The University’s fundraising head emailed alumni Friday to calm concerns about GW being booted off the U.S. News & World Report ranking this week.

Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Mike Morsberger sent the message in the aftermath of the Wednesday unranking that “disturbed and confused” many in our community, he wrote.

“Rankings do not define GW – the quality and passion of our students and alumni, faculty and staff are the best measurement of our success,” the email read.

GW has sometimes used the U.S. News ranking to encourage alumni to donate. In June, the development office sent an email to alumni, pointing out that their donations account for 5 percent of the U.S. News rankings methodology.

“Your gift last year also made sure I graduated from a top 50 school,” according to the email, which was written by an alumna from the Class of 2012. “Five percent makes a big difference in how our university is viewed all over the world. It means the diplomas my classmates and I received upon graduation will have a bigger impact as we look for jobs.”

University President Steven Knapp said Wednesday that he did not think the unranking would hurt alumni giving.