Institutional researchers are responsible for the collection, organization, analysis, and maintenance of large amounts of personally identifiable data on students, faculty, and staff. Not only are institutional research (IR) offices required to report these data to state and federal agencies, they are also responsible for providing information to…

In 2001, the grant and research coordinator of the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) was inspired to create an informal collaborative with representatives from other organizations who had similar interests in collecting and sharing data that related to postsecondary education aspirations and participation. Representatives were…

Institutional researchers must be in the institutional planning process in the coming years if institutional research is to remain a viable administrative specialty. Politics is viewed in its purest sense as the influence individuals, organizations, or other entities have upon policy-setting and decision-making. (Author/MLW)

The role of institutional research and the relationships between institutional researchers and state agencies from the perspective of state agency staff is reviewed. The statutory and pragmatic roles and responsibilities of institutions, state higher education agencies, and legislative and executive agencies are considered. (MLW)

Examines the coverage, content, and customers of higher education performance reports, along with their purposes, priorities, initiation methods, and emerging changes in their style and substance. (EV)

Compares the results from the National Center for Public Policy in Higher Education's state report cards and state performance reports, and notes that the states with performance reports received no better grades than those without them. (EV)

Reviews the prospects, problems, and possibilities of performance reporting in higher education and discusses two fundamental flaws in performance reporting. (EV)

Institutional administrators and research specialists must help improve and implement accountability measures if institutions are to retain academic autonomy. Current trends point to increased pressure for public accountability of higher education in the future. (MLW)

Traces the rise of the "new accountability" in higher education and describes the policy responses of outcomes assessment, performance funding and budgeting, and performance reporting. (EV)

Autonomy, in the context of higher education, is defined as the ability of a university or college to govern itself without outside controls. Autonomy and academic freedom are discussed and procedural and substantive autonomy are distinguished. (MLW)

Summarizes results of an opinion survey of governors' aides, legislative chairs of education committees, higher education finance officers, and campus institutional researchers on the use, effects, and future of performance reporting. (EV)

Provides state and campus policymakers' views on the importance and appropriateness of the most common indicators used in state and campus performance reports. (EV)

The performance types, concerns, policy values, and models of excellence implied in higher education performance reporting indicators are identified, and the use of performance measures by two- and four-year campuses are compared. (EV)

Performance funding for public colleges is attractive to state policymakers but volatile and difficult to implement. It requires levels of collaboration, cooperation, patience, and persistence unusual in state government and a commitment to institutional goals, performance standards, and coordinated activities rare in academic governance. However,…

Ideas and experiences to improve the art of influence with state agencies are provided. College presidents and institutional research officers were interviewed. The role of state agencies' future issues that may affect campus and state agency relationships are examined. (MLW)