The plan adopted in this study has been: (1) to make a correlation between the ranking of the various States in each of the items compared; and (2) to compare the various States with each other directly with a reference to the mean of the entire United States in those items. The Pearson coefficient of correlation points out the approximate degree…

Community colleges are suffering unnecessarily from an inferiority complex, but are in fact a vast, growing force in higher education. These colleges need an institutional consciousness-raising and to assert their educational and social strength. (MSE)

A two-year study of the factors suspected of influencing the fairness of the peer review system (including the prestige of an institutional affiliation and the influence this might have in molding reviewers' opinions) is discussed. (MLW)

Volunteer management is seen as the result of communications and training. The elements of successful volunteer involvement are examined. Techniques for volunteer development available to members of institutions of higher education are identified. Professional staff must know how to work with volunteers and how to locate new volunteers.…

A discussion of the National Research Council's 1995 ranking of research-doctorate programs in the United States criticizes the report for what it does not address, particularly comparisons with the information it disseminated in a 1982 report, some data discrepancies, and central issues such as an institution's available methods of instruction,…

This study examined the relationship between Australian high school students' (n=965) self-reported delinquency and the importance of their social reputations. Students with low delinquency involvement, females, and older students tended to desire a more conforming reputation than those with high delinquency involvement, males, or younger…

Several colleges and universities have been accredited by the relatively new American Academy for Liberal Education, but at Rhodes College (Tennessee), faculty are concerned that a connection to the group might introduce unwanted conservative political ideology into the campus culture. The Academy has 16 traditional liberal arts standards,…

An analysis of the faculty of the 10 top-ranked library science programs presented by "U. S. News & World Report" (March, 1996) indicated that 84 (59.2%) of the 142 faculty members had graduated from one of the top-ranked schools, suggesting that these programs maintain and enhance their reputations by hiring their own and each…

A survey of the presidents of the South's "best" colleges and universities, as reported by a national news magazine, indicates how presidents use their time, how they predict they will use their time, and what they think is the best preparation for the college presidency. (Author/MSE)

A University of Toronto (Canada) study of medical school applicants accepting (n=784) and declining (n=255) admission identified influential factors. Some (living cost, location) cannot be affected by the institution. The institution has limited control of others (faculty size, school environment) but can influence applicant perceptions. One…

At Southern Methodist University, traditionally considered an exclusive college, minority enrollment is at an all-time high and efforts have been made to create services and activities to accommodate African Americans. Administrative commitment is clear. However, problems persist in creating a welcoming community for students and faculty. (MSE)

By identifying and weighing the effects of an act on each constituency, a matrix based on John Stuart Mill's theories of utilitarianism illuminates and helps resolve complex ethical dilemmas. Application of the approach is illustrated with a simulated case study concerning the issue of reputation in a small private college. (Author/MSE)

Discussion of the concept of authority and the use of authority in evaluating information sources focuses on reputations in academic circles. Relevant literature is reviewed, authority structures within academic disciplines are examined, subject areas and disciplinary boundaries are described, and social recognition and funding support are…

The American Academy for Liberal Education, established in 1992, has gained a reputation for conservatism that is unpopular among the liberal arts professoriate, which is historically liberal, but the Academy insists its only cause is undergraduate education. The Academy recently won approval from the federal government to accredit entire…

Although nearly all the world's cultures value philanthropy, few have a recent history of giving to education. If colleges and universities make the effort to motivate their international constituents today, these alumni, families, and friends can have a significant impact on the institution's future. The first step is for institutions to examine…