"The First-Year Seminar: Designing, Implementing, and Assessing Courses to Support Student Learning and Success," a five-volume series, is designed to assist educators who are interested in launching a first-year seminar or revamping an existing program. Each volume examines a different aspect of first-year seminar design or administration and…

Statistical modeling provides a method for colleges to use alumni-development information to create an equation predicting who is likely to respond positively to fund-raising appeals. This can make fund raising more cost-effective, provide higher returns on minimal investment, provide results quickly, and improve competitiveness. Resources…

Models for college and university Interinstitutional data sharing are redefined by examining the organization and activities of existing data-sharing groups across 11 dimensions: data-sharing purpose; nature of data-sharing structures; definer of process; calendar; scope of surveys; participant characteristics; source of data-sharing initiative;…

Three models for college and university decision-making about scarce resources are outlined: (1) shared governance, (2) corporate management, and (3) total quality management. Two underlying principles of all the models are, first, that faculty are the heart of the institution and, second, that successful institutions are governed through the…

A study tested a model for assessing the impact of financial aid offers on 2,558 accepted students' college enrollment decisions. The analysis demonstrates that financial aid strategies have a substantial influence on enrollment and the systematic analysis of student enrollment decisions can help institutional administrators refine their financing…

Research questions and literature pertaining to a conceptual model on productivity at the departmental level are discussed. The model can be pictured as involving three goal-achievement processes: faculty research, faculty teaching, and student learning. Items that constitute the goal achievement process are goals, committed resources, expended…

This report presents the results of a qualitative research study at three small independent colleges/universities on how literature-based strategic planning models compare with actual practices. Four critical aspects of strategic planning were identified: first, dealing with the future; second, understanding the organization's external…