In both purpose and practice, general education in American higher education has experienced several recurring debates and national revivals. In a world with constantly evolving technology, students need a strong general education to be flexible and adaptable to the changes of the world. General education is an important component and requirement…

The need for information services offers institutional researchers with experience in systems design, data management, and analysis an opportunity to study the key issue involved in providing this service to the campus administrative community. The case of the University of Kansas is described. (Author/MLW)

Five criteria for judging college or university performance indicators (PIs) used to guide strategic decision making are outlined. The criteria address: purpose; alignment of PIs throughout the organization or system; alignment of PIs across inputs, processes, and outcomes; capacity to accommodate a variety of evaluation methods; and utility in…

Given the limited resources available for planning, at times the choice must be made whether to concentrate analytical studies on internal functioning or on the external environment. Describes how the planning focus of the University of Massachusetts (Boston) responded to external conditions. (Author/MLF)

The office of institutional research can play a key role in creating a college's marketing plan. Designing survey instruments and evaluations to support new program development, employer-based education, and recruiting concepts are areas where institutional research can make important contributions (Author/MLW)

Review of literature concerning the use of program review in higher education lists sources discussing the review process, focusing on the links between program review and other institutional processes, and addressing application of program review principles and practices to different higher education settings. Critical factors for successful use…

Colleges and universities, it is suggested, can enhance their effectiveness by adopting a systems approach to organizing, planning, decision-making, and evaluating. A decentralized, participative model that emphasizes systematic planning and management by objectives is presented. (Author/MLW)

The concept of "futurism" in higher education program planning, self-study and goal setting is taking on increasing significance. Two research techniques for "futures forecasting" are discussed: the Delphi and the Scenario. These techniques have been used successfully in institutional self-study and program evaluation.…

Key elements of public relations that may apply to the university research environment and lead to greater financial support for research activities are outlined, and examples from the private sector are used to explore the relationships between public relations, organizational growth, and financial stability. Practical suggestions are offered for…

The types and number of faculty cases litigated and reported at state and federal levels for the 1982 calendar year are discussed. From categorical data summaries, suggested institutional research data bases and studies were formulated as advanced planning mechanisms. (Author/MLW)

The Higher Education Management Institute's (HEMI) management development and training program, designed to improve college and university performance by helping managers understand and carry out their responsibilities, is discussed. Management teams, program organization, identifying needs, action planning, management training, and program…

Franklin and Marshall College (Pennsylvania) has used institutional mission, strategic planning, lessons learned from previous experience, and sound general management principles to guide reallocation of resources during a period of financial constraint. The objective was repositioning, not retrenchment, and the resulting academic program is…

This paper reviews the empirical literature regarding factors associated with the development of Institutional Research (IR) offices in community colleges. The IR office is defined as any organizational unit which has at least one half-time staff member given responsibility for the synthesis and reporting of institutional data, is visibly…

The role of institutional research in the creation and operation of an information center is discussed, along with the ways in which the spread of information centers within higher education is likely to influence the future development of institutional research. Forces leading to the emergence of information centers are advances in computer…

Use of student focus groups to help shape college and university student recruitment efforts is examined, illustrated with the experiences of a variety of institutions. Benefits and limitations of the approach are noted, specific techniques for maximizing the groups' effectiveness are suggested, and uses of the resulting information are discussed.…