Jim Young
by Joe King
U.S. News and World Report magazine included the Department of Accountancy, part of the NIU College of Business, on its list of elite programs for 2008.
As part of the magazine’s annual rankings of colleges and universities, U.S. News placed NIU Accountancy as 23rd in the nation. It is the highest ranking the magazine has accorded the program this decade; it was rated 25th in 2005 and 2006, and 26th in 2004.
“We are very flattered by this ranking because it is evidence of the national prominence our program has achieved,” Chair of Accountancy Jim Young said.
Young noted that NIU’s ranking was unique in that most of the other programs were from either state flagship universities (the University of Texas and the University of Illinois ranked 1-2, respectively), or private “national universities” like Brigham Young (3), Notre Dame (6) and Boston College (tied with NIU at 23).
One of the most gratifying aspects of the U.S. News rankings, Young said, is that they are based upon input from deans and other senior level administrators.
“We have been consistently ranked in the top 15 by publications like The Public Accounting Report, which surveys accounting faculty across the country. Those rankings are flattering because they are based upon input from people who are so in touch with the field. This ranking is a little different in that it demonstrates that we are well-regarded by people beyond our specialization,” Young said.
Denise Schoenbachler, dean of the NIU College of Business, shared Young’s excitement, saying she was delighted to see one of the college’s flagship programs garner such notice.
“The College of Business is very proud of our Department of Accountancy and the record of excellence it has established over the last 20-plus years,” Schoenbachler said. “The strong leadership of the department, the excellence of the faculty and the quality of the students – along with its strong ties to the accounting profession – have combined to keep this program among the elite in the nation, and we are committed to seeing that it remains there.”