System-wide assessment in higher education can be influenced by political issues, which are in turn preoccupied with market forces and technological development. This generates a climate inimical to ethical quality and conflicts with academic work. If academic work is to make its best contribution to society, administration must move beyond…

Drawing on students' experiences, examines ways that Electronic Discussion Lists (EDLs) can enhance a sense of community on a college campus. Provides a brief history of electronic mail and discussion groups and outlines the uses of EDLs, such as its effectiveness in voicing complaints and in clarifying values. (RJM)

Discusses factors that influence the development of university libraries in general, and university libraries in China specifically. It is argued that the development of university libraries in China needs to be coordinated with the development and environment of the entire university, and to be based on existing and latent abilities. (CLB)

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…

Faculty and administrators committed to the goals of reflective thinking should establish closer relationships with student affairs staff, both to explore a richer definition of the outcomes and means of learning and to make better use of students' out-of-class experiences as an intentional tool for reflection and learning. (MSE)

An English teacher at Amherst College and Greenfield Community College (Massachusetts) compares characteristics and attitudes of students at the two institutions. It is concluded that, although the students differ in may ways, all are equally deserving of a safe and supportive learning environment and a sound education. (MSE)

This article describes a University of Hartford (Connecticut) program in which largely minority-group Hartford city high school graduates are enrolled at reduced tuition. Unique situations for learning are highlighted, including those encountered in residence halls, on campus, in class, in faculty and administrative offices, and in program…

Seven suggestions are offered for renewing affirmative action in higher education institutions: reinvigorate its moral roots; use a broad definition; study where it has worked well; support new scholarship on diversity; strengthen interinstitutional links; rewrite the language of racial relations; and address children's needs. (MSE)

Discussion of hate speech on college campuses focuses on whether the concept of hate speech encompasses expression deserving full First Amendment protection and thus virtual immunity from college regulation. It is argued that the Supreme Court could sustain some form of hate-speech policy on campus based on precedent elsewhere. (MSE)

A cultural approach to research on higher education views the academic community as being both a disciplinary and an institutional cultural entity. The pros and cons of these two perspectives are examined with a view to finding new avenues for research; it is argued that academic identity provides a seminal perspective for cultural studies in…

Draws on recent comparative case studies of universities in Europe and North America to examine global and local factors in changing university management practices. Discusses effects of economic globalization, internationalization of ideas and educational practices, the ideology of new managerialism, and entrepreneurial fund raising. Criticizes…

Argues that the rising tide of "efficiency" in contemporary education often masks reductions in educational quality and equity and efforts to reduce public investments in education. Analyzes historical and comparative examples in U.S., U.K., and Australian reform movements; the methodology of comparative education; and ongoing reforms in…

This article provides an overview of programs based in post-secondary settings in Maryland that serve students ages 18-21 with significant disabilities who are still receiving public school special education services. Student and setting characteristics, staffing, funding patterns, referral and admission practices, and program components are…

To address the ability of the Salter Environment Type Assessment (SETA) to measure different kinds of campus environments, data from three studies of the SETA with the Work Environment Scale, Group Environment Scale, and University Residence Environment Scale were reexamined (n = 534). Relationship dimension scales were very consistent with…

Developmental mathematics students are generally students who are at risk of dropping out of school because of various factors. Many are nontraditional students who have jobs and families; others are traditional students who lack the skills needed to succeed in the college environment. Math anxiety, fear, and intimidation often affect…