To be sure that the capitalization required in the move to distributed processing is spent wisely, it is necessary to understand the function, integration, and system architecture. How to achieve corporate standards in office automation/decision support in higher education is discussed. (Author/MLW)

This workshop investigated how managers can evaluate, select, and effectively use information resource management (IRM) tools, especially data dictionary systems (DDS). An executive summary, which provides a definition of IRM as developed by workshop participants, precedes the keynote address, "Data: The Raw Material of a Paper Factory,"…

The results of a study addressing the problems of the management information system of the State University System of Florida are discussed. It is suggested that a majority of the problems did not reside in software and hardware applications but in general management practices. Recommendations are also included. (SF)

The experience of Western Michigan University in the design and implementation of a combined information/decision support center is described. The center's design was in response to the outcomes of a long-range planning process, which helped identify unmet user needs. Three types of support were found to be required: education and consulting,…

Directed to local superintendents of schools and local coordinators who desire assistance in developing and implementing student information systems in their districts, this guide summarizes material presented in the Alabama State Department of Education's LEA Basic Data Systems: A Manual of Developmental Activities. It describes Alabama's…

Intended to assist school administrators in developing both student information systems and total information systems, this guide contains suggestions which, when considered in terms of local characteristics and concerns, can be used to create such systems to support administrative decision making, state and federal reporting, guidance, research,…

Reasons for distributed systems (DS) of planning and design for information services for colleges are discussed. The methodologies and approaches from industry and academe are contrasted to show how the process of DS can be effectively managed to meet a variety of institutional needs. DS represent a natural evolution of the historic development of…

Several financial aid management software programs are now being marketed and many institutions are seriously contemplating purchase of one of them. Careful analysis of any proposal is essential. The experiences of the University of Oklahoma are described. Personnel preparation should receive considerable attention during the planning and…

The report outlines how the University of Alaska (Fairbanks) could move toward institutionalizing a chief information officer and merge campus academic and administrative information systems. The chief information officer would have such responsibilities as strategic planning participation, information systems planning, development of…

To implement a computer software system successfully, a college development officer must learn all about it, control its development rather than let computer center staff take control, define the system needs and elements, study software contracts carefully before signing, reorganize the office to accommodate computing needs, and make necessary…

Steps that should be followed in choosing and implementing an administrative computer system are discussed. Three stages are involved: institutional assessment, system selection, and implementation. The first step is to define the current status of the data processing systems and the management information systems at the institutions. Future…

To estimate computer needs at a higher education institution, the major types of users and their future needs should be determined. In a large or complex university, three major groups of users are typically instructional, research, and administrative. After collecting information on the needs of these users, the needs can be translated into…

The relationship between data and their use in a planning, management and evaluation system in a higher education institution is discussed. Elements of the institutional planning process are detailed as well as the budgeting process and a method for relating fiscal resources to institutional goals and objectives. (Author/SF)

Britain's Further Education Unit (FEU) has continued to work in the areas of management information systems (MIS), particularly, computerized management information systems (CMIS), and their significance for curriculum management. Perceptions about the use of CMIS have been changed. Several reports have noted the limitations of existing systems in…

The process of planning the role of the microcomputer in higher education administration is investigated through a survey of a sample of universities and colleges in California engaged in such efforts, and through a review of literature in education as well as computing. A major objective of the study was to systematically investigate the…