U of G Earns Top Grades in Globe and Mail Report Card
October 16, 2007 - News Release
The grades are in and, once again, the University of Guelph received top marks in the 2007 University Report Card published today by the Globe and Mail.
Guelph was ranked No. 1 or tied for the top ranking in several key areas, including overall quality of education, faculty members' knowledge and availability, sense of personal safety and security, overall campus atmosphere, quality of academic advising and overall satisfaction with the university experience.
The sixth-annual survey is based on the opinions of 43,200 undergraduate students across Canada. Universities are awarded letter grades in numerous categories and subcategories.
In all, U of G earned four A-pluses, 15 A’s and 22 A-minuses on its report card.
President Alastair Summerlee said he is pleased with the results, especially U of G's high grades in areas such as tolerance for diverse opinions, campus atmosphere, student safety, campus green space and sense of community.
“It’s not the marks themselves that are so gratifying but what they indicate,” Summerlee said. “They tell us that people are beginning to understand what Guelph is all about, what makes us different. And one of the fundamental differences is our student experience. It’s unique, individualistic but also communal, and very genuine.”
A summary of the report card results was published in a special supplement in the newspaper, and a more detailed listing is available online. For the survey, universities are divided into four divisions based on enrolment — large, medium, small and very small. Guelph is in the medium category.
U of G faculty received top marks for teaching quality, subject knowledge, conducting leading-edge research, reputation for undergraduate studies and availability outside of the classroom.
“The willingness of our faculty to be accessible to students and to directly engage them in the learning process is another quality that sets Guelph apart,” said Maureen Mancuso, provost and vice-president (academic). “It’s very satisfying to have our professors recognized for their commitment and dedication.”
Among the student services that received high marks are food services (Guelph was once again the top-rated school in the country), library hours and resources, athletic programs and recreational opportunities.
U of G was also among the "Hot Five" universities recognized for being on "top of the technology wave." In addition to its up-to-date computer systems and wireless service, Guelph was singled out for "MyPortico," its custom-built web portal.
The University Report Card is the first in a series of surveys and rankings of Canadian universities that will be released this fall, including the annual Maclean’s rankings issue and the Research Infosource Inc. rankings.
While Guelph has done well in the past — including reaching the top spot numerous times in the various surveys —Summerlee said he believes U of G’s “time has come.”
“By that I mean that I expect our high rankings to translate into something more; to generate a buzz about Guelph, who we are and what we are all about,” he said.
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, 519-824-4120, Ext. 53338, or Deirdre Healey, 519-824-4120, Ext. 56982.
