Three distinct eras of higher education are seen as characterizing the 200-year history of Williams College (Massachusetts): first as a Christian college, then as a gentleman's school, and, finally, as a consumer-oriented institution as part of a general trend toward consumerism after World War II resulting from social change and decline in the…

True liberal education requires a specific physical environment designed to promote both planned and spontaneous conversation. These conditions are most likely to exist in the small, residential liberal arts college, particularly those with modest means, where collegiality and inclusiveness are valued. (MSE)

Argues that concern for the needs of science department faculty in small colleges and universities is lacking in the science education research literature. Claims that such faculty's duties often include educating science majors and science education majors, and the unique problems arising from this dual role should be more thoroughly studied.…

This study sought to identify institutional selection factors most influential upon small-college student-athletes. Mean scores for 229 freshman student-athletes from six institutions were analyzed using a modified Student-Athlete College Choice Profile Scale. The sample was also stratified by gender and sports-program categories. Overall, four of…

While "early college" programs designed for high-school-age students are beginning to proliferate nationwide, a small New England school has been successfully educating teens for nearly four decades. In this article, the author features Simon's Rock, a small liberal arts college located in the Great Barrington, Massachusetts, that has…

This paper presents a history of the Hiram College (Hiram, Ohio) library from 1950 to 1995. It highlights important events and decisions made in the construction and opening of the new library building on September 7, 1995 and shows how this achievement has revitalized the spirit and optimism of everyone involved. The paper also presents the…

A good college assessment program should include departmental level assessment to evaluate what students learn in their major field. Small colleges have unique opportunities and constraints in developing departmental assessment programs. Because of their size, small departments can use labor-intensive methods and have more opportunities for…

This paper analyzes the mission statement of a small liberal arts college: (1) to establish a rationale for examining a mission statement from a postmodern perspective, which will aid in the understanding of the context within which the mission statement and accompanying goals were developed and produced; (2) to clarify the multiple voices and…

Department chairmanship responsibilities are becoming heavier in the face of the demands associated with issues that challenge academic communities at the close of the 20th century. A director of forensics is occupied with decisions about the forensics program's philosophy, to provide understanding and impetus for team and individual goals, and…

This document consists of 12 issues, an entire volume year, of the EDUTECH Report. The newsletter's purpose is to alert faculty and administrators to issues in educational technology. Each issue contains two feature articles, a page of news briefs, a preview of the upcoming issue, and a question and answer column. Most issues also contain brief…

One of the most significant activities undertaken by members of small college speech departments has been the development of the Essential Undergraduate Curriculum in Speech Communication at the Small College. This paper reviews six aspects of this curriculum: (1) the "statement of domain"; (2) iterdisciplinary aspects; (3) questions of…

The small college communication curriculum must, by necessity, be more limited than that of the university. However, it can still fulfill the needs of its students while responding to external curriculum requirements, such as those of the institution, accrediting agencies, professional societies, and employers. Two approaches to curriculum…

Guidelines have been developed for a consortium approach to teacher preparation in a small college that may need some expertise and access to teaching materials which can be provided by local school districts and other agencies. This approach to the design, management, and evaluation of the program offers the opportunity to involve the schools…

The ways in which current theories of leadership relate to perceptions of organizational effectiveness are examined in a study looking at these interactions and relevant demographic factors in 11 small, private, midwestern colleges. A model of transactional and transformational leadership proposed by Bass (1985) is investigated along with an…

The workshop was convened by the Social Science Research Council of Canada as part of its annual meeting. Its purpose was to explore the possible usefulness of a large-scale conference on the same topic. The three papers presented are included in the final report: (1) social science research needs of smaller Canadian universities (John T. Sears);…