A system for the statewide coordination of higher education that emphasizes centralized accountability and decentralized management should ensure that the concept of institutional autonomy is preserved. (Editor/PG)

A regional survey of 141 higher education institutional research offices investigated the following aspects of program administration: research and analysis staff size; educational preparation and experience; location in the organizational hierarchy; functions and tasks; and role in assessment. Four different types of offices are described.…

Essex Community College (Maryland) has used issue-oriented planning to maintain flexibility and adaptability while responding to environmental changes. Issues addressed by centralized and structured processes include management information systems, budget development, and external resource development. Issues addressed by decentralized processes…

Major current issues in student financial aid include the articulation of program purposes, the allocation of aid resources, and the structure of delivery mechanisms. The resolution of these issues can dramatically affect institutions of postsecondary education, from their fiscal viability to the nature of their student body. (Author/JMD)

Student financial aid programs currently play a key role in general governmental support for postsecondary education, and this role is likely to increase in the future. The potential future impact of financial aid on institutions is discussed, with a consideration of program admnistration and alternative delivery mechanisms. (Author/JMD)

The methods and considerations in determining computer needs of both academic and administrative computer users in higher education institutions are discussed. It is suggested that computer power in the future may require local distributed interactive computing networks and/or remote job entry to a large off-campus computer. (SF)

A conceptual framework is offered for understanding the role of program review in college, particularly a community college. Such a framework should account for the following institutional factors: purpose of the review, stakeholder involvement, leadership support for review, organizational communication, degree of organizational centralization,…