The text is provided of the National Governors' Association report on the quality of undergraduate education, the state role, student assessment as a means of measuring educational quality, institutions that have implemented successful assessment programs, and the actions needed of governors, legislatures, coordinating and governing boards, and…

This report describes a longitudinal evaluation of an on-going 5-year program at the University of Michigan to improve minority student retention and academic performance. The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) creates research partnerships between first- and second-year students and faculty researchers, and provides peer…

This study skills curriculum is part of a "pipeline" program designed to recruit, matriculate, and graduate educationally disadvantaged students at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (UMDNJ-RWJMS). It is an integral part of the Biomedical Careers Program (BCP) and the Science…

Describes two undergraduate library credit courses using computer-mediated communication. The first focuses on information searching and electronic resources in the students' areas of study. The second teaches basic research skills, the use of Netscape, and the use of e-mail and conferencing software in four areas: library studies; health…

Offers five themes from political geography that could be incorporated into college geography courses: historical specificity of geography; (2) interconnectedness of regions; (3) interpenetration of the human and natural worlds; (4) centrality of culture in social reproduction; and (5) use of political economy to uncover social relations. (MJP)

The nature of changes occurring in professional degree programs, resulting from environmental factors such as societal change, competition, and advancing technology, is examined. Focus is on accounting and engineering at the baccalaureate level, business and law at the graduate level. Application of Total Quality Management to curriculum…

Describes a course in global environmental politics. Argues specialized courses are needed that focus on the economic, social, and political dimensions of environmental problems. Argues such a course should be part of the core undergraduate curriculum. Includes a survey of course topics to prepare students for future challenges. (NL)

This study uses iterative solution techniques to determine empirically optimal standards for student to faculty ratios by discipline and student level for a group of 11 public, research universities, all of whom were members of the Association of American Universities. One set of benchmark standards was based on four-variable solutions within…

This document presents enrollment data for 8,675 U.S. postsecondary institutions in the 50 states and the District of Columbia from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Data covers fall 1995 enrollments and historical comparisons with previous years on selected variables. A summary section highlights characteristics of enrolled…

This study examined and compared undergraduate student teaching programs in the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools' accreditation region of state-approved institutions of higher education. A survey of 162 (72%) directors of student teaching programs addressed four areas: general background of the institutions, administration of the…

This collaborative action research effort was designed to assess whether a change in university students' attitudes toward inner city children and schools could result from interventions in selected graduate and undergraduate classes in teacher education and educational leadership. Three faculty members used writing exercises, texts, videotaped…

Currently available World Wide Web search engines determine a site's qualification as a response to a search request by matching keywords in the request to keywords representing the site. The returned sites are given a score and ranked according to the match on keywords. Many of these retrieved sites can be irrelevant to the user's true…

This report on outcomes in New Jersey's public colleges and universities has the following key findings: (1) total undergraduate enrollment decreased by approximately 15,000 students between 1992 and 1997 as a result of declining part-time enrollment and despite an increase of 8,000 in full-time undergraduate enrollment during the same period; (2)…

This conference proceedings report includes: (1) "Grading Papers More Objectively and Effectively," by Anita M. Meehan; (2) "The Use of Student Workbooks in Introductory Psychology Courses," by Donna L. Reittinger and Kathleen Crowley-Long; (3) "Curriculum Integration and Cross-Cultural Psychology," by Susan B.…

Jersey City State College (New Jersey) developed a local evaluation model to assess all salient aspects of the institution's basic skills program. The college's Academic Foundations Program was implemented to address the needs of urban educationally disadvantaged students. It includes faculty and staff development and research, freshman course…