The instructional relevance of four educational philosophies--idealism, realism, experimentalism, and existentialism--to the undergraduate social work curriculum design and educational milieu is explored. The relationship of the problem-solving focus of experimentalism to social work intervention is discussed. (MSE)

The university characteristics most important for explaining differing rates of achievement for students of comparable precollege learning are examined. Library facilities, financial resources, curriculum design, student body attributes, and faculty quality are seen as factors having some effect on student learning. (MLW)

The ways that institutional researchers can analyze the political nature of their institutions and better understand the role institutional research plays in that environment are suggested. The major strength of an institutional research office is information and the analysis of information. (Author/MLW)

Reviews Peterson's 1979 study of the current and preferred ranking of 20 educational goals at 18 community colleges. In response to their low ranking, explains how community services are linked to three more highly rated goals: college community, personal development, and developmental/remedial education. (DML)

From an in-house survey of the strengths and weaknesses of the academic planning process at the University of Cincinnati (Ohio), areas of success and accomplishment emerged that can be applied to schools of education: (1) enhanced skills in program planning and evaluation; (2) adapting to change; (3) leadership capacities; (4) defining…

Used factors identified in the literature as predictors of centralization/decentralization as potential discriminating variables among several decision making configurations in university affiliated professional schools. The model developed from multiple discriminant analysis had reasonable success in classifying correctly only the decentralized…

This open letter is directed to graduate students considering careers in college teaching. In addition to academic degrees, the authors suggest the prospective teachers develop the following abilities: goals and values consistent with teaching, job interviewing skills, teaching skills, and the ability to work with both students and faculty. (AM)

A comparison of college students in the 1950s and the 1970s reveals similarities in campus life-style and events, academics, and religion-morality and indicates dissimilarity in the area of sexual mores. (NRB)

Analysis of questionnaire responses concerning interpersonal relations, sexual behavior, academic performance and campus environment indicated that all groups held favorable opinions about effects of coeducational residences. (NRB)

Among the 160 students studied, demographic, cognitive moral development level and college environment variables interacted in highly complex patterns to influence the student's choice of premarital sexual standard. This suggests that a general systems approach, rather than univariate analysis, is needed to fully study complex moral phenomena.…

Examined the differences in the way college freshmen and seniors perceived their intellectual, social and cultural environment. The profile of the university environment reflected a practical orientation to higher education, i.e., practicality, community, and awareness variables were viewed similarly by the two classes. (JAC)

This chapter reviews the major themes of the entire volume entitled "Establishing Effective Programs." The volume is written by and for the student services programer and is concerned with better managing, implementing, and evaluating programs on campuses. An annotated bibliography of additional references is included. (LPG)

The NEXA program at San Francisco State University seeks to span the gulf between the humanities and the sciences by offering interdisciplinary team-taught courses on concepts and issues in the liberal arts. Providing a rigorous and challenging curriculum for highly motivated students, the program is gradually finding a niche within the confines…

The effects of the academic environment, which is defined as the organization of curricula, teaching, and assessment on student learning, are examined. Focus is on students' perceptions of their courses and teachers in six departments at a British university, and the different demands that various environments make. (Author/JMD)