Perspective (the ability of an educated individual to evaluate the significance of things and events in relation to other things and events) is seen as critical to undergraduate education. Perspective offers a view that should be broadening and is seen as the essence of liberal education. (MLW)

Differences of view and controversy about whether the disciplinary department is the best organizing principle for the university are discussed. The values of a metadepartmental structure can be obtained without losing the important values of disciplinary departments. (MLW)

The experience of a University of Rhode Island department in developing a new curriculum illustrates the difficulty of accomplishing meaningful change in the context of institutional regulations, divergent faculty priorities, institutional needs, and department politics. It is concluded that a new curriculum is not necessarily an effective change…

Ways that two history departments, one at a private university and the other at a state college, have coped with declining enrollment and the increased competition for students, funds, and faculty are described. (MLW)

Discusses the role of academic departments in university reform efforts and reports on a survey of 64 provosts concerning department-level change. Three sources of tension between institutional needs and traditional academic departments are identified. Urges faculty involvement in reforms, including regrouping faculty, redefining departmental…

The University of California at Berkeley's substantial reorganization of the biological sciences due to internal and external needs is chronicled, focusing on the coordinated efforts of the institution and the strong, supportive leadership of the chancellor. The story is presented as an unusual case of institutional leadership within a highly…