In 1978, the Center for Business-Government Studies was added to the school after Willamette received a grant from the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust. The program was designed to better understand the relationships between the government and businesses. In 1988, the school was recognized by "U.S. News & World Report" and the fifth best business school in the Midwest and West region. It was the highest ranked of any school in the Pacific Northwest. Enrollment was 130 students with 10 full-time professors. At that time the program was led by Dean David L. Puryear with a tuition of just over $8,000 per year.