Higher education must arrive at some fresh convictions to restore integrity to the baccalaureate degree. Assumptions about the degree's meaning should be made explicit in both the curriculum and extracurricular activities. The objectives of the Association of American College's Project on the Meaning and Purpose of Baccalaureate Degrees are…

In a discussion of whether higher education must define, for the general public, the meaning of the baccalaureate degree, two higher education policy specialists present their perspectives. One argues that greater emphasis should be on the education behind the degree and recommends research and experimentation into outcomes. The other finds…

Reviews "The Contradictory College," by Kevin Dougherty, highlighting its thesis that community colleges must resolve the conflict in their mission between employment preparation and transfer to the university. Argues that rather than the superficial restructuring proposed in the work, community colleges should be empowered to grant baccalaureate…

The history of the liberal arts college from its origins in the medieval universities of Western Europe and England is traced, and the present changes in the liberal arts colleges in the United States are considered. In France and Germany, instruction in the liberal arts became the responsibility of classical secondary schools as the universities…

Describes the efforts of St. Petersburg College (Florida) to offer teacher education baccalaureate degrees in elementary education, special education, and secondary education in math and science. States that community colleges seeking to offer the baccalaureate degree should be aware of the demands posed by funding, curriculum, marketing, student…

Two higher education leaders present perspectives on the meaning of the baccalaureate degree. The first argues that institutions can satisfy the need for public accountability for the degree without sacrificing autonomy. The second stresses that a clear statement of institutional objectives and desired outcomes is important and is consistent with…

The current baccalaureate trend toward professsionalization is lamented because it responds to the superficial and ultimately meaningless accouterments of professional life. The mission of developing broadly applicable intellectual capabilities must be maintained. (MLW)

Arguing that the community college is a critical institution for students of color, representing hope, opportunity, and often a last chance to succeed, this essay poses and responds to a number of questions concerning the community college's role in promoting minority transfer. First, the essay summarizes the positions of policymakers,…

The adequacy of nursing education programs in preparing nurses to meet current and future societal needs is addressed, with attention directed to baccalaureate programs, faculty, and graduates. It is suggested that research findings and anecdotal reports have validated the dysfunction phenomena between baccalaureate nursing education, the practice…

Assesses the community college transfer function with respect to low transfer and retention rates, the value of associate degrees, lack of congruence between students' intention to transfer and actual transfer rates, vocational programs as subbaccalaureate tracks, curriculum structure, the overproduction of bachelor's degrees, and colleges'…

Undergraduate education in different postsecondary sectors is discussed in four articles on community colleges, state colleges, liberal arts colleges, and research universities. For each type of college, consideration is given to its history; value system; physical, financial, and human resources; and internal and external factors affecting…