Describes the process by which the higher education community, working through national higher education association presidents, regional accreditation commission directors, and college/university presidents, created the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a new national organization on accrediting. The process illustrates the…

Analyzes the Chautauqua movement's influence on the development of higher and adult learning in the United States through the latter part of the 19th and into the early 20th centuries, including correspondence education, summer sessions, extension services, university presses, and the introduction of culture to the rural masses. Links to current…

Although liberal arts colleges are reputed not to offer business education, a study of 182 nationally known colleges found that most offer business majors. Apart from economics, these programs predominantly operate outside disciplinary mainstreams. Although business education is associated with lower performance and reputation rankings, it is a…

A survey of colleges belonging to the Christian College Coalition investigated how faculty envision and practice mentoring among themselves. Subjects were 287 faculty members from institutions of varying faculty sizes. The study examined who is involved in mentoring, why, under what conditions, what is done, and what faculty desire in mentoring…

A mixed-method study conducted in eight midwestern states in which 487 campuses participated focused on the workplace environment for faculty of color, with particular attention to problems in recruitment, retention, and professional development. The findings emphasize the need to persevere in efforts to diversify higher education. (Author/MSE)

If American colleges and universities are to become contemporary and effective organizations, their strategic academic-technology agenda should be focused on production of intelligence rather than on storage and recall of random and quickly outmoded information. Institutions must articulate a new mythology based on new connections between…

College deans serve as both extensions of the presidency (through the provost) and extensions of the faculty. This puts them in situations confounded by ambiguity and role conflict. A discussion of the impact of this role conflict and ambiguity on deans, particularly the resulting high turnover and low productivity, suggests policy implications…

Argues that an adaptive-generative development framework, based on constructivist learning principles and knowledge of organizational dynamics, can be helpful in managing the introduction of academic change in higher education institutions. A strength of the model is its capacity to help decision makers identify concerns and engage academics in…

Interviews with college faculty who had co-authored with a spouse or partner were conducted to identify patterns of co-authorship. Most participants did not perceive that a partner sharing their occupation had a direct impact on scholarly productivity. Contribution to productivity was greatest among partners sharing research interests and…

From 1989 to 1995 the market value of private colleges' endowments grew sharply. This study offers a perspective on the recent use of endowments to support current operations. Comparisons are drawn between actual and optimal endowment spending rates, noting that recent increases in stock and bond markets appear to have brought actual spending…

A study explored possible tensions between faculty and administrators that may impede partnerships between academe and industry. Using theories of professionalization, the research provided empirical evidence of a likely struggle for control between collaborative faculty and administrators in the areas of intellectual property, disclosure, and…

A fictitious memorandum from Niccolo Machiavelli, a 15th-century author, to college presidents, senior administrators, and faculty leaders seeking change in higher education offers suggestions for organizational development and governance in the form of ten rules and related change tactics. Topics addressed include integrity, team-building,…

A study examined the impact of prejudice and discrimination at 18 institutions on the adjustment of 1,454 students to college. Results indicate perceived discriminatory behavior negatively affected minority-student academic/intellectual development, social experiences, and institutional commitment. Although differential effects were noted for…

Data from a national higher-education database were used to analyze gender inequality among bachelor's-degree recipients. Women continue to receive degrees from institutions that fall below average on several criteria. However, gender differences are small and accounted for by women's relative absence from selective engineering programs and…

A study examined ethical activism, the willingness of college professors to inquire about or report possible unethical conduct by colleagues. Using data from a national empirical study of ethics and the academic profession, characteristics of faculty who engaged in ethical activism are examined, as are the consequences of ethical activism for…