recognition in "cursory, unscientific surveys": "much deserved and highly commendable"?

"'SUNY's commitment to an energy-smart New York and to sustainability throughout our system is a critical component of our strategic plan, one that our campuses have widely embraced and consistently shown leadership on,' said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. 'Congratulations to UAlbany for being listed as one of eight SUNY schools in the 2013 Guide to Green Colleges. This recognition is much deserved and highly commendable.'"

"UAlbany Named One of America’s Most Environmentally Responsible Colleges; University Recognized in Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges." April 22, 2013. http://www.albany.edu/news/37454.php?WT.source=home&WT.svl=headline

That old Nancy Zimpher,

    she seems a bit dim for

        being top boss at SUNY

Cite the Princeton Review?

    It ain't Princeton: p-ew!

        Where did she get her degree?

            (Perhaps at UAlbany?): http://minervawept.blogspot.com/2012/10/no-business.html

"If this [Princeton Review] were a term paper, it would get an 'F' in methodology," university spokeswoman Lisa James-Goldsberry said in a statement. "The rankings are not to be taken seriously and are certainly not reflective of the serious, hardworking students at Albany."

"Albany has nation's top party school." Chicago Tribune. August 17, 2004. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-08-17/news/0408170400_1_princeton-review-students-albany

"so many of us share dismay and disappointment with the published results of the cursory, unscientific surveys conducted for the Princeton Review college guide […] the Princeton Review guide (which, as you probably already know, has absolutely no connection with Princeton University) [...] we will be working as a community to counter the misleading picture presented by the Princeton Review"

Ryan, John R. "Letter from Interim President Ryan on Princeton Review." August 20, 2004. http://www.albany.edu/main/announcement/jrr082004.htm

"Didn’t Princeton find that UAlbany is a “party” school?
"Many people do not realize that the Princeton Review is NOT affiliated with Princeton University.

"The Princeton Review is also known for publishing materials that ranks universities on a number of factors, including perceived alcohol consumption by students.

"When the Princeton Review conducts their survey, the sample of students they use is not randomly selected and it is not a representative sample. As a matter of fact, they only survey 300 students at UAlbany! Also, the students taking their survey are not asked about THEIR OWN alcohol consumption, but instead are only asked for the amount of alcohol they THINK the typical student at their school consumes. Since we already know that most UAlbany students overestimate their peers’ alcohol consumption, their responses to such survey questions will be inaccurately inflated, leading Princeton Review to mistakenly designate us as a 'party' school."

"UAlbany Students Are Healthier Than You Think! Where do we get misperceptions?" University at Albany Office of Academic Support Services Newsletter. Spring 2008. 4. http://www.albany.edu/eop/Sprg08_OASS1.pdf

Heck, even one of the comments on the April 22, 2013 story noted:

"I am proud of Albany for this, but it is strange that during orientation they tell us not to trust Princeton Review, yet it created this assessment. If we are to believe this article, then we should also believe that at one point Albany was the #1 party school. However, if we are to do as the OAs told us, then this article is untrustworthy as well."

The Princeton Review continues to get the last laugh, looks like.