Leaders in higher education regularly find themselves at the intersection of change, torn between their institution's history and culture, the intrinsic value of education, market needs, and the desires of alumni, current, and prospective students. Higher education is often labeled reluctant to change, and many believe any change initiative not…

It is argued that to deal with conflict effectively in a college or university, it is necessary to be aware of the structural relationships and antecedent conditions that cause it, and to watch for early signs of trouble. Seven levels of conflict are identified and strategies for resolution are suggested. The importance of early intervention is…

Processes and technologies for efficient and effective decision making in colleges and universities are discussed, with emphasis placed on anticipatory rather than reactive decision making. An integrated institutional database is seen as an essential element for this system. (MSE)

The model presented describes, in terms of communications networks, a school of architecture working within a university and in contact with the world of practice. For use in solving pedagogical and administrative problems, the model is based on an interactive situation, feeding back from new knowledge to experience and back again. (JT)

By linking office systems technology with data processing operations within colleges, administrative support can be improved in the areas of: office records management, document creation and dissemination, management information, data processing, and office communications. Systems implementation efforts at Penn State are outlined. (Author/MLW)

An approach used at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Massachusetts) to explain the complexity of budget balancing to the institutional community is described. The model used facilitates the determination of necessary conditions for achieving budget equilibrium and suggests some approaches to restructuring expenses to ensure equilibrium. Four…

Four basic models of the organization of college and university communications offices are described: advancement, news bureau model, agency, and marketing models. Pros and cons of each are discussed, and the structure of this function at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) is presented as an ideal…

Leadership theories are reviewed, and ways that college administrators can approach leadership are suggested. After defining leadership and distinguishing it from administration and management, three different approaches to leadership are reviewed: the trait approach, the behavioral approach, and the situational approach. Some emerging views of…

Current concepts and realities of comprehensive planning act as a backdrop for a discussion of the types and sources of information required to support components of institutional planning processes. Information to support components of the planning process are outlined in relation to practical opportunities and to the intent, commitment, and…