Six UCs Rank Top in the Country, Despite Problems

Despite budget cuts, a squeeze for resources and a new, arguably more stressful application process systemwide, six University of California campuses made the Top 10 on U.S News & World Report's list of the nation's best public universities.

UC Berkeley ranked No. 1 for the 15th year in a row, followed by UCLA at No. 2, UC Santa Barbara at No. 8 and UC Irvine at No. 9. UC San Diego and UC Davis tied for the No. 10 spot with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In a newsletter on the University of California website, UC President Janet Napolitano said the rankings were a reflection of the quality of a UC education.

“That six of our campuses are in the top 10 reflects the commitment to excellence found among our students, faculty and staff systemwide. These rankings capture what we already know -- UC students obtain a world-class education at a great value,” said Napolitano in the newsletter.

But the UC system was not without problems this past year.

In March, the California state auditor found the UC system undermined in-state students by tripling the number of admitted nonresident students who are less qualified but who pay more in tuition. This came as concern over funding for the system, which serves more than 238,000 students and more than 190,000 faculty and staff, became the subject of disagreement between Gov. Jerry Brown and Napolitano.

Budgets are also a concern for students on an individual level. A report released in July found that one in five UC students said they experienced food insecurity in the past year due to limited resources.

At the No. 1-ranked public school, Chancellor Nicholas B. Dirks announced in February that a $150 million deficit -- which accounts for about 6 percent of UC Berkeley's $2.4 billion budget -- posed a threat to the school's long-term stability.

Dirks recently resigned his position after a three-year tenure marked by widespread criticism of his administration's handling of a series of high-profile sexual harassment cases.

U.S. News & World Report's rankings, based on indicators such as graduation rates, first-year student retention and the strength of the faculty, are not without criticism. The report also no longer comfortably monopolizes the world of college rankings. Washington Monthly, Forbes, CNN Money and even the Department of Education now release their own rankings and reviews.