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As ranking drops, University of Missouri looks to boost stature by building on strengths

COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri leaders say they don’t place much stock in annual college rankings such as those touted by U.S. News & World Report, which recently dropped the flagship campus out of its Top 100.

NY governor ignores pressure to end 2010 election quest despite pressure from senior Democrats

ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. David Paterson isn’t scrapping his plans to run for the office he inherited 18 months ago, despite growing pressure from Washington and intervention by the Rev. Al Sharpton, who has contacted the governor and the White House over his concern.

Penn State asking merit scholar parents for donations to help out needier students

PHILADELPHIA — Students who are accepted into Penn State University’s prestigious honors college get more than academic feathers in their caps. They get $3,500 annual merit scholarships.

Staples says back-to-school promotions are on par with last year

NEW YORK — Staples reported Tuesday that its fiscal second-quarter profit fell 39 percent, while sales at Staples stores open at least a year, a key industry metric known as same-store sales, fell 5 percent in the second quarter as average order size fell.

Harvard, Princeton top latest US News college rankings _ but rival rankings have other ideas

Perennial contenders Harvard and Princeton share the top spot in the latest edition of the influential U.S. News & World Report university rankings. Williams heads the list of liberal arts colleges while Dartmouth wins a new category ranking commitment to undergraduate teaching.

Jill Biden vaunts community colleges at UN forum; World Bank denounces ‘hype’ of elite schools

PARIS — Jill Biden, the wife of the U.S. vice president and longtime educator, says American community colleges could be a pillar of economic recovery and a source of new skills after layoffs — and a model for poorer countries struggling to educate their citizens.

Harvard, Yale, Princeton and the rest take a back seat to Clemson … Clemson’s president says

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Move over Harvard, Yale, Princeton — and every other college. Asked to rate other universities for the influential U.S. News & World Report rankings, Clemson University President James Barker put his institution on top.

Ohio school district uncovers senior class cheating scheme, cancels graduation

COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio school district says it uncovered a cheating scheme so pervasive that it had to cancel graduation ceremonies for its 60 seniors — but will still mail their diplomas.

Clemson official: School manipulated class sizes, other figures to boost magazine rankings

A rogue Clemson University staffer has accused the South Carolina school of manipulating its U.S. News & World Report ranking — reviving a debate over what critics call the pernicious influence of the magazine’s annual college ratings.

Ten-hut! Public school districts opening military academies to reach out to at-risk students

ATLANTA — The U.S. Marine Corps is wooing public school districts across the country, expanding a network of military academies that has grown steadily despite criticism that it’s a recruiting ploy.

Lawmaker compares college football’s BCS system to communism, says it can’t be fixed

WASHINGTON — A congressman who wants to see college football adopt a playoff system is comparing the Bowl Championship Series to communism.