Twenty key administrators, 20 present and past department chairmen, and 60 faculty were surveyed on their perceptions of the role of the department chairman and the criteria used for selection of this position. Responses were elicited for 30 role statements and criteria for selection were examined through nine survey items. Fourteen of the 30…

Mount Holyoke College was examined to see how it manages itself, how it raises and spends money. Holyoke's president understood that, in a competitive age, the key was not so much educating as it was positioning. Marketing and price fixing are discussed. (MLW)

Two aspects of recent trends in Black college attendance patterns are examined: the proportion of Blacks at various institution types and the distribution of Black students among institution types. Issues relating to institutional quality or reputation and Black enrollment are discussed. White enrollment data are included for comparison. (MSE)

The ways in which Coppin State College improved its image among and its marketing to potential students within the urban community are described. The following self-assessments were undertaken: faculty, student, and community perceptions and the needs of residents and employers were surveyed. (MLW)

Ranking American colleges, universities, and individual departments according to their academic quality is discussed. Six types of methodology used are identified: reputational rankings; faculty awards, honors, and prizes; citations in citation indexes; alumni achievements; scores of entering students on standardized tests; and institutional…

All institutions of higher education recognize the importance of good relationships with their communities. To avoid confusion and disappointment about its community relations, the institution must know what it wants to achieve through a clearly defined mission statement or a set of goals and objectives. (Author/MLW)

Phenomenological study examined the social experiences of eight rural parents who stood up for their child at school. Main themes characterizing their experiences were: (1) parents know the teachers and principal; (2) it is common knowledge in the community whenever a child has a problem at school; and (3) what happens at school can change…

Explored the crisis of respect needed to establish authority in two urban public high schools. Data from observations and interviews indicated that in classrooms, battles for respect involved defending the dominant educational regime and control over the daily regimen of pedagogical practice. In corridors, students moved between mainstream…

Media ranking of colleges is often superficial and only further confuses families and prospective students. In addition, some colleges are excluding students to present a "selective" profile. Rationality in admissions can return, when parents and students become knowledgeable about the process, counselors interpret changes, and colleges give…

Behavioral correlates of social status and the relative importance of physical appearance, reputation, and current behavior in the assignment of social status by peers was assessed in 2 studies of elementary school students (68 and 119 students, respectively). Videotapes and photographs were used to compare popular, rejected, and neglected…

Examines how centrality in world science is affected by performance and reputation. This study uses surveys of academic researchers and literature in engineering to ascertain the surging Japanese and the relatively declining American research performance. Findings show that reputation outweighs performance as the United States continues to…

Pepperdine University's (California) 1980s fund-raising campaign was designed to raise overall institutional visibility, establish an image of quality education, improve institutional image in the business community, increase fund-raising momentum, and raise significant money for immediate capital needs. Theme, staffing, and advertising were key…

It is argued that colleges tend to have a high opinion of themselves and would be wise to learn how their various publics (community, business community, guidance counselors, college-bound students, parents, current students, alumni, staff) perceive them. Comparison with competitors and monitoring of change over time is also recommended. (MSE)

When recruiting high-powered scholars, colleges and universities must be able to offer not only good salaries but also such benefits as light teaching loads, new research facilities, jobs for spouses, and other aspects of an attractive lifestyle. Sometimes such job offers are used as leverage for increasing benefits at home institutions. (MSE)

Parents know adolescents can be cruel. They do not want their child rejected by peers. What is it like to be denigrated by one's middle school classmates? How common is a predatory anti-teacher peer culture in junior high school? Does it typically last into high school? How do peer norms of different crowds in a school get established? Who sets…