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Old Main

Small Colleges in Twenty-First Century America

Samuel Schuman

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This perceptive and cogent account draws on key data and firsthand observations to tell the story of the small college in America. Defined as institutions that enroll between 500 and 3,000 full-time students, small colleges number about six hundred in the United States. Many are thriving, while some—whether through low enrollment, ballooning debt, or simple misfortune—face uncertain futures.

Informed by his own experiences as a teacher and administrator, Samuel Schuman sketches the history and development of these institutions; then focuses on their current conditions and future possibilities...

This perceptive and cogent account draws on key data and firsthand observations to tell the story of the small college in America. Defined as institutions that enroll between 500 and 3,000 full-time students, small colleges number about six hundred in the United States. Many are thriving, while some—whether through low enrollment, ballooning debt, or simple misfortune—face uncertain futures.

Informed by his own experiences as a teacher and administrator, Samuel Schuman sketches the history and development of these institutions; then focuses on their current conditions and future possibilities. Administrators, faculty, and researchers will appreciate Schuman's insight into institutional choices and their consequences. Old Main is an essential book for anyone who shares Schuman's conviction that small colleges occupy a central place in American higher education.

Reviews

Reviews

This is not a conventional study of small colleges... In the tradition of a true liberal arts scholar, he invites thoughtful dialogue, challenges academic tradition, and persuades readers to explore alternatives.

Interesting reading. The extensive information Schuman provides gives us a picture of contemporary American small colleges.

Researchers, faculty, and administrators interested in small colleges will find suggestions for further research and discussion about the many challenges that small colleges face today.

An important book for small-college people... Paints a rich picture of the exceptional things small colleges can do.

Schuman is an ardent proponent of small colleges, and his devotion and passion are apparent in every chapter of this work. The work is also brilliantly written and thoroughly convincing. After reading this work, the reader will possess a new found appreciation for these institutions of higher education and an understanding of their vital role.

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About

Book Details

Publication Date
Status
Available
Trim Size
6
x
9
Pages
280
ISBN
9780801891021
Illustration Description
2 halftones
Table of Contents

1. Introduction: A Lawyer from Plummer
2. Go West, Young Man: Graduation at Centenary College, 1900
3. Colleges of Character: Old Main... in Maine
4. People at Small Colleges: Basketball, Rock and Roll

1. Introduction: A Lawyer from Plummer
2. Go West, Young Man: Graduation at Centenary College, 1900
3. Colleges of Character: Old Main... in Maine
4. People at Small Colleges: Basketball, Rock and Roll, and a Quaker College
5. Colleges of Community: Less than Positive
6. The Integrated Campus: Yav
7. Blurring the Boundaries: A Conversation
8. Small College Futures: Olya
Epilogue: Small Is Different: A Guide for the Perplexed
Appendix A: Interview Questions
Appendix B: Twelve Colleges
Notes
Interview

Author Bio
Featured Contributor

Samuel Schuman

Samuel Schuman is Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Minnesota, Morris. He is the author of Cyril Tourneur: A Reference Guide, The Theatre of Fine Devices: Emblems and the Emblematic in the Plays of John Webster, and Vladimir Nabokov: A Reference Guide.