<p>JHS said: “I would be surprised if Chicago’s fundraising didn’t fall below the level of Northwestern and Penn”</p>
<p>This is ultimately the issue. UChicago fancies itself amongst the “have-a-lots,” but while it’s academic rep is high, it’s fundraising falls well below expectations. In many fields where tradition matters and departments aren’t as dependent on big-time funding (e.g. humanities fields, econ, law, etc.) the school can hold its own. In other areas more dependent on big-time funding (medicine, STEM research), the school may be losing ground. </p>
<p>If Chicago’s fundraising falls below the level of NU and Penn (a fact that, I agree, could very well occur), how can it fancy itself as a member of the very tippy top? Money is the lifeblood of an institution, and the less UChicago raises, the more it drives itself into a niche (as a school known for critical thinking and preeminent in some disciplines, but with a generally smaller research footprint than many of its peers). </p>