Seven small private colleges in three states have found a way to reduce their administrative technology costs and expand their technological capability at the same time. They have done it by choosing the common-sense, yet unconventional, college and university strategy of genuine collaboration. The result, the Independent College Enterprise (ICE),…

The New York State Regents Action Plan dramatically changes educational reform initiatives by requiring districts to sign a written contract specifying criteria for program, performance and fiscal accountability. Districts are required at the end of the school year to provide a written explanation as to whether or not the goals were achieved. On…

Until 1985, higher education was a growth industry, and new programs were a by-product of that growth. Now, new programs must be justified by extensive data analysis. This trend and others indicate governing boards are taking the new-program approval process seriously. (MLW)

This annual report describes the goals and activities of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB). The AGB is dedicated to strengthening the performance of boards of public and independent colleges and universities and to advancing the practice of citizen trusteeship that distinguishes U.S. higher education. This…

This issue examines the problems and issues that affect students in the first year of college and reviews current institutional efforts to enhance the learning and retention of first-year students. It also offers a set of suggestions for trustees who seek greater understanding and more active engagement in campus decisions related to the first…

Serious but sustained institutional planning can be of help to any institution preparing for the challenges of the next two decades. A planning model at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences is described. (MLW)

Approaches to planning, conducting, and assessing workshops or retreats for college trustees and regents are suggested. It is claimed that the most successful workshops or retreats are those that fit into a comprehensive strategy of board development, and that it is important to decide what needs to be accomplished and to involve the board in…

The development function of the 1970's is seen as a test of the management skills of policy-making trustees, decision-making administrators and sales management development officers to plan for and secure financial resources from constituents buffeted by new issues and new forces in American society, in the economy, and in the educational system.…

A capital campaign to build facilities for a new nursing division at Aurora College is described. Three suggestions are provided: draw up a detailed plan, there is no substitute for personal contact, and hard work is essential. (MLW)

Guidelines for establishing an effective fund-raising board include knowing the group's and the institution's mission, getting expert help, recruiting helpful individuals, making expectations clear, giving trustees honest information, promoting trustee self-examination, getting a key leader to direct recruitment, welcoming new leadership, having…

Next to hiring the president, a board's most important responsibility is maintaining the integrity and health of its institution's academic program. The complex division of labor that separates the lines of administrative and academic authority on most campuses means that many conscientious trustees find themselves in a quandary. If they exercise…

Commonly asked questions about methods of faculty evaluation (including student, peer, and self-evaluation) are answered, and guidelines for improving a failing evaluation system are discussed. (MSE)

Suggestions for improving community relationships necessary to the development of community colleges as a social and economic force are provided. The board of trustees' role in strengthening institutional programs, in considering the interests of the total community, and in solving school problems is reviewed. Citizen advisory committees are…

Board members of community colleges need to carefully consider and actively support feasible programs for older people with a firm commitment to fiscal and programmatic decisions assuring lifelong learning opportunities and public service activities. Trustees must be aware of and understand problems and issues of older adults, secure data for…

The academic program development and planning process of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education are examined and contrasted with values and criteria of faculty and institutional leaders. The Indiana Commission is concerned about program structure with regard to student access, student choice, and institutional diversity. It has specific…