This paper briefly reviews the literature on the common factors in effective college student retention programs, then presents a study assessing the impact of the institution's mission effectiveness as distinct from other determinants of student retention. The assessment of retention predictors and the effects of the school's mission were…

The Reform of Secondary Education carried out in Spain in recent years has given rise to an increased number of options for students. This study empirically analyzed the consistency between options chosen by students in secondary education and the later demand for degrees at the higher education level. The sample consisted of two cohorts of…

This final report describes activities of a project which addresses issues concerning assessment in higher education through forums, papers, and development and dissemination of resources on activities in the states. In particular the project sought to explore how state initiatives to improve undergraduate education through assessment can be…

The administration of the various Federal financial aid programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 involves a complex set of legal relationships, including contracts between the institution and the Federal government and between the Federal government and other parties. This pamphlet discusses management issues surrounding these…

This volume explores the role and implications of collaborative learning for the mission and future of higher education and college teaching. Part I discusses the implications of nonfoundational social constructionist thought for colleges and universities. Nonfoundational notions of knowledge and social relations argue that knowledge has no…

This report describes and evaluates the activities undertaken by the Washington Center for the Improvement of the Quality of Undergraduate Education between 1986 and 1988. The goal of the Center is to improve undergraduate education through five central activities: (1) assisting participating two- and four-year colleges in the establishment of…

This publication provides summary analytical reports and graphic displays from the official Course and Section Analysis (CASA) system concerning the instructional workload and the financial resources of academic departments offering courses during the fall 1990 semester within the State University of New York system. Included are six reports. The…

A study examined the influence of behavioral activities such as teaching, research, and service on faculty career satisfaction using Astin's theory of involvement. The research tested Astin's theory in predicting variations in career satisfaction by disciplinary category, and the contention that disciplinary differences are critical for…

This research brief looks at trends and issues in part-time undergraduate enrollment by summarizing the data available and comparing them to data on full-time students. Highlighted findings indicate that from 1970 to 1990 the number of part-time undergraduate students more than doubled and that most of this growth occurred during the 1970s. A…

Citing a number of primary and secondary sources, the legislative and developmental history of the junior college movement in California is examined in this 1964 six-part report. First, a brief introduction presents an overview of the movement's major proponents, and of a 1907 law establishing California's first public junior colleges. The next…

This report consists of a series of papers analyzing survey data from the 1987 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) concerning the characteristics of both aided and nonaided students, as well as the manner in which students financed their postsecondary education. The following papers are presented: (1) "Paying for College: The…

The new core curriculum at Moravian College, in Pennsylvania, utilizes an interdisciplinary approach, integrating topics of psychology into three of the seven core courses: "Microcosm/Macrocosm"; "Quantitative Problem Solving"; and the seminar "Gender, Ethnicity, and Race." The course "Microcosm/Macrocosm"…

Clemson University (South Carolina) has developed an undergraduate Language and International Trade program designed to train students to meet the needs of American firms doing business overseas. Program aims are that graduates know one foreign language, be attuned to cultural differences, have a business training foundation, and have experience…

This monograph explores recent theory and research on the importance of student effort and involvement in college activities as decisive elements in promoting positive college outcomes. An opening section introduces the issue and is followed by a section outlining the fundamental work of Robert Pace who found that college outcomes depend on…

In the wake of nearly 2 decades of reform in college liberal and general education, this report proposes 12 principles to help institutions sustain the gains that have been made. Each chapter presents one of the principles with detailed explanation that draws on the literature, theory, and actual examples. Part I presents the first six principles…