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…

Academic freedom, at institutions of higher education, is discussed in terms of questions raised about the ability of an institution to dismiss an instructor. In the first case, "Martin v. Parrish," the instructor was dismissed for using profanity in the class. The second case, "Carley v. Arizona Board of Regents," centered on the importance of…

Despite the obvious parallel which can be drawn between the uses of leisure to benefit the individual, and the use of nonacademic activities and environment to promote individual growth and development, the two perspectives have evolved independently on college campuses. Research into the role, function, and outcomes of leisure have shown that…

An address to faculty and staff considers the question of how quality can be improved at the various levels of a college. The importance of a shared sense of purpose is emphasized. Three goals of postsecondary education are discussed: to produce desirable changes in people; to do so through means that are consistent with social values; and to…

Information is presented reflecting the process of planning at New Mexico Junior College (NMJC). First, the NMJC mission statement highlights the college's goals of providing opportunities for individuals, communities, and business and industry within the framework of a comprehensive community college. Next, NMJC's continuous objectives and…

Sexism in educational institutions has limited women's careers, educational opportunities, and employment. Examples of this inequity include the facts that: (1) few women are chief executives in colleges; (2) women faculty earn less than men faculty; and (3) implicit and explicit attitudes such as the "old boy" network cause problems for women.…

This paper describes the Responsible Living Environment (RLE) which has been used to promote a community atmosphere within the University of Wisconsin--Whitewater residence halls consistent with the educational mission of the university. It includes the university's housing mission statement, a definition of Responsible Living Environment, and a…

Nineteen essays comprise this personal and historical look at the University of Utah and the relationship between the university, its people, and the community. Essays include: "One Cannot Live Long Enough to Outgrow a University" (Ramona Wilcox Cannon); "Ever in the Freshness of Its Youth" (G. Homer Durham); "The Final…

A sample of 100 university living groups measured on 10 dimensions of their social environments was subjected to cluster analysis to develop an empirically based taxonomy of college residential groups. Some evidence that different clusters of living groups have different impacts on students is presented. (Author/DEP)