EUGENE–The University of Oregon has gone from good to better, according to the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings of universities and colleges.

The newly released "U.S. News: America's Best Colleges 2000" places the UO in the second tier of national universities, a jump upward from last year’s third-tier ranking.

The national universities category ranks the nation’s largest and best-funded research universities. Each tier contains 50 schools. Schools below the top tier are not ranked individually within their tier.

"We are very pleased to see positive progress," says UO President Dave Frohnmayer.

While cautioning that all rankings should be read critically, Frohnmayer adds, "This upward trajectory – along with several other recent mentions as a top national ‘Best Buy’ – matches what I personally have seen and heard recently about the UO. We have a great faculty, terrific staff and top students. People are beginning to notice."

—30—

#O-7505/Local, OrDailies, PDX