Describes the assessment process of the University of Virginia's Office of Financial Aid under the Standards of Excellence Peer Review Program of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Discusses the rationale for the review, preparation for it, and the actual review visit and ensuing reports. Offers five recommendations…

The program review guide provides a framework and a source of reference for the monitoring staff of the New York State Education Department's Office for Education of Children with Handicapping Conditions. The manual simultaneously provides a means for school districts, the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, and other agencies to monitor…

A discussion of institutional and program evaluation in higher education focuses on the need for congruence between the purposes of the assessment and the procedures used to accomplish it. The factors relating to success in evaluation are examined, with special attention given to those that promote improvement. (Author/MSE)

The heightened interest in college program review is traced to a widespread interest in improving educational quality and the need to respond creatively to financial constraints and external expectations for accountability. Current program reviews have also been designed to aid in decision making about resource reallocation and program…

The proposed use of performance indicators for evaluating higher education institutions in a number of countries is critically analyzed, particularly regarding their use for institutional and program rankings and comparisons. A more developmental system retaining positive aspects of performance indicators and encouraging program improvement is…

The paper examines varieties of program assessment in institutions of higher education and proposes a procedure to implement systematic assessment of program outcomes. Presented in a question-and-answer format, the paper first addresses common faculty concerns about formal assessment in sections titled, "Why Not Use GPA (Grade Point Average)?" and…

The paper addresses issues concerned with increasing state interest in encouraging public institutions of higher education to demonstrate educational quality through outcomes assessment and reports on the development and implementation of Tennessee's program of performance funding. Emphasis is on guidelines contained within a 5-year performance…

This handbook is intended to serve as an on-campus companion and guide for Honors administrators by helping them to establish new practices or to strengthen established ones. This monograph provides assistance from both theoretical and practical perspectives by suggesting rationales for assessment and evaluation and offering practical ideas for…

Guidelines are provided for higher education institutions that are developing or evaluating academic review activities for their graduate programs. The guide presents the critical components of a graduate program review, focusing on the philosophy, principles, practices, and policies entailed, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of…

Aspects of the process of master planning, program evaluation, and accreditation self-study used at Portland Community College (PCC) are highlighted in this report. First, 38 master plan recommendations are presented, covering programs, curriculum, administration, personnel, facilities, and student services. The next section focuses on other…

The way that the participation of trustees in the processes of voluntary accreditation can help them in overseeing institutional autonomy and integrity is discussed, based on the work of a subcommittee of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. In addition, recommendations for board participation in institutional and…

The Michigan Analysis Network and General Evaluation Report (MANAGER) was developed as a component of the overall Michigan Community College Occupational Education Evaluation System (MCCOEES). Developed for use by college presidents and occupational program administrators and instructors, the handbook describes a six-step process for collecting,…

Institutional self-study is an appropriate method for determining quality and demonstrating accountability which can lead to academic and administrative excellence. With a trend toward state and federal government involvement in higher education, colleges will do well to conduct internal program assessments in order to maintain control. A…

First, the role of the association of universities in the Netherlands in external institutional evaluation is examined. Then, three basic tenets of program assessment are discussed: (1) university programs must be of academic quality; (2) program content must not be too compressed; and (3) programs should be challenging for students. (MSE)

This study builds upon prior research studies of academic drift and the diversity of higher education systems to examine how universities grow and to ask whether such growth produces greater or lesser diversity within higher education systems. The study uses data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System from 1988-89 through 1995-96…