The United States has the highest college-participation rate among industrialized nations and spends more money per student than most, according to tudy by the American Council on Education.
The study notes, however, that the United States trails a number of the 35 countries analyzed in terms of public expenditures per student in higher education.
Denmark, at just more than 8,000 per student, led the way in terms of per-pupil expenditures, the report said, while the United States logged in at slightly less than 8,000. Australia and
The study, “Higher Education Expenditures and Participation: + An International Comparison,” is part of the 1991 ace Research - Brief Series, which is available for one year for $55. Information on / the series is available from the ace Division of Policy Analysis and Research, One Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C. 20036-1193; 3 telephone (202) 939-9450.
The Southern Association of 6 Colleges and Schools plans to require better accountability of 8 college athletic programs when it accredits colleges and :8: universities in 1992.
In a review of its accreditation practices, the association realized it should be looking more closely at athletic programs, said James T. 8 Rogers, executive director of the association’s commission on colleges. In so doing, it has revamped the criteria by which a college’s athletic department will be judged.
The changes include a better explanation of the purpose of the programs in relation to the school’s mission; an account of
admissions practices for athletes and non-athletes, and the reasons for waiving admissions requirements for both groups; to be approved later this year.
Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., has become the fifth private liberal- arts college to announce that it is limiting its use of the Scholastic Aptitude Test as an indicator of success in college.
For the top 10 percent of students in their high-school classes, Franklin and Marshall will not require submission of sat results, although students may voluntarily do so. The policy will go into effect in 1992 and be evaluated three years later.,
Other colleges that have reduced their use of the sat are Bates . College in Lewiston, Me., Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Me.,
Meanwhile, the College Board has canceled 10 questions on its Advanced Placement 7 examination in French after students and teachers 9 discovered that a reading passage that served as the basis for ; several questions had appeared on a practice exam.
College Board officials said the action will not affect the grades ? of the 11,000 students who took the exam on May 7 because the questions were dropped before scoring the exams. Scores will be released in July. The French test is one of 29 ap exams in 15 fields offered each. Students who perform satisfactorily on the exams receive college credit and qualify for placement.
In California, the rate of students passing ap exams grew by 149 percent between 8 academic year 1983-84 and 1989-9o, according to the state department of education.
About 23.7 percent of the exams taken by California students (students may take more than one test) were passed in 1989-90, up from 9.5 percent in 1983-84. Nationwide, 12.7 percent the exams were passed in 1989-90, and 6.3 percent were passed in 1983-84.
Since 1984-85, the first year that ethnic data were compiled, the rate of blacks passing the exams has increased by 207 percent. The rates for Hispanics increased by 253 percent, American Indians by 169 percent, Asians by 114 percent, and whites by 89 8 percent.
Antonio Rigual, the founding president of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, will step down from his post at the end of the 8 summer to return to teaching and writing.
Formed in 1986, hacu has become a leading advocate for Hispanic students as well as postsecondary institutions with student populations that are at least 25 percent Hispanic.
The organization recently opened Washington office.--M.P.
