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Insolvent Laurentian is dead last for reputation in annual Maclean’s rankings

It has also dropped 3 spots to 15th among primarily undergraduate universities
Laurentian University campus aerial
(Supplied)

Laurentian University has dropped by three spots over last year to 15th in its category in Maclean’s Magazine’s annual university rankings, and the university is also coming in at dead last when it comes to reputation.

Last year, Laurentian ranked 12th out of the 20 universities in the primarily undergraduate category. That ranking has now slipped to 15th place.

Universities are ranked by Maclean's in the areas of student awards, student/faculty ratio, faculty awards, total research dollars, scholarships and bursaries and student services.

The highest-ranked university in this category this year is the University of Northern British Columbia, while Cape Breton University is ranked last. Laurentian’s Northern Ontario neighbour, Nipissing University, is just one spot beneath us, in 16th spot.

Maclean’s has also released its rankings of Canada’s best universities by reputation, following a survey of university faculty and senior administrators, as well as a variety of businesspeople across the country.

The reputational chart released by Maclean’s compares all of the universities in Canada.

Laurentian is ranked dead last in “best overall” in 49th spot. It is also ranked dead last (49th) for highest quality and most innovative. In the category of “leaders of tomorrow” it’s ranked slightly better, 44th out of 49 universities.

This after Laurentian declared insolvency this past winter, it commenced restructuring, which has included massive program cuts and layoffs of faculty and staff.

Laurentian has released a written statement on the Maclean’s rankings.

“We recognize that we have work to do to improve on our broader Maclean’s rankings as we further continue to enhance the student experience,” reads that statement, in part.

“We are committed to student success and continue to further develop student-centred practices and support services that contribute to the educational and career goals of Laurentian University students.

“This is a time of transformation and determination and we are joining together to make Laurentian strong and sustainable for the future. We are focused on the needs of students, and the communities we serve. 

“Laurentian is an agile space for critical thinking and innovation, where students can reach their full potential, and where faculty can push the boundaries of knowledge.”

Laurentian said as a result of its academic restructuring and "with the goal of graduating leaders who will foster the growth of Northern Ontario," the university has focused its programming on Health Sciences, Education, Arts, Business, Science, Engineering and Architecture – while being firmly committed to a strong interdisciplinary experience for students. 

“We remain the No. 1 top-ranked university in post-graduate employment in Ontario, a significant accomplishment we have consecutively achieved for more than a decade now: 94 per cent of Laurentian graduates are employed after just six months and 97 per cent are employed after two years,” said the statement.

Laurentian said it is worth noting that its commitment to students goes beyond what is measured by Maclean’s rankings.

“We advance women’s leadership opportunities through our support of the student-led Laurentian University Women in Sport programming,” said the press release.

“We celebrate a diverse student population through cultural events, International Education Week, and programming through the Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre (ISLC). We embrace being a place of growth, with 52 per cent of students who are the first in their family to attend post-secondary, many of them from Indigenous and Francophone communities.”

Sudbury.com plans to dig further into the Maclean’s rankings numbers once we’re able to get a copy of the magazine’s detailed annual rankings issue, which should be available soon at local newsstands. 

We’ve also requested an interview with Laurentian president Robert Haché.


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