A series of unprecedented scandals has eroded confidence in big-time sports, increasing the appetite for change. Some critics have a tough time seeing the NCAA as a savior; they say the real problem is the NCAA structure itself, which allows athletes to generate billions of dollars for colleges while earning no compensation themselves. Mark A.…

When Timothy J. Foley started interviewing Georgetown alumni for the university's advancement office, he was surprised at how open they were. It was not unusual for them to cry or vent as they talked to Mr. Foley, a 2006 graduate who works for the university. The interviews were the centerpiece of a program started by James M. Langley, the…

Michael J. O'Connor, the physical-plant director at Appalachian State University, is watching his staff shrink bit by bit. When people leave, he's not rehiring. There is one exception to his staffing plan, however. Despite the economic duress, he is conducting a national search for a sustainability director. The university has ambitious…

After a month of celebrating the largest boost in federal spending on scientific research that most of them have ever seen, university presidents are increasingly tuned to the possibility of a downside. The new money--primarily from a $21.5-billion jump in research-and-development spending in the economic-stimulus law--is certainly welcome,…

In the hyper-competitive world of intercollegiate athletics, where programs vie to win national titles, attract talent, and build the best facilities, keeping a close eye on trends and emerging practices is a necessity. With that in mind, "The Chronicle" asked more than three dozen experts to describe the changes they expect to see in athletics…

Increasingly, large universities are requiring their individual schools to be financially independent, encouraging more fiscal responsibility. However, none of the institutions turning to decentralization have succeeded in making all divisions self-supporting. (MSE)

Winners of a national contest for cost-cutting in campus maintenance, institutional planning, and program administration and the nature of their innovations are reported. (MSE)

Turnover among college fundraisers and related administrators (alumni relations, publications) has been high, with some remaining in positions for less time than a major campaign takes to complete. Some feel fundraisers, particularly those in low- or mid-level positions, are competing for higher salaries, better titles, and career development…

Discusses Ohio State's $79 million athletics program, the biggest in the United States, and the enormous responsibility and payoffs of administering it. (EV)

The median administrator salaries and percentage changes from the previous year are reported for 88 administrative functions in public and private institutions and in universities, four-year colleges, and two-year colleges. (MSE)

Many historically black colleges and universities want to take advantage of a strong economy and generous donors. Typically, even relatively wealthy institutions do not have the financial capabilities and access to wealthy benefactors that predominantly white institutions have accumulated and can use more money, either as a cushion against hard…

A new national survey of college fund raising practices suggests that colleges and universities are not following Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) guidelines for campaign length and donation accounting. The voluntary standards seek to build uniformity and comparability in procedures, but many institutions continue to use…

College administrators say, although sorority hazing is more likely to involve emotional/psychological abuse than physical violence, it is a growing problem. On some campuses, because traditionally black sororities pledge members at different times of year than traditionally white ones, their rush periods are not necessarily monitored as closely.…

Molefi Kete Asante, chairman of the Temple University (Pennsylvania) African American studies department, the first doctoral program in the discipline in the country, is stepping down amidst controversy over his leadership. An avowed Afrocentrist, his administration is viewed by some as creating rancor and instability among faculty, and has led…

Representatives of American publishers have agreed that an assertive new effort is needed to prevent unauthorized copying of electronic materials, particularly through computers linked to the World Wide Web. Copyright management systems are proposed as a means to provide protection for content of intellectual property and for on-line financial…