Although the president of the University of Chicago (Illinois) has resigned, the controversy over his planned changes for the institution has not abated. Proposed changes include reducing the number of core curriculum courses and expanding the size of the undergraduate population. Faculty, students, and prominent scholars are calling for improved…

A group of selective liberal arts colleges will bar many of their athletic teams from postseason championships as of academic year 2001-02, following an eight-year experiment to see if postseason competition would fit into the colleges' missions. Factors in the decision include students missing examinations and increased tension with faculty over…

Female college professors feel pressure to plan childbirth for the summer because maternity policies don't accommodate mid-academic-year births and finding a substitute instructor may be difficult. A few institutions offer paid maternity leave. Wesleyan University (Connecticut) offers mothers and fathers the option of part-time pay for leave or…

Throughout the nation, increased state appropriations to public colleges are common; at least seven states are giving double-digit percentage increases. Lawmakers are linking funding to state goals and demanding greater accountability, and governors are willing to veto expenditures they consider excessive. Other funding issues include tuition cuts…

In light of recent debate over the censorship of articles, college alumni publications editors are seeking to establish professional guidelines for publication content and clearer lines of authority within institutional administration. They feel alumni magazines should be interesting and reflect current issues on campus, even when controversial.…

Personal disputes and controversial research lead some scholars to be shunned by colleagues. The practice is seen variously as a form of mind control, manipulation, and indicative of scholars' paranoia. Those affected find professional invitations withdrawn and departmental involvement reduced; some even encounter lawsuits. (MSE)

South Carolina has instituted a system of accountability linked to funding for its public colleges; it includes six measures of faculty, six measures of graduate preparedness to succeed, and five measures of instructional quality. The practice has transformed the way the institution operates, but some educators question the fairness and…

President John Brooks Slaughter has pushed to create diversity at all levels at Occidental College (California), including students, faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees, while maintaining academic excellence. Many say he has succeeded in his leadership, although some alumni are critical of the changes and some supporters are concerned…

For-profit college-admissions counseling and college-preparation companies are expanding, and existing test-preparation centers are planning to begin offering admissions-counseling services. One company envisions a national chain. Some educators welcome the trend, while others feel the commercial enterprises may take an inappropriate approach to…

The federal Department of Education will help college students save money on loan interest if they consolidate loans in the direct lending program while in college. Some college lobbyists feel the administration has not done enough to cut fees and help students and colleges and, as a result, may lose direct-loan participants to bank-loan programs.…

An unprecedented wave of private donations was pledged to college and universities in fiscal 1998; the total amount of gifts is up 15%. Donations to public master's universities and private liberal arts colleges have increased the most. Nothing in the performance of either group foreshadowed the growth in donations. (MSE)

The annual incidence of meningococcal disease among 15- to 25-year olds has doubled since 1991, to over 600 cases, and recent studies indicate outbreaks may be increasing on college campuses. Six of the 83 cases appearing at academic institutions have been fatal. The trend has fueled the debate over whether a vaccine should be administered…

After developing independently of each other for centuries, European higher-education systems are beginning serious efforts to "harmonize" their systems. The goal is to promote European integration and economic growth by making academic standards and degrees compatible across national boundaries. The Bologna Declaration of May 1999 formalizes the…

Two major universities illustrate very different experiences with curriculum reform. At Duke University (North Carolina), a new core curriculum was adopted smoothly. At Rice University (Texas), a new undergraduate curriculum that took long to develop was defeated easily by disgruntled faculty. Some feel public relations and institutional politics…

Colleges and universities are discovering that planning is the most effective way to make decisions about spending for new technology. A national survey shows fewer institutions are using one-time budget allocations, more are using a plan for amortizing costs. For state institutions, budgeting is often up to legislatures. College and university…