Regarding the AAU

Outside Looking In

Regarding the AAU

"So as some of you know, I'm in doctoral work at IU. One of my minors is in higher education and I'm working closely with some professors who are really in the "know how" of how this whole academia thing works (the courses are quite fascinating)

Anyway, one of my classes the other day brought up the issue of the AAU in terms of accountability and what weight rankings truly hold in the higher education business. My professor, Director at the National Student Survey of Engagement, seemed pretty certain that the AAU wasn't really going to be adding anyone--but rather probably is going to become a more exclusive club as universities get pushed out. He mentioned that seemingly every university wants to be a research-extensive university these days and that's one of the things that is driving up education costs. Eventually, the model will change and many research universities will alter their focus. As a result, the AAU will be used as one measure of the top research universities that survive.

We all know about Nebraska being pushed out, but I didn't realize Syracuse was pushed out as well in 2011. (https://chronicle.com/article/Syracuse-U-Facing-a-Forced/127363/)

The point I'm trying to make is...I don't think the AAU will invite UConn. Though, I don't think this is important to an eventual invite in the B1G. I think you'll see over the next 10 or so years a few more schools pushed out as the AAU tries to reclaim the "creme de la creme" image of research institutions--and I think a few of the B1G schools are frankly on the chopping block if that's the case."

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"I disagree. Four universities have either left or been pushed out of the AAU: Clark University (1999), Catholic University (2002), Syracuse (2011), and Nebraska (2011), all for good reason as they did not meet the organization's requirements. Nebraska was the only one that was really contested. During this time period, four universities have been added: Texas A&M (2001), Stony Brook (2001), Georgia Tech (2010), and Boston University (2012).

Since the AAU added two schools in the last 3 or 4 years, it seems they are amenable to adding deserving schools.

As for schools being pushed out in the future, Indiana has a low ranking when it comes to research compared to other AAU schools. Perhaps this is why your professor is concerned. "

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" would not hold my breath on getting AAU status. There are piles of schools trying to do the same thing but the reality is that few if any will make it as what the OP mentioned about membership getting smaller instead of bigger has been said over and over.

http://chronicle.com/article/As-AAU-Admits-Georgia-Tech-to/65200/


Research heavyweights that can make good arguments for joining the AAU include, but are hardly limited to, Boston University, Dartmouth College, Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, North Carolina State University, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Georgia, and the University of Miami. Officials at several of those institutions acknowledge that they would like to join the club. "

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