A ranking of 495 colleges, universities, and related foundations by endowment fund value provides information on the market value of endowments on June 30, 1996 and June 30, 1997. Data are derived from a comparative performance study by the National Association of College and University Business Officers. (MSE)

Although women's enrollment at leading institutions of science and engineering have risen significantly in recent years, they still frequently make up less than one-third of the student population, despite women's high academic qualifications. Many institutions admit more women than men, but women are choosing other colleges and careers. Women…

The high percentage of female undergraduate students at predominantly black colleges and universities makes it difficult for many Division I institutions to meet the male/female proportionality standards for athletics programs. Concentration of African-American athletes in just a few sports is also a factor. Some institutions are dropping sports…

Part-time college and university faculty account for over 40% of faculty nationwide, double the proportion two decades ago. Increasingly, these groups are becoming organized, often separately from full-time faculty. Issues include pay and workload. Some administrators express concern that part-time faculty are rushing to organize rather than…

Middle Tennessee State University actively recruits students with disabilities, and students in this category have increased from 115 to 708 since 1985, despite a relatively small budget. The student-disabilities office focuses on recruitment, program provision, accessibility, and trouble-shooting. Some accessibility problems persist, despite the…

The proposed merger of the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers would create the nation's largest union and allow a united front for college faculty, increasing pressure for collective bargaining in more states. Opponents fear the merger would dilute concerns about education, particularly higher education, and that…

Increasingly, curators of rare books and special collections in college and university libraries are taking on the new role of publishers and revenue producers, using electronic media to sell access to the materials by selling CD-ROMs or licensing access to Web sites. The income can be used for preservation efforts. Level of demand is not yet…

When recruiting high-powered scholars, colleges and universities must be able to offer not only good salaries but also such benefits as light teaching loads, new research facilities, jobs for spouses, and other aspects of an attractive lifestyle. Sometimes such job offers are used as leverage for increasing benefits at home institutions. (MSE)

Private colleges across the country are collaborating to cut costs, streamline services, and increase efficiency. An ambitious Ohio project, involving 35 colleges, to redesign business operations hopes to save $20-25 million. Other efforts include joint classes using interactive television, shared library resources, cross-registration, jointly…

A commission created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has issued a harsh indictment of undergraduate instruction at research universities in its report, "Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America's Research Universities." The report suggests ten ways to improve undergraduate education. Some fear the…

Recently, Microsoft Corporation has become more aggressive in its attempts to sell products on college and university campuses, promising new licensing deals for colleges, free Microsoft training for computing officials, and advice on structuring university information-technology budgets. Critics are concerned that the trend will reduce…

While Microsoft Corporation officials state unequivocally that the company does not want to get into the business of higher education, the company and its chairman have been quietly acquiring rights to intellectual property and creating software rich in academic content. College administrators, nervous about competition for students, are concerned…

Public university officials in Louisiana and Mississippi are treading a narrow line between conflicting directives on affirmative action. In U.S. vs. Louisiana, court orders permit use of affirmative action in admissions for desegregation purposes, but in Hopwood vs. Texas, Louisiana campuses are barred from using affirmative action in admissions…

In little more than a generation, veterinary medical schools have gone from enrolling a token number of women to having a higher proportion of women than men in some cases. Developments in drugs to control large animals, relatively low pay for veterinarians, and options for part-time employment have served to change the balance of sexes in the…

Rapid changes in the health care industry have forced physicians and nurses into specialized graduate programs in business administration. At the same time, business administration students are attracted to the programs by job prospects for knowledgeable graduates. For business schools competing for the best students, such a program can set the…