A faculty member compares his experiences at Reed College and UCLA in terms of the institutions' aims and resources for teaching and learning and the way the college environment is reflected in faculty renewal, scholarly activity, and student experience. (MSE)

At the University of South Carolina, John Gardner directs University 101, a three-credit course designed to teach freshmen some basic "college survival skills," such as study techniques, constructive ways to relate to peers and professors, and how to use career center. In the last few years, it has been copied by hundreds of colleges in…

Many institutions are taking freshman orientation more seriously by challenging students before they start classes and giving them a more thorough introduction to campus life than ever before. The biggest changes in orientation are occurring among community colleges. Some of the experiences at Georgia Tech are described. (MLW)

Model statement prepared by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Undergraduate Librarians Discussion Group and University Libraries Section (ULS) Steering Committee covers the objectives of undergraduate libraries, the nature of the environment, the specific needs of undergraduates, and kinds of staff and services required to…

Ten public universities were chosen for a study of the factors that cause minority students to succeed. Criteria used in selecting institutions included: public baccalaureate granting, commitment to providing opportunities to minorities, and diverse missions and geographic locations. (MLW)

Examined race and sex differences in students' socialization in the college environment based on their peer group relations, satisfaction with their institution, and their academic integration. Student contact with faculty proved the most striking predictor of socialization. Marriage and cohabitation had a significant negative impact on the…

Changes in the demographic, economic, political, organizational, technological, and social-cultural environments of colleges and universities raise important questions for institutional researchers and decision makers. However, educational institutions cannot ignore historical commitments and philosophical beliefs. (Author/MLW)

The correlates of average departmental annual research journal publication rates of faculty were examined in three disciplines: chemistry, history, and psychology. Variables studied included factual information about each department, faculty perceptions and ratings, and graduate students' perceptions and ratings. (Author/MLW)

The College and University Classroom Environment Inventory, a college seminar dynamics measurement instrument based on earlier research on assessment of elementary and secondary classroom environmental characteristics, is described. Its testing and initial applications in research on student outcomes and teacher and student preferences of…

U.S. undergraduate education was studied by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in a survey of 5,000 faculty and 5,000 students. Salary, academic freedom, collective bargaining, job satisfaction, and teaching and research are discussed. (MLW)

Metropolitan State University's efforts and services to meet the special needs of nontraditional students, especially adults, include improvement of access to the institution, development of strong foundation skills, development of opportunities for student and faculty involvement, funding for diversity, and attention to self-study and research.…

A comprehensive study by both baccalaureate origin and gender of entrants into U.S. medical schools reveals which institutions send substantial numbers of students to medical schools and also discloses differences in the institutional backgrounds of male and female medical students. (Author/MLW)

A sample of 5,162 undergraduates at 74 institutions was surveyed to identify the effect of the college environment on students' educational aspirations. Several environmental factors had modest but significant effects on aspirations; however, the magnitude of the effects differed somewhat by gender and institutional selectivity. (Author/MLW)

This 2001-02 report from Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), Florida, rates student perceptions and opinions of SFCCs classrooms, courses, instructors, academic resources, student services, overall college atmosphere, and cultural atmosphere. Results of the research include the following: (1) of the 2,499 students who responded, 2,229 (89.2%) rated…

This paper is part of a collection of 54 papers from the 48th annual conference of the Education Law Association held in November 2002. It addresses postsecondary campus safety. It discusses the changes in the concept of in loco parentis on college campuses; the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990; and legal principles applicable to…