By modulating course requirements, effective classroom management is able to sustain respectable academic standards while making flexible concessions to student petitions. The author's name is a pseudonynm. (MLW)

Presents the viewpoints of three educators who defend the national standards for teaching and assessing Oral Communication, one of which provides sample teaching techniques which increase students' expressive abilities while meeting the national standards. Offers a rejoinder by an opponent who views the national standards as self-defeating and…

A study is described that evaluated the academic performance of financial aid recipients at the Southern College of Technology over a two year period after the U.S. Department of Education required that a "satisfactory academic progress" policy be imposed as a condition for receiving further financial aid. (Author/MLW)

The popular educational reform trend toward competency testing is appropriate to measure achievement in the basic skills areas, but competency testing in core curriculum areas may cause teachers to teach for the test, lead to minimal standards at the expense of excellence, and stifle the transfer of learning and creativity. (CB)

To improve on cutoff scores based on absolute standards which may produce an unacceptable number of failures, a compromise is suggested. The compromise draws on the information in the observed score distribution to adjust the standard. Three compromise models developed by Hofstee, Beuk, and De Gruijter are compared. (Author/GDC)

The new higher standards required of entering collegiate athletes will not immediately create change in the performance and attitudes of student athletes. Academic performance of student athletes can be enhanced through the development of a comprehensive program fusing the relationship between athletics and academics. (MD)

Comments on the emerging concept in education of teacher malpractice, and identifies ten ways that teachers can be assured of entertaining a lawsuit in situations involving academic injury to students. (NKA)

Argues that the decline in higher education performance standards can be associated with the "new practicality" in the college curriculum. Argues that students and faculty are subject to pressures which condition their choices for the expedient, experiential, or entrepreneurial. Criticizes teachers who promote benign permissiveness, deflate…

Reviews four recent court decisions affecting school law. A Circuit Court of Appeals ruling upheld Norfolk Schools' decision to abolish busing and reinstate neighborhood schools. The United States Supreme Court dismissed appeals to lower court decisions involving a minimum grade prerequisite, a teacher's privacy rights, and an "adult"…

Explores corruption in college athletics programs, focusing on student exploitation and well-intentioned, but unsuccessful reform efforts of the National Collegiate Athletics Association, certain college presidents, and others. Discusses Proposition 48, a controversial device to screen entering athletes. Praises Georgetown University's responsive…

The purpose of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the current status of an organization bylaw proposal requiring that athletes maintain a minimum academic standard for sports participation, and related issues of academic standards and intercollegiate athletics are outlined and discussed. (MSE)

There are many types of requirements used for entry into teacher education programs. 530 institutions were surveyed to discover admission requirements being used and to determine any differences in requirements among different types of institutions. To protect program diversity, no single criterion for admission is advised. (DF)

Reviews the creation and recommendations of the National Institute of Education report, "Involvement in Learning: Realizing the Potential of American Higher Education." Identifies signals warning of future problems for community colleges. Discusses recommendations for improving undergraduate education through increased student…

Program Excellence, an effort to reward and enhance high-quality academic programs at Ohio colleges, is described. The criteria for defining and determining excellence, the process used to select programs, the results of the review process, and the impact of the program are presented. (Author/MLW)

Proposals to be considered by the National Collegiate Athletics Association membership at its January 1985 convention are summarized. They cover academic requirements, governance, membership and classification, financial aid, personnel limitations, amateurism, championships, playing and practice seasons, eligibility, recruiting, and other issues.…