Discussion of performance indicators' use in government-institutional relationships and funding decisions for higher education institutions draws on experiences of five countries (Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom). Roles of political culture, educational funding system, and quality assessment procedures used for resource…

A shift in federal policy is causing Americans to examine the basic values and aspirations of public education, and the "schools of choice" debate must address the following significant issues: (1) effectiveness; (2) equity; (3) governance and accountability; (4) resource allocation; (5) mission; (6) sociological factors; (7) psychological…

A discussion of the contemporary situation in American Indian higher education addresses three questions concerning current, past, and future Indian education: (1) how resources are currently allocated; (2) the nature of the present Indian educational-political system and any significant changes over time; (3) whether the current system is…

A discussion of higher education in India looks at the system in comparison to others around the world, its politics, bureaucratic inertia, the institutionalized policy of expansion, the academic profession, funding, the examination system, and the university's role in society. Implications for meaningful reform are examined. (MSE)

One university's use of faculty input into the process of distributing salary dollars specifically designated as "market adjustment monies" is reported. Results indicate that, the more opportunity faculty had to be involved in the salary adjustment process, the greater their satisfaction with its outcomes. (Author/MSE)

A national conference of colleges of optometry focused on planning for optometric curricular reform and faculty development. Issues addressed included changes needed to meet entry-level professional needs, available resources, changes in optometry practice, and optometry's role in health care reform. Task forces worked together to develop a…

It is argued that, when a university's resources are insufficient to undertake serious, responsible change in education, the institution should close its school of education and put its resources into high-quality programs elsewhere. Perpetuating low-quality education programs is seen as an insupportable alternative. (MSE)

Analysis of the role of research councils and the awarding of research grants suggests that they have become part of the reward system of the scientific community. It is proposed that research councils must become entrepreneurial, seeking both resources and a role in strategic networks, or face obsolescence. (MSE)

Discusses methods of evaluation that can be used to measure public library effectiveness, based on a conference sponsored by the Council on Library Resources. Topics discussed include the Public Library Effectiveness Study (PLES), quantitative and qualitative evaluation, using evaluative information for resource acquisition and resource…

Analyzes the structure of academic sociology departments. Stresses the competition for resources and symbolic capital among different groups including faculty, support staff, research staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students. Focuses on the complex role of graduate students, the constraints, and the opportunities it opens. Urges reform…

National testing will not improve teacher's genius, students' prospects in life, or learning opportunities in school's immediate surroundings. Too much emphasis will be placed on comparisons among districts, counties, and states. Money will be pumped into raising scores, not decreasing class size or giving teachers more time to work with children.…

Reviews and synthesizes court rulings that have expressly discussed the factor of economic cost in considerations of appropriateness of special-education programing. Advises educators to expend their resources in providing appropriate individual special-education programs rather than litigating the costs of those programs. (197 references) (MLF)

College administrators are offered a series of questions to ask in evaluating the appropriateness of information technology for their campuses. Issues addressed include defining institutional goals and the role of information technology in them, determining the most effective organization of information resources and technology, and allocation of…

An account describing one British college of higher education illustrates that attempts to measure and debate quality are complicated when the subject is an aspect of human endeavour. Proposed solutions to problems in British teacher education involve increasing resources and reducing constraints, providing more inservice education, and making…

The effects of class size and availability of physical education equipment on students' and teachers' classroom behaviors were studied. The academic learning time-physical education instrument was used in primary-school physical-education classes in Queensland (Australia) containing 12, 24, and 44 5- and 6-year olds. These variables affected…