Expanding Places

In 2018, U.S. News & World Report named Santa Clara the Best in the West—best regional college, that is. This year, things will be a little different—but not because we’re no longer No. 1. Starting in 2019–20, Santa Clara competes in the National University category, where Princeton most recently earned top honors. That’s because the folks who create classifications for colleges and universities developed a new category that includes universities like Santa Clara, which aren’t research institutions but do offer doctorates (like our law degrees). The long and short of it:U.S. News no longer considers SCU a regional university. Goodbye Best in the West. Hello USA. But don’t worry, new competition won’t alter who we are. “The reclassification of Santa Clara is an acknowledgment of our strong professional programs and the success of our alumni,” says Lisa Kloppenberg, interim provost and dean of the SCU School of Law. “But it will not change our focus on educating with a mission, small class sizes, and holistic learning.”