As the number of campus child care centers increases to meet the needs of a growing and diverse student and faculty population, many college campuses are struggling to recruit and retain faculty and staff. There are currently about 2,500 campus child care centers, and almost 35% are managed by an academic unit of the university, with another 30%…

This digest identifies characteristics of successful higher education programs in environmental studies and trends in environmental studies programs and courses. Characteristics of programs that have continued for the past two decades are listed. Some of the variables associated with programs that have not continued are identified. Recent trends…

The heightened interest in college program review is traced to a widespread interest in improving educational quality and the need to respond creatively to financial constraints and external expectations for accountability. Current program reviews have also been designed to aid in decision making about resource reallocation and program…

This digest examines the positive effects on emotional well-being of several types of outdoor education programs. Although many outdoor education and experiential programs enhance emotional growth, such "therapeutic" outcomes may be considered incidental to program goals. In contrast, programs aimed primarily at "therapy"…

The use and abuse of alcohol on college campuses is reviewed briefly and administrative responses are described. Campus initiatives include policy formation and enforcement, treatment programs, and prevention activities. Issues related to institutional liability are outlined, and important factors that bear on policy formation are detailed, such…

This information digest emphasizes that learning-disabled students must be cautious in selecting a higher education program that matches the student's unique needs with the features of the learning disabilities program. Planning for a successful postsecondary education begins with developing an appropriate individualized educational program in…

Practitioners at all levels of education have begun to recognize that addressing the complex social and environmental problems of the future will require individuals capable of reflective and critical thought. Critical thinking has been defined as utilizing a number of cognitive processes and attitudes that undergird intelligent action in diverse…

Thoughtful, well-planned and systematic reviews of both instructional and noninstructional programs provide community colleges with a way of determining whether programs are meeting stated objectives and what standards of performance should be maintained. Programs that need improvement or should be eliminated can be identified, and fiscal…

Popular education is a form of adult education that encourages learners to examine their lives critically and take action to change social conditions. Popular education's goal is to develop people's capacity for social change. Although it may assume diverse forms, popular education usually involves a cycle described as action/reflection/action or…

Nontraditional students are the fastest-growing segment of the postsecondary population. About 41% of students are over 25, and nearly 12% are over 40. Previously, the bulk of financial aid went to traditional-age, usually full-time, students in degree programs. Today, however, the sheer numbers of nontraditional students, including distance…