Issues in the evaluation of the college planning process are examined, and 13 questions to be addressed in assessing both strategic and operational planning functions are presented, including criteria for evaluating (1) the decisional aspect of planning, (2) planning data, and (3) the process. Evaluation methods are also discussed. (MSE)

Information use can be defined in many ways depending on a variety of organizational, personal, and presentational factors. The experience of evaluation researchers provides some guides for practice. (Author/MSE)

This study aimed to provide systematic empirical evidence for how postsecondary institutions support and promote the use of assessment information in academic decision making. A survey instrument, Institutional Support for Student Assessment, was developed as an inventory of external influences on student assessment; institutional approaches to…

Because community college administrators are under increasing pressure to curtail or eliminate programs due to reduced resources, the need for institutional research in the area of evaluation of educational and support programs arises. There are three basic approaches to program evaluation which are used in most public educational institutions:…

The contemporary context and some recent trends affecting college program reviews or evaluations, current options in purposes and practices, and impacts on programs and institutions are discussed. It is recommended that the process be viewed as a contribution to the general knowledge base for campus constituencies rather than as "right answers"…

An expanded duties role of the multiple-program evaluator as an integral part of the ongoing decision-making process in all projects served is defended. Assumptions discussed included that need for projects with related objectives to pool resources and avoid duplication of effort and the evaluator's unique ability to provide an objective…

Offers examples of research efforts undertaken at Miami-Dade Community College to analyze the college preparatory program, considering early research using placement test scores, research using college-preparatory course enrollment data, and most recent research using a longitudinal database. Argues that the research process must proceed with…

The complexity of Seattle University's decision to replace three separate computerized student information systems with one integrated system was managed with a multicriteria method for evaluating alternatives. The method both managed a large amount of information and reduced people's resistance to change. (MSE)

As scrutiny of intercollegiate athletics programs increases, a likely means for evaluating athletics programs is self-study. This method can be valuable in enhancing internal decision making, help assure the institution and others of the integrity of the evaluation process, focus on key issues before they become problems, and improve campus…

The political processes involved in an academic program evaluation are discussed. The focus is on how evaluative information is politically linked to programmatic decisions within the context of various organizational and evaluative utilization models. To examine the explanatory power of the various theories and models, information from a program…

This conference on program budgeting was planned to accomplish four objectives: (1) provide a basic orientation for academic administrators by defining program budgeting, and explaining how it might help their institutions; (2) interpret the vocabulary of systems analysis; (3) identify the different levels of involvement at which an institution…

This report examines how the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) process might be utilized in an institutional research format to bring about future formalized assessment and planning in undergraduate and graduate teacher education. With the focus on the recent NCATE reaccreditation process at the University of…

The process of developing program evaluation models for Florida International University's college of education is described. One lesson learned was that a combination of macro- and microlevel planning is necessary for purposeful evaluation. A grid to aid decision making is also presented. (Author/MSE)

Institutions increasingly use alumni feedback in such areas as program review, curricular planning, budget allocation, student assessment, services, and recruitment. The Ohio University alumni research program is described. (MLW)

College administrators often overlook the valuable assistance than can be provided by the college internal audit unit as they implement principles of total quality management. This unit is in a good position to conduct performance audits of departments and programs, the results of which can provide meaningful information to assist in…