Measurement systems give colleges a structure for collecting, sharing, and acting on data. The guidebook and tools presented here help faculty, staff, college leadership, and policymakers understand and use measurement systems--and specifically use data to improve completion rates, close institutional performance gaps, and facilitate economic…

Continued competition for precious resources in higher education, along with the simultaneous increasing expectations of higher education by parents, students, and other stakeholders, has forced institution administrators to look for significant alternatives for funding. In conjunction with these pressures, the U.S. Congress is pressing colleges…

In challenging economic times, student affairs administrators need to employ creative tactics seeking fiscal resources for their efforts to support student learning and student services. The cost of higher education has increased as government support wanes. Transferring the cost to students and their families is often unworkable and can put…

Student affairs organizations must deal with the reality that if offering high-quality and innovative programs for students is a priority, then identifying and soliciting outside funding sources is essential. If the vice president for student affairs has decided to establish a development office in the division of student affairs in a large public…

This chapter examines the socioemotional experiences and characteristics of undocumented Latina and Latino college students. The authors look at how these students' socioemotional experiences compare to those of their undocumented peers in relation to their academic and mental health outcomes. In addition, they highlight how undocumented students…

"Building Institutional Capacity for Data-Informed Decision Making" is the third installment of the Cutting Edge series, which aims to help colleges engage faculty, scale successful interventions, and create a strong culture of evidence through use of data to strengthen their institutional change and student success efforts. Though the…

A method for checking college students' completion of program and graduation requirements by computer is outlined. The procedure operates by having degree programs defined in tables and is simple enough to be achieved by junior program staff without the need for programmers and analysts. (MSE)

How alumni can strengthen a government relations program is discussed. Any government relations program tries to communicate higher education's importance to the economic and social growth of both the state and the country. No group can be more effective than alumni in promoting higher education as a political priority. (MLW)

College support staff members often have an important, if sometimes unrecognized, impact on students' lives. Regardless of their job responsibilities, these individuals generally care deeply about the academic environment and the institution in general. When these individuals demonstrate to others how much they care, they are helping to build a…

In the spring of 2005, the author, the retiring president of EDUCAUSE, was asked to be the keynote speaker at the EDUCAUSE Western Regional Conference. The conference theme was "Winds of Change: Charting the Course for Technology in Challenging Times." What that brought to his mind was the era of the great sailing ships of the eighteenth and…

A practical guide and checklists for planning a conference concerning strategies for the advancement of women in higher education administration are presented. The guide is based on the planning of two conferences in Kentucky. Checklists are provided for each of the following 15 planning/implementation steps: determine the size and characteristics…

Steps that should be followed in choosing and implementing an administrative computer system are discussed. Three stages are involved: institutional assessment, system selection, and implementation. The first step is to define the current status of the data processing systems and the management information systems at the institutions. Future…

American higher education has traditionally refused to adopt modern management and planning techniques. However, now that colleges are facing a new era of declining enrollments, inflated costs, and shifting academic priorities, there is considerable self-reflection. This book details the nature and dimensions of education's dramatic reversal and…

Fall 2005 enrollment data show approximately 73,000 students under the age of 18 enrolled in California community colleges. Given that students under the age of 18 are legally considered minors, community college faculty and staff are often uncertain about their roles and responsibilities for these students. Laws governing the opportunities for…