I am a faithful Alligator reader, and I must say sometimes I both agree and respectfully disagree with opinions from the Editorial Board. However, to say UF has lost its luster as the top school in the state reflects short-sighted thinking and a lack of understanding U.S. News and World Report rankings. To tie this change in rankings to a few football game losses is an extremely immature conclusion.
In the past three years, UF has gone in rankings from a high of 47th to a low of 53rd, while in this same time span the University of Miami has gone from 54th to 47th. To some it would seem as though UM has become a better school while UF has lost its academic superiority. This is not the case.
UF is still the best public school in the state and is the best value by far. Florida State University is the next-closest public school, and it is 51 spots away. Additionally, the changes in how U.S. News weighs specific metrics in its ranking formula also changes the rankings. Fluctuations in rank could be due to a host of factors, the least likely of which, in my opinion, is loss of academic superiority.
UF is one of the premier schools in the country, which is why it is a member of the Association of American Universities. One of 63 schools, membership is by invitation only, and the member institutions include the likes of Harvard University; Princeton University; University of California, Berkeley; University of Michigan and a host of other premier public and private institutions. We are the only school in the state to be a member of the AAU and have been so for 25 years. While I do not dismiss the academic reputation of other schools in the state, UF is still, by and large, the best school in Florida. More and more students want to come here because we are the best Florida has to offer.
While it is true some students tie academic excellence to athletic prowess, I’m shocked The Alligator would make such a claim. I am a Gators fan, and I have been at UF during the majority of its athletic dominance. Experiences in The Swamp and the O’Connell Center enhance my academic experience, but they do not define it. Saturdays in The Swamp are fun, but Monday through Friday is why students attend UF. I have faith Urban Meyer will get things corrected and will be playing for a Southeastern Conference championship.
Florida is a great school both academically and athletically. I know for a fact many students want to come to UF because of all it has to offer. The next time we wish to ring the alarm because of a few athletic letdowns, I suggest we make sure there’s an actual crisis instead of inventing one.
Editor's note: This letter refers to this editorial.
