This qualitative study explored the conditions that support assessment practice and the impact of the accreditation process on assessment practice in student affairs divisions at three small colleges and universities in the southeastern U.S. Findings indicate that the role of the senior student affairs officer directly impacts staff perceptions of…

The U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention publishes "Catalyst," a newsletter covering current Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence (AODV) prevention issues at institutions of higher education. "Catalyst" discusses emerging issues and highlights innovative efforts on…

Information management has taken on more meaning for the small to medium-sized college and university in recent years. Advances in hardware and software have brought improved performances to campuses at a lower cost. Some of the planning methods used by Regis College are outlined. (MLW)

This paper discusses the problems and benefits of conducting research in a small institution. Problems related to personnel, finances, expertise, and credibility, and advantages such as communication and cooperation are described. The University of Lethbridge has created a common data-gathering system, QAULTEP (Qualitative Analysis of the…

A staff development program for classified support personnel at an institution whose small size cannot justify a large program is described. Needs assessment, program implementation, and lessons learned from the experience are outlined, and special problems and tensions in small-college staff programs are noted. (MSE)

The Small College Consortium is a project funded under Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 for developing institutions. Under the project, technical assistance and financial resources were provided to 54 colleges to learn to use new techniques and processes to overcome weak areas of their institutions. The evaluation covers the fiscal…

A good college assessment program should include departmental level assessment to evaluate what students learn in their major field. Small colleges have unique opportunities and constraints in developing departmental assessment programs. Because of their size, small departments can use labor-intensive methods and have more opportunities for…

The results of a follow-up evaluation of a decision support system installed 5 years ago at Guilford College are reported. Changes in the system, resulting procedures, and the organization are described. (Author/MLW)

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…

The opinions of 191 faculty members and program directors concerning specialized programs and their accreditation in small liberal arts colleges were obtained via administration of a 20-item Likert-type mail survey and site visits to 8 liberal arts colleges. Most respondents approved of current accreditation processes. (SLD)

The Small College Consortium is funded under Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 for developing institutions. Under this project technical assistance and financial resources are provided to 54 colleges to learn to use new techniques and processes to overcome weak areas of their institutions. The evaluation is for the fiscal year 1976-77…

A set of standards to help small college advancement managers measure and justify the advancement processes they pursue are provided. The framework includes five sections: institutional commitment, authority and organizational structure, personnel resources, advancement activities and functions, and evaluation. (MLW)

Montclair State College (New Jersey) is typical of many smaller public campuses that must respond to state mandates for student outcomes assessment, particularly in a community with changing demographics. Montclair's experience suggests lessons for other to ensure fairness for minority students. (Author/MSE)

The issues and processes that were important in the selection and implementation of an administrative computer system at Marymount Manhattan College are described. System analysis, system design, selection criteria, institutional decision processes, implementation steps, user acceptance, and organizational impact are discussed. (Author/MLW)

The experience of Coastal Carolina College (South Carolina) suggests that, although the small college often has the same academic reporting demands for intercollegiate athletics as a large institution, the nature of the institution creates different recordkeeping and reporting challenges. Computerization and active institutional research staff…