To investigate the effectiveness of counselor recommendations regarding curricular change, 1526 freshmen were classified according to their curricular choice in relation to counselor recommendation. An analysis of covariance indicated a significant relationship (p < .05) between scholastic performance and type of curricular decision made by a student in relation to the counselor recommendation. A 2nd analysis (N = 286) investigated the effect of strength of the counselor's recommendation for curricular change. Students less strongly urged to change curricula and who made an inappropriate change, obtained a significantly (p < .05) higher mean grade point average than students who received a strong recommendation to change. In both analyses, the student's predicted grade point average served as the adjusting variable. Results were discussed in terms of counselor judgments, motivational factors related to curricular change, the adequacy of tests used to make individual predictions, and the moderator effects which type of curriculum has upon performance.

Literature about the urban campus indicates that traditional, full‐time faculty who teach and engage in scholarly, creative work, or research may need to shift to more applied and community‐oriented service programs. Hence, the role of faculty development is changing because the issues facing the urban university are changing. These changes are prompted by the unique growth and development within the neighborhood of urban‐based campuses. Pressure from the communities to make the campuses more community oriented, along with growing concern for the nature and quality of instruction, help foster change. Campus administration concerns about the institution becoming a “good” neighbor by contributing to the community puts unique pressures on the faculty developer. The faculty developer is in a position to see campus changes which can affect instructional methods or styles such as increased numbers of minority or immigrant students and more part‐time faculty. While these changes occur, the general faculty often remains relatively traditional in its attitudes about teaching.