A roundtable discussion involving six professionals in information technology (IT) in higher education is summarized. Topics include key IT changes facing institutions, state and public-system perspectives on IT advancement, the continuing challenge of creating and maintaining an appropriate IT infrastructure, driving forces for IT use, the gap…

Examination of economic and demographic factors suggests that 1990s fiscal crises in higher education coincided with a cyclical economic downturn. Structural shifts in political and economic environments also created different challenges to maintaining excellence in teaching, research and service than in previous cyclical downturns. In response,…

Existing theories and research evidence on organizational change within colleges and universities are reviewed to provide some general guidelines for institutions seeking to refine their purposes, develop programs, and improve effectiveness and efficiency. Several propositions concerning the nature of higher education institutions, the politics of…

A study examined 61 examples of advocacy from 34 states and selected six sites for case studies. Factors that supported positive outcomes include advocates who are persistent, knowledgeable about both best practices in gifted education and local state political processes, and more often collaborative than adversarial. (Contains references.)…

A case study of a state advocacy group identifies four advocacy phases: educating all about the legislative process, building relationships, getting technical help, and setting goals; gaining recognition and learning to compromise; following a victory by publicizing the benefits and developing regulations; and maintaining relationships and…

Discusses the importance of fostering learning communities in today's school reform movement and the potential role of the school library media specialist as a leader in building collaborative networks with classroom teachers. Highlights include a comparison of traditional and collaborative models; linking collaboration and leadership; and…

Discusses the role of foreign languages in the universities of Europe. The article advances the idea of establishing the use of foreign languages in practical settings in every academic discipline discusses a seminar centered on the theme of teaching languages to nonlinguists and on assessing the ability of the European universities to deal with…

A University of Vienna (Austria) staff development program that emphasizes the professionalization of university teaching and management is described. The approach integrates personnel evaluation, quality assessment, and staff development, which is also linked to institutional mission and identity. A benefit of the staff development seminars has…

The significance of cultural diversity to the educational process has been recognized since the mid-19th century, and is reflected in the philosophies of presidents of Harvard University (Massachusetts). Current issues in diversity on campus should be viewed in this long-term perspective, with appreciation for the time it takes to effect real…

Analyzes the status of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) in higher education compared to their representation in chief executive positions, describing a glass ceiling effect and common stereotypes regarding APAs. Reviews characteristics of chief executive officers in California community colleges. Provides strategies for increasing APA representation…

Public officials and student aid experts agree that the federal program delivery system is outdated, inefficient, and vulnerable to fraud, but they disagree on how bad the situation is and whether the Education Department has the structure necessary to fix it. A 1995 project to integrate all federal grant and loan programs into one system has not…

Discusses the challenges that the federally-mandated shift from the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program to Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program poses for community colleges. Describes efforts undertaken by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation to help states and communities manage the shift. (AJL)

Defines and broadly traces the history of educational planning in both developing and industrialized capitalist nations. Discusses general approaches to educational planning (technical versus political planning, top-down versus bottom-up planning, and various theoretical bases); the contingency view of planning; case examples of planned,…

Reviews studies of costs of medical education and looks at trends and issues in medical school cost containment. Finds curricular trends are tending to increase costs, and proposals to restructure medical education to reduce costs are generally maneuvers to transfer cost responsibility to other entities. Sees minimal opportunities for cost…

In response to a United Kingdom government study of higher education, three questions are posed: "What is higher education and how does it differ from other forms of adult education that necessitates the separate, privileged treatment of its institutions, employees, and students?"; "What is the significance of the traditional…