Describes the development of an extended freshman orientation course at the University of Central Arkansas. The course, "University Studies," is targeted to the related goals of assisting new university students and increasing retention through increasing student awareness of academic life and development of study skills. (TE)

Among the protective measures against computer viruses that universities should consider are the following: (1) establishment of policies regarding student and faculty conduct; (2) distribution of information; (3) limitations on access to college computers; (4) establishment of operational safeguards; and (5) creation of an emergency action plan.…

Considers the various educational roles that community colleges have played in attempts to be democratizing institutions and their success in fulfilling these roles. Advocates structured, sequential education in college-level courses, and the development of action agendas focusing on college identity, financing, accountability, scholarship, and…

A survey of 300 institutions of higher education found 9 factors associated with alumni giving participation rates. These included library volumes per student; average Scholastic Aptitude Test scores of entering first-year college students; percentage of faculty with doctorates; educational and general budget expenditures per student; endowment…

Suggests eight parameters as criteria for describing and comparing distance education/open learning institutions: target population, dimensions of openness, organizational structure, design and development of learning materials, use of advanced technology, teaching/tutoring system, student support systems, and interinstitutional collaboration. (35…

In a national survey of university colleges, deans report the advantages of providing a common experience to all freshmen and centrally administering programs relevant to the first year such as orientation, advising, learning assistance, retention and honors. University colleges attend to the needs of freshmen, undeclared majors, and adult…

Some colleges have been able to create and maintain campus climates that promote educationally purposeful student behavior. The 14 "involving colleges" identified in a recent study provide unusually rich extra-classroom learning opportunities for undergraduates. Common cultural features of the institutions include strong institutional…

Discussion of the current market-orientation of higher education institutions outlines five ways they can appropriately respond to students and employers: creating a culture focusing on student learning, not teaching; accepting responsibility to teach more than course content; involving students in establishing objectives for learning; making…

Describes psychosocial factors that predicted college adjustment of first-year undergraduate students on the basis of studies conducted in two universities of differing size, focus, and geographic location. Academic self-confidence, positive attitudes toward the university, and faculty and peer support significantly predicted more successful…

University liability is in transition; its role changing from a parental/custodial "in loco parentis" model (and then a bystander role) to a new model of facilitator. The university enjoys a position of authority and respect, while exercising control more subtly than in the mid-1990s. At the same time, universities may be unable to claim the same…

As higher education seeks to meet the needs of a growing population of adult students, tensions are emerging from the gap that exists between the needs of these students and professors' academic preparation. This article discusses how classroom structure, assignments, and policies in classes for adult learners can be configured to manage these…

The purpose of this study was to determine if living in a living learning center (LLC) at a residential college impacts academic success, and to what extent living in the LLC impacts the persistence of first-year students. Results indicated that the LLC had a positive impact on academic success of men, and on the rate of persistence for non-white…

Many universities fund Latino studies programs, in part, as a means to train students for the transnational labor force, but thereby present complex ethical issues. The national student-organized Workers Rights Consortium provides a model of ethical engagement with globalization, pursuing ethical corporate practices among university contractors.…

Explains why some community colleges are offering on-campus housing, and illustrates some of the challenges and issues they faced. New challenges addressed include student health and productivity, housing funding, and maintenance. (GR)

This paper investigates students' initial encounters with the seminar as a working form in higher education. The main interest was to explore how the communication pattern, the aim of the seminar and meaning were negotiated. The results originate from an ethnographic field study where we followed a group of students in a Masters program in Social…