To test the effectiveness of the DISCOVER computer-based career development system, 46 college students completed the Survey of Career Development, the Information-Seeking Behavior Log, and the Self-Assessment of Confidence and Progress in Educational/Career Planning. The instruments were administered as pre- and post-treatment indicators to two…

Argues that the development of a successful program in a small sociology department reflects a joint accommodation of the institution's mission, the student constituency, resources, and the program philosophy of its faculty. (BSR)

The experience of a small liberal arts college in repackaging and remarketing the entire institution to boost continuing education enrollment is described. The marketing team followed current theories, establishing the division as a self-generating unit with a small annual operating surplus. Proceeds are reinvested for periods of low enrollment.…

In this article, the authors discuss the professional development of three college professors as they actively seek to improve their technological skills. The expose uncovers faculty development issues regarding learning and using technology at the postsecondary level. Moreover, key questions that higher education faculty and administrators need…

The efforts of Kentucky State University to inaugurate a comprehensive development program to increase private financial support for essential programs are described. The 14 major objectives established by the institution's development office in 1982 and the programmatic approaches used over a period of 7 years to achieve each objective, are…

A study of successful strategies used by several hundred small, private, liberal arts colleges for fund raising, a fund-raising model developed from the results, and suggestions for enhancing fund-raising capabilities in this sector are reported. (MSE)

Many small private colleges are gaining in enrollments because of aggressive marketing tactics, more long-term planning, and innovative educational programs designed to appeal to nontraditional students. (MSE)

Surveyed college administrators, faculty, support staff, and students (total n=211) to assess retention efforts at small college. Found both differences and similarities among groups. Findings suggest that progress has been made in improving retention efforts. Results revealed that respondents did not always perceive close relationship between…

Modifications made to the Dartmouth Intensive Language Model (DILM), an intensive immersion program, resulted in its effective implementation and enhancement of a small-college foreign language program, in spite of such limitations as a very small teaching staff, inexperienced and anxious students, and decreased contact hours for the program. (CB)

A telephone registration system for first year students implemented at Alma College (Michigan), involves having freshmen confer with advisors during orientation week, then having the registrar's office contact the advisors. Despite limitations, the low-tech solution works well at extremely low cost. (MSE)

A Quality Assurance Program (QAP) developed at the College of St. Francis is presented that is based on an open systems approach. The model allows an institution to continually monitor, evaluate, and, when necessary, modify its academic programs, graduates or undergraduate, traditionally or non-traditionally delivered, to assure quality. Part I…

This study developed and tested a method to determine how well each two-year institution in a state system is in preparing students for the successful completion of four-year college study and how successful each four-year institution is in graduating students from the two-year colleges that transfer to it. The study used data provided by the…

In 2002, the Policy Center on the First Year of College (supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Atlantic Philanthropies, and Lumina Foundation for Education) sponsored a project to recognize colleges and universities as "Institutions of Excellence" in their design and execution of the first year. Thirteen colleges and…

Without an institutional research office to look at recruitment and retention programs, DePauw University (Indiana) relies heavily on institutional trend data and comparative information to assess the effectiveness of three initiatives: recruitment of large numbers of minority students, strategic use of financial aid, and use of market…

This study used the case study method and focus group interviews to examine: (1) which of the economic impacts of a small liberal arts college on its community are important; (2) whether economic impact can be estimated economic impact studies; and (3) whether such studies influence public opinion about the college's economic impact. Two focus…