The results of student outcomes studies are of little value if they are not used in institutional planning and decision-making. Use of results can be made more effective if researchers understand the obstacles to information use on most campuses and tailor their presentations to overcome them. (Author/MSE)

A statewide performance funding initiative provided a strong incentive to examine student outcomes. The result has been a systematic program of data collection and dissemination that has significantly affected both the curriculum and the university's budgeting process. (Author/MSE)

Legal issues concerning the content and use of the college catalog are reviewed, including the catalog's changing role as a consumer document, misrepresentation, violation of statute, breach of contract, court interpretations, and remedies. Colleges are cautioned to take great care in using catalogs, for legal and administrative reasons. (MSE)

Concerns about published comparisons of colleges and universities are organized into a framework to guide further research. A systematic method for addressing specific issues about the guides is presented, and the environment in which the guides are used is examined. Research needed to assure that the guides make a valued contribution and are fair…

In 1991 Quality University organized its first Office of Institutional Planning and Research within the provost's office. This Office has focused on six major functions: (1) organization and start-up activities (developing collegial support, analyzing information resources, and developing computing resources); (2) administrative information…

Statewide data collection systems emerged in the late sixties as the vehicle to achieving greater efficiency and accountability in higher education. The expectations of statewide systems were that they would meet the needs of various levels of management. The example presented in this paper is the Georgia management information system and its…