The North Carolina General Assembly directed the State Building Commission to study the comparative costs of multi- and single-prime contracting and report the results to the 1995 General Assembly. Describes the analysis of data collected from governmental units that had awarded construction contracts. Identifies some alternative contracting…

This essay examines the idea of intellectual authority as reflected in legal and literary theory and reviews empirical studies of effects of institutional authority on acceptance/rejection of papers by juried journals. It refutes ideas of Stanley Fish that an author's background (his/her "institutional authority") are relevant in evaluating the…

It is argued, based on the experiences of 16 small, diverse independent colleges, that small institutions can reverse decline. The analysis looks at signs of problems, patterns of institutional blindness to the problems that lead to additional decline, and behavior characteristics of the institutions that survive. (MSE)

Institutional research in higher education is seen as comprised of three levels of intelligence/information: (1) technical and analytical; (2) understanding of student, faculty, financial, and facilities issues; and (3) contextual intelligence concerning the culture of higher education and the particular institution. Knowledge and skills required…

Reviews two major themes in sexual harassment research (prevalence figures and perceptions/attributions) and two emerging areas (victim responses and organizational factors). Identifies lack of research on training interventions and organizational response patterns as well as a lack of conceptual clarity and specificity in research. (81…

Sexual harassment is the most visible example of workplace disputes that systematically disadvantage women. The prevalence of sexual harassment contributes to the persistence of occupational sex segregation. (SK)

The challenge to the higher education institution of hiring faculty with working spouses is discussed, looking at societal attitudes, development of strategies to assist dual-career couples, the needs of the joint academic couple, and allocation of resources to address the issues. (MSE)

A model of organizational learning, revised based on case studies of three university continuing education departments, illustrates a cyclical relationship with seven components: environmental adaptation, external environment, selecting information, opportunity for learning, leading, capacity for learning, and organizational learning. (SK)

Based on a national survey of college administrators' (n=3,333) views of planning, this study investigated the relationship between having a chief planning officer to coordinate planning functions and perceptions of and attitudes toward campus planning. Results suggest the presence of a planner increased perceptions of more rational and…

The distinctive cultural characteristics of the different disciplines and implications for higher education research, policy, and practice are examined. It is argued that these differences are often ignored in policy analysis, resulting in inadequate analysis. Discussion focuses on disciplinary activities at three levels: systemwide;…

"Intellectual community" as commonly used is based on a notion of intellectual commonality. However, the liberal arts college has become more diverse. Until higher education can offer some models for combining the values of diversity, it ought not to promote the conventional ideal of intellectual community, which favors some values over…

Liberal arts faculty are ill equipped to teach their disciplines; they are equipped to transmit the latest research results as they define the discipline. Students are not well prepared to respond; they have not been encouraged to enter into others' thinking. Under these conditions, the prospects for intellectual community are not good. (MSE)

The liberal arts curriculum has inherited the discourse of generations, all the richer and more abundant for the contributions those generations have made to it from a variety of sources. This shared human experience is Black as much as it is White, female, or international. (MSE)

Factors in alumni giving to colleges are discussed, some aspects of alumni giving to all higher education are forecast, and for illustration, probable giving to one college (Amherst College, Massachusetts) is predicted. Factors considered include alumni numbers, dollar amounts given, and the link between stock market activities and donations. (MSE)

A well-conceived and effective faculty development program should focus on individual as well as institutional development, so that the environment encourages and supports both individuals and groups. Eleven institutional and four individual and group strategies for making development efforts effective are outlined. (MSE)