Over 35 years of retention theory and literature have acknowledged the importance of institutional and student profiles in accounting for cross-sectional differences in retention and completion rates between types of colleges and universities. The first "P" within a 4 Ps framework of student retention--"profile"--recognizes that an institution's…

Before a sound and cost-effective aid program can be developed in a community college, its importance must be understood by the college's administration. Steps to be taken and the aid officer's role in administering and promoting an effective program are outlined. (Author/MSE)

An action-inquiry strategy that colleges, universities, and state agencies can use to design and test new approaches to tuition and student aid is proposed. Several institutional aid policy case studies are examined from two perspectives: as a process of rethinking the theories underlying current policy, and from the viewpoint of communication…

Colleges can and should do much to improve the management of financial aid offices in a time of reduced funds. Exemplary programs provide a framework for improvement, consisting of two key elements: assessment of office management needs based on the overall campus structural development and good basic management procedures. (Author/MSE)

The analytic approach developed in management-science can play a significant role in improving university management. Areas of university management discussed include: admissions, tuition, financial aid, accounting, strategic planning, tenure, and organizational structure. (Author/MLW)

Financial aid is seen as a crucial source of revenue to institutions. Some ways of integrating financial aid into campus planning, budgeting, and marketing are proposed. A simple table is included that can give most chief executives the information that they need to analyze their own aid program. (Author/MLW)

The ways in which colleges and universities, acting through their institutional and professional associations, are agreeing on common ethical standards and defining improper activities are illustrated. The American Council on Education's Office on Self-Regulation has developed policy guidelines in an effort to stimulate self-regulating action.…

Counter to national trends at private colleges, Waldorf College (Iowa) found it could increase enrollment by reducing tuition and institution-based student aid. The context for implementing this policy, short- and long-term results of the decisions, lessons learned, and some more-recent initiatives are reviewed. (MSE)

An understanding of the impact of financial aid policies must be an integral part of institutional planning, since aid policies and availability will have a growing effect on student body composition. Current data are incomplete, but priorities implicit in policy will have to be reexamined in the early 1980s. (Author/MSE)

The decisions an institution makes about tuition and student aid constitute its pricing policy and locate its market position. An analytical device called the "aid eligibility frontier" is used to analyze the current pricing system; potential problems are discussed. (Author/MSE)

Methods of evaluating college and university student financial aid policies are examined in two case studies of institutions using different aid strategies: one that rewarded a few high-achieving students and one that emphasized student self-help. It is concluded that such research can be helpful to institutions in determining appropriate…

A study estimated effects of a $150 fee increase per semester, without aid package adjustments, on within-year persistence at a large urban university. Institutional enrollment projections were accomplished using price-response measures derived from earlier research. It was found that both undergraduate and graduate student enrollment were…

Provides basic information that a college or university chief financial officer (CFO) must know about enrollment management in order to understand how to work effectively with admissions and financial aid professionals to maximize tuition revenue and enroll the optimal class. Specific suggestions for CFO involvement are outlined. (Author/MSE)

An Indiana project to encourage participation in postsecondary education combined state policy making, funding and program support from public and private sources, and affiliated research activities at Indiana University. The interaction of these elements is examined, and it is concluded that communication, research, and student aid can be used to…

Possible further changes in federal funding and aid delivery systems could have highly divergent consequences for college enrollment patterns and management practices. Department of Education objectives and programs (SEOG, Pell grants, GSL programs, etc.) and change implications are discussed. (Author/MSE)