College faculty salary costs are rapidly increasing at a time when real resources are declining, and there is little capacity to shift faculty resources from declining to emerging areas of specialization. One solution is to provide faculty with career alternative options. (Author/MLW)

Applies economic theory to questions concerning the public financing of two-year colleges. Highlights two analytical constructs used in recommending educational policy: the principle of externalities and the theory of human capital. Considers the effect of academic/vocational program mix on educational financing and issues of equity and access.…

Results of 25 empirical student demand studies are standardized and analyzed using meta-analytic methods. Results show that higher prices reduce higher education enrollments, and students historically have been more responsive to tuition prices than to (offsetting) student aid. (Author/MLW)

Survey information from 1,616 farm families in Wisconsin, Mississippi, and Tennessee was used to construct a viability ratio measuring a family's ability to meet its obligations from total income. Coupled with other farm characteristics, the ratio allows policymakers to see why some farms are viable and others are not. (JHZ)

Examines the importance of defining terms in the process of gathering statistical data. Cites the example of the debate over the number of children abducted by strangers. Concludes that statistics are part of the persuasive rhetoric of social problem promotion and have social consequences. (FMW)

State-mandated assessment of student outcomes has emerged as a new feature in the higher education landscape. Many states have linked an institution's response to eligibility for incentive funds or other tangible rewards. The actual effects of these initiatives were studied in five states: Colorado, Missouri, New Jersey, South Dakota, and…

Provides generic guidelines covering the basic issues of database building within an organization. The areas discussed include assessing organizational needs, selecting and testing hardware and software, estimating costs, and creating and maintaining the database. A check list of important considerations and a list of additional readings are…

Discussion of the development of school policies for media education focuses on experiences in Scottish secondary schools. Theoretical approaches, curriculum models, and teaching practices are reviewed, the interdisciplinary nature of media studies is discussed, and implications for schools adding media studies to the curriculum are described.…

Policy, particularly special education policy, has rarely taken into account equity, efficiency, and choice in terms of rural life. Greater attention must be paid to rural-urban differences to assure that the rural position has feasibility in the play of political power attendant with policy development. (JHZ)

Two central features of Australian universities are a strong research base and structural organization reflecting a close relationship between teaching and research. Current policy deliberations have produced research policy recommendations for increased centralization, coordination, selectivity, and concentration of research and funding that are…

A study of the expectations of incoming students and evaluations of graduating students regarding the educational environment at the new Athens Technological Educational Institute is reported. Student concerns focused on teacher effectiveness, instructional quality, and need for occupational information. (MSE)

Presents the Glenerin Declaration, a statement that resulted from conferences among information leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. A series of articles discusses the issues addressed by the declaration, including access to information; technology, innovation, and productivity; management of information; and national and…

The academic common law may soon vanish, not as a result of court action but due to the American Association of University Professors's declining role in defending the common law of academic employment. The profession is challenged to maintain its independence from external control by reconsidering its own common law. (Author/MLW)

A former college president and corporate foundation president examines moral and economic issues relating to college withdrawal of investments in South Africa, using the experiences of Harvard University and Exxon stock for illustration. (MSE)

Compares the environmental rhetoric of former U.S. Interior Secretary James Watt and U.S. President Ronald Reagan, explaining that Watt's political value outweighed his political liability. Notes that cabinet members extend a President's influence by reaching issue-specific audiences while maintaining philosophical consistency, and serve as…