The Los Angeles Teacher Trainee program is designed to help recruit talented people into teaching; the Mentor Teacher component of that program is designed to help retain capable teachers by expanding their rewards and opportunities. Requirements of the Teacher Trainee Program intersect with the inducements of the Mentor Teacher Program to form a…

In 1990, the Illinois State Board of Higher Education adopted a comprehensive set of 32 policy statements designed to improve undergraduate education. The policies address the improvement of student preparation for, access to, and retention in colleges and universities; improvement of student achievement, scholarship, and general education during…

This report responds to Illinois State Board of Higher Education's policies on improving undergraduate education that called for cooperation among institutions of higher education in monitoring the academic progress, retention, and graduation of undergraduate students. The report examines the enrollment, transfer, and degree attainment patterns of…

Case studies are presented of three African-American women who earned doctoral degrees in physical education and sport disciplines between 1971 and 1990. Personal interviews were conducted with the informants on issues related to the campus environment as well as financial and academic factors. The case studies are analyzed in terms of the women's…

This volume offers 15 papers on the "graying" of the college and university work force in the context of national demographic trends. The papers are arranged in groups which address: growing older, the graying of America, adapting to changing times, retirement and retirement planning, and the corporate example. The following papers are presented:…

This report presents findings from the 3rd year of a 4-year study of the impact of educational reform on at-risk students in Texas. Specifically, the study examined the effect of four reforms on at-risk students--the attendance policy, the no pass/no play rule, the driver's license law, and the TEAMS/TAAS (Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum…

A profile of graduation rates and time-to-degree was generated for undergraduates entering California State University in fall 1978 or fall 1979, as first-time freshmen (n=53,445) and community college transfer students (n=44,992). The profile analyzes: (1) the proportion of new students who ultimately graduate; (2) the distribution of degrees…

This article describes a qualitative research approach (in-depth phenomenological interviewing) and illustrates, through the example of an actual study, its potential for helping institutions of higher education understand their students. It argues that progress in understanding college student outcomes, such as persistence, has been retarded by…

This paper reviews the history of higher education for Native Americans and proposes change strategies. Assimilation was the primary goal of higher education from early colonial times to the 20th century. Tribal response ranged from resistance to support of higher education. When the Federal Government began to dominate Native education in the…

This paper addresses the issue of the equitable participation of minorities in higher education. Evidence of the magnitude of the problem is presented in discussions which address: (1) enrollment trends; (2) the persistence of minority students in academic study; and (3) the time required of minority students to complete their academic studies. It…

Given that faculty advising plays an important role in college level retention, this paper examines three possible forms of faculty advisor-student relationships--paternalism, agency, and contract--and found the contract form to be superior. The paternalistic model in which the advisor assumes responsibility and authority for decision making was…

This literature review considers the theory and practice of retention efforts in higher education, with special focus on community college programs. Introductory material looks at the conditions (e.g., tighter budgets and decreased enrollments) that have brought the issues of attrition and retention to the forefront. The next section reviews…

This paper identifies problems in Native American teacher training and suggests solutions to improve the training. In New Mexico, ideal candidates for teacher licensure are a group of Native American teacher assistants who work with Native American students. Most lack the general education requirements for a bachelor's degree and must take…

The experiences of 397 freshmen at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, were studied, along with the ways in which the university programs and services affect student commitment to the university. Based on a telephone interview, findings include the following: many freshmen had little contact with major university services designed to orient…

Approaches to improve the teaching of nursing students of diverse backgrounds are described in 16 papers as part of the Southern Regional Education Board's Faculty Development in Nursing Education Project. Among the papers and authors are the following: "Background on the Faculty Development in Nursing Education Project" (Audrey F.…