Substantial changes made in the college of education of the University of Tulsa, an urban private university, in the wake of declining enrollment and general questioning of institutional mission are chronicled, including the elimination of all but three programs and development of certification components in two areas. (MSE)

Georgia State's minority retention program provides academic and social support for black freshmen by referral to appropriate campus personnel or resources for assistance with academic, financial, personal, social, and career planning problems. It uses peer counseling, faculty mentors, nonacademic staff participation, and social events to…

The primary purpose of "National CrossTalk" is to stimulate informed discussion and debate of higher education issues. This issue contains the following articles: (1) CUNY [City University of New York] Sheds Reputation as "Tutor U": The Nation's Largest Urban University Raises Standards, and Grapples with Remediation (Jon…

This study presents a process used to assess the general education component of the undergraduate curriculum, focusing particularly on the components of the methodology that provided the data used to suggesting changes in the program. The study was undertaken at an urban institution with an undergraduate population of 6,000, and involved analysis…

The urban university must provide limited public service related to teaching and research with a special emphasis on the urban environment of which it is a part. It need not become a social service agency but must prove its seriousness to itself and the larger community in which it resides. (MLW)

In the early 1970s two experimental universities, one rural (Roskilde) and one urban (Aalborg) were established. Their uniqueness is based on a nontraditional curriculum structure, with an interdisciplinary approach. The two have developed very differently, particularly in stability, autonomy, and distinctiveness. (MSE)

A study investigated factors encouraging and inhibiting business administration students' participation in study abroad. Subjects were 128 undergraduate and graduate students at a large urban state university. Results indicated personal factors were the strongest encouraging variables, while financial considerations were the most limiting, and a…

This article argues that metropolitan universities are well suited to respond to workforce development and maintenance needs, and ways in which institutions can gather the information needed to target their response are examined. A Northern Illinois University study is offered as an example of such an effort. The role of metropolitan universities…

Recognizing the needs of women as entrepreneurs, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga created an outreach program, the Institute for Women as Entrepreneurs. Using talents of business students, faculty, and volunteer consultants, the institute has assisted 150 women. Strategic considerations of the outreach approach and possible applications…

A comparison of comprehensive college and university administrators' attitudes toward faculty behavior and of their institutions' reward systems found that, though administrators valued teaching and service, salaries rewarded research and publishing. (JB)

Universities can effectively employ regional accreditation processes in striving to find legitimate means and credible mechanisms for more equitably evaluating faculty teaching and professional work. Examples from accreditation show how institutions can ensure compliance while establishing strong evaluation procedures for faculty service and…

Metropolitan research universities are at the vanguard in addressing current challenges to society. They are successful because they can integrate service and outreach into their mission. To enhance their role, universities should encourage and reward those who can make contributions outside the traditional research model.(JB)

A study of 420 multiple-transfer students enrolled at a large, public, urban university found that students moved along 4 transfer paths before enrolling at the university, where they comprised one-fifth of undergraduates. Paths differed on demographic, institutional, and interaction variables. Overall, they were academic achievers with high…

Faculty, staff, and students at San Francisco State University (California), most of whose lives are touched by Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), have responded by rallying to help AIDS sufferers in need, by including AIDS information in courses, offering confidential testing, and becoming sensitized to gay and related issues. (MSE)

Argues that a strong case can be made for supporting outreach as a value-added function in a university. Specific strategies for positioning outreach within the university by developing a power base are outlined. The case of the University of Michigan-Flint is offered as an example of this approach. Seven lessons learned in the process are noted.…