With increased media scrutiny has come the need for better public relations in higher education. Some rules and practices for crisis communications are presented, including: make sure the staff speaks one language, review what can and cannot be said, help reporters out, treat reporters fairly, be accessible, etc. (MLW)

This document addresses the negative image of Arabs among the U.S. public. While formal education has created many of the misconceptions about Arabs that abound in the west, many of the misconceptions come from the informal education of popular culture. The western image of the Arab is possibly more interesting than the reality of Arab culture.…

Ways in which public relations professionals deal with negative publicity are discussed, including: keeping cool, take charge of the story, designate credible sources, hide nothing, react carefully to errors, watch for reporting trends, take advantage of the attention, and communicate with constituents. The best measures are seen as preventive.…

Describes skill deficiencies exhibited by disadvantaged students and the types of students who would benefit from identification and remediation. (SK)

Discusses issues and appropriate behaviors for college and university fundraisers when a major donor shows signs of burnout, noting causes (oversolicitation, ignoring the donor's interests, neglecting to steward past gifts) and warning signs (telephone tag, no-shows, disgruntled spouse), and offering techniques for bringing donors back (personal…

A recent study of children's attitudes toward computers revealed that most students are not interested in computers, do not intend to use them as adults, and have many misconceptions and stereotypic ideas about computers. (MD)

Describes symptoms of teacher burnout, notes specific problems faced by reading teachers, and suggests ways reading teachers can treat professional burnout and enhance their personal lives. (GT)

Offers advice on dealing with individual workers at childcare centers who whine, complain, and spread unsettling rumors. Suggests that coworkers resist the temptation to argue or immediately propose solutions to problems; accept the negative person as is; ask for "specific" objections to the ideas of others; and try to empower the…

Several steps are presented to help the principal change a school's climate from negative to positive by developing a positive personal attitude. Included are: having a plan of action, managing time effectively, and motivation of one's self and one's staff. (KC)

Makes suggestions for persuading publicity-shy faculty that talking to reporters can be useful to their research and the institution. Arguments include that their participation may result in increased funding, new constituents, productive collaboration, impact on public policy/public opinion, benefit to the profession, and more control by the…

Two problems for academic deans in getting faculty involved in faculty development are motivating teachers and ensuring receptive participation. Active administrator commitment is essential, and participation can be encouraged by laying groundwork carefully, actively promoting concern for good teaching, appointing a department contact person for…

Proposes specific public relations practices, aimed at parents, that will make the public more aware of the invaluable work done by English teachers. (RL)

Presents a step-by-step guide to the fund-raising telephone call, designed for volunteers in college and university phonathons. Includes asking for the donor, introducing oneself, giving the reason for the call, verifying prospect records, establishing rapport, dealing with both positive and negative responses, suggesting alternatives, summarizing…

The influence of television pervades American society to the extent that it seriously interferes with the development of desirable attitudes towards sexuality, nutrition, exercise, nonviolence, and general human wellness. (LH)

The authors examine various excuses offered by teachers and administrators for educational mediocrity, such as "It's not my job.""We've always done it this way." and "There's not enough money." They then suggest a systematic approach to changing these negative attitudes and improving performance. (SJL)