Research university presidents have vastly greater managerial responsibilities today than three or four decades ago. It is intimidating to preside over an institution so large that knowledge of detail and personal familiarity are impossible, and so complex that most of the knowledge pursued and taught in it is mysterious. (Author/MSE)

Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education provide a foundation for organizing a workshop on improving undergraduate education in a large university. In such a workshop, each participant responded to five questions concerning the principle of his or her choice, and the implications for a given institution were discussed. (MSE)

Research serves several purposes in institutional renewal. Good research ideas can clarify questions, force issues, rationalize debate, vitalize the change process, and justify new departures. Successful tactics for change require clear definition of research activities and campuswide support. (Author/MSE)

A number of examples illustrate that large institutions, often criticized for not delivering high-quality undergraduate education, can use the faculty's applied research activities to improve the student experience. (Author/MSE)

A discussion of the diversity of today's church-related colleges and universities looks at basic institutional characteristics such as Carnegie classification, range of denominational affiliation, enrollments, and tuition. Four taxonomies developed to classify and organize the wide range of church-related colleges are also examined. (MSE)

High-profile athletic programs contribute to the collegiate ideal and are used by many institutions to provide connections to their internal and external constituencies. The magnitude of major athletic events contributes to and in some cases defines institutional image, even serving as a surrogate for the more intimate community-building…

The decision on the most appropriate size for liberal arts colleges should not be made on economic grounds. Analysis of literature shows that economic benefits through economies of scale are too debatable to play an important role. Fixed costs may be offset by less institutional complexity in small colleges. (Author/MSE)

Evaluation, especially when based on a stakeholder-centered model of inquiry, can positively influence institutional change. A successful plan to monitor and evaluate change recognizes the need to involve all stakeholders in the planning and implementation process. (Author/MSE)

Institutionalized curriculum change requires administrative leaders in key positions to act as lead mediators and change agents, giving attention to system and organizational characteristics as well as the development of networks of interpersonal influence. (Author/MSE)

Auburn University in Alabama shows how curricular innovations can stimulate the personalized, cross-disciplinary teaching and learning that are threatened by the large-size and scholarly compartmentalization of many university campuses. The Mentor-Interdisciplinary Seminar program for freshmen and the Ascent of Man interdisciplinary course for…

Future-directed liberal education that will prepare students for effective living is the major challenge for higher education today. Such a curriculum should teach critical thinking skills, continuous learning, and creativity or fluency of ideas. It should also provide a sense of efficacy and responsibility. (Author/MSE)

Universities that devise models to involve faculty in curricular change, building on commonalities among academic fields, can progress toward curricular coherence. The story of an imaginary committee developing a core course for lower-division students, based on information drawn from research, illustrates this planning process. (Author/MSE)

Organized on cluster college concepts, the University of West Florida promises an education with the advantages of the small college while making available to students the kinds of resources a university can offer. Each college has at least one department from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, business, and education. (Author/MSE)