Central Intelligence Agency policy changes concerning its relationship with the academic community are outlined specifically relating to consulting, sponsorship of conferences, research, scholars in residence, information seeking from faculty traveling abroad, and academic freedom. (MSE)

The Meiklejohn Education Foundation conference, "Liberal Education in the Age of the Computer," is discussed. Several professors believe that computers are friends to facts, but can be the enemies of ideas. There was also some fear that education suffers from a deluge of data that the computer age had brought. (MLW)

Good research and good teaching are not mutually exclusive, professors and deans demonstrated at the meeting of the Association of American Colleges. The traditional "teacher-scholar model" is seen as intimidating, since most faculty members aren't publishing enough. The model should include scholarship that doesn't end up in print. (MLW)

Unless schoolteachers are respected as professionals, the drive to improve education will stall, according to educators speaking at the first national meeting of the Holmes Group, an organization of research universities dedicated to reforming teacher education. Regional priorities, goals, liberal-arts graduates as instructors, and Black teachers…

Public-health specialists say colleges and universities could play a crucial role in halting the spread of AIDS by educating all their students about the disease and how to avoid becoming infected with the virus that causes it. Reaching minority groups and drug users, and "safe sex" kits are discussed. (MLW)

Alarmed by the decline in the number of minorities graduating from high schools and colleges, representatives of 28 liberal arts institutions met at Swarthmore College in February 1987 to consider strategies to increase minority-group applicant pools and to improve retention rates. A consortium with 300 high schools nationwide was proposed. (MLW)

Secretary of Education William Bennett's address criticizes colleges and universities in general for their inadequate contributions to student fulfillment and the betterment of society, and suggests that they scrutinize themselves as the academic establishment scrutinizes others. (MSE)

The response of Harvard University's president to the Secretary of Education's criticisms of higher education and Bok's suggestions for improvement of the college curriculum and enhancement of learning are presented. (MSE)

The annual meeting of the American Historical Association is reported, including the "history in crisis" vs "history being revitalized" debate. In the 1960s, a younger generation of scholars pioneered the "new social history"; in the 1980s, political divisions have contributed to the debate. (MLW)

A conference that brought together archaeologists, museum professionals, and indigenous groups from around the world to discuss the reburial issue is discussed. Participants said the issue is as much about wresting control of the past as it is about limiting scientific research in the interests of spiritual values. (MLW)

Leaders of student governments at the Big Ten universities have formed an organization to solve common problems and revitalize student activism on their campuses. Issues include: combating racism, sexism, and homophobia; pushing universities to establish better ways to recruit and retain minority faculty and students; etc. (MLW)

Catholic universities and colleges are challenged to retain a lively sense of their Catholic identity and to fulfill their specific responsibilities to the Church and to society. Theology is a search to understand more clearly the heritage of faith preserved, transmitted and made explicit by the Church. (MLW)

A three-week conference on the future of the English curriculum in elementary through postsecondary education is discussed. English students would study a variety of works. They would analyze the historical, cultural, and political dimensions of what they read and writing would be an integral part of the curriculum. (MLW)

At the National Governors' Association annual meeting, the governors outlined a range of actions that state officials could take to promote increased activity in international education. Their primary motivation was improving the economy. The "global education" controversy is discussed. (MLW)

A meeting of Project 30, an effort to redesign teacher education so that it is multicultural, concentrated on five issues including cultural awareness, general knowledge, knowledge about specific subjects to be taught, teaching ability, and recruitment of minority-group members. (MLW)