Possible changes in U.S. Postal Service rates and services, resulting from a planned restructuring, are discussed. College administrators are encouraged to review mail class use, available discounts, and even the design and quantity of materials mailed out. (MSE)

Before colleges and universities can take advantage of the full potential of information technology (IT) to improve administration, they must be able to measure its value and justify adoption. A "return on management" methodology links IT, managerial, and organizational performance to assess management value added, thus relative productivity, of…

Active asset management has not been consistent or cost-effective for college and university endowment funds. Indexing offers higher returns than median active management, provides more investment stability, is available to small institutional endowments across a broad spectrum of investment asset classes, and at lower cost than active management.…

Fifty alumni association administrators offer tips on how they save money or make their programs more cost effective in a variety of administrative areas including event programing, staffing, postal services, support of chapters, looking for new sources of revenue, fees for services, publications, planning ahead, and sharing resources. (MSE)

Statistical modeling provides a method for colleges to use alumni-development information to create an equation predicting who is likely to respond positively to fund-raising appeals. This can make fund raising more cost-effective, provide higher returns on minimal investment, provide results quickly, and improve competitiveness. Resources…

Contract food management can contain food costs and, with the contractor's team of food service professionals, provide creative programs that teach nutrition and add interest to school meals. (MLF)

In response to concerns about the cost of keeping up with individual desktop computing technology, several new solutions have emerged. Referred to as "thin clients," or network-centric computers, they include two types of desktop device: the network computer and the Windows terminal. Purchase cost, life span, support costs, and overall total cost…

The Peoria Public Schools' medical self-insurance program has cut administrative overhead in half. Details of the program are examined. (MLF)

Emory University (Georgia) has advanced its fundraising by leveraging a $2 million challenge from the Coca-Cola Foundation. The school publicized the challenge, made the case for an added incentive to give, and integrated advancement functions to get greater results. Challenge grants can come from industry, foundations, and alumni; and careful…

Research, planning, and control are essential to the development of a high-quality, cost-effective publications program. Equally important to community colleges are flexible programs that reflect the responsiveness of the institution to community needs. Ways to implement such programs are outlined. (MSE)

A study found that formal federally mandated equipment screening requirements are negligible in meeting their stated objectives of preventing purchase of unnecessary/duplicative equipment. Savings resulting from purchases not made represented under 0.008 percent of all federal dollars used to purchase equipment, with $10.35 spent for every dollar…

A discussion of Boston College's system allowing students to display and print their campus records at automated teller machines (ATMs) around the institution looks at the system's evolution, current operations, human factors affecting system design and operation, shared responsibility, campus acceptance, future enhancements, and cost…

Arguments for and against formal alumni chapters are outlined. Pros include increased membership, better leadership, and strengthened development potential; cost effectiveness is possible. Cons include direct and indirect costs; informal alumni structures are seen as equally effective. (MSE)

Electronic methods of transacting and managing business represent the future of college and university services. With proper planning, an all-campus card program offers many benefits and full cost recovery. The extensive Duke University (North Carolina) smart-card program illustrates the flexibility, utility, and cost-effectiveness of the concept.…

Increasingly, budget pressures and rapid technological change are causing colleges to consider "outsourcing" for computer operations management, particularly for administrative purposes. Supporters see the trend as similar to hiring experts for other, ancillary services. Critics fear loss of control of the institution's vital computer systems.…