In two years, HighWire Press at Stanford University (California) has revolutionized online scientific publishing; electronic journals are reaching readers faster, are easier to search, and are entering new foreign markets. The largest scientific publishers will put about 200 journals online in 1997. Other changes foreseen include immediate rather…

The firing of the director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia after a 20-year tenure and similar changes in other states have raised concerns that higher education policy boards face tightened political control. Some Virginia legislators feel the dismissal has left the council with little credibility, and substituted political…

A recent study found universities pay substantially higher salaries, sometimes twice as high, to head coaches of men's athletic teams than to head coaches of women's teams. Findings raise questions about how coaches' salaries are set. Some see sex discrimination; others view salary differences as reflecting degree of coach responsibility. Most…

A convicted criminal, eluding police, has conned dozens of college faculty out of over $200,000 over two years by pretending to be a prominent scholar, calling on colleagues to provide financial assistance to a friend, and offering academic services or personal favors in return. Targeted professors have been in the fields of history, sociology,…

College student enrollment from the four largest minority groups (American Indians, Asians, Blacks, Hispanics) rose by 2.9% in 1995, accounting for one-quarter of all students. White student enrollments accounted for an overall enrollment decline of 1%, although the proportion of whites aged 18-24 in college reached an all-time high, 43%. Blacks…

Presents data on college enrollment numbers by racial/ethnic group (American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian American, Black, Hispanic American, White) and for foreign students by state, and proportions of each group enrolled, by institution. The data are from an annual federal survey of enrollment. (MSE)

Four articles address rising college tuition: "An Inside Look at How a Private University Sets Tuition Rates and Spends the Money"; "Comparisons of Tuition Rates Raise Tough Policy Questions"; "At Public Colleges, the Tuition Debate Is a Mix of Philosophy and Practicality"; and "Do Federal Loans Encourage Tuition Increases?" Data on undergraduate…

A national study found private giving to colleges rose substantially in 1996, largely due to strong stock market performance. Adjusted for inflation, the rate of giving was 8.8% at a time when costs rose 2% and enrollments rose 1%. Research and doctoral universities received 67% of donations, and public institutions in this group fared better than…

For the first time, the American Bar Association has published a law school guide that includes statistics on the percentage of students passing the bar examination on the first try. For schools with low passage rates, the figures are embarrassing; for those with high rates, the guide is a publicity windfall. (MSE)

Presents data on number of volumes, volumes added in 1995-96, current serials, permanent staff, and total expenditures of university and non-university research libraries in the United States and Canada. Also charts operating expenditure percentages for salaries, books and monographs, serials, and other materials and expenses. (MSE)

College faculty, particularly in the humanities, are finding institutions do not always treat substantial work with electronic media as a form of scholarship or service. While more humanities departments are embracing technology, faculty are finding involvement in innovative projects risky to their careers. Professional associations are criticized…

Public officials and student aid experts agree that the federal program delivery system is outdated, inefficient, and vulnerable to fraud, but they disagree on how bad the situation is and whether the Education Department has the structure necessary to fix it. A 1995 project to integrate all federal grant and loan programs into one system has not…

The University of Phoenix, once belittled as providing "McEducation" and branded a diploma mill, has garnered respect among higher education professionals. The school is attracting increasing numbers of adult students for its practical approach and 64 locations in 10 states and Puerto Rico, and is a financial success. The heavy use of part-time…

Women are enrolling in college in greater numbers than men, but the imbalance is particularly acute at private liberal arts colleges. Administrators are concerned about implications for campus social life, athletic opportunities, and academic programs. Some colleges are trying new strategies to attract men. Critics are concerned about lowered…

Many college and university faculty clubs have been scaled back or have been populated by increasingly greater proportions of alumni and other members. Some observers see loss of community and a common meeting ground for scholars. Many younger faculty see the clubs as relics and prefer to use their time for career development. (MSE)