The article is devoted to testing the research hypothesis: project management increases the efficiency of managerial decision-making in educational institutions. The authors studied the theoretical and methodological foundations of effective management of educational projects, which confirmed the theoretical possibility of substantiating the…

Project management (PM) software, used by business to facilitate planning and implementation of complex projects through database building, is discussed. Typical PM tools are reviewed, uses of the technique on campus are examined, availability of microcomputer PM software is noted, and its functional uses and benefits are explored. (Author/MSE)

An interview with Stephen C. Hall and Constance F. Towler of the Harvard University Office for Information Technology (Massachusetts) addresses issues in implementing management techniques to improve and maintain program quality. Topics include motivation, executive-level knowledge and support, specific changes made, and response and assistance…

Before colleges and universities can take advantage of the full potential of information technology (IT) to improve administration, they must be able to measure its value and justify adoption. A "return on management" methodology links IT, managerial, and organizational performance to assess management value added, thus relative productivity, of…

A general description and guidelines are presented for a program review process for departments of medical education of the administrative units within colleges of medicine. After a discussion of the purposes of reviews, a suggested review process is described. The process to be utilized should be negotiated by the principle units, the…

Five veteran college alumni directors share strategies for creating an effective association: deciding what program aspects must be measured; assessing the program realistically; listening to customers; stretching program resources to hold down cost and work more efficiently; and remembering the value of the human touch in program design and…

Although volunteers serve many useful functions in fund raising, soliciting gifts should be left to staff. Volunteers are hard to recruit, keep, motivate, are unreliable, lacking in expertise, and they can balk at the realities of development tasks. Development offices should carefully think through the appropriate roles for these individuals.…

Research on university marketing structures suggests environments without unique market segments result in circular, multi-layered structures; marketing autonomy is directly related to resource control; communication and cooperation among organizational layers is inversely related to resource control; number of autonomous organizational layers is…

Describes implementation of Responsibility Center Management in the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University (Indianapolis) to achieve higher academic and research goals and what the institution as a whole has learned about the approach. Argues that this form of decentralized management is a partial antidote to the outmoded,…

The administration's adviser to the Illinois State University Student Alumni Council examines the benefits of student participation in alumni affairs, outlines some considerations in the creation and development of a new student alumni program, and suggests program possibilities for different constituencies, including alumni, students, future…

The values and successes of college sports to higher education are threatened by patterns of abuse, particularly in larger programs. The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics' report and recommendations for reform are designed to stem abuses and help athletics find its proper and legitimate role. (MSE)

Based on survey data from 70 universities, this study concludes that differences in the organizational structure of development offices have no significant effect on fund-raising efficiency. However, because decentralized offices may be able to expand their activities more rapidly than centralized programs, decentralization may facilitate overall…

College and university fund-raising programs that combine some characteristics of centralization and some of decentralization can be very successful and also pose unique administrative challenges, as illustrated in the experiences of a number of diverse institutions. Collaboration and clear communication are keys to effective administration. (MSE)

The traditional college student personnel services model must be streamlined for efficiency and effectiveness. Common problems include poor advice and counseling for students, inflexible staffing patterns, and uncoordinated policy making. Pratt Institute (New York) followed a four-phase process of redesigning policies and procedures, reorganizing,…

The effectiveness in meeting institutional objectives and the costs of early, partial, and phased retirement plans in operation at 51 public higher education institutions, as reported in a survey, are discussed. (MSE)