California Lutheran University received the No. 14 ranking for regional universities in the Western United States by U.S. News & World Report. The ranking is the highest the Thousand Oaks-based private university has received from the publication. Last year Cal Lutheran ranked No. 18 on the list. The university improved its ranking with gains in scoring on average freshman retention rate and graduation rate, faculty-student interaction, and on admission policies. CLU has a student population of 4,200 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. The school has centers for graduate and accelerated bachelor degree programs in Woodland Hills, Oxnard, and Santa Maria. Mark R. Madler
