Senior and executive leadership career positions in higher education
administration carry titles such as Director, Dean, Provost, Chancellor, and
President (and their subordinates, "assistant", "associate", "vice", or
"deputy"). Most of these roles fall into one of three areas: academics affairs,
student services, or business/administrative support. Each is rich in its areas
of responsibility. However, only positions in academic affairs require a
teaching and research background. So, while a Dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences must have been a professor in a department in the College, a Chancellor
of Student Services need never have been an academic at all. Instead, positions
in student services and university administration go to professionals with
degrees in higher education administration.

The Ladder of Choices

An advanced degree in higher education administration, ideally a Master’s in
Education or Ph.D. in Education, is key to a career running a university’s
business end or student services. The U.S. Department of labor reports there
were 132,000 postsecondary administrators in the United States as of 2004. Job
growth is projected to increase 9 to 17 percent, so job opportunities should
remain excellent. The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
provides further evidence of growth at universities: the high school graduating
class of 2008-09 is projected to be the largest in history, with some 3.2
million students poised to continue their education. This means administrators
will be needed to manage this foreseeable growth in the student population.

Higher education administration isn’t just a first career choice. Many career
shifters have valuable transferable skills for academic leadership. The Wall
Street Journal’s CareerJournal.com notes that many ex-lawyers, for example, love
to design, plan, strategize, and invent–key requirements for student services
and business support leadership roles in higher education. Similarly, others
with technical skills such as accountants, database administrators, architects,
and business leaders possess abilities that will transfer easily from the
private sector to academic institutions. The chart below shows some of the many
administrative positions available to graduates with Higher Education degrees.
Only career paths listed in the center column require a background in teaching
and research:

Higher education administrative roles cover a diverse spectrum of
responsibilities and skill sets, providing abundant career options. Most
institutions today require a minimum of a Master’s degree to work in
administrative leadership positions where previously a Bachelor’s degree
sufficed; however, the Ph.D. in Education Administration is eclipsing the
Master’s as the degree of choice for career-minded professionals. To be
competitive for senior and executive level jobs in academia today, an Education
Administration Ph.D. is necessary to stand out.

Aside from the bountiful job choices and higher degree expectations of
education institutions today, there are two more reasons to earn your Education
Administration Ph.D.–pay and professional advancement.

Peak Pay for Top Administrators

First, the pay is getting better all the time, climbing to compete with
non-education administrative jobs and often topping them in benefits. The
Chronicle of Higher Education (the "industry" journal for higher education)
reports in its February, 2006, issue that administrators’ pay raises beat
inflation for the ninth consecutive time. To put the pay into perspective, the
chief executives of two-year colleges earned a median salary of $141,685, while
the chief executives at doctoral institutions earned a median salary of
$295,008. In Higher education administration, the intellectual and social
rewards of the career path are matched by the financial rewards.

Room at the Top

Second, the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics shows about 6,000 jobs in
higher education administration will have to be filled annually between 2004 and
2014, the result of the field’s growth and the retirement of current workers.
The Chronicle comments in its September, 2006, issue that "the crunch may have
already begun: Andy Brantley, chief executive of the College and University
Professional Association for Human Resources, notes that ’search firms and
universities are beginning to experience difficulty in finding qualified and
prepared individuals for certain positions’." The graying of America continues
and pursuing the Education Administration Ph.D. now will have big dividends.

The Route Is Well Marked

The Education Administration Ph.D. degree path includes core courses in
leadership, legal aspects, supervision, human resources administration,
education finance and marketing, planning and operations, and technology
management in education. As with all doctorates, the degree requires original
research and courses in advanced research methodologies. Years of refinement by
the very schools you’ll work for have produced a degree that is well-thought-out
and matches national needs, yet it’s highly attainable for the working
professional. The curriculum is designed to produce active, reflective, and
conscientious administrators whose decisions and practices are born of the best
available theory, research, and experiential wisdom.

Whether it’s prestige, good pay and benefits, or the ongoing reward of
helping people succeed, administrative jobs at colleges and universities await
those who earn the degree to qualify for them.

Why teach? "I feel like I’m really giving something," explains elementary
school teacher Lori. For Dan Adame, it’s the ‘aha!’ factor: "I could actually
see the moment that students understood something which, to me, was like magic."
Fred chose to become a teacher because he "realized that teachers have a greater
impact than any other profession in the world."

The primary reward of being an educator is clear: the pure satisfaction of
imparting knowledge. But teachers face challenges as well, both interpersonal
and financial. Here’s an overview of what to expect from a career in education:
the triumphs and the challenges, the preparation and the road ahead.

Rewards

Meaningful Work. Educators, whether in teaching or administration, are driven
by a powerful mission: to provide the best education for their students. In an
interview of elementary school teachers, "meaningful work" ranked as the primary
draw of a teaching career. Many teachers had left lucrative careers as
accountants, lawyers, and engineers, in search of a more personally fulfilling
path.

Employees in education administration are a step removed from the classroom
‘frontlines,’ but they experience a similar sense of purpose. Kathleen
McCartney, dean of Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, misses teaching, but
appreciates the ‘big picture’ impact she has on educational quality. "It might
not be the same as helping students find enlightenment," she acknowledges, "but
I am finding great fulfillment from my efforts to help the school move forward."

The Joy of Teaching. Besides doing good, educators often take pleasure in the
learning process itself. The challenge of communicating a concept. The
creativity involved in devising a lesson plan. The personal engagement of
mentoring students. The intellectual engagement with a beloved subject–history,
biology, literature… These facets of teaching aren’t just important, they’re
also fun.

Variety. Every day is different, and unexpected. There isn’t one right way to
teach. As Abe, a high school teacher in Massachusetts, puts it: teaching is
"human, and fluid, constantly throwing surprises at you." It’s a dynamic and
exciting role.

Flexible Schedules. There’s no 9 to 5 daily grind. Many teachers take summers
off, or go on periodic sabbaticals. This is not to say they don’t work as hard,
but they often have more freedom to decide when, where, and how much they work.

Challenges

Besides the healthy challenge of the teaching itself, teachers face the
frustration of limited school resources. At the entry-level, many teachers are
paid significantly less than they would earn in business or industry. Most are
"not in it for the money," yet feel that their pay doesn’t reflect the
importance and difficulty of their work. Policy changes are underway to improve
school resources, however. The national shortage of teachers may drive up
compensation, as schools and local government step up their recruitment efforts.

Education administrators are in a better financial position and earn a median
$74,190, while teachers’ compensation comes in at $43,660. Higher education
administrators such as academic deans earn upwards of $100,000. In fact, higher
education administration made it into U.S. News & World Report’s "Best Careers
of 2007," as a career that combines intellectual and personal fulfillment with
generous compensation.

Learning to Teach

Before you take your place at the head of the classroom, expect to put in
some time as a student. Public school teachers are licensed by the state, and
requirements vary. Generally, the minimum qualification for teacher
certification is a bachelor’s degree (in any subject) and an approved teacher
training program. Some states require a master’s degree in education after a
specified period of time on the job.

Many teachers go on to education administration careers. A master’s degree in
education administration or leadership is typically required at this level, and
many administrators complete a doctoral degree as well. Higher education
administrators may begin in a staff position with a bachelor’s degree, but
graduate training in education administration or a related field is required for
the higher-level positions. Academic deans and top directors usually have a
Ph.D..

The Road Ahead

The retirement of many teachers and administrators over the next ten years
will create opportunities for educators. However, student enrollment is also
decreasing in many parts of the country. Education professionals may need to be
more flexible about where they live and what subjects they teach (science,
mathematics, and special education teachers are particularly needed; while
general elementary, physical education, and social studies positions are less
available) to maximize their career prospects. The demand for bilingual and ESL
teachers is also expected increase as more non-English-speaking students enter
the school system.

For committed educators, career prospects are simply the icing on the
cake–the "real reward," as one teacher puts it, "is teaching itself." Teachers
may face tight school resources, a restrictive bureaucracy, and unruly
classrooms. But dedicated educators spend their days studying and teaching
subjects they love to people they really care about; for many that’s the real
payoff.

Look back at your life and point to the people who made the biggest positive
difference. Parental figures and strong friendships may come to mind, but the
teachers who were there through your high school education likely had a large
impact on your career goals, your worldview, and perhaps–as a recent study
suggests–your sense of self. In fact, high school students often cite their
teachers as the most influential adults in their lives. If you’ve long wanted to
make a difference in your community, becoming a teacher at the high school level
could be a satisfying career move.

Educators among Important "Natural" Mentors

A recent study by Students Against Destructive Decisions found that teens who
identify at least one "natural" mentor in their life–a teacher, parent, or
other adult not assigned to them through mentoring programs–had a higher sense
of self, and were more likely to take positive risks like taking on volunteer
work or joining an athletic team.

Your teachers were an essential part of your growth, and now that you’re
enjoying the career and other benefits of "real life," you may want to give
something back by providing a role model for today’s students.

Online Education Courses Bridge the Gap

If you dream of making a difference in students’ lives as a high school
teacher, there are a number of ways to reach your goal. Depending on your
state’s regulations, any one of the following options could be available to you:

• For bachelor’s degree holders, completing a licensing program in your
  subject area of choice
• Obtaining a master of education degree (M.Ed.)
• Completing an alternative licensure program if you already hold a
  bachelor’s degree in your subject area of choice

If you’re coming to the profession from another career, you won’t need to
worry about feeling left out: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that
hiring managers in education often prefer to see a mix of first-profession
teachers directly out of school and teachers coming into the profession from
other careers.

Federal Government Offers Incentives for Education Schools

If the fear of incurring student debt has kept you from obtaining a master of
education degree, you should know that the federal government has taken measures
to help alleviate the problem of teacher shortages. Deferments–postponement of
payments–or full cancellations may be available if you take on a Perkins or
Stafford Loan. Teachers may be eligible for up to 100 percent loan forgiveness
if they work full-time as a:

• Teacher in a school serving low-income families
• Special-education teacher, ranging from infants to youth with disabilities
• Teacher of certain fields determined by your state to have a shortage of
  qualified teachers

As you research teaching degrees, be sure to also research your state’s loan
forgiveness policy and see if it’s possible to work with a loan forgiveness
program.

Online Teaching Degrees Offer Convenience

Working towards an education degree means you’re taking charge of your future
career, and online education courses simplify the process. Online teaching
degrees offer a number of benefits, including:

• The ability to study at your own pace with a full-time or part-time
  educational program
• Access to instructor assistance across a range of mediums
• Self-motivated education, without the hassles of a traditional campus
  schedule and commute

Many working adults choose to pursue an online master of education degree,
which allows students to continue working full time while balancing family
responsibilities with educational goals.

Financial Stability in High School Teaching Careers

While the financial rewards for teaching vary depending on your school
district and education level, most teaching careers offer stability to educators
with the highest educational attainment. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reports that median annual earnings for teachers with a bachelor’s degree stood
at $31,704 for the 2003-04 school year, while median annual earnings for all
public elementary and secondary school teachers was higher, at $46,597.
Obtaining a master of education degree can significantly increase earnings.

For high school teachers, the rewards of a teaching career can be personal as
well as financial. Making a difference in the lives of students in your
community has an intangible benefit, and every day at work offers a new
opportunity to touch the lives of your students at a critical point in their own
educational development.

The poet Forest Witcraft once wrote that one hundred years from now, it won’t
matter what kind of car you drove or how much money was in your bank account,
but that you left the world a better place because you were important in the
life of a single child.

Teachers play an important role in the life of each and every child who
passes through their classrooms. But in addition to nurturing the leaders of
tomorrow, the 3.5 million teachers that currently work in the US enjoy a number
of benefits unique to the teaching field. If you are considering a career in
education, take a look at these reasons why teaching can be a worthwhile and
productive occupation.

1. Vacation!

No matter how much a teacher loves to teach, he or she probably looks forward
to that annual two- or three-month-long summertime break from the classroom.
Unlike workers with jobs that limit vacation time to a few weeks, many teachers
enjoy a flexible summer hiatus enabling them to take a long vacation, explore a
beloved hobby, or pursue a second job to pick up extra income.

Many teachers use the summer to continue with their education, perhaps even
pursuing a master’s in education. Getting a master’s degree can help raise your
salary, and many school districts are willing to pay for the continuing
education of their employees. Now that many accredited universities offer the
online master’s degree in education, many teachers are able to work toward a
higher degree without sacrificing their summer work or travels.

2. Demand for Teachers and Job Security

Education has been and always will be a priority for the American people. One
of the most comforting aspects of a career in teaching is the knowledge that
that there will be always be a need for teachers. In the past decade, our
country has experienced a significant shortage of qualified individuals with
education degrees. Large numbers of teachers are expected to retire over the
next 10 years, further augmenting the demand for good teachers.

Many states have instituted tenure laws that prevent teachers from being laid
off without a formal review process that is conducted by an outside review
board. Teachers are able to obtain tenure after, on average, five to six years
with the same school. Although tenure does not guarantee a job for life, it does
provide a great deal of job security.

3. Retirement Benefits

Workers with education degrees are blessed with some of the best retirement
packages of any profession. With specific formulas regulated by state law,
public school teacher retirement packages are safe, stable, and secure.
Retirement funds are created through state tax revenue and employee
contributions, but are funded primarily through income from investments. Details
of teacher retirement plans should be available on the state’s Department of
Education website.

Because retirement plans are usually guaranteed by the state in which you
teach, you will not assume any investment risk. Most teacher retirement plans
are subject to a high level of oversight from the state government, assuring
that individuals that pursue a teaching career will be taken care of when they
choose to retire.

4. Earnings

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average salary
for a teacher in 2004-2005 was just shy of $50,000. Though starting teacher
salaries average $31,000 nationwide, teachers have the opportunity to advance to
higher salary levels by continuing their educations. Some teachers get
additional housing supplements, and public school teachers have excellent
healthcare coverage and other benefits.

The key to advancing to a higher pay grade is advanced training and
education. Teachers with advanced degrees, such as the master’s of education,
earn significantly more than their counterparts with basic education degrees.
Many teachers achieve their training through online education courses that
increase their qualifications and lead to higher salaries.

5. Advancing to Education Administration

Some teachers find they prefer to manage schools rather than classes. But a
background in teaching isn’t the only route into education administration.
Managers or human resources directors can make the career shift into education,
as can anyone whose experience includes budgeting, public relations, and staff
supervision. For primary school administration positions, the love of children
and the willingness to work with parents are also essential traits.

Fortunately, making the shift into education administration is easier than
ever now that it’s possible to complete a Master’s of Education Administration
online. Online study means that the administrator-to-be won’t have to quit his
or her existing job to train for a new education career. According to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics, elementary principals pull down a median salary above
$74,000, with excellent benefits and solid job prospects.

6. Making a Difference

With an advanced degree in education or an online teaching degree, you could
be setting yourself up for a fun, well-compensated, and secure career in which
you will enjoy long summer vacations and a comfortable retirement. But despite
all these incentives, most teachers pursue a teaching career for the joy of
helping children learn and grow into dynamic, intelligent adults.

Students never forget their favorite teachers. Preschool, kindergarten, and
elementary school teachers play a vital role in the development of young
children, shaping their views of themselves and the world that will persist
throughout their lives. Teachers of younger children introduce their students to
many topics for the first time, planting the seeds of curiosity that can lead to
lifelong passions or careers. Teachers leave behind a legacy of love and
nurturing that can have effects that reach far beyond the classroom in which
they teach.

It’s quite easy to push the pedal to the metal, flip off that tailgater and scream a string of obscenities at no one in particular while you’re driving. It’s also easy for that tailgater to get out of his or her car at the next light and start threatening you. Road rage is becoming increasingly common on America’s streets and highways and though college students may be the victims of it, often times they are the aggressors.

“We want to retaliate and punish this person and let them know they’ve done something wrong and make sure they’re not going to get away with it.” LEON JAMES, social psychologist, University of Hawaii

Leon James, a social psychologist at the University of Hawaii who is also a traffic psychologist known as Dr. Driving, says, “Even though incidences of road rage are rare in the newspapers — there might be a thousand a year, millions of aggressive exchanges take place on the roads every day.” In extreme cases of road rage, people can end up dead - or their passengers can.

In September of 1999, two brothers were charged with stabbing a man to death in front of his wife and five daughters in a horrific road rage incident in Seattle.

In October of 1999 a Las Vegas woman was indicted after she allegedly cut off a tractor-trailer that was driving too slowly, then slammed on her brakes. A motorcyclist following that truck crashed into it and died of massive head injuries.

Last February a still unidentified man got out of his car after a fender bender in San Jose, California. He approached the other driver, reached inside her car, grabbed her dog and threw the bichon frise into oncoming traffic. The canine was killed after being run over.

Although the perpetrators in none of these instances were college-age, James says college students are among a segment of the population that comprises the most aggressive drivers. Basically in the world of road rage, the younger the driver the more aggressive. James explains; “In college, students still have a tendency to act like teenagers in that they take a lot of risks. The question is when do we learn as drivers not to take risks? That’s after the college years.”

John Richardson, a student at Birmingham Southern College, considers himself to be a good and courteous driver. Even though he’s proud of his own habits behind the wheel and relates that his friends are pretty good drivers, too, he says, “There are some good reasons to the notion that [students] are younger and therefore more carefree and less aware of consequences. So they might drive faster and show less caution.”

Age isn’t the only factor in aggressive driving. James’ research also shows that being a road hog has a lot to do with gender and what kind of car a person drives.

James says, in general, men are more aggressive drivers than women. And as far as cars go, if the highways were oceans then sports cars, trucks and sports utility vehicles would be the sharks, whereas economy cars, family cars and vans would be the angel fish.

There are no hard-line explanations as to why different cars are driven more or less aggressively, but James thinks most likely there are multiple factors at play. It might have to do with the idea that more aggressive people are drawn to certain cars, and it could also mean that certain vehicles make drivers feel more aggressive. After all it’s easier to feel like the king of the road when one is cruising around in a Ford Explorer rather than a Dodge Neon.

“I’ve gotten irritated with drivers, especially when I’m running late. …People going below the speed limit and people who turn on their turn signal and never turn it off.” ALLISON RICHARDS, University of Arkansas student

Driving for most folks is a very personal thing, which means emotions run high. “Driving is a particularly dramatic and challenging experience for most people,” James says. “Things happen fast and whatever happens could cost you money and physical injury.”

When people feel threatened on the roads their first instinct is to lash out. James offers, “We want to retaliate and punish this person and let them know they’ve done something wrong and make sure they’re not going to get away with it. We may want to prove that we’re not a wimp. There are a thousand reasons and all of them are cultural.”

Those cultural reasons were at play when Richardson got into a little accident shortly after he got his license. He says, “I was on my way to school and there was a solid green light ahead of me. …Someone was coming from the other road and wanted to go left in front of me. I had the right of way but I could have avoided the other person if I just slowed down. But I felt I was right and I went through and they turned and we had a little fender bender.”

Richardson’s experience certainly doesn’t qualify as road rage but the feelings that contributed to his accident, that he was right and therefore had a right to keep going, are the same emotions that road rage feeds on.

“When something happens that threatens you, you are challenged emotionally to respond. But you have to respond intelligently rather than provocatively,” says James.

One way to behave intelligently is to drive defensively. Be on the lookout for others who might be on the edge. James has created a list of behaviors that correlate to aggressive driving syndrome, which can be a precursor to road rage.

Signs of Aggressive Driving

1. Drivers who speed.
2. Drivers who yell at other drivers.
3. Drivers who make a lot of insulting gestures or honk a lot.
4. Drivers who tailgate and cut people off.

James says it’s best not to retaliate when you’re behind the wheel. Patience is the key to avoiding road rage, but such a virtue can be hard to come by when one is behind the wheel, especially considering that most drivers have their own traffic pet peeves. Those little things that can light a fire beneath bedraggled commuters.

“I’ve gotten irritated with drivers, especially when I’m running late and want to get somewhere in a hurry,” says Allison Richards, a student at the University of Arkansas. Among Richards’ pet peeves, “People going below the speed limit and people who turn on their turn signal and never turn it off.”

Commuters’ top pet peeves, according to James, are putting on the turn signal long before they need to, cutting off someone then slowing down, tailgating, aggressive braking or acceleration and late merging.

“I discovered a whole new world while talking on my tape recorder. I was swearing a lot. …I got angry and really hostile. I was yelling at people.” LEON JAMES, social psychologist, University of Hawaii

All these behaviors do nothing but agitate drivers. But do not retaliate. One has to take a step back when these behaviors emerge on the highway. James says the first step to changing a driver’s warlike ways on the road is to take a look in the mirror. It’s not always the other guy’s fault.

“Just like an alcoholic has to acknowledge that they have a problem, traffic emotions need to be acknowledged,” says James. He also says a lot of people don’t even realize how they’re behaving on the roads. One way to find out is to record yourself on the next commute.

“I discovered a whole new world while talking on my tape recorder. I was swearing a lot, and I don’t swear, I’m against it for religious reasons. I got angry and really hostile. I was yelling at people and behaving very negatively,” James says.

Along with taking personal responsibility, James also proposes a policy of lifetime driver education to combat the enormous negative education that drivers have received from the first moment they were placed in a car. He says learning how to behave on the roads starts with examples set by mom and dad and from watching those edge-of-your-seat car chases in the movies and on T.V.

Ultimately the way to combat the highway mania that has taken hold of many drivers is just to be nice and courteous. And though the likes of Madonna and others have encouraged students to express themselves, James doesn’t always think this is the best idea when on the road.

He says, “Most students believe it’s better to express anger than to hold it in. That’s a big mistake. When you express your anger you basically multiply it. Expressing it is like putting your anger in an amplifier. It’s not that holding it in is what matters, but it’s better to transform it and turn it into something positive.”

Colleges and universities are not immune to the ills of the outside world. Crimes such as robbery, rape and even murder exist within the gates of the ivory tower. And when those crimes do occur, it’s not always announced with a clarion call. Sometimes universities do their best to keep the darker side of academia under wraps, preventing students from getting the whole story.

Just last week, Elmarcko Jackson, a 21-year-old football player at Temple University, was stabbed in the chest and neck during a fight with a man near a university dormitory. While Jackson survived the attack, his plight is raising awareness at Temple about campus crimes.

Rahsaan Harrison is a senior at the university studying law and business, he says, “There wasn’t really crime on campus before this that was anything big. When it did happen to Marko Jackson, people took notice. …I think people are taking a little more precaution, looking out a little more and seeing who’s out there.”

“There wasn’t really crime on campus before this that was anything big. …I think people are taking a little more precaution, looking out a little more and seeing who’s out there.” RAHSAAN HARRISON, Temple University senior

In 1997 a serial rapist was on the prowl, attacking female students on college campuses throughout the Midwest. With the turn of a doorknob, he was easily able to enter campus buildings surprising women who were working late at night in computer labs and music rooms. During the attack he would spit on his victims, interrogate them about their sex lives and finally, he would ask them to pray for him.

Vinson Horace Champ, a former “Star Search” contestant, was a comedian travelling the college circuit at the time — he was arrested in connection with several of the attacks. In 1998 he was convicted of one of those rapes, at the University of Nebraska, and he is still a suspect in as many as a dozen attacks on college campuses in six states.

According to statistics compiled by the Department of Education, about 10,000 violent crimes take place every year at four and two-year colleges nationwide. In 1994 there were 20 murders, 1,300 forcible sex offenses, 3,100 robberies and 5,100 cases of aggravated assault.

The same survey reveals that about 40,000 property crimes occur at colleges and universities yearly. Most of those offenses are burglaries and motor vehicle thefts.

Crimes on U.S. Campuses* 20 Murders 1,300 Forcible Sex Offenses 3,100 Robberies 5,100 Aggravated Assaults 40,000 Property Crimes (burglaries and car thefts) *Source: Department of Education (1994 stats)

Myra Kodner is the program coordinator for Security on Campus Inc., a nonprofit national organization that deals with the prevention of college and university campus violence and other crimes. Kodner, who believes that students can’t fully escape the realities of crime while away at school, says, “Colleges are a microcosm of society. It’s unfortunate, but it’s reality.”

The very organization she works for was formed by Howard and Connie Clery after their daughter was raped, beaten and murdered by another student in her dorm room at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania in 1986.

Kodner feels school safety records should be an important consideration during a student’s application process. “You want to get a copy of campus crime statistics,” she advises. “And by law, the universities have to give those to you. You can also call local hospitals and find out about the number of students treated for alcohol poisoning, drug overdoses or sexual assaults.”

The problem is, universities aren’t always up front about the crimes that occur on their grounds. Kodner strongly suggests a visit to the campus for a firsthand look at the place. She says there are important questions to ask. “Look at the campus. You can’t judge it just by its geographic location. Notice things like the landscaping. Is there a lot of shrubbery and how is the place lit? Is there somewhere for a stalker or assailant to hide? At the dorms — do you need a key card? Is there someone at a desk, or can just anybody walk in?”

Harrison says campus crime wasn’t high on his list of concerns when he applied to Temple. “I didn’t even give it consideration,” he says.

But many do give it consideration. The Chronicle of Higher Education evidently views the topic relevant enough to compile their very own campus crime statistics annually. The survey is based on reports submitted by 483 four-year colleges and universities with more than 5,000 students. The survey does not break down the number of sexual assaults and murders campus by campus, but it does address weapon, alcohol and drug violations that way.

“Look at the campus. You can’t judge it just by its geographic location. Notice things like the landscaping. Is there a lot of shrubbery and how is the place lit? Is there somewhere for a stalker or assailant to hide?” MYRA KODNER, program coordinator for Security on Campus Inc.

In 1997, Arizona State University had more weapons arrest than any other college in the country with 32. Michigan State University was a close second with 31, also reporting more alcohol arrests than any other school in the survey with 633.

When it came to drug arrests, the University of California at Berkeley led the way with 179. The University of Arizona followed with 142, and Arizona State University was third with 127.

But do statistics tell the whole story? Not all individuals arrested on campuses are students. And just because there’s a large number of arrests at a particular university, that doesn’t necessarily indicate high crime. It could point to stricter enforcement.

Stewart Adams works with the Arizona State University police department as the crime prevention coordinator. He argues that there are a number of reasons for the glut of arrests at ASU. “For the drug arrests, [the high volume] is due to the enforcement of our zero tolerance policy,” he says.

Adams also contends that there is another factor that mushrooms the school’s arrest numbers. It is directly related to football games. The school’s stadium isn’t just home to the ASU Sun Devils, it’s also the home field for an NFL franchise — the Phoenix Cardinals. Adams explains, “Our football games definitely have an impact, as well as the pro games. And that’s where we have most alcohol arrests and anything else that comes along with a game.”

Crime on Campus Highest number of arrests on U.S. campuses* Arizona State University: 32 weapons-related Michigan State University: 633 alcohol-related University of California, Berkeley: 179 drug-related *Source: Chronicle of Higher Education (1997 statistics).

In fact many of the schools high on the arrest list have Division I football programs that bring in a lot of fans to the campus on the weekends. The ensuing partying can definitely spike arrest numbers considerably.

And that’s not the only reason statistics could be misleading. Despite the fact that colleges are required by the 1990 Student-Right-to-Know Campus Security Act to disclose their crime statistics to the public, not all universities necessarily comply with the legislation. A 1997 General Accounting Office report says “colleges are having difficulty complying with the act,” then it says the Department of Education has only recently begun to systematically monitor compliance.

But just because some schools may not be telling the whole story when it comes to crime on campus, that doesn’t mean students can’t find that information themselves. Sometimes it takes a common sense approach to figure out just what kind of environment a campus offers.

Kodner advises, “When you’re looking at a campus, go see where frat row is. See what it looks like on a Friday or Saturday night and ask yourself if you would want to live next door to this.”

With all the wonders and excitement that college life offers, it also brings with it something else that isn’t always quite as appealing - roommates. Grime encrusted dishes, blaring music, buzz-saw snoring, annoying boyfriends and girlfriends; it can all make for an intolerable four years. Everybody has a collection of roommate horror stories but sometimes the no-good, sloppy roommate from those tales can be the least of one’s worries. Especially when roommates get violent.

Kortney Wilson is a junior at the University of Texas at Austin. Though she’s had her difficulties sharing rooms, she has never engaged in roommate fisticuffs, but that doesn’t mean she’s completely unfamiliar with them. Someone she knows recently became embroiled in a roomie brawl.

“I had a friend who got into a fight with a roommate and now they’re going to go to court over it. They didn’t know each other really well and one day they just got into it,” she says.

George Long, a student at the University of Maryland, is also aware of roommate violence incidences at his school. In particular, he knows of a group of students who attacked one of their housemates almost regularly. Long explains, “I know [they] would break into their roommate’s room and mess with his stuff and antagonize him. If he came out to stand up for himself, he would be subsequently beaten.”

As to why these students behaved so violently Long says, “It was just personal differences. They didn’t like him. They thought he wasn’t quote unquote cool. They thought he was a loser and they were just looking for trouble.”

We conducted a recent poll to find out just how common roommate violence is on the college scene. First we asked respondents if they ever had a roommate with whom they could not get along - 76.7 percent of those responding said yes. Then we asked if they ever had a roommate who had gotten violent during an argument - 30 percent said yes.

Times have changed on college campuses as they have everywhere else. As violence increases in society, so it does in academia. James Robson is the assistant director of residence life at Rutgers University. He acknowledges that nowadays there are potentially volatile situations that can develop between roommates. “A lot of students come in with a lot of baggage today. There’s emotional issues, family issues, psychological issues. The problems can get pretty intense.”

“I had a friend who got into a fight with a roommate and now they’re going to go to court over it.” KORTNEY WILSON, University of Texas at Austin junior

One reason problems get so intense today has to do with the fact that compared to students 20 years ago, this crop of scholars isn’t as accustomed to sharing. Most have never had to share a room until college. The whole roommate concept comes as a completely new experience and requires the learning of new habits.

“I would be pretty positive in saying that the majority of incoming freshmen do not have any background of sharing rooms. When you think about it, houses are getting bigger and families are getting smaller. The majority [of students] are not used to sharing,” says Robson.

Sharing may be a big issue when it comes to domestic conflicts, but so is the simple concept of scheduling. Robson says, “A lot of conflicts come up with scheduling. …Some students get up early and some are going to sleep in. If there is a difference there, it can make trouble.”

There’s another aspect to roommate violence that is also a sign of the times.

There are more students entering college today who are on medication than ever before. Individuals with schizophrenia or other psychological disorders don’t have to disclose such conditions to universities. These situations don’t always lend themselves well to cohabitation.

“Some students that come in are bipolar. And that’s tough if you’re a roommate. If one roommate is having psychological issues, the college can’t ask questions about that. And then we don’t find out about it ’til it’s becoming a problem,” explains Robson.

Most schools try to avoid initial roommate clashes by having would-be roomies fill out the ubiquitous roommate questionnaire. These tests try to gauge habits and personality, but often the results are vague and therefore not especially informative.

“I know [they] would break into their roommate’s room and mess with his stuff and antagonize him. If he came out to stand up for himself he would be subsequently beaten.” GEORGE LONG, University of Maryland student

Wilson, from the University of Texas, says she feels that these questionnaires aren’t even taken into account when universities are pairing up roommates. In her opinion, other factors take precedence. As a result, her freshman year, though not violent, was unpleasant. “I’m an African American and I was paired with another African American,” Wilson says. “I think that’s why we got put together, but we were just completely different. It was the worst year of my life. …We went to bed at different times, got up at different times, listened to different music, one was messy, one was neat. Basically, anything you could think of, we were total opposites.”

Violence in the dorm can be dealt with quickly. Students who mistreat someone will be kicked out ex post facto.

The stakes are higher off campus. Violent situations there may have to be dealt with in the courts since aggressive roommates may not be willing to leave. Going to court means backing your case up with proof. “When it’s just one word against somebody else’s that can be tricky,” says Dianne Urban, an attorney with student legal services at Kansas State University. “You’ll have to back your case up with evidence. If police have ever been called, then that would come in handy. I think it’s very important that people call the police if they feel threatened,” she says.

“A lot of students come in with a lot of baggage today. There’s emotional issues, family issues, psychological issues. The problems can get pretty intense.” JAMES ROBSON, Rutgers University assistant director of residence life

Roommates who are kicked out via the courts may still be held to the terms of the lease they signed, but that doesn’t mean the offending party is actually going to pay rent. This situation can leave a struggling undergrad high and dry.

“I don’t know exactly how it would work out in court, but the remaining roommate, if they can’t come up with rent, the landlord could evict them. It’s not very likely, it might be more likely that it would end up in small claims court,” says Urban.

Most students aren’t going to show up on the first day of school and find a new best friend as their college roomie, and most won’t ever end up on the wrong end of a flying fist. In order to stay in the majority, Robson suggests students consider a couple of things. “Communication is the key. Everyone comes in with assumptions about what college is like. They assume the other person is going to have the same needs that they have, but that’s not the case. You don’t have to like each other, just respect each other.”

If you stop to think about your collegiate glory days, you’re bound to remember the people and places that helped make them memorable. And although staying in touch with fellow classmates post-graduation is tough, the Internet is one way to help you stay close.

One of the online tools that will give you that connection is your school’s alumni Web site, a concept that is constantly evolving. Right now the basic things most alumni association sites offer to former students are a newsletter, contact information for national chapters and university news. This includes databases for phone numbers, and home and email addresses of the school’s graduates.

Just in the last couple of years, the Internet has drastically changed alumni Web sites, turning them from ordinary to interactive. Now most provide chat rooms and discussion forums where alumni can hook up and talk about everything from local gossip to politics.

Princeton University’s Alumni Council has given its site a cyber-overhaul with the addition of Web cams and online courses. Grads can watch and listen to university professors teach economy, English literature and foreign languages whenever they want. The cyber class is fully equipped with photos, maps and charts, and it’s free of charge to Princeton alumni.

Web cams on campus provide a post-graduation look at school reunions and parades for alumni, via a live broadcast. “It (the Web site) gives alumni the chance to see what’s happening from wherever they are. Most of our Web site… It’s really just to inform them and help them stay connected to this community,” says Adrienne Rubin, associate director for the alumni council’s class and regional affairs. She is also a 1988 Princeton graduate.

In the year 2000, the university hopes to start chat rooms and set up a content portal for students and alumni to use as their start page.

The University of Texas’ alumni organization called the Ex-Students’ Association is taking its site one step further and helping graduates find jobs. This spring the site is launching “orange pages,” a directory of names and phone numbers of companies that alumni are employed with. The site will also have a link directly to the company’s Web site.

“Mainly it promotes the businesses that alumni are involved in. Hopefully it will facilitate networking and supporting alumni,” says Jim Boon, executive director of the alumni association.

UT has an e-commerce portal called zlonghorn.com that current and former students are using as their start page. The site has university, national and international news, stock quotes, search engines and shopping links. The entire page can be customized according to what a person wants to see and read.

John Valva, the director of marketing and membership at the California Alumni Association for Berkeley says these types of portals are the hottest things out there. In an e-commerce portal, a shopping Web site (like Amazon.com) has an agreement with a university’s alumni association to give a percentage of its profits back to the association.

Since e-commerce sites have only recently drummed up interest in Web users, only a handful of universities have them. Valva says that number sits at about three dozen as of December 1999.

Berkeley’s alumni association already has an e-commerce portal and has plans to add a content portal in 2000. But unlike UT’s, which is a profit-driven combination of an e-commerce site and a customized content portal, Berkeley will keep “global mall” (e-commerce portal) separate. “I don’t want the content to be driven by sales. It should be driven by real objective content,” he says.

The parts of Berkeley’s alumni Web site that see the most traffic by graduates are a search engine of national newspapers, a page of trivia tests and a link to the university’s homepage.

A student picks up the campus paper expecting to see ads - maybe a pitch for a local bar, or tickets to a show. But not this: “We know that placing your baby for adoption is the hardest decision you will ever make, but it’s one made out of love. Please fulfill our dream of loving a baby. Legal, medical and allowable living expenses paid.”

The ads are out there, on Web sites serving students, in major dailies circulated in college towns - even in campus newspapers. “Actually we do run adoption ads,” says Kathy Welsh. She’s the advertising manager with State Press at Arizona State University. “We’re familiar with those.”

“When I went to go to the junior college, sometimes couples would put up posters right on campus. Call us, call us.” ALICIA GRIFFITH, birth mother

But students aren’t, which is why they’re drawn to them. “I would read it, definitely,” says curious Boston College psychology junior Gracie Taylor. “[But] I don’t know how comfortable I’d feel reading it.”

“Oh, gosh, I would be a little surprised,” parrots classmate Caroline Sekula, “because that’s not something you see in the paper every day.”

Couples hoping to adopt are so driven to find their new family that they are willing to put something so personal in print. But why target the college coed? “We were advised to advertise in top college markets,” concedes Robin Gorman Newman. She and her husband called adoption attorneys after other avenues brought them heartbreak, but no baby. “It’s just the consensus that the college market was a good place to look.”

Advertising in college newspapers has proven successful for some. “It’s the only technique we use,” says adoption attorney Debbie Procaccio. “It’s practically the only way to go if you want to find a baby in the states.”

But not everyone involved in the adoption process agrees. “It’s been my experience that most birth moms that I work with are not in college,” says attorney Mark Whidelock, who runs an agency in Bakersfield, California and TheStork.com. “Usually they’re between the ages of 18 and 28 and their educational level is high school at best. I wouldn’t advertise in various college newspapers.”

Alicia Griffith fit that profile. “I was 18 when I found out I was pregnant,” admits Griffith, who made adoption plans for her son. “I consulted with my pastor, my pastor then sent me to a doctor, my doctor referred me to [an adoption attorney],” she remembers.

“I went in and consulted with him and started going through the albums.” Griffith had pretty much decided on adoption already, but not on how to find a loving parent. “When I went to go to the junior college, sometimes couples would put up posters right on campus. Call us, call us.” Plus, there were yellow pages ads, public agencies and more.

In the end, she went through the adoption attorney for the simplest reason of all - it just felt right. “They gave me a lot of paperwork, which was kind of intimidating because there was so much paperwork, but it kind of gave me a good feeling because I knew the parents would have to go through a lot, too.”

Pursuing adoption is a difficult decision for all involved, followed by an even more daunting process. “It’s overwhelming. I was really kind of stunned. And you certainly come to this with no experience,” laments Gorman Newman. “It’s a very proactive search on the part of the parents. I mean it’s almost like looking for a job. The prospective parents have to play as big a role as possible.”

One of the most important tools used by couples looking to adopt is something college students know, or will know, all too well - a resume. Most will present them to the birth mother in order to give her a sense of who will be raising her child.

“It’s really like a mini-autobiography,” says Gorman Newman. “One lawyer advised us to go to Kinko’s and they want a fancy cover so it looks appealing. You have to think of what to write, how to position yourself and it’s personal, highly personal. The part that’s hard to fathom is you’re out there marketing yourselves,” she says.

It’s a tough process all around. One problem facing adoptive parents is that there just aren’t enough American babies — especially white babies — for every parent who wants to adopt. A study by the National Center for Health Statistics shows only about one in four parents who start the adoption process actually end up with a child in their lives. The numbers speak for themselves. There are just over 100,000 domestic adoptions a year — meaning American born children, and a little more than 10,000 foreign-born children are adopted. That’s a small number considering about half a million parents think about adoption each year.

“If a student becomes pregnant while on campus, confidential help is available through the office of student affairs — through the campus ministry.” FATHER WARNER, Notre Dame University

Because of that stiff competition or lack of adoptable babies, most parents feel the need to make a sales pitch. “We sent out over 600 letters and picture [sets, showing my husband and I], to pregnancy clinics and doctors from a list they give out,” says Candy Beard, as her two adopted kids vie for attention. “We had gone to all of our families and friends and anyone who would listen that we were looking to adopt.”

“I went through the albums, and they showed everything, history, work,” says Griffith, who made adoption plans for her son five years ago. She says during her pregnancy, she got lots of legal help.

In fact, about a third of all American adoptions are handled through a private law office or agency. “We got a letter through his office of different birth mothers and we had already done a resume and letter and photo album,” recalls Beard. “We gave him the letter, resume and photo album and within that week we had three different interviews. From the time we walked into that office it was 65 days until our daughter was born.”

The result is wonderful for adoptive parents, but the process comes with a price, and not just an emotional one. In most cases, prospective birth parents have to cover the cost of the adoption. “I’d say the average adoption probably runs between $10,000 and $15,000,” admits Mark Whidelock, the lawyer who helped the Beards. “My role in most of my adoptions is to help my clients meet a birth mom and then take care of the legal side so they can concentrate on the adoption process.”

“We don’t feel that money is the only issue that should drive who adopts a child,” chimes MaryAnn McCarskey. She is the associate director of Angel Guardian, a legendary foster and adoption home in New York for more than 100 years. “We have found there are many wonderful families that would never have been able to afford large fees.”

Private homes like Angel Guardian and public agencies like county offices split the remaining two-thirds of adoptions that don’t go through private attorneys. Although there are always legal issues with adoption, and each state has its own adoption laws, the homes and public offices don’t charge legal fees — by far the biggest portion of the $10,000 to $15,000 cost.

While the legalities and cost may be the biggest obstacles facing the potential parents, a pregnant college student’s number one need is getting through this ordeal in one emotional piece. Some schools have programs or policies in place to help them deal with that.

“Certainly among the many, many issues that we deal with here, students finding themselves in a situation that they are unexpectedly pregnant, that is one issue,” admits Dr. Mandy Bratton, with student counseling at Arizona State. “They find counseling and therapy. …Either on campus or off campus, we offer whatever guidance they would need.”

“If a student becomes pregnant while on campus, confidential help is available through the office of student affairs — through the campus ministry,” shares Father Warner with Notre Dame University. “In addition, we refer people to other aid here in South Bend [Indiana].”

Still, it’s never an easy decision. “If I had an unplanned pregnancy would I consider adoption? No. No,” emphasizes Taylor, from Boston College. Sekula, also from BC says, “If I didn’t drop out of school and raise it with the help of my mom, I would give it up for adoption.”

Even with a lot of help, a young woman with an unplanned pregnancy might still feel alone. “That was a little tense,” understates Griffith. Also, once the baby is with its new parents, the birth mother could also feel a sense of shame or guilt. To that, Beard says, “It’s nothing for her to be ashamed of or worried about. It’s just life. Basically both my kids are very proud of what their birth parents did.”

Gorman Newman agrees. “I have the utmost respect for any woman who gives up a child. That’s got to be at least as difficult as any [choice by an] adoptive mother. It’s a very hard decision, I’m sure.”

Steve Hassan is an intelligent and successful author. He was also a cult member for more than two years after being recruited on his college campus. In his 40s now, he uses his writing to warn others about the lure of cults.

“I had just broken up with a girl and I was feeling kind of down. I was going to Queens College when I was approached by three attractive young women at the cafeteria,” relates Hassan. “They started talking to me and were very nice but it turns out they were a front group for the Moonies.”

Regarded by many as a cult, the Moonies follow their charismatic leader reverend Sun Myung Moon, who leads his Unification Church. Moon claims that when he was 16 and living in Korea, he saw Christ who sacredly charged him to complete God’s unfinished mission on earth. The Moonies are probably best known for their mass marriages where many followers wed assigned partners whom they are meeting for the very first time.

“They lied a lot, which is a major thing readers should know. No one joins a cult — they get recruited. The major difference between legitimate organizations and cults are the legitimate ones are upfront, they don’t have to lie and deceive to get new members,” insists Hassan.

Right now, according to the American Family Foundation (AFF), a non-profit group that studies psychological manipulation and cultic groups, there are approximately 1,000 cults worldwide. And some of them are said to be setting up shop on college campuses — a prime recruiting ground, say cult experts.

In an effort to find out if a cult problem exists on college campuses today, we asked our readers. In this latest Poll, 40 percent of respondents say there are cults that are active on their college campuses. Seventeen percent of respondents claim to, at one time or another, have been a member of a cult on campus. And of that 17 percent, nearly a quarter of them say they felt pressured into joining, while 35 percent say they thought the group used mind games to control them.

Jeanette Simpson, a sophomore at Texas A&M University says she’s never really noticed any cults at her school and she thinks she knows why. “We are a conservative campus and it’s a real tight knit community. We’re all Aggies first before anything else. I think a lot of people don’t feel the need to belong to another group.”

Do you know of any cults that are active on your college campus? Have you ever been a member? If so, were you pressured into joining? Did you feel like they used mind games to control you?

Kristin Kyriakos, a sophomore at the University of Maryland, says some groups have approached her on the College Park campus. “I’ve had people come up to me and ask me if I wanted to join Christian worship groups but I didn’t think they were cults or anything,” she says. “Usually [people] will come up with bibles in their hands and ask if you have worshipped Christ lately or something like that.” Kyriakos does admit that these invitations made her a bit uncomfortable, but after a quick ‘no thank you’ she says she was usually left alone.

In 1999, Maryland became embroiled in a cult controversy as the state appointed a task force to study the effects of cult activities on public senior higher education institutions. The task force was started after the parents of a University of Maryland student complained.

Les and Nora Baker say their daughter was the victim of a cult recruiter on campus. What made things worse, according to the Bakers, was the recruiter was the girl’s resident advisor whom she had approached for advice. The dispensed wisdom came complete with an invitation to join his religion, the International Churches of Christ (ICOC), a Christian sect that believes baptism in their church is a way of becoming one of Christ’s disciples. The group has thousands of followers, an international presence - and has also been referred to as a cult.

“I think that absolutely we don’t define ourselves as a cult. Basically people label something a cult, religious or otherwise, when it’s something they don’t understand or agree with,” says Al Baird, an ICOC elder and spokesman.

The Bakers disagree. They claim that after their daughter’s recruitment into the ICOC, her GPA went from a 3.3 to a 2.0, she gave all of her $2,322 in savings to the group and she was ready to leave for Iran to serve as a missionary for her newfound religion.

The task force heard testimony from the Bakers, minority religious members, scholars, cult experts and lawyers. At the end of the investigation, it listed among its findings of fact: “The extent of group activities causing harm is statistically very small. …However, when interaction with a group causes harm to a student, that harm can be very severe.” They also said the cult problem is enormous and extremely complex on college campuses.

William Stuart, an anthropology professor at the University of Maryland says he sees the Maryland task force probe as more of a witch-hunt. “Cults are as American as apple pie,” says Stuart, who insists the word “cult” is rife with negative connotations. What some refer to as “cults,” he calls new religious groups or minority religions, which he says are more accurately examples of religious freedom than extremist religious groups.

Dean Robert Thornberg, a religious advisor at Boston University, says, “I refer to it as a destructive religious practice.” And that’s just how the school refers to the ICOC. “They’ve been banned [on campus] since 1989 and a whole bunch of other colleges use our model,” says Thornberg. In fact, according to the AFF, some 40 other colleges have followed suit, kicking the ICOC off school grounds.

“Those estimates are ridiculous,” proclaims ICOC elder, Baird. “By and large the universities that we’ve had problems at are private. You don’t have first amendment rights at private schools.”

Boston U says it kicked the group to the curb because it was using high pressure recruiting tactics with its students. Some involved going door to door in the dorms telling students to attend “mandatory” ICOC meetings. This dorm proselytizing, according to Thornberg, violated school rules since students are protected from solicitation of any kind in the dorms.

Infamous Cult Incidents: 1978: The Jonestown Massacre. Led by Jim Jones, 913 members of the People’s Temple committed mass suicide by drinking cyanide-poisoned punch in Guyana, South America. Those who refused to commit suicide were shot. 1993: Seige at Waco. Self-proclaimed messiah, David Koresh along with more than 80 Branch Davidian cult members died when their compound in Waco, Texas went up in flames following a tear gas attack by the U.S. government. This followed a 51-day standoff with ATF and FBI agents. 1997: Heaven’s Gate Suicide. Members of this cult — 39 in all, including leaders Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Lu Trousdale Nettles, took their own lives with a mix of sedatives and vodka at the cult’s headquarters just north of San Diego. Once dead, they believed their souls would be transported to a UFO waiting behind the Hale-Bopp comet, which would take them to the “next level” of existence in outer space. 2000: Ugandan Cult Massacre. Hundreds of cult members of The Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments were either burned to death, strangled or fatally stabbed inside a locked church last March. Police are investigating this as a mass murder. The three most prominent leaders, Joseph Kibwetere, Credonia Mwerinde and Dominic Kataribabo disappeared with the group’s cash and possessions. So far 924 bodies have been found.

Asked whether the church uses aggressive recruiting tactics, Baird says, “That’s true. We believe in sharing the faith. It’s not impolite or in your face, but our people believe in Jesus enough that it has changed their life and they want to share that.” He adds, “We don’t sell flowers in the airport or anything.”

The breaking of the dorm proselytizing rule was a key element in getting the church banned at BU, but there were other troubling facts concerning students’ involvement with the group.

Thornberg says, “We figure in 1989, at the high point here, 40 students dropped out entirely to follow them. Two guys were second year medical school students. They dropped out after four years of college and two years of med school to go off to be evangelists in the Far East.” He continues, “An awful lot of kids were swept up by them and the results were almost always a disaster. I know a person who’s been out for six or seven years now and they’re just feeling a sense of freedom.”

Margaret Singer, a clinical psychologist and an expert on cults and coercion, says one characteristic of cults is the groups often rob a member of their freedom in many different ways. “A cult is started by a self proclaimed person. He or she has special secret knowledge that they will share with followers if they drop everything and come with them.”

To that Baird says that any group that is different will always be the target of accusations. “It started with Jesus. He was called a lot worse than a cult leader. The church in the first century was called a cult. And I don’t think that Jesus was a cult leader and I don’t think that the first century church was a cult.”

Singer points out the difference in today’s so-called cults. “There is a modern day double set of ethics. It’s okay to lie and deceive outsiders, but total honesty is demanded amongst members. There are totalistic rules for everything and the rule is totalitarian.” Singer says this means today’s cults expect your undivided attention and time.

“When one joins, you join up with the notion of working closely with two or three others,” says Stuart, who believes Singer’s point of view is distorted. “It’s not just a ‘come on Sunday and forget the rest of the week’ proposition. They expect you to be very involved and they’re very expectful of time and resources,” he says.

Money is another demand Singer says a cult may make of a student. She says most cult leaders are driven by greed and use their group as a means to a follower’s cash, assets and belongings. To do this, she says, most cults will use mind control.