Skube Has Column Published in L.A. Times

 School of Communications faculty member Michael Skube had a column titled, "The No. 1 reason to rank colleges," published in the L.A. Times on July 8. In the column, Skube writes that college rankings vehicles, such as U.S. News & World Report, are important to a student's selection process. He argues that, while these rankings are inherently flawed because of their subjective nature, they still serve a university purpose--marketing the institution--and a student purpose--finding the school that feels right.

"But has Elon attracted better students because of its rising stock, or has it been the other way round?" Skube writes. "No doubt a mutual reinforcement has taken place, but it would be misleading to call one the cause and the other the effect."

He says while there is much numbers cannot relay to potential students, "there is much that can be known, and needs to be known, before one ever leaves the solid ground of home and familiar surroundings. That, if nothing else, is what a few bare facts can provide."