Pennsylvania State University's award-winning electronic approval system allows administrative documents to be electronically generated, approved, and updated in the university's central database. Campus business can thus be conducted faster, less expensively, more accurately, and with greater security than with traditional paper approval…

The University of Delaware developed an intelligent mail server to provide easy, inexpensive access to institutional information for faculty, staff, and students on any node, machine, or operating system on the campuswide computing network. Security concerns have been addressed. The small investment has returned immediate benefits. (MSE)

San Joaquin Delta Community College has created a graphic, electronic office environment called "Virtual Desk" to operate on employees' desktops. It is a front end to the computer network depicting a desk on which are mounted a calculator, spreadsheet, notepad, calendar, word processor, electronic mail, and file drawers and bookshelves.…

The department of computer services at Miami-Dade Community College (Florida) limits its monthly newsletter to one page and follows specific guidelines about content and format. The publication is used for communication, public relations, and recognition. This streamlined approach allows for efficient and consistent communication. (MSE)

Four basic models of the organization of college and university communications offices are described: advancement, news bureau model, agency, and marketing models. Pros and cons of each are discussed, and the structure of this function at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) is presented as an ideal…

At Clarion University of Pennsylvania, the campus activities programming board and a student organization adopted a joint publicity program for campus events. Benefits and drawbacks of the arrangement are outlined. For other colleges, it is suggested that the college communications department be a source for developing similar cooperative…

The ways in which five college and university alumni offices increase their effectiveness by pairing up with departments and offices across campus are described. These cooperative efforts include alumni program involvement with academic departments, career development services, admissions office, student organizations, and government relations…

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro student financial aid office undertook a program to train staff in effective listening. Training involved personal videotaping of staff members, followed by feedback to staff and a handout for students (appended) to promote more successful interviews. Initial response has been positive. (Author/MSE)

The process that Kenyon College (Ohio) used in researching development of a campus-wide information system (CWIS) is outlined, and the most important issues to be considered in launching a successful CWIS are identified, including resources, needs, ownership, access, personnel, content, policy, design, staffing, marketing, and ongoing development.…

The administration of a comprehensive fringe benefits program at the University of Florida, a large institution with about 11,000 faculty, support, and administrative and professional employees, is described. Topics examined include the benefits office function, retirement, obstacles in program administration and information dissemination, special…

Cultural and organizational issues arising in university-industry partnerships are explored, outlining benefits and risks to both parties. A short-term partnership between Southern Illinois University and the high-tech Hewlett Packard Company is examined, including its origins, the nature of the contract, communication between cultures, time…

To provide better access to information, the University of Arizona information technology center has designed a data warehouse accessible from the desktop computer. A team approach has proved successful in introducing and demonstrating a prototype to the campus community. (Author/MSE)

Using the experiences of Rockland Community College (RCC) as examples, this paper suggests a number of successful cognitive and affective strategies for the educationally disadvantaged in community colleges, focusing on those which are competency based, cost effective and retention sensitive. First, trends in developmental/remedial education are…

A study was conducted by Catonsville Community College (Maryland) to identify those factors that foster successful linkages between Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) sponsors and community colleges. The study involved: (1) identifying exemplary CETA/college linkages through consultation with experts in academe and government; (2)…

In 1994, the information technology organization at Indiana University, Bloomington, undertook a major computing technology conversion that affected 40,000 people. The project is described, and factors contributing to its success are discussed, including system architecture, marketing and customer communications, and migration of information…