LSU advanced four spots from last year in the annual “America’s Best Colleges” report by U.S. News & World Report, released Aug. 17.LSU now ranks 124th out of 197 overall and 60th among public universities.The University maintained its Tier One status for the third consecutive year. The Report expanded the number of schools in Tier One from 133 this year, meaning LSU is now well within Tier One.University administrators celebrated the new rankings but cautioned that current and impending budget cuts could imperil the progress.”We are pleased to once again be ranked in the top tier of America’s Best Colleges,” Chancellor Michael Martin said in a news release. “Despite the budget crisis we are facing, LSU has stood out among its peers and been recognized as one of the top institutions in the country.”Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Jack Hamilton gave a more measured response to the University’s place in the “Best Colleges” report.”This is a wonderful affirmation of the hard work of our students, faculty and staff,” Hamilton said in a news release. “But it doesn’t take recent budget cuts into account. We may be in the top tier for now, but as LSU’s funding continues to wither, we may not be there for long.”John Lombardi, LSU System President, said the ranking is indicative of the University community’s commitment to excellence amid financial uncertainty.”The improvement in the University’s ranking is a direct reflection of the commitment to sustain the resource base on which the institution’s performance rests,” he said in a news release.LSU shares the 124th spot with two public schools — Colorado State University and Ohio University — and two private schools — Clarkson University in New York and the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.The rank is the eighth highest in the Southeastern Conference, beating the University of Kentucky, the University of Arkansas, the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University. Both Mississippi schools reached the top tier for the first time.Vanderbilt University, the University of Florida, the University of Georgia, the University of Alabama, Auburn University, the University of Tennessee and the University of South Carolina were the highest ranking SEC schools, in that order.Harvard, Princeton and Yale earned the top-three spots. Tulane University netted 51st place, the highest rank among Louisiana colleges.U.S. News & World Report posts the yearly rankings based on performance in 16 areas related to academic performance. Each area is weighted, and the combined score determines placement.____Contact Matthew Albright at [email protected]