A contemplative approach to higher education is receiving increased attention and application in the classroom. Applying contemplative practices to administration, however, has received little attention in the literature. This case study offers a unique look at Naropa University and its implementation of contemplative administration. Findings…

Increasingly administrators are concerned with inspiring and supporting faculty members in the creation of interdisciplinary programs in response to research and funding shifts and public need. This article presents an initiative undertaken at the University of Colorado Denver, demonstrating a method for identifying and launching a set of…

Journal articles within the field of higher education that focus on college and university administrators, have for the most part, examined topics such as leadership, governance, and institutional effectiveness. Recently, internal and external critics have questioned the ability of college and universities to impact educational outcomes, more…

A series of national conferences focusing on college faculty renewal is described. The meetings have been attended by over 450 faculty, faculty development professionals, and academic administrators representing 188 institutions. The programs demonstrate that a wide range of activities promoting faculty renewal are occurring in a variety of…

A discussion of conflict in academic departments describes current philosophies in conflict resolution, including a principled approach emphasizing positive benefits. Structures within organizations that inherently create conflict are identified, and various strategies for dealing with conflict are outlined based on one theory of response modes.…

Evidence that a structured faculty development program deliberately seeking to create change can yield lasting benefits is found in the experiences of 10 University of Nebraska faculty members, who reported both internal and external changes resulting from the program. A basic model for bringing about lasting change includes four elements: power,…

A discussion of college faculty renewal looks at the word's etymology and at concrete ways for departments and their administrators to promote quality faculty research. It also describes four archetypal examples of faculty in need of research renewal, each related to literary history and the workings of a research committee. (Author/MSE)

A major barrier to the exploitation of college faculty renewal programs has been a lack of tangible measurements of achievement in academic functions. Functional productivity indices can be used as tools to motivate both individuals and institutions to take advantage of renewal opportunities and assess their renewal experiences. (Author/MSE)

A form of melancholia characterized by the negating of a college faculty member's professional motivation, positive attitudinal focus, and personal self-esteem is described. This "professorial melancholia" has three stages: (1) causal factors are beginning to have an effect; (2) progressive influence and noticeable impact; and (3) serious impact…

As college faculty's professional interests narrow over time and pressure to publish increases, writing burnout may occur. Senior faculty should be encouraged to give their informed perspective on current cultural, political, and scientific dilemmas through the popular media. Strategies for such regeneration are easily incorporated into faculty…

This case study of an international teaching assistant's experience with college teaching focuses on the process of becoming an effective instructor in the undergraduate classroom. A developmental model that emphasizes clarifying the student's individual linguistic, cultural, social, and professional goals is suggested, and implications for…

To prepare new international graduate students for assignments as teaching assistants, the University of Washington chemistry department worked with specialists in language, pedagogy, and chemistry to design a discipline-specific training program. The program's structure, participants, benefits and limitations, and effectiveness in its first year…

To help international teaching assistants balance their roles as teacher and graduate student, the University of Cincinnati developed a program in classroom communication skills for this population. It begins with naming and social identity but focuses primarily on communication for participative learning. Interacting with academic advisors is…

A survey indicates that student complaints led legislators in 20 states to mandate that higher education institutions develop policies on oral English proficiency of instructors, including language certification for international teaching assistants. Many institutions responded with policies requiring formal language testing and remedial…

In the University of California (Davis) Program in College Teaching, graduate teaching assistants develop and fulfill contractual agreements for faculty-guided investigations into their disciplines, with supporting individualized activities about practices and issues of college teaching. Aspects of the program's development and effectiveness are…