It is proposed that the primary method for college budget reduction should be horizontal, across-the-board cuts by percentage applied to all programs and departments. It is argued further that vertical budget cuts embody imperfect procedural justice and should be considered only in extreme situations. (MSE)

The senate of the University of Maryland at College Park includes representatives of the entire campus community. The involvement of all constituencies is useful: decisions and policies made result from full information and discussion; there are no decision surprises; and there is strong administrative commitment to act on policies adopted. (MSE)

The advantages and disadvantages of the Teachers Insurance Annuity Association (TIAA) and College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF) as investment vehicles for college faculty are examined, and guidelines for faculty to use in evaluating their investment options are offered. Some data on TIAA-CREF performance are included. (MSE)

Management drive in both higher education and industry is to offer participation to employees but use such participation to increase management control through identifying weak links in a deliberately stressed work situation. Attacks on faculty unions or senates are all part of management's offensive against any control by labor, and also on…

The implications of applying state sunshine laws to state colleges and universities are examined. Considerations of political pressure, loss of privacy for individuals, difficulty in obtaining candid evaluations, and the threat of competition are cited. (MSE)

Despite ambiguous results of corporate restructuring efforts, higher education has adopted many of the methods used in hostile corporate takeovers and leveraged buyouts, affecting "ownership" of the educational process by faculty and the relationship between faculty and administration. A common element in successful restructuring is the…

The benefits of an institution's planning ahead for possible financial exigencies are examined and the procedures on several campuses are outlined in the context of the American Association of University Professors' guidelines on faculty involvement in policy formation. (MSE)

A University of Maryland at College Park administrator offers his perspective on a recent retrenchment process that resulted in program closings. He describes the dialog between administration and faculty and credits the faculty with important support and participation in difficult decision making. (MSE)

The report of the National Research Council's committee on mandatory retirement in higher education is summarized, and related issues are discussed briefly, including trends in faculty retirement age, factors in retirement decision making, faculty productivity and age, and implications for tenure. (MSE)

Although a casual analysis might suggest that a faculty member cannot afford a two-term sabbatical leave, factors affecting income loss from sabbaticals have changed. These include an increase in the number of two-income households, general increases in salary levels, and substantial revisions in federal tax law. Income loss from sabbaticals,…

A University of Maryland at College Park faculty member describes the recent retrenchment process, focusing on the role of the faculty senate and the academic planning advisory committee in decision making. The administration is credited with conducting an open and decisive process. (MSE)

Examines three assumptions that underlie the argument that shared governance must be reformed, and based on the professional literature and experience, counters them. The assumptions are that the bureaucracy appropriate for industry is appropriate for a higher education institution, democratic decision making undermines effective college and…

The case of a dispute over the college faculty promotion process is examined in the context of a model of the organization of campus governance. The model describes three levels of power relationships with increasing amounts of shared responsibility between faculty and administration. A commitment to partnership is advocated. (MSE)