International Higher Education, Summer 1999

New Publications

The Catholic University as Promise and Project: Reflections in a Jesuit Idiom, by Michael J. Buckley, S.J. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 1999. 272 pp. $22.95 (paper), $55.00 (cloth). ISBN 0-87840-710-3. Address: Georgetown University Press, 3619 O St. NW, Washington, D.C., USA.

Catholic universities in the United States have been a remarkable success story, with more than 200 institutions nationwide. At present, however, questions are being raised about the continuing Catholic identity of these institutions, the role of academic freedom and inquiry, the relevance of the historical tradition, and the links between faith, culture, and research that have characterized these institutions. This volume discusses these questions in an effort to find answers to the dilemmas facing contemporary Catholic higher education.

Academic Keywords: A Devil's dictionaryfor Higher Education, by Cary Nelson and Stephen Watt. New York: Routledge, 1999. 335 pp. $20.00 (paper). ISBN 0-415-92203-8. Address: Routledge Publishers, 29 W. 35th St., New York, NY 10001, USA.

Writing with an acid pen and a leftist slant, Nelson and Watt's book is both amusing and insightful. It dissects contemporary issues facing American higher education with short essays on such topics as affirmative action, the corporate university, distance learning, electronic mail, mentoring, tenure, teaching, tuition, and many others. The essay on faculty, for example, is 19 pages in length and discusses key issues facing the academic profession.

Building the Responsive Campus, by William G. Tierney. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage, 1999. 184 pp. ISBN 0-7619-0988-5. Address: Sage Publications, 2455 Teller Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.

Author Tierney argues that the university must change to meet the challenges of the era. This reform-oriented book provides his views of what changes are needed and how they might take place. Among the topics discussed are the role of leadership, the organizational redesign of the university, faculty productivity and performance, and the process of reform. The discussion is both analytic and practical.

Universitäre Weiterbildung in Österreich, by Andreas Neuhold and Herwig Patscheider. Frankfurt/M, Germany: Peter Lang, 1999. 206 pp. DM 65 (paper). ISBN 3-631-34355-8. Address: Peter Lang Verlag, Eschborner Landstr. 42?50, D-60489 Frankfurt/M, Germany.

Based on interviews with those responsible for continuing education programs, this volume provides an overview of continuing education programs and issues in Austria.

50 Years of International Cooperation and Exchange Between the United States and Europe: European Views, edited by Hans de Wit. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: European Association for International Education, 1998. 72 pp. ISBN 90-74721-12-5. Address: EAIE, POB 11189, 1001 GD Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

This collection of short essays focuses on transatlantic higher education cooperation from a European perspective. A central focus is trends in student exchange, with chapters dealing with U.S.-U.K. exchange patterns and issues relating to student mobility between the United States and Europe. Other chapters consider credential evaluation, and case studies in student exchange from Denmark and Spain. Additional titles in the EAIE Occasional Papers series may be obtained from the EAIE secretariat.

International Perspectives on Lifelong Learning, edited by John Holford, Peter Jarvis, and Colin Griffin. London: Kogan Page, 1998. 357 pp. ISBN 0-7494-2869-4. Address: Kogan Page Ltd., 120 Pentonville Rd., London N1 9JN, UK.

Various aspects of adult and lifelong learning are examined in this collection of essays. Topics include lifelong learning in the European Union, politics and rhetoric in lifelong education, lifelong learning and social responsibility, and case studies from such countries as Japan, Hong Kong, Finland, Germany, South Africa, Italy, and New Zealand.

Student Assessment in Higher Education: A Handbook for Assessing Performance, by Allen H. Miller, Bradford W. Imrie, and Kevin Cox. London: Kogan Page Ltd., 1998. 282 pp. £19,99 (paper). ISBN 0-7494-2797-3. Address: Kogan Page Ltd., 120 Pentonville Rd., London N1 9JN, UK.

This is perhaps the first volume to comprehensively examine student assessment issues in an international context. The authors, who are from Australia and Hong Kong, have wide international experience. The book covers all of the key topics relating to assessment--rationales, methods, group projects, objective tests, examinations, and others.

"Distinctly American: The Residential Liberal Arts College" [title of issue] Daedalus, Vol. 128 (Winter 1999), pp. 1-272. $7.95 (paper). Address: American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 136 Irving St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Daedalus, a well-known American journal, has sponsored a special issue on the residential liberal arts college as part of its continuing series on higher education. These undergraduate institutions are an important part of the American higher education system. This volume is concerned in particular with the prestigious colleges at the top of the prestige hierarchy. Among the topics considered in the issue are the impact of the liberal arts college on students, financial challenges, the role of science in the curriculum, and institutional identity. While it is an American phenomenon, the liberal arts college will be of interest to readers in other countries.

Promise and Dilemma: Perspectives on Racial Diversity and Higher Education, edited by Eugene Y. Lowe, Jr. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1999. 206 pp. (cloth). ISBN 0-691-00489-7. Address: Princeton University Press, 41 William St., Princeton, NJ 08540 USA.

Racial issues continue to be important in American higher education. This volume considers several key themes relating to race and ethnicity, including affirmative action, achievement among non-Asian minorities, and promoting racial diversity in selective higher education institutions. While the focus of this volume is on the United States, one chapter provides a South African perspective.

The Multicampus System: Perspectives on Practice and Prospects, edited by Gerald Gaither. Sterling, Va.: Stylus Publishing, 1999. 259 pp. ISBN 1-57922-016-9. Address: Stylus Publishing, 22883 Quicksilver Dr., Sterling VA 20166, USA.

The creation of multicampus public university systems in the United States more than 30 years ago was the primary way that the states dealt with mass higher education and with the need to rationalize the growing public colleges and universities. This volume examines the current status of the American multicampus university systems. Among the topics considered are budget issues, urban multicampus universities, community college systems, and systemwide strategic planning.

The Universities We Need: Higher Education after Dearing, by Nigel Blake, Richard Smith, and Paul Standish. London: Kogan Page, 1998, 176 pp., £18,99 (paper). ISBN 0-7494-2725-6. Address: Kogan Page Ltd., 120 Pentonville Rd., London N1 9JN, UK.

This volume examines the key issues facing British higher education following the 1997 Dearing Committee report, the last major government-sponsored examination of higher education. The authors look at such issues as tuition fees (imposed following recommendations from Dearing), research, the regional and community role of universities, and the management of learning.

Part-Time Higher Education: Policy, Practice, and Experience, by Tom Schuller, et al. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1999. 208 pp. $19.95
(paper). ISBN 1-85302-669-7. Address: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 116 Pentonville Rd., London N1 9JB, UK.

Focusing on the United Kingdom, this book discusses the central issues facing part-time study, pointing out that part-time study is the fastest-growing part of British postsecondary education.

Higher Education in a Post-Binary Era: National Reforms and Institutional Responses, edited by David C. Teather. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1999, 271 pp. (paper). $22.50. ISBN 1-85302-627-1. Address: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 116 Pentonville Rd., London N1 9JB, UK.

Focusing on the reforms of the past few years, this volume considers the experiences of Australia, Britain, and Hong Kong. The sections dealing with each country feature an overview chapter and two institutional case studies to illustrate how universities respond to change.

Innovation and Adaptation in Higher Education: The Changing Condition of Advanced Teaching and Learning in Europe, edited by Claudius Gellert. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1999. 318 pp. $22.50 (paper). ISBN 1-85302-535-6. Address: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 116 Pentonville Rd., London N1 9JB, UK.

This book presents a European discussion of change in higher education. About half the chapters focus on the curriculum, including case studies of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, and Italy, as well as others. In addition, there are chapters on organizational and political issues in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Ireland.

Changing Relationships Between Higher Education and the State, edited by Mary Henkel and Brenda Little. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1999. 357 pp. $22.50 (paper). ISBN 1-85302-645-X. Address: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 116 Pentonville Rd., London N1 9JB, UK.

This volume examines the relationship between the state and the university in European countries. Among the topics considered are graduates and labor market demand, state funding of higher education, higher education and changing job requirements, state-university relations in France and Germany, the role of executive leadership, the management of change, and evaluation issues. Most of the chapters are comparative in nature.

Education in Tibet: Policy and Practice since 1950, by Catriona Bass. London: Zed Books, 1998. 299 pp. ISBN 1-85649-674-0. Address: Zed Books, 7 Cynthia St, London N1 9JF, UK.

This book covers educational developments in Tibet, with several valuable chapters on vocational education and higher education. The volume is sponsored by the Tibet Information Network, an independent research group. Given the lack of information concerning Tibet, this is a particularly valuable source.

Two-Year Colleges for Women and Minorities: Enabling Access to the Baccalaureate, edited by Barbara Townsend. New York: Falmer Press, 1999. 256 pp. ISBN 0-8153-3173-8. Address: Garland/Taylor and Francis, 19 Union Square West, New York, NY, USA.

Two-year colleges are an important feature of the American academic system. The volume discusses the variety of these institutions in the context of providing access to women and minorities. Among the topics considered are two-year institutions serving Hispanic students, traditionally Black two-year colleges, the role of women in two-year colleges, and church-related two-year schools.

Designing State Higher Education Systems for a New Century, by Richard C. Richardson, et al., Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press, 1999. 219 pp. ISBN 1-57356-174-6. Address: Oryx Press, 4041 North Central, Phoenix AZ. 85012, USA.

This volume stems from a major national study of state higher education systems in the United States. Among the topics considered are the evolution of state higher education governance structures, leadership issues, the relationship between state and institutional priorities, and the performance of state systems. Case studies from eight states form the basis of the research project.

The Innovative Campus: Nurturing the Distinctive Learning Environment, by Joy Rosenzweig Kliewer. Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press, 1999. 307 pp. ISBN 1-57356-236-X. Address: Oryx Press, 4041 North Central, Phoenix AZ 85012, USA.

This book focuses on innovative colleges and universities in the United States. Case studies of such institutions as the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, Hampshire College, Evergreen State College, the University of California, Santa Cruz, and New College of the University of South Florida are featured as examples of highly innovative schools. The author provides an overall analysis of innovation in higher education.

Financing a College Education: How It Works, How It’s Changing. Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press, 1999. 216 pp. ISBN 1-57356-177-0. Address: Oryx Press, 4041 North Central, Phoenix AZ 85012.

Student financial aid is one of the central policy issues facing the U.S. federal government. This volume provides a range of perspectives on how students pay for higher education. Among the topics considered are analyses of college costs, the student aid industry, the nature of borrowers for tuition, merit-based versus need-based aid, student aid issues, and minority students.

The Department Chair as Academic Leader, by Irene W. D. Hecht, et al. Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press, 1999. 280 pp. ISBN 1057356-134-7. Address: Oryx Press, 4041 North Central, Phoenix AZ 85012, USA.

The basic organizational structure of the American university is the department. This book provides a guide to department leadership. The aim is to provide department chairs with a perspective on the nature and organization of the academic department. Among the topics explored are the role of the department in the university, the operation of the department, and the various jobs of the chair.

Taking Women Seriously: Lessons and Legacies for Educating the Majority, by M. Elizabeth Tidball, et al., Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press, 1999. 222 pp. ISBN 1-57356-092-8. Address: Oryx Press, 4041 North Central, Phoenix AZ 85012, USA.

An analysis of the contemporary role of women's colleges in the United States, this volume argues for the importance of all-female institutions in American higher education in order to provide the best possible educational experience for women.

Emerging European Policy Profiles of Higher Education Institutions, edited by Andris Barblan, Barbara M. Kehm, Sybille Reichert, and Ulrich Teichler. Kassel, Germany: Wissenschafliches Zentrum für Berufs- und Hochschulforschung der Universität Kassel, 1998. 149 pp. ISBN 3-928172-88-3. Address: WZ-1, Henschelstr 4, D-34109 Kassel, Germany.

This volume is a study of the European Union's SOCRATES program, which supports international initiatives in EU universities. Case studies of specific institutions and countries are provided to show how SOCRATES has worked, and how academic institutions have reacted to it. The researchers show the popularity of the programs, but indicate that many universities have not adopted all of the EU's strategies for Europeanization.

As If Learning Mattered: Reforming Higher Education, by Richard E. Miller. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1998. 249 pp. $39.95 (paper), $15.95 (cloth). ISBN: 0-801485-282. Address: Cornell University Press, 512 E. State St., Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.

The author, a professor of English, examines several educational reform traditions in the United States, from the perspective of literature relating to these movements. He looks at the "great books" movement, cultural studies (including a discussion of the Open University in the United Kingdom), and other topics.

The Academic Kitchen: A Social History of Gender Stratification at the University of California, Berkeley, by Maresi Nerad. Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press, 1999. 195 pp. ISBN 0-7914-3970-4 (paper). Address: SUNY Press, State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246, USA.

This case study of the development of the field of home economics at the University of California, Berkeley, sheds light on the role of women in American higher education during a key period of development. It explores the relationship between home economics (an all-women's field) and other departments at the university as a way of examining gender relationships in American universities in a historical perspective.

Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution, by John Israel. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1998. 499 pp. $60 (cloth). ISBN 0-8047-2929-8. Address: Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA 94703, USA.

The Southwest Regional University (Lianda) of China was an amalgamation of China's three most important universities, which moved to the far southwest frontier after the Japanese invasion in 1938. This volume tells the story of a remarkable effort to maintain higher education excellence in very difficult circumstances.

Condemning Students to Debt: College Loans and Public Policy, edited by Richard Fossey and Mark Bateman. New York: Teacher College Press, 1998. 200 pp. ISBN 0-8077-3743-7. Address: Teachers College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Ave., New York NY 10017, USA.

Government-guaranteed student loans for postsecondary education are a central aspect of U.S. higher education policy. More than $7 billion is loaned to students each year. This volume provides a multifaceted perspective on how loan programs affect students and their families, and how they affect colleges and universities. Topics considered include federal student aid regulations, the impact of loans on student educational choices, analysis of default rates, and related topics. Many of the contributors believe that American students finish their academic careers with too much debt, with negative implications for them and for society.