A survey of University of California central administrators sought views on five key aspects of performance appraisal: (1) communication and feedback; (2) work objectives; (3) job duties; (4) communication with supervisors; and (5) effectiveness of communication, training, and rewards. (Author/MSE)

The process at the University of Maryland at College Park to cut its budget substantially over two years is described. Key principles were avoidance of across-the-board cuts, maintenance of commitments, faculty involvement, openness, and ongoing communication within the institution. Advisory committee, college senate, and off-campus lobbying…

Describes how, when a vehicle maintenance unit of a public transit agency underwent extensive demographic diversification of its workforce, original workers escalated shop talk and horse play as vehicles of internal power struggles, leading to dysfunction and even violence. Argues that management failed to provide for the need for newly diverse…

A college dean who has returned to full-time college teaching reflects on the differences in roles of administrator and faculty member, comparative benefits and disadvantages of the two positions, skills that transfer well, and his changed perspective on students. He recommends more and better communication between faculty and administration. (MSE)

The experience of the Dallas (Texas) Independent School District in using a policy-oriented report (the chart essay), rather than using a methods-oriented report, to communicate evaluation findings is described. Resulting changes in the research and evaluation department, and implications of use of a chart essay are discussed. (SLD)

Discusses the importance of school-community relationships and the role of schools and education professors in working to better society and end racism, sexism, and poverty. The article stresses the need to change the practice of ignoring social problems by searching for a language of compassion and communication. (SM)

Institutional approaches to alternative dispute resolution can offer students and faculty a safe, non-judgmental environment for addressing disputes and promoting campus civility. Issues discussed include ways to promote an institutional atmosphere of civility; creation of structures for conflict resolution and alternative dispute resolution; use…

Gives 10 strategies and examples for camp crisis-management: a written, implemented emergency plan; clear, honest communication; trained staff; good community relationships; learning from experience; knowing the local environment; preparing for the media; considering long-term impacts; avoiding adverse effects; and recognizing good things that…

Describes how educators in the Pearl River School District, Pearl River, New York, have implemented Total Quality Management (TQM) principles to evaluate and improve their effectiveness. Includes two charts that depict key indicators of financial and academic performance and a seven-year profile of the district's budget, enrollment, diploma rate,…

In an interview, the managing editor of a major publication in higher education explains what the media want to know about such issues as college and program rankings, affirmative action, college costs, crime on campus, and how colleges can communicate their positions better, make their messages more coherent, and influence the opinions of both…

The present study explored hospital community benefits and free care programs at seven hospitals in Nassau and Suffolk counties in Long Island, New York. There were two components to this project: (1) assessment of information regarding the availability of free care and (2) an analysis of the community benefits information filed with state…

Organizational creativity, in the model that follows, is subcategorized according to the type of creativity demanded by the industry in which a firm competes. Industries that demand the constant creation of new products are referred to as "creativity-centered" while others, which benefit from creative refinements to current services, are referred…

This article proposes a critical theoretical paradigm for the evaluation of university-community-school partnerships. Although numerous models have been posited for assessing these collaborative endeavors, few of them have granted adequate attention to the voices of community partners, and none have centered on systemic issues of power and…

The aim of this paper is double. First, it provides a conceptual framework linking human resource management, organisational learning and knowledge management. Second, the paper builds a causal model and tests it with a sample of firms from the Spanish manufacturing industry, using a structural equation modelling technique. In particular, after…

This article explores the role of heads of department in a small sample of secondary schools in the People's Republic of China. The research which underpins the article consisted of data collected from school teachers and headteachers of the case study schools. The outcome was that there is a large gap between how middle managers perceive their…