The most important skill for technical professionals is the ability to communicate technology and it is the skill in shortest supply in science and technology. While some colleges in New England offer bachelor's degrees and certificates in technical communication, none offer a doctoral degree; in general, students are not trained to speak or write…

Colleges and universities sell education at a price that is far less than the cost of its production. Student subsidies are a permanent feature of higher education economics, representing a large part of total costs. Cross-subsidizing, with one activity supporting another, is common, and even students who pay full costs and do not get direct…

Reports a series of ethnographic studies of student behavior concerning examinations, conducted in a Canadian university since the mid-1980s. Describes techniques of data gathering and the link between methodology and theory. Examines implications for higher education, including dealing with students' exam-related stress, factors influencing…

A study with nine physics students in a Quebec university found they saw themselves learning primarily outside the classroom as they solved assigned problems, saw few new concepts being introduced, and felt they had moved beyond memorization to application of concepts to problem solving. Students' perceptions were sometimes at odds with teachers'…

Reports a study of 20 Canadian associate professors, aged 41-59, which explored how faculty experience the mid-career and mid-life period in academic and community work, personal and family relationships, and sense of self. Identifies a variety of difficult issues for this population, but proposes that adult development theory suggests potential…

A study of 10 public colleges in Alberta (Canada) examined the role of value judgments in presidential decision making. Data were drawn from surveys of 10 administrators and interviews with 4 concerning decision making in representative situations. Findings are presented concerning the types of decisions made, processes used in making them, and…

Discussion of the scholarship of college teaching looks at its nature, its definition, and how such scholarship can lead to development and advancement of teaching. Examples of the scholarship of teaching and of institutional policies supporting it are drawn from Canadian universities. Lists of journals and conferences at which to publish and…

Faculty at two small Canadian universities were surveyed concerning their research activities and preferences, views of themselves as researchers, and factors they felt constrained or facilitated research activities. Respondents were highly committed to research. Teaching and nonteaching commitments, availability of graduate students, limitations…

In a study at Laval University (Canada), 94 faculty were surveyed concerning their teaching style, and over 3,000 of their students were also surveyed concerning teaching style, closeness of relationship with the teacher, satisfaction with teaching style, positive feelings toward teacher, and course satisfaction and involvement in learning the…

The planning process for the University of Northern British Columbia (Canada), a new university, is discussed, focusing on the academic plan and other, nonacademic considerations given physical expression in the campus master plan, and on how the academic plan influenced the master plan in six areas. The process used included a review of previous…

The relationships between important needs of faculty and the processes and contexts of teaching in institutions of higher learning that might affect need satisfaction are examined. It is suggested that the various dimensions of the teaching role serve to frustrate need satisfaction rather than to facilitate it. (Author/LBH)

Six alternative theoretical models are employed to determine the relationship between age and several performance and activity variables for a national sample of doctorate faculty members in 7 selected scientific disciplines. The findings indicate that "steady-state staffing" policies should continue to recognize individual differences and not be…

The existence, size, purpose, and organization and administration of internally sponsored research programs in colleges and universities are documented in this study. It is shown that the vast majority of these programs exist as a centralized function of the institution. Support ranges from under $1,000 to over $500,000. (Author/LBH)

In this study of black graduate students no significant difference was found between the two groups on mean graduate grade point average, retention rate, or graduation rate. There was a positive correlation between undergraduate and graduate grade point averages for each group within each of four fields of study. (Author/LBH)

The procedure described consists of eight interacting stages: (1) definition of institutional mission and service area; (2) idea generation; (3) idea screening; (4) concept development; (5) concept testing; (6) costing; (7) estimation of program demand; and (8) program evaluation. A pilot test of the procedure is reviewed. (Author/LBH)