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Issues discussed concern the increasing freshmen student dropout rate among universities and colleges. Topics addressed include reasons why many freshmen drop out of college, measures colleges are taking to ensure students have access to academic and social supports, and the questionable use of grade inflation to keep students from leaving college.

A college student pledging to the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at the University of Iowa died in Sep 1997 from alcohol-related problems. The student's parents sued students who supplied some of the alcohol and the fraternity. No serious charges were brought against the students and they paid a fine for their involvement in the incident. A district court judge dismissed charges against the fraternity. The university has suspended the fraternity until 2001.

There is a growing debate concerning the effectiveness of graphic anti-drinking advertisements aimed at scaring young people away from binge drinking. Critics of this approach advocate encouraging alternative activities and publishing statistics to show most students drink responsibly. Most students believe that subtle warnings, rather than disturbing advertisements, will be the most effective.

Nova Southeastern University is being sued by nine former students who allege that racial discrimination motivated the college to expel them from the PhD program in education. The university, which has a history of awarding a high number of doctoral degrees to black students, defends its actions, stating that the students were expelled for plagiarism and unsatisfactory academic work.

The annual number of meningitis cases among 15-25 year olds has doubled since 1991, with increasing risks for students who live in college dormatories. During 1998-99, 83 cases were reported at college campuses, sparking a debate over the responsibility of the college to vaccinate its students. At a cost of approximately $65 per dose, most colleges feel they cannot afford the expense of offering free vaccines to their students.

Recent college graduates without computer literacy are finding employment harder than those with such skills. Average salaries for new hires with bachelor's degrees in computer science is nearly $45,000 a year, while psychology graduates may begin as low as $26,500. The improved economy can become a trap for overconfident seniors who do not carefully analyze job demand.

An episode of the WB network's hit drama, 'Felicity,' was shown to some students from the University of New York (NYU). The show is based on the character of a freshman from NYU played by Keri Russell. Although some students found her character as naive and far-fetched, many educators saw the portrayal of the freshman year very realistic.

A documentary film depicting violent hazing rituals taking place in Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, has been criticized as inaccurate and concocted. College and fraternity officials have denied that such scenes took place, but just before the film was shot, 5 members of the fraternity were removed for hazing. The film was honored at last year's Sundance Film Festival, and the filmmakers deny any scenes were faked., Greek leaders attack `Frat House,' but the documentary's filmmakers say it portrays reality A LANKY YOUNG MAN sits trapped inside a dog cage. Several college students browbeat him and douse [...]

A program called the Early Entrance Program at California State University's Los Angeles campus provides a challenging environment for students who are gifted. Students from the ages of 10 to 14 are enrolled at many institutions throughout the US bur admission officials and experts worry that some students are not mature enough to handle college.

Many academic institutions, including the University of Delaware, Radford University, have an alcohol policy involving notification of a student's parents. Some institutions, however, fear sharing disciplinary records with parents would violate a law protecting students' privacy, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Congress passed an amendment to the Higher Education Act that allows colleges to inform parents if a student under 21 violates alcohol or drug laws.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity are being sued in the alcohol-related death of a freshman. The university has traditionally ignored compliants about dangerous drinking and hazing in Greek letter societies, assigning freshmen to the groups because of a campus housing shortage. Courts have usually ruled colleges are not responsible for student behavior when alcohol is involved.

Several universities have installed leadership programs like the Pioneer Leadership Program that combines classroom instruction with adventure-based outings. These programs lead to a minor in leadership studies. The study of leadership has become a popular field since 1993 but many critics do not believe the subject warrants an academic major or minor.

Hollywood has contributed to the spread of rumors about college 'suicide rules.' A campus legend about college policies of granting 4.0 grade point averages to students whose roommates commit suicide has been depicted in the movie 'Dead Man on Campus' and the upcoming Trimark Pictures' movie, 'Dead Man's Curve.' No colleges have such policies.

Alain R. Mestat founded Advena Management in 1994 to serve international students' needs. He is hired by foreign families to supervise the academic lives, spending habits, and living arrangements of their children who study in the US. He started his company in 1994 with only 4 clients, but in 1998 he has 45 clients. A majority of his clients are from the Middle East, but he also has clients from Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

Student newspaper advisers are often the target of disgruntled relationships between university officials and student journalists. College administrators believe the role of advisers is to protect the quality and integrity of student-run publications, while many advisers do not believe they have the right to edit student work.

Questions have been raised about dual-enrollment and Advanced Placement programs that enable high school students to obtain college credits. The programs can reduce college costs significantly and provide a challenge to students who are ready for college-level courses. Some professors suggest, however, that students taking advantage of these programs can miss out on some essential learning and be unprepared for advanced courses. The Advanced Placement courses may simply coach students to pass the standardized tests.

The University of Delaware has imposed a 'zero tolerance' policy, which includes suspension or expulsion for students receiving more than three violations for alcohol abuse. Other educational institutions are developing educational programs or implementing lenient policies, such as encouraging students to drink on campus rather than going to off-campus bars, as part of an effort to combat alcohol abuse.

Some educators believe undergraduate 'research' describes unsubstantial student projects that do not deserve the label. Many institutions are responding to the Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching's report on research institutions' neglect of undergraduates by hoping to raise their profile in the search for new grants and students.

The student newspaper at the University of Michigan criticized the school in the Fall of 1997 and demanded it sell the million of dollars of stock it holds in tobacco companies. However, a month later, the newspaper was profiting from tobacco ads for a new smokeless-tobacco product. The editor-in-chief wanted to reject the ads, but the paper's advertising-sales staff decided to run them. The ad campaign marks the first time since the 1960s that tobacco products have been advertised in school newspapers.

A national student group called the Council for Secular Humanism has helped organize chapters at 70 colleges for those who deny or question the existence of God. The council's magazine, Free Inquiry, has increased its subscription from 30,000 in 1994 to 50,000 in 1998. Secular humanists feel scientific reasoning, history, and personal experience can create reasonable guides for life.

April Fools' issues of college newspaper are popular with students. They feature bogus quotes and headlines that poke fun of college officials and organizations. However, some issues make their own headlines when they poke fun of gay and lesbian students or include fake advertisements from controversial organizations such as KKK. The Student Press Law Center officials argue that some jokes are considered libelous and newspapers can be held responsible when they offend a certain group of people.

Many colleges are cutting costs to keep tuition from rising. Many other colleges are raising tuition by only 2.5% to 4%, which is the lowest increase in three decades. However, tuition increases have outpaced inflation, according to the consumer price index. A report by the National Commission on the Cost of Higher Education warned colleges that if they cannot find ways to control tuition increases, the government could intervene.

Middle Tennessee State University recruits students with disabilities the way coaches recruit athletes. Disabled students are enrolling in universities and colleges in record numbers as they become aware of opportunities and laws protecting their right to pursue a college degree. Student-disability services recruit students by talking to guidance counselors in high schools and rehabilitation services. Disabled students welcome this kind of attention which gives them more confidence and self-esteem.

Many college graduates are faced with quickly deciding which job offer to accept early in the recruiting period. Companies are resorting to high-pressure tactics to obtain talented graduates before the recruiting season ends and present competitive salaries and benefits to those willing to accept offers before starting their final semester of college.

This article discusses the reversal of a court ruling in favor of Westcap Enterprises which Chicago College Systems sued in 1993. Topics include the risks of purchasing mortgage-backed securities and securities investment.

This article discusses the growing popularity of pagan groups on university campuses over the last five years. Reasons for the increasing interest are attributed to feminist and environmentalist movements, as well as television programs which portray witches and pagans in a positive light, and also as an alternative to traditional religious beliefs.

Research presented reveals that public university and college tuition increased in 1999 by an average of 3.4%, while private institutions' fees rose by 4.7%. Topics addressed include the average price for an undergraduate education, student financial aid allocations, and cost cutting by colleges.

A 1998 graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology has had his diploma revoked for his alleged participation in a fraternity drinking party where a freshman died of alcohol poisoning. Critics of the university state the institution ignored previous complaints about drinking, and is using the alumnus as a scapegoat.

A survey of 15,000 undergraduates conducted by the Harvard University School of Public Health noted that approximately 3.5% own a handgun, and of those, 6.8% had committed alcohol related crimes. The authors of the survey discuss the link between gun ownership, alcohol use, and risky behavior, and note that gun possession by students is below the national average. Approximately 25% of US households have guns.

A 20th century schoolhouse is restored and renovated to utilize 21st century technology. The home located in Boulder, CO is a 'smart house' which programs itself based on how owner University of Colorado cognitive and computer science professor Michael Mozer lives and predicting what he is going to need. Sensors record and log Mozer's actions about the house, monitor temperature, light, sound and motion in each room and outdoors. The home then anticipates Mozer's needs and make the appropriate adjustments.

Yale University had been accused of illegally discriminating against four Orthodox Jewish students by requiring them to live in co-ed dormitories. A federal judge in Connecticut dismissed the lawsuit, rejecting claims that the university's historical and legal ties to the State of Connecticut require it to meet the US Constitution's requirements for government policies.

David Noel Freedman, department chair of the Hebrew biblical studies at the University of California at San Diego, has done considerable scholarly work in the area. DreamWorks SKG, Steven Spielberg's movie studio, has consulted Freedman on Moses for an animated feature film entitled 'The Prince of Egypt,' to be released in Dec 1998.

Engineering students who design and build human-powered submarines competed in the annual World Submarine Invitational in San Diego. The race was the first since the 1992 contest that was held in the open seas. The ocean provided diversions and the competition ended early on the first day because of choppy waters and heavy winds.

Religious colleges are petitioning the National College Athletics Association (NCAA) to overturn a decision that would have discontinued the rule allowing sports players to avoid championship games played on Sundays due to religious convictions. The colleges have the support of many secular institutions and continue to press the NCAA to renegotiate.

The American Council on Education reported that college costs are lower than the public estimates. A survey report found most adults do not know how much a college education costs or why tuition rates increase. The public overestimates the price of college and assumes a majority of families cannot afford the cost of higher education.

Eric Coyle, a senior at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is taking 16 classes to earn 64 credits in a single semester, a record for a student at the University. Coyle is in his sixth year and is planning to graduate with five degrees to make his law school application stand out. He averages about 3 hours sleep per night. Coyle was not always a model student, but became inspired during an internship at Sen. Richard Bryan's Washington office.

The nation's high school graduating class is expected to peak in 2008 at a high of 3.2 million students. The sunbelt states, Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Nevada, will see the highest increases. Louisiana, North Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming and the District of Columbia are expected to show declines. Black students will be the largest minority group to graduate from high school in 2001, but the greatest growth, about 30 percent, will be among Latinos, American Indians and Asians.

Wanda Ellen Wakefield is an historian who has a passion for the sport of luge. After learning the rules and regulations, Wakefield participated in many competitions as a sports officiator.

Most undergraduate social science programs require the completion of a capstone experience before graduation. Despite the recognized potential of capstone courses to deepen learning, many students do not perform well. The present study examines several factors that may prepare students for academic success in a fairly typical capstone course for undergraduate political science majors. We hypothesize that students who earn high grades in research intensive courses will also earn high grades in the capstone course, even after controlling for other factors related to academic performance. Our results show that successfully completing research intensive training in just one course, even above and beyond the introductory methods course, improves capstone performance. We conclude with a discussion of how our findings lend further support to arguments in favor of "scaffolding" political science curricula to funnel students from less to more intensive research experiences as they move toward the completion of their degrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the major learning style preferences and worldviews of members of the generation Y or contemporary 17- to 19-year-olds when they come to libraries' information literary classes. Positive outlook toward technology; Orientation toward images; Desire for customized experiences and choices; Thresholds for boredom; Unwillingness to memorize; Opportunities for active learning.

As college students, involvement and knowledge of the world around them is crucial to success in their professions. Current news and information can be accessed much quicker than ever before. However, it is still important to find out which of the mediums are more realistic and bring up the daily issues at hand. This inquiry has become the locus of this research. One area is to consider is the level of media accessibility and availability for a college student. The operative question is not whether a particular medium has won the hearts and minds of students but, rather: What and why such a strong relation between a user and a medium has grown so fast and so strong. The analysis suggests that a critical approach to the kind of medium and its availability should be focuses on the quality of the message and the educational and intellectual message that a user may get out of die media experience., INTRODUCTION The media plays an important role in our lives. It helps form beliefs, ideals, and structures our everyday lives. Further it influences the society economy, environment, education and gender [...]