This book argues that limited faculty productivity is the major reason why the quality of undergraduate teaching has declined while university tuition has been rising substantially faster than the inflation rate. It stresses that inefficiency and fiscal waste are produced by the competing aims of research and teaching and attacks the academic…

An overview is provided of the 40-year history of Diablo Valley College (DVC), examining the educational ideals of the founders of the college and the changes in the goals of community college education in Central Contra Costa County, California. Part 1 sets the historical scene for the establishment of public two-year colleges nationally, in…

Student attrition at six South Carolina colleges was studied: three of the colleges were small, traditionally black, four-year private colleges, while three were mid-sized, public, four-year colleges, one of which was traditionally black. The sample of first-time freshmen consisted of 301 black males, 538 black females, 220 white males, and 319…

The Situational Factors Checklist was developed to describe variables which influence changes within a school and was used in two different school settings. In one application, it was used as a part of a case study method to study implementation of a microcomputer project, increasing faculty computer literacy, at different community colleges. The…

The founding and development of private, primarily church-related, black colleges in Texas from 1865-1954 are reviewed, with focus primarily on 11 institutions that offered college-level work. Comparisons are made to public black colleges of Texas as well as to other black U.S. colleges and universities. Topical areas include: institutional…

A comprehensive guide was formulated for directing economically disadvantaged students through the higher education process. It is meant to help alleviate three major problems: (1) severe lack of guidance and career counseling in secondary and postsecondary schools; (2) financial aid that is left unused because of lack of student awareness; and…

Issues in Catholic higher education are considered in several articles. In "Catholic Students and Catholic Higher Education," Rita A. Scherrei summarizes research findings regarding the characteristics of incoming Catholic college students and how they compare with Jews and Traditional Protestants. Among the results are that Catholic…

Institutional image and desired goals for the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut, were assessed using the Institutional Goals Inventory (IGI) of the Educational Testing Service. All faculty and administrators of the private college were administered the IGI, and their responses were compared to those of the faculty four years previously.…

The factors affecting the admission and enrollment of minority students at the 12 state universities in Ohio were studied through campus visits, questionnaire administration, and correlation and multiple regression analysis of the findings. Summaries are presented on minority recruitment and retention efforts at each university for the following…

In conjunction with a survey of trends in university management in Europe, a North American comparison was undertaken. The national context for higher education in North America and the structural elements characteristic of its colleges and universities are considered, with emphasis directed to the elements of institutional structure that provide…

Research on college student attrition and retention is reviewed. Overall dropout rates and the reasons students give for dropping out are examined, and an attempt is made to assess the outcomes of going straight through college, as opposed to dropping out, temporarily leaving school, and not going to college at all. The demographic, academic,…

Intended as a handbook for higher and adult education practitioners serving adult students, this book brings together a variety of information on the diverse characteristics of adult students, explaining how their maturity, complex life experiences, and heterogeneity shape institutional responses. Recruitment, admission, and retention strategies…

This research brief examines administrator perspectives on institutional mission and priorities, while taking note of regional differences in perspectives. In addition, this brief presents other dimensions of the institutional context such as the factors that keep administrators engaged and satisfied in their positions. Given the challenges and…

The "ERIC Review" announces research results, publications, and new programs relevant to each issue's theme topic. This issue is a compendium of resources, advice, and research to help guidance counselors, parents, and students plan for college. The first section, "Starting Out on the Path to College," contains the following articles: "Why Get on…

This publication reports on the bigotry and violence on Missouri's college campuses based on the perspectives of 15 persons at a community forum held March 22, 1989. Participants included representatives of federal and state government agencies, human rights organizations, law enforcement agencies, and faculty, staff, students, and administrators…