Eight strategies are recommended to higher education in the 1990s including committing to improving quality; stressing customer service; increasing use of data and analysis in management; developing data on outcomes issues, processes, and behaviors; and working cooperatively with elementary and secondary education. (MLW)

Provides a review of the total quality management movement and process, and advocates applying it to higher education as a solution to current problems. Customer emphasis, continuous improvement, developing human resources, and using tools for process development are described; and examples from specific academic institutions are included.…

Systematic staff appraisal/performance management has been assumed to be an important part of quality management in higher-education institutions, but past approaches to it have had confused purposes and have made minimal contributions to enhancing institutional performance. For performance management to be relevant, it must focus on leadership of…

MIT research associate and Merrill Lynch Fellow Michael Schrage believes collaboration provides opportunities for research and understanding which could never be realized by individuals working alone. This article presents highlights of his discussion of collaboration at the 1998 Mid-Year Meeting of the American Society for Information Science in…

Proposes a new transitional budget model to help make libraries adept at and comfortable with change during the transition to an increasingly electronic knowledge environment, emphasizing staff education and training, new service opportunities, user responsiveness, teamwork, fiscal empowerment, and more effective management systems. (Contains nine…

In this article, the mother of a young child with cerebral palsy discusses how she worked with service providers to help organize efforts to educate church volunteers so that her daughter could participate in her regular child toddler class along with her sister. Classroom adaptations are discussed. (CR)

The importance of communication skills for students with the most significant disabilities is highlighted. Specific attention is paid to the need to recognize and understand unconventional means of communication. Ideas for augmenting the student's communicative efforts are provided, and the critical importance of team collaboration is emphasized.…

This paper provides the framework and context for a systems approach to planning, detailed descriptions of specific steps in the planning process, conclusions, and questions for consideration when executing strategic planning in higher education. The analysis is based on the work of James T. Ziegenfuss, Jr. in his book "Designing…

Distance education is becoming a major delivery mechanism for teacher education programs in special education, especially for rural areas. Whatever the delivery system, telecourses depend on the mutual efforts of an instructor and a producer to satisfy the demands of both academic content and production values. Both instructor and producer have…

Students with special needs are increasingly taught in the least restrictive environment, which often means the general education classroom. Mainstreaming and inclusion provide the most appropriate education for each student in the least restrictive setting, considering the education needs of students rather than their clinical labels. A key…

Predicated on the knowledge that effective communication among medical personnel and patients is fundamental to the achievement of successful health care delivery, this paper addresses the practice of chaplain intervention on behalf of the patient in primary care to enhance physician-patient interaction. First the paper defines culture (in the…

Strengths of the committee system and its value for colleges and universities are discussed. College committees provide more people with the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. Leadership is provided to a committee by a chairperson who acts as a facilitator. The value of a committee depends on the scope of its mission, the…

Changes in biomedical research are outlined including financial competition that forces investigators to spend more time developing proposals and creates pressures to produce quickly; obsolescence of equipment, facilities, people, and knowledge; demand for interdisciplinary approaches and greater accountability; joint ventures with profit making…

Values and beliefs that govern educational practices are discussed, as is an alternative value perspective more consistent with the spirit of reform suggested by national reports. Reputational and resource views of excellence are described. Curriculum, teaching, grading, testing, and faculty personnel policies are discussed. (MLW)

Reviews the development of bibliotherapy as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool and discusses specific techniques for the selection of appropriate reading materials for both children and their parents. (16 references) (CLB)