A key step in distance learning project management is the creation of a course development plan. The plan should account for decisions related to materials, curriculum, delivery methods, staffing, technology applications, resources, reporting lines, and project management--issues that may require administrator involvement and support, particularly…

Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, comprises three primary units that each serve a distinct population: the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is a residential college for roughly 2,800 traditional-age undergraduates; the College of Adult and Professional Studies and Graduate School (CAPS/GS) serves roughly 2,200 adult learners at both the…

The process used by Eastern Washington University's business school in formulating and implementing a comprehensive five-year development plan is described. (MSE)

How to shed inefficient institutional weight by forecasting enrollments in various programs and arranging optimum teaching loads, following the lead of Brown University. (Editor)

Often necessary to meet enrollment goals in a competitive age, student recruitment from new sources requires a sound knowledge of marketing, solid research, effective organization, and institutional activities that will attract the desired populations. Experience at Westminster College (Utah) illustrates that the process is not particularly…

Computerized management information systems have long been used in business, and data integration and sophisticated programing now enable many businesses to decentralize their information operations. This approach has advantages and disadvantages that colleges and universities must weigh and plan for carefully. (MSE)

The Maryland Center for Quality and Productivity at the University of Maryland has developed a methodology that enables the management team of an organization to define its critical performance dimensions. A set of metrics is offered to help colleges and universities assess whether quality management is improving their performance. (DB)

A brief history of the concept of scientific crime prevention is outlined, and development of a college crime prevention program is discussed, including criteria for judging proposals that address a security threat; advantages and disadvantages of three prevention approaches (informational, mechanical, human); innovations; crime in the surrounding…

The evaluation and research unit of the Syracuse University Center for Instructional Development is described. The center provides information relative to courses, curricula, academic and nonacademic programs, academic and nonacademic administrative concerns, and institutional issues. The development of a new teaching assistant orientation program…

In this article, the author relates his experiences leading the building of the School of Engineering within the new University of California (UC) campus of UC Merced. He discusses the goals of the project, as well as the challenges it faced, and concludes with personal lessons for those tasked with similar positions within university building…

The potential roles of department heads, deans, and faculty development directors in guiding and monitoring the effective delivery of faculty incentives are outlined, and key factors in facilitating and inhibiting vitality and signs of increased vitality are listed. (MSE)

For faculty members to perform at the highest levels of excellence institutions must design and implement an array of appropriate incentives and support systems effective for different faculty needs and characteristics. Collegiate and corporate illustrations are provided. (Author/MSE)

The rationale and procedures are described for moving academic planning from "disjointed incrementalism" to a continuing, systematic, cyclical process involving six phases. They include: institutional assessment, goal clarification, data analysis and modeling, designing and testing change efforts, implementing the strategy, and program monitoring…

Energy cost-avoidance programs are seen as providing the unique opportunity to involve the entire campus in an effort that has an impact not only on the campus but also on broader national problems. Several aspects of the comprehensive energy management program at the University of Pennsylvania are discussed. (MLW)

The planning and implementation of a computerized management information system at a fictional small college is described. Nine key points are made regarding department involvement, centralization, gradual program implementation, lowering costs, system documentation, and upper-level administrative support. (MSE)