Alberta's three largest universities are dropping out of Maclean's annual survey of universities.

The University of Calgary, University of Alberta and University of Lethbridge are among the 11 post-secondary schools refusing to participate in the magazine's survey.

Maclean's still plans to include all 11 dissenting schools in its upcoming survey, using information that's available publicly.

The magazine rates universities in several areas then gives them an overall ranking based on their university type.

"We're not going to co-operate with a procedure that we think is inappropriate," Alan Harrison, U of C's provost, said Monday.

"There are a small number of variables that get a very high weight and those really drive the rankings. If the university has made the decision to focus on a different area, then that university suffers as a consequence."

Last year, the U of C was ranked fourteenth out of 15 schools in its category. The University of Alberta was ranked sixth out of 14 in its category. The University of Lethbridge was ranked thirteenth out of 21.

'Over-simplified and arbitrary'

Eleven universities outlined their concerns in a letter to Tony Keller, the magazine's managing editor of special projects on Monday.
 
"We already publish a great deal of data about our own institutions online and intend to publish more in future," reads the letter.

"However, it is truly hard for us to justify the investment of public funds required to generate customized data for your survey when those data are compiled in ways that we regard as over-simplified and arbitrary."

Indira Samarasekera, president of the University of Alberta, said the survey doesn't give a true picture of a university, especially for a student looking for a school based on specific needs.

"We are concerned not only by students from outside the province, but this Maclean's ranking is looked at internationally — in India, in China, in other countries. We worry that people who are at a considerable distance from us may be negatively influenced by these ranking."

'Really helpful'

Kate James, who is studying social work at the University of Calgary, says the university shouldn't pull out.

"When I was first trying to find a school to go to, I actually read through that. I thought it was really helpful, so I think that would be a huge disadvantage to students of Alberta," she said.

Maclean's still plans to include all 11 dissenting schools in its upcoming survey.

"All of the information is available publicly," Keller said.

"So the decision of some universities to say they are not going to fill out an information form that we sent them doesn't really change anything."