Small private colleges should not succumb to the view that being as inexpensive as public colleges is the only way to compete. By doing some aggressive marketing, these institutions can enjoy a significant edge and thrive in what promises to be a difficult decade. (Author/MSE)

The educational and financial health of private colleges and universities in the coming years, it is suggested, will depend on the competence of those who are chosen to serve as trustees and regents. The National Commission on Trustee Selection's 14 recommendations for improvements in the selection process are provided. (Author/MLW)

Private colleges that have prospered have done so by enhancing revenue, not by decreasing expenses. The private college president of today is becoming more a salesperson, delegating operational duties to subordinates while focusing on fund-raising and public-image concerns because of the chronic need for more money. (MLW)

Three terms are defined: lifelong learning, lifelong training, and lifelong education. Lifelong learning is discussed, including: adult learning, a "serious business"; adapting programs to meet the needs of adults; expertise of private colleges with liberal arts traditions; community colleges; trustees' role; constraints; and state, regional, and…

Issues, such as admissions and tuition, that once were institutional prerogatives are seen now as having to be addressed more collectively. The need for states to have independent boards and staffs sensitive to educational values, but with the public-interested-oriented perspective is argued. (MLW)

The experiences of Wellesley College (Massachusetts) with developing a long-range plan for institutional survival in the 1990s illustrate the value of two strategies: devising a planning process that reflects the institutional culture, and spending time early in the process to gain broad agreement on basic financial principles and planning…

Small, independent colleges are endangered the most by public misconceptions of their role, value, and stability. New understanding of these colleges' financial and other support needs must be reflected in public policy if they are not to become a lost national resource. (MSE)

Endangered small, private colleges can take steps toward survival, including mission clarification, expanding services to existing and potential clienteles, introducing management by objectives, and developing public relations and fund raising. Long-range options include avoiding the postsecondary mainstream and striving for efficiency of…

The experiences of Aurora University, a small university that not only raised money but established new links with donors, are described. The key to fund raising is selling an idea. As donors become more sophisticated, sentiment and traditional patterns play a less significant role in motivating donors. (MLW)

Higher education is threatened by confusion and uncertainty about how to fulfill its role. At issue is the survival of two interdependent sectors in the structure of higher education--public and private. Trustees are stewards of the public interest in higher education. (MLW).

A list of trustee responsibilities, as adapted from a private college's trustee handbook, includes suggestions for active involvement in decision making, self-education about the institution and issues, and participation in meetings. (MSE)

Independent and public institutions must work together to demonstrate the importance of higher education to national prosperity and national security. State governments must provide financial support that ensures equal opportunity and adequate salary levels and supports high-cost programs. (MLW)

Douglass Cater, president of Washington College, a small liberal arts college that was Maryland's first chartered institution, is profiled. The president's attitudes on liberal arts and specialization, the stated role of the college, and details of the inaugural ceremony are noted. (MSE)

In excerpts from his inaugural address, Washington College's president reaffirms the value of the small liberal arts college in a highly specialized educational system, denounces the university's scientific approach as inappropriate for providing a value system for students, and notes the need for several distinct approaches to learning. (MSE)

An effective energy conservation program, it is suggested, will require institutional changes and capital costs. The energy problem is seen as not simply a technical problem but a management one requiring the attention of the entire campus community. Some energy saving tips are provided, including quick fix items and investments. (MLW)