This paper presents a speech by the President of the Mississippi University for Women (MUW), on the history of MUW and her secrets of success as an educator and administrator. The speech traces the history of MUW, founded in 1884 as the first public college for women in the United States. It lists the accomplishments of distinguished alumni,…

Although diversity has become a social reality in U.S. higher education, certain issues concerning diversity in classroom settings have not been addressed. Despite increasing multiculturalism and diversity awareness in the U.S. educational system, the literature is still derived primarily from either monocultural assumptions or superficial…

This study examined the attitudes toward gay men and lesbians among male and female undergraduate students and graduate students at Bowling Green State University (Ohio). The subject pool included 99 students between the ages of 18 and 48. The sample included 47 males, 52 females, 60 undergraduate students, and 39 graduate students. A…

This program was developed to help students address how they can create solutions to persistent problems in their residence halls and on campus. Too often diversity programs are inwardly-focused and far removed from practical action that could increase understanding and reduce conflict. This program seeks to combine self-reflection with active…

This paper examines leadership in higher education, specifically in community colleges. The first section reviews current definitions and theories of education, including transactional leadership (where there is an exchange between the leader and the follower) and transformational leadership (where the leader tries to change the framework itself…

Despite increases in the minimum legal drinking age, national studies show that 82 to 92 percent of college students consume alcohol, with about 20 percent considered as heavy drinkers. Students who drink may have particular needs for focused education or intervention, but all students can benefit from education regarding the full range of alcohol…

Designed as a resource for individuals who plan, manage, support, and use information technology (IT) in community colleges, this paper presents a model for strategic planning, termed the "Learning Action Plan" model. Section 1 provides an introduction to strategic planning and the Learning Action Plan model. Section 2 describes the Learning…

Anthropologists have documented the importance of rites of passage rituals for marking the successful passage from one position in the social structure to another. The characteristics and importance of rituals and rites of passage to mark the transition high school to college will be presented. It is proposed that colleges and universities utilize…

On the premise that the college classroom should heighten, not cool, a zeal for learning, the author proposes that colleges extend the range of alternative paths to personal growth through a program of voluntary temporary learning communities using diverse modes of inquiry. (JT)

Student difficulties adjusting to college may lead to individual dysfunction. The enhancement of a sense of community could have a positive effect on student morale and may help to prevent dysfunction. This study examined the effects of a group counseling program on college students' sense of community. College students (N=90), mostly freshmen,…

The study reviews the impact of the freshman year and 4 years of undergraduate study on the formation of character and its progression from late adolescence to young adulthood. Much of the empirical data used is drawn from the Sierra Project, a study originating in the 1970s that addressed traditional obstacles in higher education in meeting its…

Critics of collaborative learning such as Greg Myers argue that educators might let their enthusiasm for collaborative learning lead them to accepting social construction of knowledge as a good thing in itself. It is important, however, to distinguish between the use of specific collaborative learning activities--such as peer response groups or…

The information in this report is based on the experiences of Cornell University and the University of South Carolina in responding to the needs of gay students in their residence halls. A starter kit on developing gay issue programming for other campuses is presented which includes a Gay Programming Checklist and a description of a sample…

A model of strategic adaptation that focuses on how organizations adapt to both conditions of growth and decline is presented. The theoretical structure underlying the model is considered, with attention to organizations, niches, and environments, as well as environmental change and evolving niches. The model attempts to reconcile the perspectives…

Campus violence, whether it is physical, sexual, or psychological, is counterproductive to a positive college environment and to the healthy development of individuals. Student affairs administrators and directors of various student services hold a responsibility for directing the response of campus personnel to specific volatile and exploitive…