Northeastern University is known for innovation in response to emerging social needs. We were one of the first universities in the nation to offer cooperative education, and, over the years, we have become the nation’s leader in this field. But change is afoot, and we can no longer take our preeminence for granted. In the past year, two major studies—the Dearing report in the United Kingdom and the Boyer Commission report in the United States—called for increasing work-related experiences for undergraduate students. Across the nation, nearly 1,500 colleges now offer some form of cooperative education, and many of our sister institutions claim that their new internship programs can accomplish in four years what we offer in five. Once again, it is time for Northeastern to lead.
During 1998–1999, the Northeastern community is undertaking a major effort to strengthen our academic programs. Our professional colleges are retooling to meet the demands of contemporary competition. Our College of Arts and Sciences is building new bridges to professional curricula. Above all, our faculties in cooperative education and in the colleges are working together to strengthen co-op, through stronger ties to the classroom and enriched on-the-job experiences. Northeastern intends to be the quality leader in practice-
oriented education.
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• SPRINGBOARD TO CAREERS

Fifty percent of Northeastern students are offered permanent jobs by their
co-op employers. Six months after graduation, 83 percent of the class of 1996 were employed in full-time positions, and 15 percent were furthering their careers through full- or part-time graduate study. (Northeastern University Office of Career Services, 1997 survey)
• APPLICABLE LIBERAL LEARNING

Co-op experience helps liberal arts students obtain professional, technical, managerial, and high-level sales positions in which they can put their literacy and numeracy skills to work. Social sciences and humanities graduates who work in these positions achieve lifetime earnings 30 to 50 percent higher than those who do not. (Exploring Majors: A Guide to the College Investment Decision, forthcoming)
• GOOD STARTING SALARIES

During the first year after graduation, students whose majors have strong career potential and who had co-ops related to their majors earn 11 percent more than their non–co-op counterparts.
(Center for Labor Market Studies, study of
ten large colleges and universities across the United States)
• BASIS FOR FURTHER STUDY

Arts and sciences study, combined with professional and co-op learning, engenders aptitudes for further inquiry and lifetime learning. Of 600 alumni responding to a 1997 survey, half reported holding advanced degrees. (Northeastern University survey of graduates living in New England)
• LEADING BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURS
Northeastern-educated entrepreneurs have created far more companies than graduates of Harvard or other locally or nationally known educational insti-tutions. (Edward B. Roberts, Entrepreneurs in High Technology: Lessons from MIT and Beyond, 1991)
• JUST PLAIN BETTER

Corporate recruiters report that Northeastern students are more mature, more job ready, and better informed about the world of work than their counterparts at other colleges and
universities. (Northeastern University
survey of on-campus recruiters, fall 1997)