Program review is seen as a increasingly used tool by colleges and universities and system and state level boards to assess the quality of existing academic programs. The role of trustees in program review is that of setting broad policy goals. (MLW)

Six key standards set by institutions of higher education are identified: the use of time for academic learning, content in the disciplines, level of academic performance expected of students, the preparation of teachers, cooperation with schools, industry, government to improve education, and the ethical behavior of institutions. (MLW)

Issues of public concern for higher education are identified: quality of higher education; opportunity and choice for all qualified citizens; price and cost of higher education; public understanding of the purposes of higher education; and higher education's relation to the workplace and economic development. (MLW)

A professor of American literature ruefully reports on an interview with a student who will soon be a teacher. It is suggested she has been deprived of knowledge in the name of creativity, deprived of skills in the name of self-expression, deprived of understanding in the name of values. (Author/MLW)

The response of the magazine "U.S. News and World Report" to criticism of its college ranking methodology included changes in the determination of indicators and reporting of data. However, the research still relies on subjective information, and its conclusions, therefore, are questionable. (Author/MSE)

By insisting on orderly development of categorical policies, the board of trustees automatically strengthens the institution and the chief administrator's role and position. Faculty and staff are strengthened by participation in the policy development process and by knowing the parameters of university actions. (MSE)

Academic Preparation for College, a document issued by the College Board and geared to telling students, parents, teachers, and administrators what high school students need to know and be able to do to succeed in college today, is described. Suggestions for trustees as shapers of policy are provided. (MLW)

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)

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).

Assessment is one of the most beneficial activities a university can undertake. Assessment proceeds through four stages that are discussed including: readiness, implementation, acceptance, and commitment. (MLW)

Until governing boards take a more proactive stance regarding their institution's general education program, critics are likely to continue to question the quality of American higher education. Because of campus politics, it can be difficult for administrators to lead a movement toward curricular change without persistent board support.…

It is argued that there is little evidence in higher education of: participatory management with academic departments the equivalent of quality circles; tenure systems similar to Japanese lifetime employment; collegiate mission statements comparable to superordinate goals; and a democratic leadership style close to the interdependent style favored…

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)

Three fundamentals on which higher education must act in the coming decade are discussed: the quality, the integrity, and the pruposes of higher education. To achieve them, higher education needs a new partnership between campus and government. (MSE)

An institution that exists primarily for its own sake--that identifies itself primarily in terms of its resources and reputation--compromises its capacity as an instrument for improving society. Colleges need to transcend their institutional egos and concern themselves with their impact on students and society. (MLW)