The situational leadership model developed by Hersey and Blanchard is described, and the task-specific model is then applied to the four primary tasks of college faculty--teaching, research, community service, and institutional service. The model combines directive and supportive behavior as they are reflected in four distinctive leadership…

Considerations in designing a standard health care benefits package as a part of national health care reform are discussed. Specific features examined include deductibles, employer contributions, regional variations, cost management techniques such as managed care and higher copayments, annual out-of-pocket maximums, and lifetime benefit maximums.…

Commonalities in women's concerns about women's role in higher education are examined,and the extent to which these concerns can be considered feminist is discussed. Prospects and obstacles to successful feminist leadership and administration are also considered. (MSE)

The potential of advancing information and telecommunications technology to transform the workplace in higher education is examined. Demographic, social, and economic trends contributing to this trend and its advantages and disadvantages are also discussed. Suggestions are made for managing the transition to telework, including selection of…

"Managed competition," a purchasing strategy to obtain maximum value, is recommended as a method for limiting costs in college and university employees' health benefits plans. Models used at Stanford University (California) and the University of California are offered as illustrations, and considerations in implementing managed…

Successful human resource strategic planning at colleges and universities requires that: (1) outcomes contribute to the bottom line; (2) the plan is linked to the institution's long-term strategy; and (3) the plan is simple to understand and follow. Staff retreats are essential and should involve environmental analysis, departmental analysis,…

The University of Michigan sponsored a 2-day, institution-wide exposition of quality management efforts, which included 64 exhibits staffed by university employees. The underlying principles, planning stages, evidence that the expo was successful, lessons learned, plans for similar future efforts, and ways to obtain further information about this…

It is argued that higher education institutions can play a major role in health care reform by providing campus cultures that foster healthy lifestyle choices and in turn reduce medical costs. Specific issues discussed include elimination of unnecessary tests, focus on special high-risk populations, and use of advance directives. (MSE)

The process used by Brown University (Rhode Island) to develop a day care program for infant and toddler children of staff and students is described. Key issues (goals, philosophy, budget) and considerations (day care users' needs, space needs and availability, staffing, budgeting, implementation plan) are discussed. A sample user survey and…

The successful summer day camp program of Saint Louis University (Missouri) is described. Program rationale, philosophy, objectives, structure, staffing, activities, and benefits to the university community are discussed. A majority of the children served by the camp are the children, ages 6 to 12, of university employees. (MSE)

The importance of communication between the college or university and its employees over health care reform is discussed. Communication needs that have emerged from the health care reform debate are examined, and elements in a successful organizational communication strategy are outlined. (MSE)

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) "risk contracts," under which HMOs cover Medicare-eligible individuals, are explained; and the costs, benefits, and coverage are compared with those of other managed care options. Employers with retiree medical plans are encouraged to consider using HMO risk contracts for both short- and long-term…

Some practical approaches to implementing preretirement education programs for personnel at public research universities are offered, based on a program developed at Ohio University. Preretirement program goals are to educate employees about the critical components in retirement planning and to provide unbiased and impartial resource information…

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)

College and university strategic planning works best when staff performance appraisal and development are used together to bring about both organizational and individual change. However, these must be more than bureaucratic exercises unrelated to daily staff management. Individual staff must be able to see themselves as important in carrying out…