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Aug. 14, 2002--The University of Delaware’s Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management (HRIM) has been ranked seventh in the top 25 hospitality programs in the country, tied with one of the oldest hospitality programs in the nation and ahead of many more well-known programs, according to an article in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education, published by the Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education. The results of the survey are based on “a comprehensive, quantitative evaluation of programs in hospitality education, not just an opinion survey….”
“There are more than 200 four-year hospitality and tourism programs in the United States, and to be ranked in the top 10 is an achievement,” Fred DeMicco, Aramark Chair in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management, said. “The program, which began at UD in 1988, is relatively new and has evolved and grown successfully, thanks to the commitment of the faculty and staff, the support of the UD administration and our graduates who are leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry.
“With the opportunities offered by the future UD Marriott Hotel, the new master’s degree in information management, the facilities at Raub Hall, Vita Nova and the Copeland VinoTek, the program should continue to grow in excellence,” he said.
UD tied for seventh with the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, one of the oldest and most established programs in the country. Overall Purdue University was first, followed by California Polytechnic University, Pomona.
The article noted that the top 25 programs in the study are “growing and increasing in stature” and that for the top nine institutions there is a point difference of only 10 percent.
UD was ranked high in faculty (49 out of a possible 55 points, with 52 the highest score given), curriculum (38 out of a possible 50, with 43 the highest score given) and students (38 out of a possible 50, with 40 the highest score given).
In a separate prestige ranking, based on participants’ perception, of the first six schools, Cornell, which did not participate in the study, was ranked first.
In discussing the study, the article pointed out that some schools, including UD, “were either not ranked as high or were not listed in previous studies. One explanation for these results is the increased number of faculty and the higher level of their credentials within the field. There has also been an increased amount of funding either through alumni contributions, grants or endowments that have enabled programs to build their resources and grow to attract and retain a larger number of students.”
Article by Sue Moncure
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