Pomp and prestige

Fort Worth university makes the grade on new list of top Texas schools

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TCU makes the cut.

The Owls of Rice University have a lot to hoot about. The Houston school bested all the rest to be ranked the top college in Texas and the seventh best college in the United States in a new survey.

Neighborhood review site Niche.com’s latest college rankings, released August 21, rely on U.S. Department of Education data coupled with reviews from current students, alumni, and parents to judge American colleges on 12 factors, including academics, campus, dorm life, and professors. Niche.com helps parents and students choose colleges and K-12 schools.

Fort Worth's Texas Christian University made the grade among Texas' top 10 schools, ranking No. 6.

Two more North Texas universities also made the list. Southern Methodist University came in at No. 4, and University of Texas at Dallas slid in at No. 10.

For visual help, here are the state’s top 10 in order, according to Niche.com:

Rice University
University of Texas at Austin
Texas A&M University, College Station
Southern Methodist University, Dallas
Trinity University, San Antonio
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth
Baylor University, Waco
LeTourneau University, Longview
Texas Tech University, Lubbock
University of Texas at Dallas

There's a bit of a rivalry at the top. In the topsy-turvy world of college rankings, the recently released Times Higher EducationWorld University Rankings put University of Texas at Austin as the 44th best university in the world. Rice took the 124th spot on that list. On this list, Rice beats UT.

But, back to Fort Worth.

Statewide, TCU earned three No. 1 rankings: Best College Dorms in Texas, Best College for Nursing in Texas, and Best College for Education in Texas.

In national rankings, TCU earned high marks in some very specific categories, such as Best Colleges for Criminal Justice in America (No. 8 of 630), Best College Campuses in America (No. 9 of 1,408), and Best Christian Colleges in America (No. 10 of 362).

Curiously, SMU beat TCU by a few spots in that last category, ranking the sixth-best Christian College in America. Hmm.

But TCU beat SMU handily in the "Best College Campuses" category, with the Dallas rival only managing a No. 35 ranking to TCU's No. 9.

TCU did not fare so well nationally in the categories of Most Diverse Colleges in America (No. 741 of 1,589) and Safest Colleges Campuses in America (No. 794 of 1,336). SMU also did not have great showings in those categories, placing No. 559 in Most Diverse Colleges in America and No. 730 in Safest College Campuses in America.

UTD scored high nationally in the categories of Best Colleges for Information Technology in America (No. 8 of 219) and Best Colleges for Accounting and Finance (No. 39 of 789). Its lowest ranking came in the category of Colleges with the Best Student Life in America (No. 754 of 1,580).

To see all the rankings, compare state lists, and more, visit the report.

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Police News

Fort Worth police officer fired for unjustified use of force

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A Fort Worth police officer has been terminated following his involvement in a use of force incident. According to a release, Officer Matthew Krueger was let go on December 18, following an investigation into an incident involving someone who was videotaping his actions while he was on duty.

On Sunday, June 23, Fort Worth police officers responded to a hit-and-run collision near 1000 Foch St. The incident involved a suspected intoxicated driver who crashed into another vehicle and a structure before fleeing the scene on foot.

While officers were investigating, a woman approached them and used her cell phone to record their actions. Krueger asked and advised her multiple times to move across the street. When she failed to comply, she was placed under arrest.

During the arrest, Krueger used force to take the woman into custody, resulting in injuries that required medical care at an area hospital.

After being treated, the woman was released from the hospital, booked into jail, and charged with interference with public duties, resisting arrest and/or detention, evading arrest, and making a false alarm or report.

Krueger had been with the department for just under eight years and was assigned to the Patrol Bureau at the time of the incident.

The Fort Worth Police Major Case and Internal Affairs Units began immediate and congruent investigations. Krueger was transferred from Patrol to a unit with no public interaction, pending the outcome of the investigation.

After a review of the Internal Affairs investigation, Krueger’s chain of command determined that the level of force used was unjustified and violated departmental policy. Police Chief Neil Noakes concurred and terminated Krueger’s employment.

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