Ohio University President Roderick McDavis responds to party school rankings

ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio University is the place to party, according to the most recent rankings from the Princeton Review.

But the university’s president isn’t too happy with that distinction.

After the rankings were announced on Monday, President Roderick McDavis issued a letter to faculty and staff attempting to discredit the study.

“This ranking is not indicative of the overall experience of OHIO students and does not match the data we have collected,” the letter read. “We take seriously our responsibility to help our students succeed in all facets of their experience, including addressing high-risk behavior.”

In recent years, the university has made efforts to curb the image the university has as a party school, enacting programs and policies to help change the perception.

McDavis cited those changes as factors that have helped reduce high-risk behavior at the university, including a 49 percent decrease in alcohol-related judicial violations in the last five years.

“From before the time they enter as freshmen, we actively, frequently, and clearly voice our expectations to students, make them aware of the consequences for failing to meet those expectations, and provide education to help them make good decisions while they are at Ohio University,” McDavis wrote in the letter.

“Ohio University students are among the best and brightest in the country, as evidenced by their campus engagement, academic achievements, and success after graduation. We are proud of the accomplishments of our students and alumni, and through your great work and commitment, we will continue to provide a student experience focused on academic achievement and healthy personal development.”