The efforts of the biology department at William Paterson College, a state college in New Jersey, to use strategic planning at the department level are chronicled. Planning focused on establishing a direction for hiring faculty, developing curriculum, purchasing equipment, and training students. Results, unanticipated outcomes, and lessons learned…

One of five articles on professional development schools in this theme issue. Describes the experiences of University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a collaborative, internship-based secondary teacher education program--Math English Science Technology Education Project (MESTEP)--and the university's collaboration with a high school science…

Examines the challenges for academic libraries in providing library services for interdisciplinary research institutes. A technique for analyzing data gathered from interviews with scholars, citation analysis, and patterns of use of an article copy service is explained. Results are shown to be useful in planning library services. (Contains eight…

This case study uses six interviews with administrators and three speeches to trace the definition of the term "at risk" in Arizona educational policy, where the definition process was used as an opportunity to enhance the prestige and power of the State Department of Education. (SLD)

By helping faculty collaborate to enrich their teaching abilities and by supporting them when faculty/student relationships occasionally fail, the department chair models leadership skills that faculty themselves can use. The skills of leadership correspond very closely to good teaching skills, and can be combined with the skills of principled…

Discusses the response of Hope College (Michigan) language departments to shifts in language enrollments, particularly the rise in Spanish enrollments and declines in other languages. Strategies include using the smaller classes as an opportunity to enhance the teaching-learning environment and make those courses more attractive, placement…

Gives an overview of the Ball State University (Indiana) academic assessment program, from its origins through present and future efforts. Several current assessment activities are described--university-wide, in general education, and discipline-specific. Areas of strength in the program and challenges to conducting successful assessment are…

Summarizes the characteristics of graduate programs and departments in psychology throughout the United States and Canada during the 1992-93 academic year, and compares them with those of the 1970-71 and 1979-80 academic years. The discussion centers on differences between master's-only and doctoral departments in psychology and pivotal trends in…

Examines the question of teaching literature in the composition class in terms of an ideological gap between composition and literature which is maintained for political reasons, and reflected in the tenure process. (MM)

Recommendations for chairs of college-level foreign language departments include: being supportive of the department; communicating fully and openly with faculty and staff; promoting grantsmanship; and encouraging staff and faculty. Recommendations for deans working with chairs and department heads include: consulting frequently and communicating…

The chair of a small college department of modern languages reviews the struggle and progress of advanced literary study in foreign languages, covering such issues as: lack of courses and students able to study such courses; needs for curricular reform; and cooperation with other college departments. (CB)

This study indicates that intent to achieve statewide uniformity of curriculum, to ensure selection of high-quality textbooks, and to control textbook costs is firmly grounded in data sources. Adoption processes of "state adoption" states are not monolithic, and insight into adoption processes may be gained from "open" states.…

The organization and operations of an evaluation unit in a local governmental agency are presented. How local evaluation units manage (1) external relations (to obtain funding, to gain access to data sources, and encourage evaluation use) and (2) internal operations (including staffing, communication, data collection, and analysis) are described.…

Following a summary of different ways in which the Pennsylvania Department of Education is using computer technology to improve education, describes (1) three electronic mail pilot projects; (2) a resource center and data base for school improvement; (3) a computer literacy course; and (4) management training programs. (DC)

The Dayton Literacy Project (Ohio) uses a University of Dayton service-learning course to bring together undergraduates and local high school-equivalency-program students. The course's intellectual rationale, organization, and work with welfare mothers are discussed. The project's success suggests ways in which the discipline of English can be…