Online program managers (OPMs) are third-party companies that work with colleges and universities to develop, launch, and deliver online learning. The prevalence of OPMs, however, has important implications for higher education program quality and transparency. In the final piece of our four-part series, higher education scholars establish a…

Based on a review of 48 online program manager (OPM) contracts and 44 chief online learning officer (COLO) interviews, this policy brief highlights potentially problematic contract provisions between colleges and OPMs, raising concerns about their effects on federal compliance, students' learning, and openness about government contracting.…

White-label programs in higher education, designed and supported by online program management (OPM) firms, pose unique challenges to current policy. In part this is because OPM firms and services are either exempt from policy or fall into a gray area that policy has not yet considered. Policymakers, however, do not need to develop entirely new…

This report seeks official endorsement from Universities UK and GuildHE for the Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) to be adopted sector-wide for students entering higher education in academic year 2012-13. Following extensive trialling and detailed consideration, the report clearly outlines the HEAR and the additional information it…

WICHE (the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education) is a regional, nonprofit organization. WICHE and its 15 member states work to improve access to higher education and ensure student success. Its student exchange programs, regional initiatives, and its research and policy work allow it to assist constituents throughout the West and…

The current status of computer use in student admissions and records functions in colleges and universities is briefly reviewed, and the changes occurring in Brigham Young University's admissions office functions during the 13 years of computer applications are outlined. (MSE)

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…

The major goal of a program was to improve the use of microcomputers in the management of New York State's adult basic education programs. Subgoals were optimizing the use of available microcomputer facilities, aiding the largest number of programs permitted by project funds, serving the particular needs of individual programs, and maximizing the…

Discusses several administrative tactics which have contributed to the success of the Skill Center at Kent State University's Trumbull Campus, including exhaustive record-keeping; an adequate budget; high academic and personal standards for student tutors; an informal, non-threatening environment; and the utilization of teaching faculty in…

Describes a computer-assisted testing system which produces multiple-choice examinations for a college course in business administration. The system uses SPIRES (Stanford Public Information REtrieval System) to manage a database of questions and related data, mark-sense cards for machine grading tests, and ACL (6) (Audit Command Language) to…

Describes a computerized information system for student records used in the Masters of Business Administration program at Texas A and M University. File design, processing procedures, and software programs are examined. (Author/JJD)

The adoption of an information systems implementation strategy that emphasized user involvement at the University of Alaska, the only public university in the state, is discussed. The university sought to provide an online Student Information System (SIS) that provided convenient procedures for registering, tracking, and grading students, as well…

Examines the impact of technology on postsecondary education stemming from data definitions and analytical conventions in (1) configuring new institutions and programs, (2) understanding new faculty roles and work patterns, (3) measuring and analyzing student participation, (4) assessing student progress and learning gains, and (5) analyzing…

Examines the use of instructional management, which incorporates college student records and registration and acknowledges their place as partners with faculty in managing curriculum delivery. Describes the evolution of this approach at Boston College (Massachusetts), including applications in degree auditing, distributed systems, room scheduling,…

The most obvious and difficult problem facing educators of migrant children is that of frequent interruptions in the child's education caused by his migration. Various solutions have been put forth over the past three decades; these have included providing mobile schools and staff, residential schools, uniform record transfers, interstate credit…