In their efforts to manage the college environment, many higher-education institutions have deployed complex systems of student discipline--often in the form of legalistic codes of conduct. Paradoxically, says the author, major challenges involving students on campuses appear to be getting worse: high-risk alcohol/drug use persists; student…

College leaders are cracking down on illegal and destructive behavior by fraternities and other campus groups. In establishing and implementing policy, trustees and presidents should collect data on how Greek life affects education, focus on campus physical conditions, reward appropriate behavior and punish destructive behavior, encourage student…

In a world progressing with dizzying acceleration into the Information Age, the slow, measured approach of the traditional university can place administrator, faculty member, and student alike at a disadvantage. To move into this brave new world, the academic animal needs tools. "Beyond 2020: Envisioning the Future of Universities in America" is…

Activities at Hunter College of the City University of New York to deal creatively and democratically with hate crimes on campus are reported including establishment of a Diversity Commission and heavy commitment of trustees and college president. (DB)

The college trustees' responsibility is not only to govern the institution's functions but also to listen carefully and respond to student concerns, observe campus life at close hand, and communicate interest in the students. In this way, trustees can demonstrate the leadership they profess. (MSE)

Sexual harassment continues to be a problem on college campuses, and no institution is immune. The best defense is to develop a good policy and educate the community. (Author/MSE)

At Southern Methodist University, the athletic problems were merely the tip of the iceberg. The real scandal was the way the university was organized and run. Some implications for American higher education in general are presented. (MLW)

Describes the development of the American university and uses the political economics paradigm to describe the relationship between the academic library and its parent university. The discussion covers the anarchic nature of the university and the implications for the academic library. (35 notes with references) (CLB)

Responding to diminished public esteem means intensifying efforts to create an ethical college climate. Educators face these ethical challenges: managing institutions ethically; teaching ethics to students, both in class and in dealing with student behavior in an educational setting; and serving as ethical leaders for the wider community. (MSE)

As the stewards of America's colleges and universities, trustees have a central role to play in the struggle for a more diverse and equitable educational experience for all Americans. This means encouraging better student preparation, improving racial balance on campus, broadening the curriculum, and establishing an environment for tolerance.…

Good tribal colleges must encourage smooth transitions for entering students, offer academic and social support to all students, offer general education that provides skills for life, emphasize and reward good teaching, clearly define relationships with the tribal government, and evaluate student outcomes to improve programs and curricula. (DMM)

Academic freedom should protect faculty comments about tenure policy and decisions, faculty role in institutional governance, curriculum, academic standards, and issues influencing a professor's ability to teach and conduct research. Comments about working conditions and administrative practices unrelated to these professional functions should not…

The debate about political correctness on college campuses focuses not on the goals of diversity and equity but on strategies to attain them. Underlying the debate are different assumptions about our society's nature. Synthesis is needed in alternative models of campus order and openness, curricula, and admissions and hiring policies. (MSE)

Student apathy, alcohol abuse, racial and ethnic divisions, and acts of incivility are weakening the integrity of many higher education institutions and limiting their ability to function as vital communities of learning. A set of agreed-upon standards of campus governance is needed to guide the conduct of all members of the community and give…

In responding to political, social, and ethical issues, college trustees have three essential responsibilities: (1) to examine critical trends and influences outside the institution; (2) to translate this knowledge into institutional policy; and (3) to monitor the institution's social, political, and ethical performance through recurrent…