Ways that states can promote change in undergraduate education in state institutions are discussed. The total undergraduate experience, not simply the curriculum, is of concern. Attention is directed to eight challenges in undergraduate education: (1) to prepare students for opportunities offered by a changing work force and society; (2) to…

This paper describes an initial effort to provide a carefully reasoned, factually based, systematic analysis of teacher pay in comparison to pay in other occupations available to college-educated workers. It also reports on the sensitivity of these salary comparison estimates to differences in certain characteristics of the labor force, such as…

The effects of the nature of the college/university on students' academic persistence and attainment, achievement goals, and occupational attainment were studied. Students entering academic programs at two- or four-year colleges by fall 1974 were studied using findings of the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972.…

The effects of institutional types and their structural and compositional characteristics on students entering two- or four-year academic programs were examined, with a focus on students' educational attainment. Data were obtained from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972. Individual student variables were considered,…

The Early Warning System (EWS) of the Individualized Study Program (ISP) at the University of California, Davis, was evaluated. Disadvantaged students who have not met the university's entrance requirements are tracked by the EWS during their first year in order to identify academic problems and provide advising and support. Findings include: EWS…

The Assessment of Skills for Successful Entry and Transfer (ASSET)--a student advisement and placement service published by American College Testing (ACT) of Iowa City, Iowa--is evaluated. Focus is on determining whether the ASSET is suitable for assessing the cognitive entry characteristics of students entering the College of General and…

High attrition from programs for at-risk youth suggest that planners are not assessing interventions from the consumers' perspective. Some disadvantaged youth join and complete programs (persisters), while others from the same communities either fail to join or drop out (leavers). Participants in two in-school remedial programs and two…

Although a basic premise of higher education is that students must take the primary responsibility for their own learning, problems arise when the focus throughout elementary and secondary schooling is on passive, rote learning with the student totally dependent on the teacher and text, as in Islamic schools. The educational shock experienced in…

Premises and conditions necessary to foster the democratization of higher education, particularly in the context of lifelong education, are summarized. Attention is directed to: measures that have been followed in various countries to promote admission to and completion of higher studies; and achievements and obstacles confronted in these efforts.…

Learning improvement programs for underprepared postsecondary students are reviewed, and a Decision Guide for Effective Programs, which summarizes knowledge needed for decision making, is presented. Research data are analyzed to identify features of learning improvement programs associated with improved grade point average and retention.…

Characteristics of 521 Mansfield State College students participating in Pennsylvania's Equal Education Opportunity Program were studied during 1978-1982. The program, which was enacted by Act 101 in 1971, is designed to provide opportunities to educationally and economically disadvantaged populations. Findings include the following: 79 percent of…

A 3-year followup evaluation of the Personalized Education Program (PEP) of the General College, University of Minnesota, is presented. The program, which is designed to improve the academic retention and achievement of underprepared, freshman minority students, has served 273 students since the fall 1979 quarter, including 86 American Indians, 72…

A research guide on student access to the Arizona University System, with studies of retention and persistence, is presented as one working paper in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness. Six topics of discussion, covering areas to be investigated, are as follows: academic…

The National Association of State Scholarship and Grant Programs/National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs conference on student aid is reported. Following the conference agenda and lists of registrants and conference speakers, the following papers are presented: (1) "Reinterpretation of Hansen's Census Data" (John B. Lee); (2)…

As part of an effort by William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) to determine the educational needs of minorities on campus and in the community, a study was conducted of the academic performance of different ethnic groups. Using student transcripts, the longitudinal performances of 100-student samples each of Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics were…