This article develops themes that were outlined in a keynote presentation at the "Seeking the Light, Sharing Our Gifts, Returning a New Way" symposium for campus ministers at Catholic colleges and universities, held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 3-6 2008. It proposes that collaboration among faculty, campus ministers, and student affairs…

This paper begins with a typological discussion of students at Catholic colleges and universities. It focuses on those students who express a strong Catholic identity, recognizing that such students are a minority. The discussion describes this group as a manifestation of a more evangelical Catholicism and traces this development to changes in the…

While focusing on the nature and mission of Catholic higher education, "Ex Corde Ecclesiae: The Apostolic Constitution on Catholic Universities and The Presence of the Church in the University and University Culture" are also interested in the relationship between the mission of the Catholic university and the nature of the student as a person.…

This qualitative study explored faculty's perceptions of the effects of sustained discourse across disciplines on attitudes and behaviors related to scholarship and intellectual interaction at one research university. Many participants reported developing new approaches for teaching and research that spanned disciplinary perspectives, enhancing…

Self-study research is a mode of scholarly inquiry in which teachers examine their beliefs and actions as educators and explore pedagogical questions. A three-phase model of collaborative self-study research is offered as a framework for university faculty to engage in self-study for the purpose of improving teaching and creating new knowledge.…

Using the 1993 National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF:93), examined the employment, earnings, and satisfaction of faculty. Found that demand-side factors explained most of the gender difference in part-time employment, part-timers earned more per hour from all work than full-timers, and part-time and full-time faculty were equally…

Faculty perceptions of 28 academic behaviors were explored using multidimensional scaling of pairwise similarity ratings, a methodology that does not impose the researchers' a priori conceptions of the relevant dimension. Results indicated that faculty perceive academically dishonest behavior in two dimensions: seriousness and paper versus exams.…

On a survey of 986 alumni from a research-extensive university, respondents with undergraduate research experience, when compared to those with no research experience, reported greater enhancement of important cognitive and personal skills as well as higher satisfaction with their undergraduate education. They were also more likely to pursue…

State decentralization of higher education emerged as a significant governance trend of the 1980s to 1990s. Yet little is known about how or why decentralization first became an issue to which state governments paid serious attention. This study employs multiple theories to analyze the agenda-setting stage of policy formation in three states…

This constructivist study investigated college student perceptions of their motivations to participate in community service in high school and college. Data from interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach and revealed that patterns of commitment are mediated by early socialization experiences, the influence of peers, and by how…

Explored the relationship between intercollegiate athletic program success and the institutional graduation rates of 97 of the 112 universities that compete in both NCAA Division 1A basketball and football. Results suggest that successful intercollegiate sports programs often negatively impact institutional graduation rates. (EV)

Using qualitative methods, explored how faculty, administrators, and students at a liberal arts college understand the mission of liberal education and its relationship to their institutional goals for multicultural community. Interview data suggest that the traditional liberal educational mission of this college thwarts the development of…

Examined the impact of personal belief systems and the college experience on Asian Pacific American undergraduate college students' views of affirmative action in higher education. Survey results indicated that Asian Pacific American students' social interactions and perceptions, as well as their dominant ideology beliefs and racial/ethnic…

Profiles historically nontraditional students who attended state normal schools, discussing how normal schools met their needs. Overall, state normal schools had much in common with today's nontraditional schools, welcoming women, minorities, and other atypical students and encouraging them to reach beyond their unprivileged backgrounds. (SM)

Using data from 4,644 undergraduates, this study tested a causal model identifying the effects of social integration, age, and time-limiting characteristics on adult student learning. Survey results indicated that educationally related peer relationships were the strongest predictors of gains for all students. Time limitations hindered learning…