Dive Brief:
- When Howard University President Sidney Ribeau announced his retirement, Howard's decline in the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings was often cited.
- The school dropped from No. 96 to No. 142 during Ribeau's tenure.
- The bottom line on Howard's drop in the most recent rankings: It was mainly due to not reporting its data to U.S. News.
Dive Insight:
The Washington Post hinted at other possible reasons for Ribeau's departure, including Moody's downgrading its bonds. But there's no doubt that the resignation took place against the backdrop of a precipitous drop in the school's ranking, which points out just how important the rankings can be for a school's image and the kind of price that can be paid when a school does not play along.