The Princeton Review, a leading collegiate ranking publication, ranked the U’s department of operations and information systems in the top 15 of all universities in the United States.
The department, part of the David Eccles School of Business, placed in the operations section of the six-part ranking process, which ranks schools in finance, accounting, marketing, global management, general management and operations.
“This is very good for us. We’re a brand new department, so it was an honor,” said Don Wardell, chair of the department. “We are hoping to have a new major soon, so this is good publicity for us as we go forward with that.”
The rankings, titled “Student Opinion Honors for Business Schools,” surveyed more than 19,000 business school students nationwide and selected 15 in each category.
“This is a ranking that is based on student opinions, so I would interpret it that our students are happy with their experience,” Wardell said.
Students were asked to rate their campus and classroom experience. The study only rated the Masters of Business Administration programs in each of the areas, but business school administrators are hopeful that the ranking will translate into success at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
“People go to The Princeton Review to look at where they want to go to school, so it’s good for us to be featured and get that visibility,” said Jack Brittain, dean of the U David Eccles School of Business. “We’re proud of it and the recognition it gets for the school.”
The ranking is another notch on the belt of the business school, after being ranked the sixth most “family friendly” business school. The U was in the company of other notable universities such as Syracuse, Purdue, the University of Illinois and the University of Missouri.
“Reputation is something that is really hard to build up, it’s not just one award that puts you at the top,” Brittain said. “The top schools aren’t trying to lower themselves in the rankings, so it’s great to rise in the rankings.”
The business school is in search of a new dean after Brittain announced that he will work exclusively with the U’s tech ventures department, a position he already holds.
“I’ve talked to all of the finalist candidates and everyone notices the really strong momentum that we have,” Brittain said. “The rest of the country is finally recognizing us. It’s a recognition of the faculty in that area that are doing very well.”