The average university curriculum is based on a mistaken form of rationality. Universities have failed to critically examine the rational world view, including its fundamental assumptions and their consequences. Negative social effects of the rational assumptions in biology and economics suggest the need for a better definition of rationality and…

A survey of over 300 colleges and universities indicates that multicultural education is on the ascendancy. Educational issues are raised concerning the application of multicultural education principles on college campuses. These include philosophical issues, curricular issues, faculty issues, pedagogical issues, and the curriculum development…

Discusses the question of whether community colleges are providing valid liberal arts/general education curricula, citing both community college critics and supporters. Argues for a definition of liberal arts/general education that takes into account the educational aspirations of community college students. Considers the fine line between liberal…

Because of rapid growth and social/economic change, higher education systems in Europe experienced two great shocks: the 1968 student revolt and contraction in enrollments and resources. The result is a radical reshaping of bases for policymaking and planning. Problems emerging include economically determined objectives, indecisive curricula,…

The writings of Martin Luther King Jr. deserve to be read in undergraduate humanities classes but not in the spirit advocated by former Secretary of Education William Bennett. It is argued that Bennett downplays the struggles against racial discrimination and chooses the most conservative King pieces for the literary canon. (SLD)

A former professor, current professional organization administrator, and scholar discusses the nature of changes occurring today in higher education, focusing on the contemporary academic climate, politicization of academic life, and what is happening to general education and the liberal arts. Topics discussed include cultural and ethnic diversity…

Feminist theory is reexamined in the context of recent theory concerning pragmatic liberal education, and many similar principles are found. Topics discussed include feminist theory and the structure of college administration; the future of reform; and collaborative leadership for change. It is argued that both hierarchy and homogeneity must be…

The debate over teaching the "canon," a collection of great books authored by Homer, Plato, Shakespeare, Kant, Darwin, and others that has traditionally represented the Western intellectual tradition, as a core of the college curriculum, is examined. Discussion begins with a description of how the canon has been taught from ancient…

This is a fictional dialogue intended to honor Jim Kingman and David Leary, both professors of history who retired after long careers at Pasadena City College in California (PCC). The dialogue hypothesizes the observations of both men as they look on the honorary gold plates of previous retirees that decorate the wall of a PCC public dining hall.…

Designed as a call to community college faculty, administrators, and trustees to make a major investment in the collegiate function of their institutions, this book attempts to provide a strong conceptual foundation for vigorous renewal of the collegiate community college. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the community college as a collegiate…

Program discontinuance at colleges and universities is often linked to issues of program demand and quality. However, neither low demand nor low quality is sufficient for program discontinuance without a judgment on the criterion of the centrality of the program to the institution's core mission. Colleges' retrenchment and survival mechanisms…

With the dramatic growth in the use of computers in recent years, questions have been raised concerning the role of computer education in community colleges. Four principal reasons can be advanced for implementing an academic/instructional computing program: (1) to increase computer awareness among students to prepare them for the growing number…

The English version of a Polish journal on higher education is presented. Included are 19 articles on the problems and experiences of these institutions, three articles on teacher's workshops, and three review articles. Titles and authors include: "Polish Science in 1973-1986" (Benon Miskiewicz); "The Humanism of the Contemporary…

An analysis is provided of the relationship between organizational change and shifts in programming and curriculum at Georeg Brown College (GBC) in New Brunswick, Ontario. Sections I and II focus on trends affecting all Ontario colleges, including demographic changes in the student population; reduced government funding; the privatization of…

The concept and history of upper-level colleges, which offer junior and senior years of study leading to bachelor's degrees, are reviewed. Most of the colleges have offered master's degree programs in addition to junior- and senior-level studies. Planners intended that most of the upper-level colleges be placed in geographical areas where no…