Seven public relations consultants weigh the pros and cons of seeking national media coverage. Some advantages include reaching a broad audience and coverage that boosts morale and commands respect. What is done with national coverage is more important than the amount. (MLW)

Different types of donors may respond better to different types of approaches. Models built for four major donor groups (alumni, nonalumni individuals, business organizations) are described. (MLW)

Five ideas to turn a college president's inauguration into a positive fund-raising and public relations event are presented: appoint the vice-president of development as committee chairman; choose an appropriate theme; thank those financially responsible for the institution's existence; recognize the need for more time and money; and make the…

Two surveys on how students choose a college are reported. Reputation is often the most powerful of all influence factors. Sources of first information about colleges are identified: friends, parents, college recruitment publications, college guide books, etc. The declining role of the high school counselor was noted. (MLW)

Matching the celebrity graduate to the celebration calls for careful coordination of styles, schedules, and expectations. In producing a star-studded extravaganza using alumni, make sure the campus has the right resources. Often the celebrity will take the initiative in shaping the nature of their commitment. (MLW)

President Richard M. Cyert of Carnegie Mellon University set establishing national visibility as a university-wide goal six years ago. The public relations office developed a hard-driving program centered on national media coverage. This program is described. (MLW)

Four things to keep in mind when involved in institutional marketing are identified: make sure the reality of the institution matches the image promoted; keep institutional image simple; tailor external relations program to meet the needs of a diverse constituency; and be persistent and consistent. (MLW)

Rosemarie Tong, CASE's Professor of the Year, notes that ethical issues arise in everyday life. She wants to make philosophy available to those whose lives are focused on practical activity. Her most popular class is a survey course in women's studies. (MLW)

The best way to protect individuals and institutions from libel suits is to verify the truth of what is printed. An institutional editor's guide to do's, don'ts, and definitions is presented. An editor is as responsible for a libelous letter as the author is. (MLW)

Although nearly all the world's cultures value philanthropy, few have a recent history of giving to education. If colleges and universities make the effort to motivate their international constituents today, these alumni, families, and friends can have a significant impact on the institution's future. The first step is for institutions to examine…

The former president of Harvard University (Massachusetts) argues that college and university public relations specialists must attempt to understand what underlies the public's concerns about higher education, rather than simply to react to individual complaints. To reclaim public trust, higher education's leaders must consider carefully how they…

CASE's 1989 National Professor of the Year was J. Dennis Huston, a professor of English at Rice University, who directs a new Humanities Foundation Course for science and engineering students. The one-year core course grounds science and engineering freshmen in history, literature, and culture. (MLW)

A study of 291 freshmen from "invisible" colleges and 239 from 6 prestigious colleges and universities and their parents investigated how the 2 sets of families with obvious different college preferences had made their choice. Geography, parental influence and approval, the "second choice" concept, and institutional…

Although higher education institutions dislike rankings published in the mass media, they like the attention the rankings create and prefer to be included rather than excluded. Common criticisms of the methodology include emphasis on inappropriate criteria, unfair comparison of private and public institutions, faulty assumptions, inaccurate data,…

Describes the way in which Wilfrid Laurier University (Ontario), an institution that had worked hard to improve its programs and reputation, addressed a disappointing ranking in a national news magazine. In cooperation with other educators, administrators, and institutional researchers, the university undertook a successful project to have the…