CLU ranked among the best in the West

California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks has been ranked 17th on the U.S. News & World Report list of top schools in the West, from Texas to the West Coast, offering quality bachelor's and master's degrees.

For the 12th straight year, CLU has been placed in the top tier of Western Regional Universities in the U.S. News & World Report an- nual rankings, which were released this week on the U.S. News & World Report website (www.usnews.com ).

The rankings were posted in the Aug. 28 edition of the U.S. News & World Report magazine and in the U.S. News & World Report America's Best Colleges Guide 2007. "The university is pleased to be

recognized as one of the top univer- sities in the western United States," said Dr. Chris Kimball, provost and vice president for academic affairs. "However, we are most proud of what our students have accom- plished under the guidance of our dedicated faculty. The success ex- perienced by our students and fac- ulty can be measured in many ways, particularly in how they prepare for lives of leadership and service."

Based on high scores in several key categories, CLU has main- tained its spot among top institu- tions in the West. Peer institutions are ranking CLU higher, and sig- nificant strides have been made in increasing the graduation rates and the percentage of freshmen who are in the top 25 percent of their high school class.

CLU consistently ranks high with respect to freshman retention rates (81 percent) and the percentage of classes with fewer than 20 students (64 percent).

Serving more than 2,000 under- graduates and about 1,000 gradu- ate and teaching credential stu- dents, CLU offers 36 majors along with professional preparation pro- grams in specified fields of study.

Master's degree programs are offered in education, psychology, business administration, public policy and administration, and computer science.

A doctoral program in educa- tional leadership is offered through the School of Education.

For a complete listing of U.S. News & World Report rankings, visit www.usnews.com.