The idea of institutionally sponsored employee mentoring programs, sometimes used in industry, is applied to personnel management in higher education institutions. The benefits and problems of such programs are discussed, and suggestions are made for program design at the entry level and for career development. (MSE)

At a conference on the senior year experience, participants described "capstone" courses that pull together the themes of a student's major and investigate ethics and civic responsibility. Employers said many college graduates were unprepared to work in teams and unwilling to pay their dues by starting in entry-level positions. (MLW)

Kennesaw State College (Georgia) has developed initiatives to enhance leadership and team-building skills of classified employees. The programs include a staff leadership training course, open to 20-24 employees annually, and the Staff Training and Orientation Program (STOP) to provide new employees with information about the institution in an…

A writing support group at Santa Clara University (California) helps female faculty maintain scholarly productivity in the face of multiple, sometimes conflicting demands on their time, and it develops their sense of identity as writers. Long-term follow-up and social supports are key ingredients in the simple but effective program. (Author/MSE)

Initial Teacher Training (ITT) has always been a partnership between schools and higher education. In recent years the relationship has been redefined into a more formal and contractual one, in which the school plays a far greater role than ever before. Improvement of partnerships between schools and higher education institutions for the…

A discussion of dental education focuses on what constitutes competency-based education and how such a curriculum is designed. Topics addressed include desirable learning events at various stages in the learning continuum; program components; definition and assessment of outcomes; interdisciplinarity; focus on the entry-level practitioner's needs…