Editorial: AU worthy of recognition, but progress should not stop

When a school cracks the Top 50 in major college football, it isn’t necessarily a big deal. After all, Auburn and Alabama have routinely been ranked that high — or higher — for years.

But when a school cracks the Top 50 nationally among public universities, it’s among the ultimate of compliments a university could ask for considering there are thousands of universities for high school seniors to choose from. Auburn University received this annual feather in the cap recently when U.S. News & World Report ranked the school 39th nationally. Auburn remains a fixture in the annual rankings’ Top 50 – making the list 17 consecutive years.

The report evaluates universities based on indicators which fall into seven categories: academic reputation among its peers, retention of students, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving and the graduation rate.

The top five schools on the list include: California, UCLA, Virginia, Michigan and North Carolina. The highest-ranked SEC school is Florida, which tied for 15th with Penn State and Texas. The magazine ranks the University of Alabama 43rd. According to a release from Auburn University, the school was 20th among land-grant institutions.

Growth has been the order at Auburn for several years. The school, which employs hundreds and educates more than 20,000, is in the midst of massive construction projects that, when completed, will enhance students’ quality of living and learning opportunities.

The university has seemingly been under construction for years with new buildings and remodeling projects — in dire economic times — dominating the landscape. But Auburn recognized the need to accommodate growth and continued to build for a better university. Auburn chose not to remain status quo, but knew it had to keep evolving for the future. That attitude must persist.

Auburn cannot afford to rest on its laurels or become complacent from lofty magazine rankings. Auburn must continue to provide for the ever-changing demands of its students and push the envelope when it comes to research and cutting edge technology. The magazine’s ranking should be applauded, but why stop at 39th?