The question of whether academicians are or should be ethical requires serious discussion, especially given the presence of select instances of unethical behavior among some professionals. One history professor responded to claims that he was a boring lecturer by presenting videotaped instruction; one English professor failed a student on an exam…

Peer review of college faculty is discussed from the perspective of an administrator who reviews promotion and tenure documents at the central university level. Attention is directed to: the rationale for peer review, qualities of an effective teacher, sources of information available to colleagues, an example of a peer review system at The Ohio…

Ways in which colleges can meet the needs of part-time faculty are suggested, based upon the experiences of community colleges. Recommendations concern basic needs, orientation, and staff development and evaluation. Advice for institutions includes: establish a salary scale for part-time faculty equal to that for full-time faculty teaching…

The percentage of universities using student ratings to evaluate teacher performance is steadily increasing, but this method can be abused if it is the sole criterion of evaluation. Recent surveys of faculty attitudes towards teaching evaluation indicate that most faculty members are in favor of systematic evaluation, prefer student ratings to…

The administration of educational programs has become a profession, requiring specific training and a variety of experiences for individuals to serve effectively in the role of educational administrator. For the most part, individuals think of school administration as it pertains to grades P-12; however, higher education administration is very…

Discussion of systematic faculty evaluation for performance and career development looks at government policy changes in the United Kingdom and compares two institutional programs. The City University of Hong Kong views the faculty performance plan/appraisal as its contribution to the institution; the University of Glasgow (Scotland) treats the…

A Supreme Court decision supporting disclosure of university faculty peer review files is discussed by faculty in law and other disciplines and by a college president. Arguments address the principles of academic privilege, institutional mission, and the soundness of academic decision making. (MSE)

It is proposed that, to address the lack of women in senior academic ranks, higher education should reexamine appointment procedures, scrutinize the standards by which men have been assessed traditionally, ask men to justify their own merit, and examine the way in which male academics interact with their female counterparts. (MSE)

Discussion of complaints about library education covers historical perspectives as well as current trends. Topics discussed include library school closings; curriculum; skills and knowledge employers want recent graduates to have; American Library Association (ALA) standards; student perspectives; university views of library schools and faculty;…

The role of the college athletic coach has changed substantially in recent decades, with the ideal of the coach as an educator obsolescent. Institutions must work with the National Collegiate Athletic Association and coaches' associations for reform, addressing three major issues: need for a better hiring process, provision of meaningful…

The author explores his insights and lessons learned during service as a dean at two business schools.

The contemporary academic labor market is examined using concepts from labor market economics and sociology to elucidate why teaching, universally acknowledged to be at the center of American academic life, is not at the center of the academic labor market and is only modestly rewarded. First, tenets of the neoclassical labor market model are…

This paper addresses difficult issues in evaluation of college faculty for scholarship, teaching, and service particularly noting areas that trouble faculty themselves. A section on evaluation of teaching notes long standing debate and disagreement. This section then lists many of the central questions around evaluation of teaching and notes that…

This paper examines issues of academic freedom and the community's role in a review of public and legal events leading to the court's striking down of the 1940 appointment of Bertrand Russell to teach at the City College of New York. Russell was to teach three philosophy courses relating logic, mathematics, and science to philosophy. Episcopal…

This book proposes a plan for higher education reform that rejects the "publish or perish" controversy and stresses strong leadership that elevates the importance of teaching excellence. Chapters 1 and 2, "Agendas," look at the agenda for change and suggest some of the constraints in value conflicts and teacher evaluation. Chapters 3 and 4,…