Although institutional characteristics are assumed to influence student learning and intellectual development, this link has not been empirically confirmed. This study examined whether institutional mission, represented by Carnegie classification, is related to student learning and development. Participants were a stratified random sample of 1,500…

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…

The increasing number of minority group students in colleges and universities mandates that student activities be designed to promote cultural pluralism and interaction among all students. (MSE)

Student culture exerts significant influence on many aspects of college life by determining the kinds of people with whom one spends time and the values and attitudes to which one is exposed. To encourage attitudes and values consistent with the institution's educational purpose, cultural elements must be discovered and understood. (Author/MSE)

Based on existing data about colleges and universities and their students, a study examined the factors in the college environment that contribute to or inhibit students' character development. Results indicate that colleges that take character-building seriously invest significant human and financial resources. A six-step agenda outlines what…

The properties of institutional culture are identified, and the way cultural perspectives have been used to describe life in colleges and universities are examined. Seven sections cover the following: cultural perspectives (the warrant for the report, organizational rationality, the remaining sections); culture defined and described (toward a…

Studies of the relationships between higher education expenditures and student outcomes are relatively rare. The present research examined the relationships between higher education expenditures and students' engagement in educationally purposeful activities. Findings indicate that the relationships between expenditures and student engagement are…

The authors examine the college conditions that contribute to character development, using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). (Contains 4 tables and 5 figures.)

This study examines the effects of experiences with informal interactional diversity (defined by P. Gurin, 1999) on a range of desirable college outcomes for white students and students of color at different types of colleges. The sample was 53,756 full-time enrolled undergraduates who completed all the items on the College Student Experiences…

In terms of personal characteristics and campus perceptions, adult students are a diverse group. In general they do not perceive the college environment to be supportive or to encourage personal development. Student affairs personnel must encourage self-identification of desired dimensions of growth. (Author/JAC)

A study of 14 diverse colleges and universities reputed to provide unusually rich out-of-class learning opportunities for their undergraduates is reported. The institutions exemplify how John W. Gardner's seven attributes of healthy, self-sustaining communities can be manifested on campus. (MSE)

The impact of out-of-class experiences on outcomes of college attendance considered important by students were studied through interviews with 149 seniors at 12 colleges and universities. Fourteen categories of learning and personal development were identified. Results demonstrate the importance of experiences beyond the classroom. (SLD)

The Carnegie classification system has served as a framework for research on colleges and universities for more than 30 years. Today, the system's developers are exploring criteria that more effectively differentiate among institutions. One approach being considered is classifying institutions based on students' educational experiences. This study…

Claims that, to prepare students for the future workplace, some notions are best forgotten. Educators must design seamless learning approaches, and institutional policies and practices must engage students in a variety of learning activities. Schools should cultivate an institutional ethos that promotes involvement in educationally purposeful…

Because residence life supplements the students' classroom experiences with personal and group learning related to cognitive, affective, and physical development, the appropriate role for residential living units in the Indiana University community was explored. The learning disposition of students living in the residence halls was examined,…