Is managing for USNWR rankings like “earnings management”?

Over on my own blog, I’ve commented on the yearly trend towards taking action to improve schools’ USNWR rankings (see here).  Other blogs are also noticing some schools’ moves.  TaxProf Blog noticed that some Texas schools are dropping the size of their classes, even in a time when budgets are an issue (see here).  And Brian Leiter has called “shenanigans” on some schools dropping their PT programs, now that PT programs are counted in the rankings (see here). 

If schools are changing their programs for good reasons–e.g., on the theory that smaller class sizes provide better learning experiences for students–I have absolutely no beef with those decisions.  But if schools are changing their programs to improve their rankings, and for no other reason, how different is “rankings management” from “earnings management,” where businesses hide flaws in order to make themselves look “stronger” than they are?

(Posted by Nancy Rapoport)