The ethos of a college or university is a belief system widely shared by faculty, students, administrators, and others. Colleges with an ethos of learning share three themes: (1) a holistic institutional philosophy of learning; (2) an involving campus culture; and (3) a climate encouraging free expression. A learning ethos must be cultivated…

Steps that heterosexuals can take to create an environment tolerant of gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals are outlined. Discussion includes information about the gay/lesbian/bisexual community, activism, homophobic and positive attitudes, and the role of a heterosexual "ally." Institutional and print sources for additional information are…

Reviews the contributions that academic deans can make to community colleges' scholarly endeavors (e.g., developing the college's intellectual climate, supporting professional development opportunities, fostering student scholarship, and undertaking his/her own scholarly activities). (DMM)

College leaders can be symbols of moral unity for their institutions. The leader must have a vision of the institution's ethical life, then be able to create and sustain it in the campus community. Strategic planning can help resolve conflicts constructively, based on values expressed in the mission statement. (MSE)

It is argued that higher education institutions can play a major role in health care reform by providing campus cultures that foster healthy lifestyle choices and in turn reduce medical costs. Specific issues discussed include elimination of unnecessary tests, focus on special high-risk populations, and use of advance directives. (MSE)

This article offers information and suggestions to administrators on dealing with cults on college campuses. Reasons why students are vulnerable to cults as well as cult recruitment techniques and ways to help students make informed choices are considered. Print, organizational, and videotape resources are identified. (DB)

Assessments of campus climates can be difficult and be accomplished by several methods, according to purpose. However, a well-designed survey can yield comprehensive and substantive data about the characteristics of people in the institution, workings of programs and policies, and interaction of these elements to inform institutional decision…

Twenty-seven key resources for understanding, researching, and managing organizational climates and cultures are cited and described. The articles, books, and monographs reflect a relatively recent wave of interest in culture as a tool for understanding organizational settings. (Author/MSE)

The charge that there is thought control and intimidation in the college classroom must be examined more closely. There are times when politics overtakes "correctness" on the campus, but it is more often the students intimidating the teachers, through choice of courses, than the other way around. (MSE)

A discussion of volunteers on the college campus looks at research on volunteerism in the United States in general and on campuses in particular, and reviews literature on volunteer motivation, the college campus as a context for transmission of values, and the importance of mentors in development of humanitarian concern. (MSE)

Based on a study of the general education statements and course requirements of 322 colleges/universities, describes 4 types of curricula--the diverse, personalized/individual, integrative curricula, and interdisciplinary core/major dominated programs. Ties each type to institutional characteristics, faculty teaching practices, and student…

By focusing more on the educational values of community life and development of the whole student, as exemplified in the tradition of residential colleges, educators can help make the modern U.S. university more student centered, building characters and sharpening minds. (MSE)

A study integrated the major propositions of 2 theories of college persistence (Tinto's and Bean's) and used the resulting framework to survey a population of 466 first-year college students at 1 university. Findings supported most of the hypothesized links between the models and revealed a complex role for environmental factors in retention.…

Increasingly, colleges and universities are populated with nontraditional students with families, and family programs are a popular addition to traditional campus activities. Institutions are discovering that family programs encourage participation of these students in the college community and are good public relations. A variety of programming…

Presents a typology of quality-assurance systems for higher education and evaluates the alternatives. Argues that total quality management strategies are best suited to higher education's purpose because the model is internal to the delivery of the service, continuous, and process-oriented, but notes, however, that there are deep, often…