TRACKING STUDENTS: What are the best predictors of academic success? The University of California at Davis is trying to answer that question by undertaking the first comprehensive study of the undergraduate student selection process. All undergraduates in the class of 2002 will be tracked throughout their university career, based on the reasons they were selected. The study will look at their grades and the courses they complete, whether they return their sophomore year and whether they graduate.

CAROLINA COMPUTERS: Students at the University of North Carolina will be required to have laptop computers beginning with entering freshmen in 2000. The requirement won approval of the Faculty Council provided that the university help low income students purchase the computers. The initiative is part of an ongoing effort to enhance the curriculum through the use of computer technology. Students will either bring their own laptops or choose from three purchase options through the university.

FACULTY RETIREMENTS: More than 40 percent of eligible tenured faculty members at the University of Pittsburgh have signed up for its early retirement incentive plan. Tenured faculty were eligible for the plan if they had completed at least 12 years of service and would be at least 60 prior to July 1, or if the sum of their years of age and years of service would total at least 85 by that date. Participants have agreed to relinquish their tenure rights and retire between July1, 1998 and May 1, 1999. In return they will receive payment equal to 1.5 times their annual contract salary, but not exceeding $125,000.

SALARY HIKE: The Virginia General Assembly has approved salary increases at the University of Virginia. Instructional faculty will receive 6.5 percent increases in each of the next two years, while general faculty, part-time faculty and graduate teaching assistants will get 3.1 percent in the first year and 3.3 percent in the second. Classified employees will earn raises of up to 4.55 percent based on their performance ratings.

INVITING VISITORS: The University of Wisconsin has created a new post of director of visitor services. The new official will be coordinating campus tours and serve as a “communication catalyst”—helping to deliver important campus information, such as construction schedules and impacts on roads and parking to prospective and new students, parents and other visitors. The new director will also work with the Campus Assistance Center in providing a coordinated approach to making visitors feel welcome. This will include working with organizations off campus, such as the city’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, local museums and other venues.

UNDERGROUND FRESHMEN: The University of Arizona is building a new Freshman Center completely underground, thus saving 25 percent in cooling costs. The building is designed as a “one-stop center” for UA’s 4,500 freshmen. The first-year students will have many of their classes inside, be able to consult tutors and advisors there and use the 300 Internet-linked computers in the Information Commons.

STAFF WORKLOAD: The University of California at Davis has created a task force to consider how to ease staff workload and improve employee morale. Called the Staff Workload Issues Task Force, the 17-member group has been asked to consider staff workload, employee development, communication, improving day-to-day work life, staff morale and the UC “model employer” initiative (a system-wide initiative). The task force is to make its report by Oct. 1.

NON-RESIDENT TUITION: A portion of the half billion dollars needed to repair the “crumbling infrastructure” at the University of California at Davis will be funded through increases in out-of-state student tuition. The tuition increased by 7 percent this year from last year and will increase by 4.5 percent next year, to $9,384.

TENURE TRACK: A new study at the University of Pittsburgh shows that while the percentage of tenured faculty hasn’t changed much over the years, percentage of those eligible for tenure has changed dramatically. In 1974, 42 percent of full-time faculty had tenure, compared with 40 percent in 1996. However the number in the tenure stream dropped from 35 percent to 12 percent during the same time period. Faculty ineligible for tenure accounted for 48 percent of full-time faculty in 1996, up from 22 percent in 1974. ¶