SummaryHigher education faces a new era as a result of changes in the way people view colleges and universities. Expectations for better performance in terms of teaching and producing competent college graduates are increasing. One model for higher education is the success of many companies that have bettered their overall performance and products using "total quality management" (TQM). TQM is primarily concerned with increasing customer satisfaction through an integrated framework that examines the relationships between various systemwide elements and makes data-driven decisions to reduce errors and waste in processes. To do this, managers must create an environment in which employees take joy and pride in their work and are empowered to make changes. This paper examines the need for continuous quality improvement in higher education; the role of academic statisticians in changes in higher education; some of the strategies and techniques colleges and universities are employing related to TQM at college and department levels; what individual instructors can do in terms of making improvements in higher education; and the role and importance of a personal quality vision in such an overall effort for organizational change. In addition, it is the authors' intent that the paper be a source for ideas about improving teaching and ways to think about issues related to TQM on campus.

In this paper, the researchers discuss speaking centers across the country, providing data from a nationwide survey. The purpose of this investigation is to show how assessment, speaking across the curriculum, and speaking centers are related and to report the results of a nation wide study. This investigation asked department chairs and speaking center directors to discuss the scope of the speaking center at the participant's community college, 4-year college, or university campus. Participants provided input with regard to institutional specifics to pedagogical methods employed at the speaking center. Results, in addition to implications and recommendations for assessment are discussed. The findings indicate five major areas: 1) the importance and prioritization of speaking centers is emerging with higher value in recent years; 2) staffing should include faculty positions; 3 ) funding should be provided for new equipment and resources; 4) the importance of assessment of student speaking skills cannot be underestimated; and 5) that instruction in listening through speaking centers is lacking. These are significant because they are reflective of the current economic status of higher education. As colleges and universities value oral communication, and employers seek graduates with effective communication skills, state legislators and government seem to provide less funding. The conclusions and implications are in the form of eleven recommendations suggested to colleges and universities interested in the implementation of oral communication across the curriculum and/or speaking centers.

Highly publicized service issues in hospitals and within the National Health Service (NHS) have sparked numerous efforts to address the patient experience. Recognizing the need for quality health information for the public, South West England Web information services offer an example of how local and regional NHS organizations have responded to the call for access to quality health information resources. On the national level, NHS Direct has proven particularly innovative in its efforts to provide health information access to hard to reach populations. Suggestions for future library health information services for the public include improved metadata for Web-based services, a revised consumer health database, and information prescription programs.

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