UCR on the rise?

Two interesting articles have been released that put UCR in a good light. UCR usually makes the negative lists on National University rankings (most notably with The Princeton Review, which never really seems to change their rankings).

The first article (interestingly enough by US News and World Report) places UCR at #9 on the 2009 'Best Colleges: Up-and-coming National Universities.' The methodology is mentioned here. The schools on this list are 'worth watching because they are making promising and innovative changes.'

The second is a new college ranking list by Forbes Magazine that completely shatters the US News and World Report and Princeton Review college rankings. We're talking virtually all of the usually highly ranked schools are pushed down in favor of smaller liberal arts universities. UCR ranked #236 out of 569. That may seem low, but it was ahead of perennial rankings powerhouse USC, and UC campuses in San Diego, Irvine, Davis and Santa Cruz. I do question the list's methodology, but it does seem rather student focused, rather than institution focused.