A survey of 424 college students using a course drop/add option at a mid-sized urban college concluded that students typically participate in drop/add for legitimate reasons and suggest that they should have relatively unrestricted drop/add privileges. Recommendations are made for monitoring the process and reducing students' need to drop/add…

The history, administration, and function of the University of Alberta's annual survey of graduating students, conducted as a performance indicator to assess quality of educational services, are described. Selected results from the 1993 survey are presented, and observations about factors seen as contributing to the success of this and other…

Despite the complexity and elusiveness of strategic planning by research universities, factors correlated with satisfaction in planning include presence of president or chief executive, presence of centralization and decentralization elements in the planning process, presence of a permanent planning committee, linkage of planning to budgeting, use…

Younger employees in school admissions and records offices wishing to advance within the organization are encouraged to distinguish themselves, find a specialty, focus on customer relations, communicate expectations in leadership situations, keep priorities straight, embrace change and cultivate flexibility, keep integrity intact, and develop a…

A Ball State University (Indiana) program to strengthen student retention involves a Freshman-Year Experience Committee of 40 professionals representing key units in academic and student affairs who collaborate to respond to the needs of first-year students. The committee has designed policies for freshman dismissal and midterm evaluation that are…

A study compared the academic achievement of three student groups at the University of California at San Diego: participants in an experimental transfer admission guarantee program based on general education grades; transfer students meeting comparable criteria; and students entering the university as first-time freshmen. Results show the first…

This article argues that the academic tradition of college faculty resembles a religion that, like many others, does not question its faith. The restructuring of many campus institutions is forcing higher education to reexamine how it does business, and like other religions being forced to adapt to change, the academy is resisting. (MSE)

A survey of 117 physical therapy education programs investigated the admissions process, criteria, and interview procedures. Interviews were conducted at 67% of programs; mean applicant number was 115. Most used standard interview questions and provided interviewer training. A weighted variable system for making student selections, based on both…

It is argued that the O. J. Simpson murder trial reflects impoverished discourse in America about social identity and power, particularly relating to race, gender, and class. The debate over the relevance and centrality of identity divides American society deeply because it is at the heart of the discrepancy between what America wants to be and…

The teacher of a college seminar on education in contemporary American society, addressing sensitive personal and political concepts, used one-minute essays to "take the pulse" of the class daily. Daily summaries of essay content provided students with evidence of the teacher's commitment to monitoring the process, added a level of discourse, and…

A participant in a seminar on multiculturalism suggests that the discourse on cultural diversity actually reflects two distinct issues: (1) pluralism, individual dignity, and mutual understanding, and (2) historical oppression and the quest for equity. The challenge for college educators is to bring together these issues and use the college…

The issues that arise in a college course on multiculturalism can touch students very personally and may be a first opportunity for many students to talk face-to-face about important social issues. Anticipating when students may become defensive, angry, hurt, or when conflict might erupt will help faculty know when to lower or raise the…

The era for international practice for engineers has arrived, and each engineering education system must revise its programs to prepare graduates for practice in the global marketplace. This includes foreign-language instruction, education in cultural awareness, opportunities for international work experience, and greater emphasis on history,…

An older graduate student preparing to teach at a liberal arts college describes participation in the Preparing Future Faculty program at Northwestern University (Illinois), a cooperative effort of the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the Council of Graduate Schools. The program provides monthly colloquia on college…

The Jacksonville University (Alabama) experience with reforming its mathematics major is described. The process, designed to meet student career needs while maintaining academic integrity, involved realignment of program objectives with student goals, which often did not include immediate graduate study. Other considerations included…