In the summer of 2011, The Huffington Post named Case Western Reserve University its Trendiest “School that Flies Under the Academic Radar but Shouldn’t.” If ever there had been a distinction that the university shouted to the rooftops, this would be it. In fact, if I had a dollar for every time I witnessed the school proclaim this recognition, I probably could have traded my university education for beachfront property in the Hamptons.
The phrase “We’re Trendy” dominated university department websites last year, articles in The Daily often led with the accolade, and marketing materials around campus printed the joyous news in crisp Titillium (the university’s official font).
Well, the party is now over – at least as far as The Huffington Post and Princeton Review are concerned.
This past Monday, The Huffington Post published Princeton Review’s ranking of “The Least Beautiful Campuses” in the United States. Prominently placed on the first slide: Case Western Reserve University.
Given the hullabaloo surrounding last year’s recognition, this news came as quite a shock to the institution – even capturing the attention of president Barbara R. Snyder at the State of the University Address, which occurred the day following the ranking’s release.
“I really do not know why they ranked us such,” Snyder said. “The campus is really beautiful, and I felt terrible about that ranking. I am very proud of our campus,” she added.
The Huffington Post certainly didn’t aid CWRU’s cause by placing a dreary photo of a snow-covered North Residential Village next to our ranking.
Now, before I elaborate, I must point out that the campus was clearly no looker this past week. Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, trees were tipped on end, soaked leaves paved roadways, and a solemn gray sky draped over the campus. However, despite Cleveland’s reputation, this isn’t the average appearance for the university, especially in the spring, summer, and early fall.
Clearly the organizers behind Princeton Review’s ranking never visited campus when the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom during April. Clearly they never witnessed the KSL Oval on a sunny day at the dawn of summer. Clearly they never meandered through the Mather Quad on a fall afternoon amidst the drifting autumn leaves. Clearly they have never seen our university at all.
It’s hard to deny that CWRU displays some interesting aesthetic points. The modern artwork and 1960s architecture around campus combine to create interesting visuals; however, what some argue is ugly, I assert is character.
Across the CWRU campus, modern buildings, such as the Peter B. Lewis Building, and antique landmarks, such as Clark Hall, sit close together in perfect harmony. This may be deemed unattractive to Princeton Review and The Huffington Post, but it’s a pure indication of the CWRU culture to me.
Doni Finch • Jul 29, 2013 at 1:17 pm
First, let me please say, in case anyone is wondering, this response was written by someone who is not a Case alumni and is not from the city of Cleveland and or Ohio. Actually, I was born on the East-Coast. This is respectfully a jaded article. I just toured some of the campuses of the east and they are not any nicer and you get less bang for your buck then attending Case Western. The international gardens around Case, the access to Severance Hall, which is gorgeous–someone tell me Severance Hall and its grounds, music department is not internationally recognized, supremely planned out and beautiful? The Cleveland parks, museums, shopping, dining, and of course the Cleveland Clinic, and all its research glory is worth attendance. You’ve got everything New York has on a smaller scale for less money. I’d like to ask the person who wrote the article how much time they spent in Ohio? Let’s start with a campus just east of here (Cornell). Everyone has heard of Cornell. Not everyone is going to be a veterinarian and their engineerng department can be simulated elsewhere for less, so can their law department…for that matter-just for a second, let’s skip Case and jump to a lesser plugged Ohio university. The University of Akron, since we are talking green space ad bang for your buck. Akron U’s Law Department and Engineering Department has beat several east coast universities in bio-medical research, polymer, and their law department has the highest amount of law students who pass the bar exam every year for the past 20 years the first time around, and they’re law debate team has beat Harvard and every other ivy league university in this country in courtroom debate for the past at least 10-15 years or more! Tuition, less than 15,000. Anyone take a look at the city of Ithaca lately where Cornell is parked…and for that matter Morgantown, West Virginia? These two cities were just recently rated in the top 10 cities to live! Really, the city of Ithaca is living off the fat of Cornell, which is an ugly campus. The campus has a few classy old brick buildings, but most of the campus is 1970’s ugly and modern. Ugly Skyline. The city has no or few planning codes, I believe the city of Ithaca thinks that it doesn’t have to invest anything in the city or make demands from its lackadaisical residents. Either there were old Victorian homes with peeling paint and falling down porches, 1920’s industrial homes, or 1970’s ugly. An excess of poverty surrounded the area as well, or what looked like impoverished people, or perhaps people who just didn’t care. I did see some New York City money trying to develop the regions lake area-moved out of the city to start anew. Nothing you can’t get in Ohio or Michigan if you want to go for a vacation, but then again, we are talking about educational value–and lifestyle over-all–not just trees right? Okay, so you have the Finger Lakes as a backdrop, you are in the middle of nowhere. A few nice restaurants and lots of drugs. Case has Lake Erie, the islands and bays are for sportsman, and the wineries east and west of the city–green space is wide and varied. Downtown Ithaca was filthy and while I was dining the Swat team was called out on 2 different occasions. I was in this city for 3 days–drugs and hippies and hookah shops everywhere. Then, I was at Penn Station (University City) Philadelphia, PA. The place was filthy, ugly, garbage and old clothing thrown out of windows on streets, no skyline, empty buildings, and the sewers smelled like spoiled sushi. I had a hard time sitting outside at the outdoor dining establishiments and eating. So, from there Princeton (Okay) so just like in most cities there was a few nice blocks–get out of it and watch your back and onward to every eastern campus–absolutely no difference. Worth 65-100 grand or more? I think not. Has nothing to do with hurricane Sandy. I was a flight attendant. New Jersey was one of the few states we traveled too that we were not allowed to leave our hotel without being signed in and out by a relative or friend because they warned us against crime that was 30 years ago and it is worse now. Anyone who knows anything about city planning and money–and movement knows that the city of Cleveland and Case Western Campus is on the move and on the upswing. Old buildings are being knocked down, whole blocks are being rebuilt and revitalized and not just sitting there rotting. All of it is being done in a planned and lovely manner. People are walking around downtown and enjoying themselves, running in the parkways, dining without the smell of dirty sewers. The downtown is vibrant…more vibrant then anything I’ve seen anywhere else for the money. There is always in every city a certain amount of poverty, crime, and areas that need to be revitalized, but the Case Campus and the area surrounding Case–what the area has to offer students (not just for academics, but in lifestyle) equals or is better than anything that I’ve seen back east. The person writing this article must have visited in January and on a rainy day. Please people, if you are going to spend your hard earned money, or if your kids are taking out student loans, if you are looking for academics, lifestyle, beauty, cleanliness, descent living conditions, green space, less crime etc…come check out the City where Case hails and some of the other area campuses for more than just a few days. Anyhow, unless you just want your kid to go to the same alumni that you did: Harvard, Yale, Princeton etc., they say most kids within 10 years catch up to the ivy league graduates in salary and have much less debt to pay back…so they start out with a big advantage as well. Today, that just makes sense. Ohio is just as green and the bricks are just as read as Prnceton’s. If you don’t like Ohio, check out Carnegie Melon–much less than Harvard, your kids will still be fingered to work on Wallstreet. The City of Pitsburgh is thriving with millions pumped into the economy and beautifcation of the area–it’s an up and coming city, a little safer than San Fransico, but reminds you a lot of San Fransico. The people are nice too–very friendly, with a lifestyle for young people that is unmatched in most US cities. dpf