The current emphasis on excellence, it is suggested, is used as an excuse to exclude. The more people who are educated, the greater the possibility that collective decisions will be of better quality. Higher education must become more open and more inclusive. (MLW)

Changes in undergraduate curriculum are seen to be generated by significant social, political, and cultural forces at work throughout society. After World War II a core curriculum was encouraged, but an imposition of a core curriculum in today's institutions is seen as inappropriate and ineffectual. (MLW)

In 1977, the National Institute of Education commissioned a study to address consumer protection concerns regarding external degree programs. Important findings are summarized and include the conclusion that the opportunity to have credits accepted for prior college work is a major attraction to external degree seekers. (JMD)

The reasons college and university administrators dislike institutional rankings and ratings of academic quality published in the popular press are examined, and college attributes commonly used in the ratings are discussed. Virtues and flaws of the assessments are noted, and variations in the evaluations over time are illustrated in charts. (MSE)

Three university programs of continuous quality improvement, based on the Total Quality Management approach, are described. The institutions are the Georgia Institute of Technology; Pennsylvania State University; and University of Maryland at College Park. The report attempts to look beyond the mechanics of the programs to discover what is being…

Higher education faculty outside the schools of education have a great deal at stake when it comes to the quality of schools and school teaching. They are seen as directly responsible for the frequently poor preparation of those entering college. (MLW)

A recent report, "Educating America's Scientists: The Role of the Research Colleges" identified a group of 48 liberal arts colleges distinguished by their research records and proportions of science graduates. These institutions are remarkable for their production of meaningful basic research with the presence of doctorate level departments. (MLW)

The issue of quality at regional state colleges and universities is discussed. While aspiring to become a major research institution is inappropriate for a regional state college or university, research and scholarly activities consistent with the norms of the faculty's disciplines are critical to the development of institutional quality. (MLW)

A three-year case study of education at "Oakwood Community College," an anonymous urban institution with an open access admissions policy, is described. What is happening to the students at open-access institutions, their learning styles, their objectives, their behavior, and whether these students are serviced or taught is discussed.…

Recommendations of commission reports on improving quality in public education are seen as primarily political statements reflecting the public outrage over the declining quality of American schooling. If the recommendations for sharpening basic skills spill over into higher education, there will be pressure to make colleges into trade schools.…

Research suggests that academic institutions are not just businesses but have unique characteristics and needs. Business administrators could learn a great deal from their academic colleagues about organizational administration, and college administrators should attempt to chronicle their effective organizational practices. (MSE)

Against the background of recent concern for and proposals for the survival and improvement of higher education, it is suggested that each institution must find its own place in the system based on its history, traditions, strengths, weaknesses, creativity, financial viability, leadership, and collaboration. (MSE)

The emerging policies of federal disengagement offer state leaders the opportunity to reassert the constitutional primacy of the states in providing higher education opportunities. Several proposals for action by Virginia's governor are presented, including improvement of educational standards by raising admission requirements and state…

A Higher Education Research Institute pilot study of the reputations of undergraduate departments is discussed. The intent of the study was to quantify the subjective judgments of undergraduate departmental quality and to investigate the association of ratings on different criteria and for different types of institutions. (MLW)

Although many states have been moving toward central boards, the opposite is true in Florida. The reasons why Florida's ten regents have come under attack from legislators are outlined, and a feud between the governor and the legislature over building a quality higher education system is discussed. (MLW)