This paper describes a personal computer spreadsheet set up to carry out hierarchical log-linear analyses, a type of analysis useful for institutional research into multidimensional frequency tables formed from categorical variables such as faculty rank, student class level, gender, or retention status. The spreadsheet provides a concrete vehicle…

Characteristics of a decision support system (DSS) and factors that influence system design are described, along with a decision support database at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Reasons that the institutional research office is in a unique position to support decision-making are identified. A review of the literature of DSS briefly covers…

The applications of a recently developed computer program for microcomputers in developing models in an institutional research environment are considered. The VISICALC program requires no user programming skills, is available for all major brands of microcomputers, and provides for easy exchange of information between users of different computing…

The use of a robust statistical technique to implement a decentralized faculty allocation procedure at a medium size public university is discussed. The least median of squares (LMS), a regression technique introduced by Rousseeuw, was used instead of the usual least sum of squares, or least squares. The LMS technique was used to assist in the…

The use of computerized decision support systems in higher education for making tactical institutional decisions is reviewed, with attention to the kind of administrative problems that lie somewhere between programmed to nonprogrammed decisions and require a combination of computer support and administrative judgment. (MSE)

Report of a study of strategic planning, conducted by EDUCOM, a consortium of colleges and universities engaged in sharing educational technology applications, portrays information processing ideas, goals, and plans at 10 innovative colleges and universities. (Author/JJD)

The evolution of executive reporting and decision support systems at the University of Hartford is described, including a definition of concepts, discussion of the decision support roles of the planning and institutional research office and computer service, a description of several systems already developed, and the strategies underlying…

Long-range planning involves the establishment of educational objectives within a rational philosophy, the design of activities and programs to meet stated objectives, the organization and allocation of resources to implement programs, and the analysis of results in terms of the objectives. Current trends of educational growth and complexity…

Finland has developed a national computerized database containing information on the performance and costs of universities for use in internal and Ministry of Education decision making. National evaluation of different research fields is also part of the performance evaluation system. (MSE)

Institutional strategic decisions require the participation of every individual with a significant stake in the solution, and group decision support systems are being developed to respond to the political and consensual problems of collective decision-making. (MSE)

Many institutional researchers will find that the microcomputer leads to greater efficiency in everything that they do, especially in the two most critical elements of their jobs: thinking and communicating. (Author/MLW)

It is recognized that growing management information systems will require increased user involvement in acquiring, maintaining, and manipulating essential institutional data. A technique called Service/Requirements Analysis has been developed for incorporating user input into system design and development. (MSE)

Use of computers at Brown University and attitudes toward computing were investigated in 1984. Major areas of interest were: frequency of weekly computer use, past experience using computers, when respondents first used a computer, their gender, student status, years at the university, major, and parental and familial influences on computer use.…

That William and Mary is a small, traditional, liberal arts college does not exempt it from the need for interdepartmental coordination, efficient allocation of resources, and accountability. In conjunction with the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), the college undertook an extensive probe into information networks to see if the…

A powerful but straightforward computer-based approach to university resource allocation has been successfully integrated with group process techniques to assist top-level administrators in making difficult choices. (Author)