Varied levels of unhappiness, mental illness, and potential for violence exist among college students, writes Morton M. Silverman, and there are good models to address them all.
(Illustration by Christophe Vorlet)

Steven J. McDonald clears up widespread misconceptions about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Several state legislatures are considering bills to permit concealed weapons on college campuses. Bad idea, says Jesus M. Villahermosa Jr.

Today's college students have tuned out the world, writes Ted Gup, and it's partly the fault of educators.

Rhetoric about internationalizing education is not enough, writes Clara M. Lovett. Students must learn to understand how others perceive and interpret the world.

Volunteers are a helpful, vital presence on any college campus, writes Nancy Tribbensee. But proper screening, training, and oversight are essential.

Cynthia N. Malone on what professors can do to reduce the environmental costs of publishing.

Stephen J. Nelson encourages college presidents to find and maintain solid centrist ground on controversial issues.

Colleges should define what foreign-language proficiency entails, and then require it for admission to graduate study, writes Edward M. White.

Formulas for teaching writing are often maligned, but some are valuable tools for students, write Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein.

Colleges should be attuned to the differences between assimilators, accommodators, and resisters, say Margarita Mooney and Deborah Rivas-Drake.

• IN THEIR OWN VOICES: Latino students talk about their lives at Dartmouth College.

Colleges have lots of technology on their campuses, writes Judith Tabron. Now it's time to figure out how best to use it to enhance teaching and learning.

George R. Boggs exhorts Congress to revive the Dream Act, for the benefit of students, their communities, and the American economy.

Before beginning a presidential search, boards should think hard about what they want, what's at stake, and how to conduct the process well, writes William Bowen.

The predominance of 'hooking up' in the campus dating scene is inextricably linked with alcohol use and sexual assaults, says Kathleen A. Bogle. To curb the latter, it is important to understand the former.

Many students struggle to balance their religious ideals with their physical desires. Colleges should help them by fostering open discussions about the age-old conflict between flesh and the divine, writes Donna Freitas.

Research in the discipline needs to go beyond mathematical models, write Michael H. Granof and Stephen A. Zeff.

Ben Yagoda points out that many students can't afford to give up paychecks — or, worse, spend them — to obtain unpaid internships for academic credit.

Excerpts from the American Enterprise Institute's forum, "The Role of University Endowments," held last month.

David Boren on the importance of fostering a sense of community on college campuses.

To legally protect the meaning of the college degree, it is time to start formally classifying American degrees according to their provider, purpose, content, or all of the above, writes Alan Contreras.

TAKING A GAMBLE: Colleges need to take a hard look at how gambling, in all its forms, has pervaded their campuses, writes George McClellan, who offers suggestions on understanding and dealing with the varied risks of campus gambling.

MY EXCURSION INTO 'GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP': On a study-abroad program in India, Nepal, and Tibet, everywhere Talya Zemach-Bersin went she was treated as exactly what she is: a white, privileged American.

REFRESHING TIRED PROFESSORS: Over time, many faculty members become less efficient and less enthusiastic in their teaching. Peter Seldin offers suggestions for rejuvenating those jaded academics.