Did increased legislation affecting higher education in the state force qualified leaders to back down from contention?

Almost 40 years ago, U.S. News & World Report asked more than 1,300 college presidents to rate their peer institutions and published the results in its inaugural "Best Colleges" rankings.

The University of South Carolina makes an unlikely rise to No. 1 in the Military Times' list, which is paced by four public institutions in the top five.

A state analysis shows the struggles of some institutions to give students a good early return on investment in specific academic fields.