The University of Minnesota Alumni Association has developed from a fraternal organization into a credible and active force in campus and state higher education policy. Networking, careful selection of issues, and clear communication with the college administration have been keys to the group's success. (MSE)

The charge that there is thought control and intimidation in the college classroom must be examined more closely. There are times when politics overtakes "correctness" on the campus, but it is more often the students intimidating the teachers, through choice of courses, than the other way around. (MSE)

Greater public involvement in governmental policy formation should be beneficial, yet such consultation may be merely politics. A case study illustrates how the Saskatchewan provincial government implemented a public "consultation" on educational policy formation, then ignored the public's advice, yet stage managed the whole process to…

Traces the organizational history in Kentucky after the Department of Education was abolished by the Kentucky Educational Reform Act (KERA). Offers suggestions to other state legislators contemplating state department restructuring. Contends that "restructuring" turned out to be the same old process of bureaucratic adjustments practiced…

Recounts the experiences of a middle-class woman tutoring male coal miners in study skills. Her feminist viewpoint, opportunities of each side to learn from the other, and the delicacy of a female tutor's position of power in an all-male classroom are addressed. (SK)

After the first year of Kentucky's school reform act, a superintendent advises others whose states might undertake school reform to expect delays and revenue shortfalls and to lobby for professional development funds. (MLF)

Although Kiswahili has been successfully promoted as the medium of primary and adult education in Tanzania, its position in secondary and tertiary levels is still precarious. Suggests that Kiswahili become the language of instruction in secondary schools, with English taught as a foreign language. (DMM)

Reviews the history of Catalonia, its language policy, and strategies/methods by which the Catalan language was introduced into the educational system (e.g., by educating the teaching staff, using Catalan in instruction and educational administration, developing Catalan-language teaching materials, and developing immersion programs in Catalan for…

Describes the institution of Bahasa Indonesia as the state language of Indonesia. Discusses the use of Indonesian, 400+ vernaculars, and foreign languages in the country; the implementation of state language policy through formal and nonformal language education; and the rise of bilingualism in Indonesia. (DMM)

Suggests the possibility of mapping each person's linguistic identity in two dimensions: the number of languages spoken and the situation-specific variants of each language. Discusses the academic disadvantages associated with particular socioeconomic variants, particularly low-class speech/accents. Advocates greater tolerance of variation and…

Discusses increasing involvement of business leaders in the school reform debate and provides evidence of busines's high profile in education policymaking on both state and national levels; notes conflicting views among educators and advocates in the educational establishment. (SM)

Outlines strategies to reduce inequities in numerous counties, focusing on the distribution of financial and human resources. Also addresses issues of diversity and conformity in education systems. Reduction of regional imbalances does not necessarily require imposition of uniformity, but the diversity caused by decentralization is not always…

As middle managers in the educational enterprise, principals are pressured by groups with goals at odds with their own. After attempting to resolve three thorny ethical dilemmas, one female principal realized that conflicts are more often caused by superiors and government agencies than by students, parents, and teachers. The question arises: is…

Tracking structures are grounded in widespread and historically rooted beliefs about human capacity, individual differences, and the learning process. Successful detracking requires a reconstructed curriculum, an expanded instructional repertoire, provision for special needs, alternative assessment and grading practices, and a process fostering…

Lynne V. Cheney, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, has charged liberal scholars with using college classrooms to advance their political agendas and indoctrinate students, blaming feminists in particular. She urges trustees and alumni groups to become more involved in protecting academic freedom. Some critics are alarmed. (MSE)