Argues, based on a constructivist view of learning, that if knowledge is constructed rather than recorded as received, instruction must be viewed as creating learning environments that enhance the process of knowledge construction, and should guide, support, and accompany students in constructing an increasingly sophisticated understanding of…

Explores the limitation of harassment policies used in public educational institutions. These policies mask the gendered nature of harassment and present obstacles to the women who use them to resolve harassment complaints. Argues that the interconnectedness of harassment, sexism, and violence toward women must be openly addressed, within both the…

Examines how institutional practices, disciplinary and programmatic idiosyncracies, and personal characteristics influence the success of women in graduate education. Profiles demographic realities, causes and consequences of gender differences, personal struggles, and ways to address disparate policies. Argues that efforts on all levels are…

Campus recreation centers, originally quasi-academic facilities, have evolved since the early 1980s: first into campus amenities and then into auxiliary business enterprises. Financial issues affecting campus recreation have changed accordingly and are discussed in this chapter. (Author)

Article is a commentary on the confluence of race and responsibility for African American campus administrators. The conversational presentation is contextualized within a treatment of a short period of student unrest. Complexities around negotiating a campus crisis that includes race are addressed. Administrators share insights on the nature of…

Although the approval of a project's design and budget typically rests with the campus governing board, a project team determines the configuration, the cost, and the utility of the completed project. Because of the importance of these decisions, colleges and universities must select project team members carefully. (Author)

Student perceptions of negative campus climate were predictive of Asian American students' depression levels in spite of students' entering proclivities toward depression and in spite of varying institutional types. Higher education institutions that are perceived by students to discriminate against individuals may put their Asian American…

A campus atmosphere of cultural pluralism in which individual minority groups can maintain a sense of identity and uniqueness while acknowledging and building on shared experiences and values can empower all members of the college community. Student activities policies and procedures reconsidered in this light can lower barriers. (Author/MSE)

Cites four cases illustrating that college institutions and individual administrators who fail to take adequate protective steps or give adequate warning of risks may be liable, in damage suits, to student victims of subsequent campus criminal activities. (MLF)

Sees suicide among college and university students as an important campus issue because of its frequency and the severe trauma often precipitated by a suicide. Summarizes the prominent literature in the area of college student suicide, provides a critical review, identifies relevant themes, and discusses future directions. (TE)

The effects of problems with alcohol and other drugs are sometimes subtle, sometimes extravagant, and always debilitating. The tendency for individuals to deny their own problems makes the need for firm and compassionate colleagues more important. Intervention is a way of bringing sympathetic help to a colleague in distress. (MLW)

At Southern Methodist University, the athletic problems were merely the tip of the iceberg. The real scandal was the way the university was organized and run. Some implications for American higher education in general are presented. (MLW)

College traditions and their role in student development is discussed. Ceremonies reflect the community of people who are involved in their creation and perpetuation. Ceremony's role in student development is described. (MLW)

Administrators use different organizational perspectives, or "frames," to help them understand situations, problems, and day-to-day activities. In higher education, four frames are identified as bureaucratic, collegial, political, and symbolic. Frames used by 32 college presidents are analyzed according to content, complexity,…

Freshman orientation programs at the University of Puget Sound, Dartmouth College, and Bard College are easing the trauma and stress that high-school graduates feel as they adjust to course work and campus social life. They are also enhancing retention rates, improving faculty teaching, and strengthening the sense of community. (MLW)