States are moving away from plans allowing parents to pay for their children's education at a fixed rate years in advance, instead looking at plans that simply help parents save money. Of the nine guaranteed-tuition programs, only three are in operation, and some are pressing for a national program. (MSE)

Student interest in computing and computer services on campus is causing colleges to rewrite brochures, but student misinformation or lack of knowledge about computing remains a problem. (MSE)

Increasing attention to women writers and to Latin American literature has helped focus attention on Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, a nun who produced some of the most important poetry and prose of the 1600s. Her greatness is seen in the abundance, variety, and excellence of her writing. (Author/MSE)

A growing number of colleges and universities are using housing-assistance plans to recruit faculty. Programs range from offering affordable on-campus condominiums to lending money for a house down payment. Faculty recruitment in the 1990s is predicted to be heavily competitive. (MSE)

The state of the humanities in the college and university curriculum and community, as expressed through the medium of television, and in the "parallel school" (museums, libraries, educational broadcasting, state humanities councils, and historical organizations) is discussed and recommendations are made. (MSE)

Retiring Secretary of Education William Bennett answers questions about his statements on the quality and costs of higher education, current administration attitudes about minority access, and the politics of education at the federal level. (MSE)

While the scholarly interest in philanthropy is growing, there remains concern about the difficulty of accomplishing serious study of the phenomenon because of the nature of grants and research funding. (MSE)

Officials at colleges of veterinary medicine feel their field is overdue for major changes in areas including teaching strategies, breadth of curriculum, keeping pace with growing agricultural and medical knowledge, faculty emphasis on research, livestock industry needs, and computer applications. (MSE)

Federal, state, and institutional student financial aid expenditures are tabulated by individual program in both constant and non-inflation-adjusted dollars for the years 1980-81 through 1987-88, with percent changes since 1980-81 noted. Individual recipient averages in major programs are also presented. (MSE)

The Center for the Study of Southern Culture of the University of Mississippi offers undergraduate and graduate programs in southern studies; builds teaching and research collections; sponsors research and publications; and produces films, television shows, art exhibitions, and conferences. (MLW)

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)

Governor Schaefer of Maryland declared that higher education would be the top priority this year. His major proposal was to bring the 13 four-year colleges and universities under the governance of a single board, while limiting the power of the statewide coordinating board and eliminating single campus boards. (MLW)

As college fund-drive goals reach new heights, so do the pressures felt by the directors of development and other top fund raisers. Concerns aired at the annual meeting of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education are discussed. Part of the competitive atmosphere is "one-upmanship." (MLW)

The National Youth Sports Program, administered by the NCAA and funded by a federal grant, introduces lacrosse to low-income children in Philadelphia. The camp, held at Temple University, offers instruction in 13 activities, and almost all of the children are seeing the inside of a college campus for the first time. (MLW)

The annual survey of college costs by the College Board is described. Students at four-year public institutions will pay 5 percent more than last year while students at four-year private institutions will pay 9 percent more. (MLW)