Properly designed and properly evaluated, entrepreneurial activities can have many kinds of positive financial and non-financial results for an alumni program. A service or product line that alumni can not get from any other source can benefit the budget and both internal and external goodwill. (MSE)

Flexible budgeting can help coordinate and harmonize scarce financial resources in adult education. Budgets can be used as quantitative tools to manage instructional salaries, facilities, supplies, or other program support. (SK)

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.…

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 Australia's National Professional Development Program for teachers, key processes are evaluation, quality, benchmarking, and cost-benefit analysis. Educators in South Australia (SA) are attempting to differentiate between quality assurance in project management and in program evaluation. (SK)

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)

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)

This article proposes that providing an 800-number for prospective students who want additional information may be a cost-effective means for colleges and universities to enhance student recruitment efforts. The use of service bureaus that provide this service is discussed, and administrative considerations are explored. (MSE)

Marilyn Rauth asserts that the public schools are well equipped to provide universally accessible early childhood education. Sandra Hofferth argues that, while federally-funded preschool programs do help certain children, their provision to all through the public schools would be too expensive and too bureaucratic. (SJL)

This article argues that while small colleges appear to be poorly positioned to be technology leaders, they have opportunities to distinguish themselves through focused applications of information technology resources in support of their missions. Costs, risks, and benefits of taking a leadership role in technology are discussed. (Author/MSE)

Volunteer fund raisers for colleges bring enthusiasm, perspective, motivation, and influence to the task of soliciting gifts. They stretch staff time, fill out the fund-raising team, and cost little. Careful definition of responsibilities, recruitment, training, and monitoring and rewards for good work are essential to getting the best results.…

Many young mothers who are the sole support of young children work at low-level, low-paying jobs primarily to have the satisfaction of providing for the growth of their children. A job that directly provides child care is exactly what many working mothers are looking for. Employers should realize that provision of child care as a fringe benefit is…

These Congressional hearings contain testimony given in Nashville, Tennessee, concerning the administration, execution, and effectiveness of four rehabilitation, education, and training programs relating to veterans and their dependents that are administered by the Veteran's Administration. Programs reviewed are Vocational Rehabilitation; the G.I.…

Ways to improve college student loans, work-study, and grants programs are suggested, based on the experience of the financial aid director at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is recommended that emphasis be shifted from the Guaranteed Student Loan (GSL) Program to the National Direct Student Loan (NDSL) Program, which is more…

The use of quantitative approaches to the management of higher education and implications for legislative concerns are considered. Among the new developments and practices that illustrate the use of quantitative approaches to management are the following: basic structures for categorizing programs and activities for reporting and analysis;…