Study of 430 University of Michigan first-year medical students' satisfaction with their learning environment resulted in a predictive model using gender and minority group (excluding Asians) status. Results suggest curriculum structure and students' perceptions of faculty priorities are prominent predictors of student satisfaction across…

The Total Quality Management approach is used as a framework for a discussion of methodological issues related to diversity in higher education, including classification of race and ethnic information, data aggregation, and use of several key indicators (access to college, persistence, and student progress). (MSE)

Guidelines for self evaluation of campus programing propose standards for program mission, goals, leadership and management, organization and administration, use of human resources, funding, facilities, legal responsibility, equal opportunity/access and affirmative action, campus and community relations, multicultural programing and services,…

College students are continuously engaged in attempting to successfully pass courses, fulfill degree requirements, and plan for their future careers. Career counselors who work in a collegiate setting, are often faced with situations where students are unable to pass their courses; are undecided about which major to pursue; or are uncertain about…

This paper contends that the climate or culture of academic science has been chilly to women, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. The paper reviews research findings in three areas: (1) numbers of women participating in science education and careers; (2) evidence of precollege patterns for girls and women in science and math; and (3)…

Two distinct but related studies are reported, both investigating linguistically- and culturally-based communication problems between service providers and service seekers in Australia. The first examined language problems occurring in naturalistic situations involving a public servant and a client within three public agencies, the departments of…

This paper presents the results of eight analyses based upon data from the National Study of Student Learning (NSSL), a 3-year longitudinal research project begun in 1992 to examine the influence of academic and nonacademic experiences on student learning, student attitudes about learning, student cognitive development, and student persistence.…

Contending that the relationship between leadership and the creation and management of institutional culture is critical to the future success of community colleges, this book explores theory, research, and practice associated with this perspective. The following chapters are provided: (1) "Creative Cultures: Toward a New Paradigm," by George A.…

This book argues that limited faculty productivity is the major reason why the quality of undergraduate teaching has declined while university tuition has been rising substantially faster than the inflation rate. It stresses that inefficiency and fiscal waste are produced by the competing aims of research and teaching and attacks the academic…

An overview is provided of the 40-year history of Diablo Valley College (DVC), examining the educational ideals of the founders of the college and the changes in the goals of community college education in Central Contra Costa County, California. Part 1 sets the historical scene for the establishment of public two-year colleges nationally, in…

Student attrition at six South Carolina colleges was studied: three of the colleges were small, traditionally black, four-year private colleges, while three were mid-sized, public, four-year colleges, one of which was traditionally black. The sample of first-time freshmen consisted of 301 black males, 538 black females, 220 white males, and 319…

The Situational Factors Checklist was developed to describe variables which influence changes within a school and was used in two different school settings. In one application, it was used as a part of a case study method to study implementation of a microcomputer project, increasing faculty computer literacy, at different community colleges. The…

The founding and development of private, primarily church-related, black colleges in Texas from 1865-1954 are reviewed, with focus primarily on 11 institutions that offered college-level work. Comparisons are made to public black colleges of Texas as well as to other black U.S. colleges and universities. Topical areas include: institutional…

A comprehensive guide was formulated for directing economically disadvantaged students through the higher education process. It is meant to help alleviate three major problems: (1) severe lack of guidance and career counseling in secondary and postsecondary schools; (2) financial aid that is left unused because of lack of student awareness; and…

Issues in Catholic higher education are considered in several articles. In "Catholic Students and Catholic Higher Education," Rita A. Scherrei summarizes research findings regarding the characteristics of incoming Catholic college students and how they compare with Jews and Traditional Protestants. Among the results are that Catholic…