In Plato's model his clear criticism of Protagorean careerism and his negotiation with Socratic radicalism shows he is a centrist cultivating criticism and open discourse. In an age when academe seems to have lost a sense of its identify and function in society, its most enduring contributions are criticism and discourse. (MLW)

A recently released National Institute of Education publication about the state of U.S. undergraduate education that gives 27 suggestions for their improvement is summarized and discussed. A number of criticisms are offered, including lack of documentation. (MSE)

Students air their ambivalent views on male and female roles and sexual relationships in today's society. (PG)

The roles of the institution itself, faculty, the board, and issues of curriculum, finances and financial information in college closing are discussed. The pressures generated by closing often force resolution of difficult problems, even the definition of function and purpose felt by many institutions. (MSE)

Four elements that exercise a perverse influence on academic managerial behavior are identified: lack of objectives and performance criteria, collegiality and shared governance, disdain for administration, and productivity in academe. Three steps necessary to reconcile good management with subcultural values are identified. (MLW)

A former Secretary of Education outlines ways in which the new secretary can provide the leadership necessary to make America a nation of learners, through relationships with the Cabinet, the President, Congress, and the education community. (MSE)

A former Secretary of Education recommends that the new secretary present a larger focus for education and a sharply focused program to back it up, considering increased funding and new initiatives for disadvantaged children, facilities improvement, increased support and recognition for teachers at all levels, and better research funding. (MSE)

A discussion of noncommercial radio and television focuses on its growth and failure to achieve its educational goals. The part played by private and public agencies, the role of local licensees, and the leadership provided by the Federal Communications Commission are reviewed, and some suggestions are offered. (JMD)

Two alternative paradigms for undergraduate education are compared; one holds teaching as its purpose, the other learning. The natures of the two paradigms are examined on the following dimensions: mission and purposes, criteria for success, teaching and learning structures, underlying learning theory, concepts of productivity and methods of…

Some colleges have been able to create and maintain campus climates that promote educationally purposeful student behavior. The 14 "involving colleges" identified in a recent study provide unusually rich extra-classroom learning opportunities for undergraduates. Common cultural features of the institutions include strong institutional…

When college students find ways to combine education for productive work with education for responsible citizenship, the balance between workplace productivity and civic engagement provides both financial rewards and a deep sense of satisfaction associated with contributing to the vitality of the communities where they work and live. This is…

A discussion of the influence of Britain's prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, on higher education looks at the relationship between the administrator's 10 years in office and the fiscal, educational, and public policy issues currently under debate. (MSE)

It is proposed that, in the near future, universities will undergo a major transformation, similar to but much more complex than those in the nineteenth century; and a new, deeper conception of scholarship is needed. The transformed scholarship would be multicultural in nature and would integrate facts and values. (MSE)

The increasing number of campus conflicts brought to court may have far-reaching implications and could mean a decline of academic freedom in the future. (IR)