In the context of threats to their financial sustainability, this paper uses Resource Dependency Theory to explore the challenges being faced by a sample of 10 small new public universities in England. It discusses the responses being taken and prospects for the future in this segment of the sector. It concludes that some of the most important…

Enrollment and retention in higher education can be challenging under normal circumstances, but combined with a global pandemic and changes in the overall prospective student landscape, institutions will need to look at strategies to help navigate these uncertain times. This article outlines how a college navigated these challenges within the…

In autumn, most colleges' football fields are covered with a thick carpet of grass or artificial turf and are adorned with yard lines. But the football field at Paul Quinn College was carved up by plowing and planting. This past fall, portions of the college's gridiron were covered with sweet potatoes, watermelons, peppers, rosemary, and sugar…

Many small institutions face difficulties, and the person who bears the brunt of dealing with those challenges is the college president. While each situation is unique, presidents can learn from the experiences of others, and at the very least, commiserate with each other regarding the challenges they face, especially when their institutions are…

This article describes a qualitative study that involved two small private universities, examining their process of transformation from institutions headed toward closure to institutions that underwent a successful turnaround. The primary questions that guided the study included the issues and circumstances that led to the need for a turnaround,…

Small universities deal with two primary issues when beginning to use the Professional Development School model: Adequate Funding and Faculty Support. Possible solutions are discussed, including ways to provide adequate funding through grants, enrichment/tutoring programs, reallocation of existing funds, and university priority money, as well as…

When scientists at small colleges and universities seek research grants, they often run into challenges not faced by their colleagues at major institutions. It is, nonetheless, possible to maintain a research program at a small institution, says the writer, if people have a great deal of passion and a little ingenuity. Issues to consider at…

Presents management models showing the evolution of public expectancy as reflected in legislated policy: the petty cash model, the public utility model, and the business model. Discusses the John A. Walker Community Center at Wilkes Community College (North Carolina) as an example of the integrated planning/resource development (i.e., business)…

A synthesis of critical advancement concerns is presented: leadership-based advancement; clarity of purpose; marketing to advance; selling the small college; comprehensive financial development; the advancement process; and using consultants wisely. Sources for additional information are provided. (MLW)

Offers advice to administrators and faculty in small colleges on planning, building, and managing campus computer networks. Also included are observations about the network as a strategic asset, funding and staffing issues, and planning for unexpected results. (Author/MSE)

Essential requisites for managing institutions in a retrenchment economy include: a clear-cut institutional mission, effective student recruiting, adequate self-knowledge, and competent and dynamic leadership. Practical implications of these conditions for administrators and institutional researchers are discussed. (Author/SF)

Presents the views of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges' Task Force on Rural Community Colleges in the areas of equal opportunity for the small, rural college, financing, accreditation, federal and state constraints, and the lack of literature and research relating to rural community colleges. A bibliography is included.…

Cites recent ERIC documents dealing with community services, covering financing, history, and mission; enrollments; a community college small business center; community needs assessment; and artistic and cultural programs in a small/rural community college. (DMM)

Examines national survey results on consideration given to rural colleges in state funding formulas. Reports on various modes of recognition for small size and rural environments. Gives synopsis of funding formulas for 50 states. Concludes that most states do not meet fiscal responsibility for low-cost, two-year postsecondary, rural education.…

There are many excellent scientists in the natural and human sciences in Canada's small universities. If the institutions implement internal procedures to encourage and foster a research climate and if research councils consider alternative strategies for research funding, research productivity could expand greatly in quality and scope. (MSE)