Skills and values other than the formal curriculum's content are implicitly taught through the traditional approach to the liberal arts, and some of these may foster development of qualities that are dysfunctional in our society. (MSE)

A study on the objective correlates of undergraduate quality ratings, state or regional biases, and other methodological issues relating to reputational ratings of undergraduate quality is reported. The subjective judgments of departmental quality made by college and university faculty were studied. Reputational ratings appear to be redundant with…

A study investigated whether effects of volunteer service during undergraduate years persist after college. Data were drawn from 12,376 students attending 209 institutions, who were followed up four and nine years after college entry. Results show that even when precollege service participation is controlled, student volunteer service during…

This report presents results of the fourth triennial national survey of college and university faculty conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute in the fall and winter of 1998-99. Results are based on responses of 33,785 full-time faculty at 378 institutions (two-year colleges, four-year colleges, and universities). Data are reported…

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)

A national survey of 212 colleges and universities investigated the strategies and characteristics of institutions that are able to maintain a strong emphasis on both research and undergraduate teaching. Results indicate those that are successful are unique in certain respects that distinguish them from research universities and liberal arts…

The principal purpose of this empirical study was to identify factors in the backgrounds and college experiences of American undergraduate students that affect their interest in studying science and in pursuing science-related careers. Four-year longitudinal data were obtained from 27,065 freshmen who entered 388 four-year colleges and…

How to identify and measure educational quality pervades American education. The Higher Education Research Institute and the Council on Learning launched a study to identify broad quality indicators, particularly at the undergraduate level. Peer groups and indices of selectivity are among the facets used to measure quality of education. (MLW)

This report summarizes the results and presents statistical data (two-thirds of the report) of a 1988 followup national survey concerning the impact of different types of college environments on development of 1984 and 1986 freshmen. The survey involved the following general categories: satisfaction with college, talent development during college,…

This book presents the extensive results of a study of how students are affected by their college experiences. Chapter 1 discusses the question of how to assess the impact of the college experience and outlines the overall design of the study. Chapter 2 describes each of the 135 college environmental measures and 57 "student involvement" measures…

The texts of three conference papers are presented in this volume. The papers are: Student-Oriented Management: A Proposal for Change (Alexander W. Astin); Goals, Outcomes, and Academic Evaluation (Howard R. Bowen); and A Summary of the 1978 COPA Summer Conference (Charles M. Chambers). The first addresses the definition of quality in…

This report summarizes the highlights and presents statistical data (two-thirds of the report) from a national survey of 35,478 full-time college and university faculty members at 392 two-year colleges, four-year colleges and universities, carried out in the fall and winter of 1989-90. The 200-question survey focused heavily on how faculty members…