruction. The University of Scranton was tied for 3rd among northern institutions on the same list.
More than a third of NAC&U members were listed as “Up-and-Comers,” many of which had made last year’s list. They are:
| North: |
Wagner College (1st), Quinnipiac University (2nd), Arcadia University (3rd) |
| South: |
Elon (1st), Belmont (2nd) |
| Midwest: |
Butler (1st), Valparaiso (4th, tied) |
Again New American Colleges and Universities featured prominently on the list “A Strong Focus on Student Success,” which examines academic programs commonly linked to positive student outcomes. These enriching opportunities are also hallmarks of New American Colleges and Universities which connect theory to application through experiences both in and out of the classroom. Wagner and Elon were recognized for their First-Year Experience programs, Internships, Learning Communities, and Service Learning. Belmont was also recognized for its Learning Communities. Additionally, Elon was recognized for its Senior Capstone program. Four NAC&U members were cited for having excellent Study Abroad programs. They are Arcadia, Butler, Elon, and the University of Evansville.
More than seventy-five percent of NAC&U members were recognized on the “A+ Schools for B Students” list. They are Samford, Arcadia, Ithaca, Quinnipiac, Redlands, The University of Scranton, Wagner, Belmont, Elon, Butler, Drake, Drury University, Hamline, Valparaiso, Pacific Lutheran, Russell Sage College, and Westminster.
In the overall rankings again more than half of New American Colleges and Universities classified as regional universities were in the top ten for their respective geographic rankings, and 95 percent were in the top 30. Samford moved up 22 spots to #104 out of 260 national universities this year. Russell Sage College moved from the third tier to the first tier among national liberal arts colleges.
Hampton University moved up two places to take the 4th spot on the list of Black Colleges. Valparaiso’s engineering program was ranked 31st nationally among engineering schools that offer only bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
For more information: US News | Arcadia | Belmont | Butler | Drake | Drury | Elon | Hamline | Ithaca | North Central | Quinnipiac | Samford | Scranton | Evansville | Valparaiso | Wagner | Westminster |
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Moving Forward, Together
Summer Institute Highlights Strength of Consortium |
The Summer Institute has always afforded NAC&U members with the opportunity to share best practices with like-minded institutions, and this year’s conference was no different in that respect. But in many ways, the 2010 Summer Institute, whose theme was “Sustaining Community, Renewal, and Meaning in our Work,” prompted the 145 attendees to examine what lies ahead for higher education and determine how to best use the tools and opportunities available—whether the consortium’s collective strength, social media, or data on student trends—to remain viable while staying true to what they do best.
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| Executives discussed leveraging the consortium as a way to stay competitive. |
Prior to the official start of the Institute at Wagner College in New York, presidents, provosts/CAOs, CFOs, and vice presidents for Enrollment Management gathered for an Executive Summit to discuss fiscal sustainability and institutional positioning in response to a changing demographic and economic climate. Executives also discussed how to leverage NAC&U to better position both their own institutions and the consortium. Following the Executive Summit, Alexandra Tilsley, reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education, interviewed eight NAC&U members about the consortium and its plans to increase collaboration.
The official start to Summer Institute kicked off on Wednesday with a luncheon, the first of many delicious meals that showcased Wagner’s gracious hospitality. Following that, Charles Blaish of The Wabash Center at Wabash College gave a presentation on the Center’s national study of 49 institutions that identified practices and conditions that promote liberal education and growth within students. Blaish asserted that it was essential to listen to student feedback if an institution were to be successful at attaining positive outcomes in student retention and student achievement.
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| Annmarie Dowling-Castronovo, nursing professor at Wagner, discusses sustainable civic engagement. |
Throughout the institute there were sessions of concurrent panels. Topics included Educating and Retaining the 21st Century Student, Piloting a K-16 Early College High School, and Literacy across the Curriculum, among others, presented by faculty and administrators from member campuses and guest speakers.
John Lawlor and Lynsey Struthers of The Lawlor Group, specialists in education marketing, discussed social media for colleges and universities. The presentation outlined the reasons why institutions need to be on social media, redefined the four Ps of marketing, and provided a concrete game plan for setting up a presence on popular sites. To conclude the Summer Institute, George Dehne of George Dehne & Associates kept with the forward-looking theme of the conference with his vision of higher education in 20/20, including the changing demographics of students and what colleges and universities need to do to stay competitive.
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| Natalie Johnson, second from left, of Wagner College with a group from The University of Scranton visiting the Chinese Scholars Garden in Snug Harbor on Staten Island. |
From the Institute’s “base” at Wagner College in Staten Island, many conference participants took full advantage of the free ferry ride to Manhattan. Also, NAC&U organized educational expeditions to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, and a tour of Staten Island.
Photos from the Summer Institute are posted on the NAC&U Facebook page.
Next year’s Summer Institute will take place at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Officials from North Central agreed that their work was cut out for them as Wagner College provided such a memorable experience—the comprehensive, educational program; creative meal planning (authentic hot dog carts at lunchtime!); and sweeping views of the NYC skyline; to name a few highlights. Located just 29 miles west of Chicago, however, North Central is certain to put its own regional flair on next year’s conference.
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Read archived New American Colleges and Universities Featured stories. |
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