Economic pressures in the publishing industry are causing faculty to write shorter books. The authors want their books to be readable, and publishers want to reduce costs and make the books affordable for a wider audience, including students. Brief but broad surveys, short introductory primers, quick biographies, and books with very basic themes…

After years in which scholars avoided New York City, college faculty are now coming in large numbers, enticed by attractive work assignments and reduced-cost housing. Hirings often come in clusters to strengthen weak departments. While not for everyone, a get-tough administration has made New York more attractive, particularly for two-career…

Long Island University (New York), a commuter campus easily accessible to New York City, has attracted many immigrants, including a large number of Russians. Many participate in a variety of campus and off-campus activities, including activist politics and cultural heritage organizations. Some behaviors and group characteristics have caused…

Students at more than 110 campuses have begun to monitor "inaccuracy" and "liberal bias" in the college classroom, according to leaders of Accuracy in Academia, Inc. A spin-off from a conservative watchdog, A.I.A. has begun to investigate some complaints. (MLW)

Statistics show that colleges and universities have become more dependent on foreign graduate students to teach courses. As a result, more institutions are demanding that graduate students pass tests to demonstrate their ability to speak English. (MLW)

An overnight retreat away from campus for Wilkes College faculty and their new president was used for renewal of intrafaculty relationships and discussion of curricular and other college planning. It resulted in faculty revitalization, opened lines of communication, and a revised mission statement. (MSE)

Oakland Community College allowed a "Chronicle" reporter to watch the college president selection process. Their experiences are described, and some lessons they learned are offered: the process is imperfect, consultants shape the process heavily, and "chemistry" makes the ultimate difference among the finalists. (MLW)

According to speakers at the annual meeting of the American Association for Higher Education, better college teaching requires closer attention to how students learn, but colleges set a poor example for such values as empathy and cooperation. Institutions should encourage student-faculty contacts, emphasize collaboration among students, use active…

The American Council on Education's president has proposed a broad plan to overhaul federal student aid, replacing current programs with a more coherent plan. It would expand grant-money for low-income students and maintain the present guaranteed-loan program while creating two new loan plans to reduce government costs. (MSE)

At the annual meeting of the Association for General and Liberal Studies, scholars suggested that higher education--liberal arts in particular--should address broad social issues, encourage student activism, and stop pretending that teaching is not a political act. 'Empowerment' of students through collaborative classroom experiences was urged.…

Some argue that instead of being taught as a discrete skill, critical thinking must be linked to the content and methods of specific academic disciplines; they urge faculty to make students explicitly aware of the language and modes of thinking of their disciplines. (MSE)

The English Department at Carnegie Mellon believes they are creating a new-wave curriculum. Theoretical questions are becoming the center of undergraduate study. Scholars want students to think about the political, social, and historical forces that end up shaping a writer's vision, the written work, and the reader's interpretation. (MLW)

American studies have largely explored the intersection between literature and history. An influx of scholars trained in the 1960s has infused American studies with a strong interest in issues of race and class, as well as popular culture. Some feel that this will dilute its basic mission. (MLW)

The movement to improve the quality of general education (the common courses taken by students outside their majors) continues. Change is difficult because it is resisted by a significant number of faculty. Experiences at the University of Wyoming and the University of Washington are described. (MLW)

Loosely structured like think tanks, humanities research centers are the true intellectual homes of many humanities faculty members and are instrumental in breaking the hardened boundaries of the disciplines. (MSE)