Dear Colleagues,

Evaluations, including ratings, from multiple approaches and sources are
important for us to consider in assessing our progress in meeting our
mission.  The U. S. News ratings clearly aim at a lay audience through
their annual publication.  SACS, AASCB, ABET, etc. - including today's news
from the American Dietetic Association - ratings mean more to academicians.

Each approach, however, aims at providing some public accountability for
what we do.

As with John Friedl's thanks and congratulations last week about Computer
Science initial accreditation from ABET, please allow me to say thanks and
congratulations for what you do to make the data snapshots of us cause U S
News to tell millions of Americans that UTC is among the Top Ten best
public universities in the South.

The popular journalism of U S News will reach more families and students
than any communication effort we could ever make.  The positive rankings
being released this week all over the nation will perhaps help in our
efforts to become a national role model of an engaged metropolitan university.

Thank you for help in continuing the heritage and momentum of UTC as an
outstanding public university.

Bill