Community colleges are under pressure to increase completion rates, prepare students for the workplace, and contain costs. Colleges need to know the financial implications of what are often perceived as routine decisions: course scheduling, program offerings, and the provision of support services. This chapter presents a methodology for estimating…

As with most things in life, managing student meal charges is all about balance. To be successful, the program needs to include a fair and reasonable policy, to serve nutritious and flavorful meals, and to include students as active stakeholders in the program. A plan that acknowledges simple forgetfulness, explains expectations of all…

Budgetary capacity that would allow for the public funding of the provision of universal access to primary education is lacking in many sub-Saharan economies. National revenues significantly lag behind the overall economic productivity measure of GDP. Analysis of data derived from UNESCO and UNDP for 2004 shows that governments in the region spend…

A heuristic approach to explaining of the Black-Scholes option pricing model in undergraduate classes is described. The approach draws upon the method of protocol analysis to encourage students to "think aloud" so that their mental models can be surfaced. It also relies upon extensive visualizations to communicate relationships that are…

It is said that "home is where the heart is." Many colleges and universities are keeping that in mind as they continue to invest in building residential facilities to attract students to on-campus living. Residence hall construction at the nation's higher-education institutions remains strong, as the benefits to students, parents, and the college…

The Unit Cost Study is an annual project involving the direct participation of all public community colleges in Illinois. Each college submits basic data on course offerings, enrollments, and costs to the Illinois Community College Board staff, who in turn check the data for consistency with credit hour claims and financial reports and then…

Information concerning a theory about allocation of resources among units at colleges is presented. This information, which is primarily in tabular and graphical form, is based on a report of the special conference topic panel entitled "Clues for Leaders of Universities from Environmental Studies: Applying Theory and Research to…

Reviews two papers appearing in this "Economics of Education Review" issue. Faults M.J. Bowman, B. Millot, and E. Schiefelbein's tax burden study for excluding background information on educational goals in France, Chile, and Malaysia. Criticizes L. R. Jones, F. Thompson, and W. Zumeta for viewing budgeting as limiting expenditures, rather than…

Describes the Connecticut Unit of Service System, a unified system for quantifying services and service delivery that is administratively useful in monitoring and allocating resources. Includes a Relative Value Scale which incorporates staff time and related work to allow a comparison of inpatient and outpatient service. (JAC)

The recommendations of James B. Conant in the 1950s led to high school consolidation across the country. Although the surviving small schools have weaknesses, they have benefits as well. (JM)

The techniques for calculating marginal costs in higher education are examined in detail. Marginal costs, as defined in economics, is the change in total cost associated with producing one additional unit of output. In higher education, the most frequently selected unit of output is a full-time-equivalent student or, alternatively, a student…

Development of an instructional materials center and self-instructional materials on clinical dental procedures is described. The center is located near students' operatories and the student-tested programs were developed cost-effectively and relatively quickly. (MSE)

Fiscal year (FY) 1987 results of the annual unit cost study of the Illinois public community colleges are presented in this report, based on data on course offerings, enrollments, and costs provided by the colleges. After an initial summary overview, data and analyses are presented showing net instructional unit costs for FY 1987 compared with…

An analysis is presented of the basic instructional productivity formula, PR = TL x CS, where PR is the index of productivity, TL is the index reflecting teaching load, and CS is the class-size index. Objectives of the analysis are to: extend the basic instructional productivity formula to include recognition of different types of instruction;…

Presents model for estimation of student unit costs and staffing requirements. Begins with specification of a "staff distribution matrix" setting out proportions of staff levels in a given staff category that are needed for a degree level. Student unit cost and staffing requirements are computed through manipulations on the matrix. The…