Los Angeles — The nonprofit group urging colleges not to take part in institutional rankings will hold two meetings this year to follow up on a letter calling on presidents to distance their colleges from the rankings, in particular those compiled by U.S. News & World Report.

The letter has been circulated by the Education Conservancy, an Oregon-based nonprofit group that opposes commercial influences in college admissions (The Chronicle, April 20). Lloyd Thacker, the organization’s director, told a gathering of reporters here today, at a meeting of the Education Writers Association, that 12 presidents had signed the letter.

“Presidents are coming on board,” said Mr. Thacker. “We need leadership to say, ‘Enough is enough.’”

Mr. Thacker announced that his organization had arranged two meetings at which higher-education officials, probably including college presidents, are to discuss creating alternatives to the U.S. News and other rankings. The meetings are to be held at an educational organization this summer and at an Ivy League institution, which Mr. Thacker would not name, in the fall.

When asked what would emerge at the meetings, Mr. Thacker said he was hoping for an assessment of college performance that would be “more interactional than transactional” and in which “colleges are more in charge of defining what they do well.” He said he could not elaborate further, as the alternative ranking strategy would be determined by participants at the meetings.

David W. Oxtoby, president of Pomona College, took part in a panel at the meeting today that discussed Mr. Thacker’s letter. Although Mr. Oxtoby said the letter was a “grand, noble gesture,” he said he was skeptical about its influence.

“I think, frankly, it’s going to be ignored,” Mr. Oxtoby said.

The presidents who have signed the letter are:

Douglas C. Bennett, Earlham College William G. Durden, Dickinson College Jackie Jenkins-Scott, Wheelock College Ellen McCulloch-Lovell, Marlboro College Patricia McGuire, Trinity University (Washington, D.C.) Christopher B. Nelson, St. John’s College (Annapolis, Md.) Michael P. Peters, St. John’s College (Santa Fe, N.M.) Kathleen Ross, Heritage University Jake B. Schrum, Southwestern University G.T. (Buck) Smith, Bethany College (Bethany, W.Va.) Robert Weisbuch, Drew University Daniel H. Weiss, Lafayette College

—Paul Fain