Today's community college president may have little direct involvement in instructional methods or innovation. Nevertheless, the role of the president as facilitator of an environment supportive of instructional change should not be underestimated. A number of activities are suggested through which a supportive environment can be created and…

An informal survey of social science and humanities societies indicates that many different strategies are being used to deal with the job shortage. New training and marketing methods have emerged along with modified objectives within association committees. (LBH)

Summarizes French and Raven's five bases of supervisory power; then discusses common misuses of power by early childhood program directors, such as "do as I say, not as I do," hiring down, and "the clique heard round the center." Provides pertinent questions for self-examination to break free of these destructive trends. (EV)

A study drew on observation and interview data to examine the early encounters of traditional-age first-year students with campus bureaucracy, focusing on their definitions and coping strategies. Though frustrated by lines, impersonal treatment, and "runarounds," most accepted bureaucracy with superficial equanimity. Results help explain how…

A national study found private giving to colleges rose substantially in 1996, largely due to strong stock market performance. Adjusted for inflation, the rate of giving was 8.8% at a time when costs rose 2% and enrollments rose 1%. Research and doctoral universities received 67% of donations, and public institutions in this group fared better than…

After 20 years of inadequate heating and cooling, an Indiana school district took advantage of a 1994 state law that allows school districts to bypass the "low-bidder wins" restriction. The district established a guaranteed energy-saving contract for a climate-control-improvements package to retrofit the junior-senior high school. (MLF)

Describes the process of retrenchment at a medium-sized state university (pseudonyms used) for the purpose of analyzing the isomorphic pressures (mimetic, coercive, normative) surfacing during the process and the role played by rationalism in decision-making. Draws on the literature of organizational theory and change, and makes comparisons with…

A Minneapolis, Minnesota, elementary school under construction has been uniquely designed to incorporate improved air quality as a key component in boosting student health and performance. Lists common-sense adjustments existing schools can make to improve the quality of their interior air. (MLF)

Presents data on the relationship between burnout and the human service workplace. A sample of 275 social workers indicated that perceptions of autonomy and influence of funding sources were the only statistically significant variables in explaining burnout. Presents burnout as a public issue that should be discussed in human service education.…

Interviews with 24 faculty in a large public university investigated use of metaphors to analyze change in higher education organizations. Results indicate that strategic choices guiding the behavior of the organization and metaphorical images held by faculty about the organization show a high degree of congruence. Implications for change and…

Traces technological advancements implemented in U.S. public schools from the 18th century on, arguing that their failure to meet expectations arises from institutional characteristics rather than teachers' resistance to change. Argues that teaching/learning models must change to allow technology to be adopted and applied to public schools. (43…

Camp administrators concerned with generating a desirable camp culture should begin by defining the camp's mission and clarifying the details of that vision for staff. The components of a camp culture are discussed: signs and symbols, ritual and tradition, habitual modes of communication, and the director's leadership. These components should be…

Describes how budget cuts in many states are forcing public colleges to trim technology spending and require students to pay more for computer services. (EV)

Describes an undergraduate physical science laboratory course exercising the utilization of satellite imagery for studying the floods that resulted in the Parana River region in South America during El Nino (1997-1998), and examines vegetation cover and spectral profiles from the study area in order to further understand and assess the changes…

Examines factors to be considered in the management of technological change in libraries and information services. The organizational climate for change is discussed, and factors to consider when developing a strategy for introducing a new product, service, or system are described, including leadership, goals, political processes, marketing, and…