The process and aims of university evaluation are discussed from the perspectives of the evaluation commission, university vice-chancellor, and dean of faculty of forestry at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, evaluated by the ministry of agriculture. Focus on the link between quality assessment and educational improvement is…

Discusses community involvement in public library planning and decision making and the role library leadership must have to ensure financial feasibility and the protection of intellectual freedom. An open letter to Madonna concerning her book, "Sex," provides an example of leadership and successful public relations. (EA)

Reviews "Politics, Markets and America's Schools" by John Chubb and Terry Moe. Argues that, although a new conceptual framework for public education is needed, a free market system is not the only, nor the best, alternative. Proposes exploring the model of partnership, making education a shared responsibility of home, school, and community. (CJS)

A model of institutional adaptation to diversity emerged from case studies of 10 public universities. The model depicts state policy influencing the priorities and practices of work groups within a university. The resulting adaptation of organizational culture leads to improvements in participation and graduation for minorities. (Author/MSE)

Describes one academic library's experiences in developing a new management structure based on teams to cope with increasing internal and external changes. The views of a team leader, team member, a new librarian, and the director are presented, and benefits and problems of the new structure are presented. (Contains 16 references.) (EAM)

Summarizes research findings on campus racial climate according to a four-dimensional model: (1) an institutions' historical legacy of inclusion/exclusion of various racial/ethnic groups; (2) structural diversity, or numerical representations of various racial/ethnic groups; (3) psychological climate (perceptions, attitudes among groups); and (4)…

Studies in three Canadian schools indicate that implementation of a year-round school calendar served as a catalyst for innovations in teaching and learning and for school-level capacity-building by facilitating teachers' planning, formal and informal talk about teaching and learning, team teaching, philosophically-based programmatic changes, and…

Evidence from the literature of college administration in a changing environment points to the critical role of academic leadership in maintaining morale, enhancing productivity, and helping staff welcome momentous change. Tomorrow's effective universities will require academic managers whose leadership qualities resemble those of good teachers in…

Examines the progress that Oklahoma State University has made in its community engagement and outreach efforts in the last few decades, and discusses faculty issues that must be addressed to sustain and nourish such efforts and to illustrate the value of an integrated relationship between instruction, research, and outreach. (MSE)

Small colleges are under increasing pressure to spend on upgrading technology to win a real or imagined technology race against other institutions. However, the process of making this decision should be coordinated and focus on return on investment; strategic match of technology and mission; competitive advantage; knowledge of real needs;…

A study investigated the attitudes of college and university employees concerning the recent privatization of dining services at three universities. Results indicate the employees saw the contractor, not the institution, as benefitting most from the changes. Employees had little understanding of the benefits of the arrangement to the university or…

Restructuring will be a major activity of many colleges and universities in the next decade, requiring difficult decisions. A proactive approach is most effective. Considerations include acknowledging the importance of leadership in the process; managing leadership; deciding on restructuring versus incremental change; managing the size and…

Discusses the future outlook for reference librarians, with topics including: "Technology as the Source of Change"; "Impact of the Internet"; "Defining the Virtual Library"; "Rethinking Reference"; "Out of the Library and into the Streets"; "Asking Users About Their Needs"; "Standardization and Artificial Intelligence"; "The Financial Future"; and…

In 1996-97 the New England College of Optometry revised the faculty promotion and tenure process by recognizing the diverse and unique contributions of all faculty. The redefined process is structured to accommodate ongoing changes within the academic community. The institution's governance structure, guiding principles for tenure and promotion,…

Analyzes approaches to facilitating administrative behavior that is both adaptive and interactive with the students and community. Provides a case study outlining the means through which such behavior was achieved. Contains 12 references. (YKH)