A study examined the following: the qualifications that general practice residency program directors and dental department chairpersons currently possess; what academic qualifications and experiences respondents felt to be important for individuals in these positions; and what requirements hospitals have in selecting individuals for these…

According to a survey of 1,700 administrators and faculty at 346 institutions, professional program administrators perceive influences on the program from within the university as stronger than do faculty. However, the two groups do not perceive the strength of societal influences, professional community influences, or internal levels of…

This report analyzes state statutes authorizing a new approach to the organization of elementary and secondary education in the public sector, the "outcome-based,""contract," or, as it is now commonly called, "charter school." Charter school statutes create an alternative legal framework for the formation of public schools by permitting a state…

Examines criticism of the National Research Council's 1995 report, "Research Doctorate Programs in the United States: Continuity and Change," which ranks university departments across institutions based on peer ratings. It is argued that the criticisms are not based on the content or design of the study, but reflect general concerns…

A study of whether true grade inflation existed at a college, the scope of the problem if it existed, and what corrective steps, if any, ought to be taken was limited to the years 1979-1986. Data suggest that true grade inflation probably exists or cannot be ruled out. (MLW)

A study of faculty published research output in Australia's university system in 1991 resulted in national benchmarks of faculty publications productivity (number of publications per 10 equivalent academic staff members), for each of 13 publication types, for the highest performing institution, and the highest performing units within any…

Results of a 1992 British assessment of university departments are analyzed, particularly the finding that in general, larger departments were given higher research ratings. Analysis suggests an "economies of scale" effect and components of performance attributable to either "size" or "non-size" are identified.…

This article proposes that university department prestige can be measured by ability to place its doctoral recipients, as illustrated by analysis of accounting student placements. Resulting rankings of departments were evaluated for stability over time and against other program characteristics to illustrate the validity and uniqueness of the…

A study in England and Australia suggests that in science and engineering, where researchers within a research unit of any size re-form themselves into smaller groups (5-12), communication is efficient and productivity optimal, with little economy of scale for larger groups. In less tightly-organized disciplines such as mathematics and social…

A study investigated differences in graduate student supervision across disciplines at a Canadian research university. Most departments reported having some policies or procedures, but they tended not to be explicit. According to program directors, the two most important supervisor qualities were knowledge of research field and availability.…

A longitudinal study, based on Holland's theory of occupational choice, found accentuation of initial group differences for artistic abilities in both male and female college students and for enterprising abilities of male students within academic subenvironments. Data support Holland's theory that students' initial selection of academic…

An approach to obtain disciplinary specific salary information for the institution of higher education budget process by mid-winter is considered. The approach involves using current year institutional mean salaries and prior year relative average salaries by academic discipline to provide "current" salary comparisons by academic…

A system of measuring faculty workloads consistently and objectively has been devised and successfully applied at Pennsylvania State University's Behrend College. Its value is greatest in assessing and balancing the diverse faculty assignments within interdisciplinary and heterogeneous administrative units. It permits a legitimate comparison of…

A study was conducted to determine if there was a significant mean difference in achievement, as measured by the Advanced Test of the Graduate Record Examination or the Field Test of the Undergraduate Assessment Program, between six departments at the main campus and six departments at the extension campus of Florida Southern College. The…

Grade distribution patterns at Humboldt State University in California were examined over a five-year period on the basis of mode of instruction and by academic department. The grade distributions for each academic department were compared with the other departments within the same school, and the distribution for each school was compared with…