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Playboy names UW No. 1 party school

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by Andriy Pazuniak

Wednesday, April 5, 2006

From books to babes to beer, Playboy magazine believes that when you say Wisconsin, you've said it all.

In its upcoming May 2006 issue, to hit newsstands this Friday, Playboy magazine ranked the University of Wisconsin No. 1 in its list of top 10 party schools, a Playboy representative said Tuesday.

"At the University of Wisconsin, students have the best of both worlds," Playboy Publicity Manager Theresa Hennessey said. "They get a great education and have great social opportunities available to them."

This is only the third time in Playboy's history that it ranked "top party schools," and the first since November 2002.

According to Hennessey, Playboy editors based their party school rankings on informal surveys of students and professors at 250 North American universities.

Hennessey said Playboy ranked schools based on a number of categories besides drinking and partying, including academics, athletic programs, school pride and the "local scene."

And after Playboy editors added it all together, Hennessey said they believed UW was the most deserving of the top spot.

The ranking is the latest in "party school" distinctions UW has garnered over the years, including the No. 1 "party school" ranking by the Princeton Review this past year.

While UW administrators said these rankings are "cause for concern," they also said that the rankings demonstrate the "diverse opportunities" available on campus.

"Moderation and balance is key to appreciate these rankings," said Susan Crowley, Policy Alternatives Community Education project coordinator. "It does show the kind of diverse social opportunities that students have the opportunity to participate in on campus."

UW Interim Dean of Students Lori Berquam said she hopes people will realize UW is "far more" than just a party school.

"It's bigger than that," Berquam said, citing UW's top ranking in producing Teach for America teachers and Peace Corps volunteers.

Among the many social opportunities Playboy cites specifically in its article — which has 19 UW women featured in the accompanying pictorials, according to a Playboy release — are the annual Halloween and Mifflin Street Block parties.

"These two events really stood out," Hennessey said while describing UW's "great campus life."

UW sophomore Reese Pozgay, a former social events chair at one of UW's most popular fraternities, said it is because of that great campus life that he originally chose to attend UW.

"I went here to get a degree people wouldn't laugh at and still have a ridiculously good time," Pozgay said.

An autograph session featuring some of the women appearing in the upcoming issue is scheduled April 11 at Capitol Center Foods.