In this article, the author illustrates how three campuses have, in their own way, attempted to bring coherence to the student experience and enrich that experience by more closely matching what was promised to what each student actually experiences while enrolled. Fulfilling students' expectations that were purposefully articulated in the mission…

In ten years, Alaska Pacific University has moved from a totally decentralized administration of its adult online program to a very centralized structure. Drastic changes in funding sources and student needs have compelled the university to take new approaches. As the learning landscape continues to shift for adults, online learners, and Alaska…

Colleges survive sometimes because they are able to merge with another institution (a for-profit company, another private college, a state university). The change at the College of Charleston was shaped in the 1970s, when the college did not "merge" with a state institution--it "became" a state institution, which grew.. and…

In most states, declining state appropriations have forced public colleges and universities to raise tuition at an unprecedented rate. Colleges and universities are expected to become more accountable, improve institutional effectiveness and efficiency, and report progress in measurable terms. Amid these pressures, institutions are challenged to…

Small colleges can be effective in consortial arrangements because they are more independent and often less fiercely competitive than larger institutions, making better personal relations possible. The Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley in northern New York, with four member institutions, has expanded student opportunities, shared…

A consortium of 12 small, private liberal arts colleges in the Great Lakes region has shown that by working together, the institutions can provide major opportunities for faculty professional development through conferences and workshops. (MSE)

Bryn Mawr College is developing a data gathering workbook to aid small institutions in the analysis of financial options. Growth-rate balance and data gathering and analysis workbooks are described along with four problem areas: growth-rate imbalance, asset depletion, control indicators, and quality shifts. (MLW)

Center College of Kentucky's "central myth," or self-understanding, articulated strategically, became the basis for planning and decisions responsible for significant institutional achievement. (MLW)

Strategic planning can successfully counter crises threatening a college's survival by clarifying the mission, by shaping institutional reorganization and curriculum development and by focusing marketing efforts and attracting new support. Crisis background, financial exigency, and reorganizing strategically are discussed. (MLW)

It is the president's job to point out, remind, persuade, suggest new ideas, and identify places where improvement is needed or the operation is not yet satisfactory. Knowing when to accept the presidency, what to do while there, and when to leave are important job aspects. (MSE)

Bradford College's experience with curriculum and administrative development in a period of extreme adversity is an example of how a new concept of mission can invigorate an institution while a survival mentality can weaken it. (MSE)

A case study of financial turnaround at the highly specialized New England Conservatory of Music describes five strategies to balance costs and resources within the framework of the school's objectives. Areas of cost minimizing and revenue maximizing are outlined and discussed. (MSE)

A 5-year effort to project a new and more realistic public image and to bring about improvements in student recruiting and fund-raising for a small, private, liberal arts women's college is described. The changes included offering bachelor's degrees for the first time and building pride and support among alumnae. (MSE)

By the fall of l973 Bellarmine College's enrollments had declined 35 percent and the college saw its problems primarily as inadequacy in salesmanship. Now, Bellarmine is described as a market-oriented institution striving to assess the educational needs of its community without changing its commitment to the liberal arts. (Author/MLW)

An overview of the innovative curriculum and program design of Hampshire College (Massachusetts), a liberal arts college opened in 1970, looks at its educational philosophy, nontraditional curriculum structure, underlying economic assumptions, recordkeeping, administrative organization, employment policy, governance, and student life. (MSE)