Is Michigan weak in any way? - Page 21

GoBlue81 · 05-12-2007, 08:10 PM

USNWR is already doing that with their graduate ranking of business, engineering, medicine, law and education where the data is more readily available (ususally individual colleges).

Departmental peer assessment is more reliable as they should be quite familar with the latest publications, research and grants of their peers.

I agree with you that peer assessment of the university as a whole is not that reliable as there tend to be significant "time lag between perception and reality". But then I don't believe in using just university ranking without considering the strength of the individual college/department.

Alexandre · 05-12-2007, 08:40 PM

Weasel, GRE scores are important, but it is probably a universal invarient. You will find that the GRE scores at top graduate programs are practically identical.

Acceptance rates are meaningless, as they are at the undergraduate level. Publication volumes are also meaningless because they don't measure the quality and impact of those publications. Research grant money per faculty is telling, but only to certain degree.

hoedown · 05-12-2007, 10:33 PM

The other thing about peer assessments--when they are discipline-specific and oriented towards departments--is that people in the field know the scholars in those top departments by reputation. You also know where your top junior faculty are being hired away to (senior, too, for that matter), and where you're trying to woo faculty away from.

Alchemy · 05-25-2007, 09:42 PM

The class sizes perhaps?

Christine123 · 05-25-2007, 10:04 PM

I had equal or smaller classes than all my friends at other universities last year. Plus, we have discussion groups for big lectures.

Alexandre · 05-25-2007, 10:30 PM

Alchemy, the large class myth has been vastly exaggerated (either deliberately or out of ignorance). The fact is, freshmen classes are going to be large at almost ALL research universities. Whether a class has 100 or 400 students doesn't matter, the professor isn't going to be able to truly give personalized attention to those students. In fact, even if a class has 15 students, a professor will probably not have time to give them individualized attention. Those professors at elite universities are generally reponsible for 4-7 PhD students, hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of dollars of research, finding more money to fund their research and for the publication of major papers. Bottom line, professors at top universities believe that it is the student's responsibility to learn and take the initiative. I guess it is too much to expect of 20 year old children, but that's how it is...not just at Michigan, but at schools like Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, MIT, Northwestern, Penn and Stanford to name a few.

1MX · 08-23-2007, 11:04 PM

I think the only thing UMICH is 'weak' in is being great at so many things that they don't blow away the rest in anything except african american studies.

1MX · 08-23-2007, 11:09 PM

Oh ya, I know this is stretching it considering that UMICH is an extremely large public university, but the financial aid offerings could be better. For the number of students that UMICH has, they are not even close to the per capita endowment of HYP. Princeton leads the pack with nearly 2 million per student while UMICH is about 250k per student if you take out the grad students since PTON doesn't have many grad students at all.

SBDad · 08-24-2007, 08:36 AM

Having just experienced this with DS, UM is certainly weak in quality of housing. There have been no new dorms built since 1968 and they have just now begun renovation of the old ones.

As far as class sizes, this has been a pleasant suprise. DS has 5 classes.
One class is 200, three are 20-25, one is individual study (jazz piano). Not bad for freshman year!

TwoKidsIn · 08-26-2007, 09:37 PM

I can definitely concur with SBDad's statement about housing. It is really disappointing, to say the least. The dorms are old, the majority of rooms are smaller than those at many other schools and there are more than the usual number of triples. I just took my daughter to the University for her first year and she is in a triple with dimensions of 12' x 17' in South Quad. Fortunately the modular furniture could be arranged to make it manageable but considering what we are paying for tuition (OOS) it is ridiculous for her to have to live with two other freshmen in such close quarters. So - if you are looking for spacious modern dorms I would say to look elsewhere. Also, there is no matching process for roommates - no questionnaire or anything regarding sleeping habits, study habits, etc. Basically it is a haphazard process and the housing office doesn't seem to care. The great education may make it worth it and I believe that a large number of students move off campus after freshman year - either sorority/fraternity houses or expensive off-campus housing.

Alexandre · 08-26-2007, 10:30 PM

I agree with TwoKidsIn and SBDad. Michigan's dorms leave much to be desired. They aren't bad, but in an age where many top colleges and universities are building luxury dorms, Michigan is seriously lagging. Michigan is gaining some ground with the building of North Quad and with the refurbishing of Markley. Some dorms, like Martha Cook, Stockwell, Bursley and West Quad are quite nice as it is. But most dorms need some serious work. I would like to see Michigan build a couple small (fewer than 100 rooms), state-of-the-art dorms with nice gyms and good cafetiria options.

GoBlueAlumMom · 08-27-2007, 07:20 AM

Mosher Jordan has been closed, scheduled to reopen fall '08, while undergoing a massive renovation and addition of a centralized dining facility to serve the Hill dorms. Does the U have a phased master plan to update all existing housing facilities or will this be it for now?

GoBlue81 · 08-27-2007, 11:18 AM

Stockwell is next in line for major facelift...

"Regents approve Stockwell Hall renovation

The University will undertake a major renovation of historic Stockwell Hall as the latest project under the Residential Life Initiatives (RLI)...

The renovation will preserve the building's historic character, while providing for contemporary and future needs. Dining services, formerly located within the building, will be offered in the new Hill Dining Center under construction adjacent to the Mosher-Jordan residence hall, freeing room to create meeting and community spaces for student interaction and living and learning activities. In addition, the building's infrastructure thoroughly will be upgraded, from wired and wireless high-speed network access to renovated bath facilities, to accessibility improvements, new plumbing, heating, cooling, ventilation, fire detection and fire suppression systems...

The RLI is a comprehensive plan for student housing launched in 2004. Already underway is construction of North Quad, the first new residence hall in nearly 40 years..."

http://www.umich.edu/~urecord/0607/Mar19_07/05.shtml

GoBlueAlumMom · 08-27-2007, 11:28 AM

Excellent. I was hoping my former dorm would be in the renovation cycle. While it's a beautiful building architecturally, it definitely needed an interior facelift and to be brought up to current building standards.

hoedown · 08-27-2007, 03:55 PM

They're working on it. I think it's always been a lower priority. Partly, the majority of students say residence halls are NOT the big factor in the final decision. It's academics that influence their decisions. Not to say it wouldn't be a nice bonus to have good residence halls to enjoy once you enroll. I am sure North Quad will be great. But thus far, there isn't a huge incentive to fix dorms up because it's not an enrollment issue. Also, Michigan lacks good swing space (extra dorm space where you can put people while you close one down entirely for renovation).