Waukesha County Technical College (Wisconsin) received the Governmental Financial Officers Association "Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award" in 1993 and became the first educational entity to do so. Popular annual financial reporting is an effective way for schools to present reader-friendly reports that stress graphics and…

Discusses computer networking and the cost effectiveness of decentralization, including local area networks. A planned experiment with a centralized approach to the operation and management of file servers at the University of South Carolina is described that hopes to realize cost savings and the avoidance of staffing problems. (Contains four…

Discusses issues involved in creating educational hyperdocuments at the University of Kent (England) and examines whether the costs are justified by the benefits. Concludes that the key to making a cost-effective hyperdocument is to have widespread usage over a long period of time and to ensure portability, maintenance, and quality assurance. (JMV)

Maintaining a quality college alumni program on a small budget requires careful analysis of services and may involve painful decisions. This process should begin with a broad, strategic review of mission, programming, audiences, and services. Finding other funding sources and increasing cost-consciousness can also help keep some activities funded.…

The impact of the Employment Action Pilot Project on employable immigrants on welfare in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada), was studied with 24 immigrant clients, 15 single-parent female immigrants, and over 300 comparisons. Significant differences were not found between program and comparison groups. Impacts other than cost-effectiveness are discussed.…

This article describes the cost-of-quality model used at El Camino College (California), which formally measures the costs associated with process improvement activities. A case study illustrates use of the model in evaluating a new process for reimbursing faculty and staff attending conferences. (DB)

Worker's Compensation premiums at a New Jersey school district had risen 131% in only three years, and the insurance carrier informed the district that coverage would be dropped. A plan to reduce worker's compensation costs evolved on three fronts--administrative direction, rules concerning compensation claims, and safety issues. (MLF)

The percentage of books in a research library having personal authors that were cataloged and entered in a one-screen minicatalog was determined to be 36.6 percent when searched. Libraries can reduce cataloging costs and increase user access to information by simplifying cataloging. (AEF)

Examines the value of professional associations, and discusses their benefits, including networking, technological advancements, sharing of knowledge, cost-effectiveness, and career opportunities. Identifies the elements of a successful association: (1) mission; (2) vision; (3) objectives; and (4) strategy. Also describes procedures for setting up…

The North Carolina General Assembly directed the State Building Commission to study the comparative costs of multi- and single-prime contracting and report the results to the 1995 General Assembly. Describes the analysis of data collected from governmental units that had awarded construction contracts. Identifies some alternative contracting…

Examines teletraining as a cost-effective, high quality alternative in distance education. Teletraining methods include: audio-only, audio-graphic, computer-conferencing, one-way video broadcast, one- or two-way video with audio interaction, and desktop videoconferencing. (AEF)

A methodology for estimating the cost-effectiveness of coordinated programs from the standpoint of an electric or gas utility is described and illustrated. The discussion focuses on demand-side management programs cofunded by the government and utilities, but it can be applied to other types of cofunded programs. (SLD)

Examines production and cost structures of 28 Turkish universities to estimate their economies of scale and scope. Estimates multiproduct cost functions for teaching and research, examining social, health, and engineering sciences departments across 186 college faculties. Average incremental and marginal costs are highest for graduate instruction…

Lists 27 suggestions for making cost-effective decisions when buying personal computers. Topics covered include physical comfort; modem speed; color graphics; institutional discounts; direct-order firms; brand names; replacing versus upgrading; expanding hard disk capacity; printers; software; wants versus needs; and RLIN (Research Libraries…

Explores aspects of conducting management simulations in a corporate environment, based on the experiences of a facilitator for 15 classes that used a total enterprise game. Observations regarding simulation value, team size and selection, number of sessions, the role of the facilitator, and model design are offered. (36 references) (MES)