This monograph, part of a series on student assessment, reports on the results of a national survey that examined institutional support for undergraduate student assessment. It provides a national profile of student assessment initiatives at comprehensive institutions and compares it to assessment practices and support patterns found in all types…

Study investigated faculty recruitment procedures across universities, departments, and sectors (public/private) in Australia, using reports from department heads and job applicants and case studies. Results revealed varied recruitment and selection strategies. Job applicants reported satisfaction with most but identified some areas needing…

A survey of 1991 and 1994 graduating medical school students at medical schools (N=175) in Colorado, New Mexico and South Dakota found that differences in prevalence of AIDS/HIV cases in those states did not affect schools' training programs but indirectly affected students' knowledge and attitudes, which were related to the numbers of…

Four articles address rising college tuition: "An Inside Look at How a Private University Sets Tuition Rates and Spends the Money"; "Comparisons of Tuition Rates Raise Tough Policy Questions"; "At Public Colleges, the Tuition Debate Is a Mix of Philosophy and Practicality"; and "Do Federal Loans Encourage Tuition Increases?" Data on undergraduate…

Recalls a conflict in an Australian high school where a student committee on social justice was blocked from displaying a poster discussing homophobic attitudes. Uses this incident for a broader discussion of hegemony, school culture, and how social justice initiatives threaten that hegemony. Identifies various restricting school strategies. (MJP)

Emphasizes the need for school systems to develop planned strategies for dealing with a suicide. Presents guidelines to be used in the development of a postvention plan including specific suggestions in the areas of team development, inservice programs, faculty contact, crisis centers, individual classroom procedures, home visitation, special…

An introduction to five case studies of mathematics teachers and ancillary essays on implementation of instructional policy change at the classroom level is provided. The case studies and associated discussions focus on California's new Mathematics Framework, which features changes in textbooks, tests, and commonly held conceptions of subject…

A commentary on five case studies of implementation of instructional policy change at the classroom level by elementary school mathematics teachers is provided. The case studies focus on California's new Mathematics Framework. An organizational control perspective is taken in this commentary. (TJH)

This case study depicts a "traditional" fifth grade teacher's approach to implementing the California Mathematics Curriculum Framework. This teacher's beliefs and knowledge and their interplay with the state curriculum directives, his accountability to his students, and his commitment to their success are examined, with emphasis on the…

A survey of 17,592 college students on 140 campuses indicates considerable alcohol abuse, which is adversely affecting the social and academic environment for nonabusers. Results also show variation by region, student age, and institution. The study suggested that students' drinking was not affected by differences in school policies. Some schools…

Examines Project IMPACT, a school-based teacher enhancement model for elementary mathematics instruction designed to improve student performance and support teacher change in predominately minority schools. Comparative data show IMPACT schools having significantly higher mathematics achievement scores that are persistent over time. Instructional…

Maintains that the issue of political correctness has gained wide coverage in the press as it relates to higher education academic policy. Reports on a survey of 196 New York State political scientists. Finds that they perceive political correctness as an issue on their college campus and in the discipline, but not in their departments. (CFR)

Seventeen states require public colleges and universities to certify faculty oral English language proficiency. A national survey (n=240 institutions) indicates that without state mandates, institutions typically did not develop policies. Those that did focused on international teaching assistants. Policies narrowly addressed speaking proficiency,…

In this article, the author features Multi-Cultural Academy Charter School in Philadelphia, the only Philadelphia's charter high school that meets the adequate yearly progress testing benchmarks in 2003 as established by No Child Left Behind, and describes how the academy's headmaster and founder, Vuong Thuy, confronted criticisms from the…