Zane State College Ranked Ninth in the Nation

Student feedback and high graduation rates land College in top ten.

Zane State College is ranked ninth among two-year colleges in the nation, according to a report released this week by Washington Monthly.

The results are based on graduation rates and on student feedback as collected in the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, or CCSSE.  The survey measures how well two-year colleges are using teaching techniques that lead to better learning.

“We are proud that we represented Ohio in such a positive way,” said Dr. Paul Brown, president of Zane State College. “The ranking is a real source of pride for the College and the communities we serve.”

Dr. Brown credits Zane State College’s supportive boards and the personal touch philosophy—demonstrated by faculty and staff, as well as members of the community—as factors that had the greatest impact on the its high ranking. 

“Over and above the rankings, CCSSE tells us how we are satisfying our students’ needs,” said Dr. Brown.  “Our success depends on our ability to solicit feedback from students and area employers and we’ve managed to do this very well.  The end result is a graduation rate approaching three times the national average and alumni who go on to fulfilling careers.”

Washington Monthly cites the fact that 43 percent of all college freshmen begin their education at two-year institutions as an important reason for ranking two-year colleges.

Specific measurements in determining the rankings include:  academic challenge, student-faculty interaction, support for learners, student effort, and graduation rates.

View the Article Online
The article about two-year college rankings is in Washington Monthly’s 2007 College Guide, available online at http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2007/0709.careyessay.html

According to Kay McClenney, CCSSE’s director, the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) has two longstanding policies: commitment to public reporting of survey results and opposition to the use of those results in ranking colleges. While CCSSE welcomes the description of community college exemplars of effective educational practice, the organization is concerned about use of CCSSE data to rank colleges.