I can't help but follow up to my entry from earlier this week re. the U.S. News & World Report rankings presentation given by Catherine Watt of Clemson University.  Here is the most recent media coverage:

• Part 2 of the Inside Higher Ed piece (suggestion--read the comment sections for both IHE articles)
• Coverage in The Chronicle (see below)
• AP coverage in which Watt is called a "rogue Clemson University staffer"
• Reaction from Bob Morse on his USN&WR blog. I liked this quote from the blog: "We realize we can't control how this information gets used in the higher ed community, but the rankings are not meant to drive the mission or any other strategic goals that a university may be trying to attain. It's up to the Clemson University community to decide whether rising in the college rankings is a goal it ought to pursue."

Click here to read the official Clemson response. [Update- this hyperlink on the IHE website no longer works.]  The Chronicle reports Clemson's response as denying the claims made by Watt.  The "accusations are "outrageous" examples of "urban legends" that have surrounded the university's campaign to reach the top 20 of public research universities."

PS-- I've been emailing back and forth with a number of people about this story.  We all wonder if Ms. Watt has tenure in her faculty position...

-Teresa Valerio Parrot